The funeral of Lord Melchett will be held this afternoon. The late British statesman and industrial leader will be buried at the East Finchley non-sectarian cemetery in the family mausoleum but in accordance with Lord Melchett’s wish, will be buried as a Jew. A memorial service for the late British leader will be held this afternoon at the West London Synagogue.
A message from the King to Lady Melchett expressed on behalf of himself and Queen Mary their sincere regret and heartfelt sympathy for her loss. The message praised Lord Melchett’s constant devotion to the improving of the nation’s industrial life.
In a tribute published in today’s press, Lord Reading stated that the late Lord Melchett combined “the power of destructive criticism with a constructive capacity, and was distinguished throughout by the courage and decisiveness with which he attacked the problems of the day.”
The death of Lord Melchett and the consequent succession of his son Henry to the title will necessitate the latter’s transfer from the House of Commons, where he is now a member, to the House of Lords. His seat in the Commons will be filled by a bye-election in Liverpool.
LOSS TO BRITAIN
“Lord Melchett’s death at the height of his power and influence deprived Britain of a great leader. Britain can ill afford the loss,” says an editorial in the London Sunday Times. The Observer states that the death of Lord Melchett “closes a career exceptional for its range of eminence. He made an outstanding contribution to the solution of Britain’s economic problems.” The entire press recalls Lord Melchett’s Zionist affiliations and mentions that his last public act was to withdraw from the Jewish Agency as a protest against the British White Paper on Palestine greatest setback to Zionism since the death of Lord Balfour.”
“Lord Melchett’s interest in Zionism was essentially practical,” Col. Kisch, chairman of the Zionist Executive in Palestine, told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency correspondent. “When Dr. Weizmann first won his sympathy for the Zionist movement, Lord Melchett insisted that although he was greatly attracted to the cause he couldn’t respond unless he was convinced that the ideal was capable of realization. He therefore came to Palestine which won him, heart and soul.
“Fearless in everything, Lord Melchett was fearless in defence of our cause,” Col. Kisch said. “Believing completely in the justice of the Zionist cause it is characteristic of him that when he felt that cause wronged, he allowed no political discretion to moderate his condemnation.”
The Haaretz, Zionist organ, calls Lord Melchett’s death “an irreparable loss to the Jewish people, Zionism and the upbuilding of Palestine. There is something tragic in his death in these critical days when enemies are conspiring to wreck our plans for the future and great, loyal and influential friends like Lord Melchett are very few.”
The Davar, Zionist labor organ, says, “Lord Melchett revealed his courage and his pride in his Jewish origin in the most serious times for Jewry when he challenged the enemies of his people.”
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
