THE TWENTIETH WORLD ZIONIST CONGRESS PREPARED TONIGHT TO ADOPT BY A LARGE MAJORITY TOMORROW A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTIVE TO NEGOTIATE WITH GREAT BRITAIN ON ITS PLAN TO PARTITION PALESTINE AND ESTABLISH A JEWISH STATE.
A SPECIALLY-APPOINTED COMMITTEE FINISHED DRAFTING THE RESOLUTION EMBODYING THE MAIN VIEWS OF DR. CHAIM WEIZMANN, ZIONIST PRESIDENT, WHILE THE 483 DELEGATES WOUND UP A FIVE-DAY DEBATE ON THE MOST MOMENTOUS ISSUE IN THE 40-YEAR HISTORY OF THE ZIONIST ORGANIZATION.
THE RESOLUTION, WHICH AUTHORIZES THE EXECUTIVE TO NEGOTIATE WITH BRITAIN BUT NOT TO COMMIT THE ZIONISTS, WILL COME UP FOR A ROLL CALL AT A PLENARY SESSION TOMORROW AND IS EXPECTED TO BE ADOPTED BY AN OVERWHELMING MAJORITY.
“IF ANY DEFINITE PLAN FOR ESTABLISHMENT OF A JEWISH STATE BE THE OUTCOME OF THESE NEGOTIATIONS,” THE RESOLUTION SAYS, “THIS PLAN MUST BE BROUGHT BEFORE A NEWLY-ELECTED CONGRESS FOR DISCUSSION AND A DECISION.”
THE STATEMENT CATEGORICALLY REJECTS THE CONTENTION OF THE BRITISH ROYAL COMMISSION ON PALESTINE THAT THE MANDATE IS UNWORKABLE AND AUTHORIZES THE EXECUTIVE TO FIGHT ANY MEASURES AFFECTING THE RIGHTS GUARANTEED THE JEWS UNDER THE MANDATE AND THE BALFOUR DECLARATION.
THE RESOLUTION CONCLUDES BY EMPHASIZING THAT THE CONGRESS SHARES THE VIEWS EXPRESSED BY DR. WEIZMANN THAT THE PARTITION PLAN AS SUGGESTED BY THE ROYAL COMMISSION IS UNACCEPTABLE.
A COMMITTEE INCLUDING THE EXECUTIVE, THE CONGRESS PRESIDIUM AND 48 MEMBERS DRAWN ON A PROPORTIONAL BASIS FROM THE VARIOUS PARTIES AT THE CONGRESS SPENT THE DAY DRAFTING THE RESOLUTION.
A FINAL VOTE HAD BEEN SCHEDULED TONIGHT BUT WAS DEFERRED WHEN THE CONGRESS DEFEATED, 118 TO 77, A MOTION TO CLOSE DEBATE ON THE ISSUE.
WHILE THE DEBATE CONTINUED, NEGOTIATIONS WERE UNDER WAY REGARDING COMPOSITION OF THE NEW ZIONIST EXECUTIVE. IT WAS EXPECTED THE PRESENT EXECUTIVE WOULD BE RE-ELECTED, PROBABLY WITH THE ADDITION OF ONE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE POEL HAMIZRACHI, RELIGIOUS LABORITE GROUP.
ABRAHAM GOLDBERG, OF NEW YORK; PROF. SELIG BRODETSKY, OF LONDON; MEIER EBNER, OF RUMANIA, AND DR. HENRY ROSMARIN, OF GALICIA, POLAND, SUPPORTED PARTITION IN PRINCIPLE DURING TODAY’S DEBATE, WHILE MRS. GOLDIE MYERSON, OF PALESTINE, AND RIFTIN, OF THE HASHOMER HATZAIR (LABORITE YOUTHS) OPPOSED IT.
AFTER DR. ROSMARIN HAD DECLARED THE POLISH JEWS SUPPORTED PARTITION AS IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF JEWRY, MR. GOLDBERG BACKED THE PRINCIPLE, DECLARING THAT WHILE THE AMERICAN JEWS CONTRIBUTED MONEY, THE POLISH JEWS CONTRIBUTED MEN TO BUILD THE JEWISH NATIONAL HOME.
MR. EBNER DECLARED REFUSAL TO ACCEPT PARTITION WOULD MEAN STAGNATION AND DECLINE. RIFTIN, ANNOUNCING HIS GROUP WOULD VOTE AGAINST THE RESOLUTION, ATTACKED THE PALESTINE ADMINISTRATION AND CHARGED THE ROYAL COMMISSION REPORT WAS INFLUENCED BY BRITISH POLITICAL AND STRATEGIC CONSIDERATIONS.
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