Mizrachi, Laborites Oppose Formation of Relief Organization by World Jewish Congress

Opposition to the formation of a separate relief organization by the World Jewish Congress in the event that the Joint Distribution Committee rejects a Congress proposal for coordination of relief activities was expressed today by both the Orthodox and the laborite delegates to the War Emergency Conference of the Congress. Opposition was also voiced by Bernard Joseph, legal adviser to the Jewish Agency, who is representing the Jewish National Council of Palestine at the conference.

At a special meeting of the orthodox delegates convoked by the Mizrachi for the purpose of discussing the proposal for coordination of the activities of the Jewish Agency, the JDC and the Congress, Mizrachi leaders said that they had complete confidence in the JDC and would not support the creation of any new body which would compete with the JDC. At the same time, they indicated that they would welcome coordination of relief activities. A similar view was expressed at a gathering called by the Laborite delegates which was addressed by Dr. Joseph. The Canadian delegation took a similar stand.

Addressing today’s plenary session, Hirsh Trywaks, a delegate from Argentina, emphasized that the Jews of Argentina are not prepared to carry the burden of providing the World Jewish Congress with funds, if the Congress does not launch a fund raising campaign in the United States. He revealed that Argentina this year raised a quarter of a million dollars for the Congress, and pointed out that this constituted one-quarter of its entire budget.

ARGENTINE DELEGATION OUTLINES POST-WAR PROGRAM

Dr. Moises Goldman, the leader of the Argentine delegation, which wields great influence here, presented to the session, in behalf of the DAIA, central Jewish body in Argentina, a four-point program which will be incorporated into the final resolution which the conference is expected to adopt. The program provides for:

1. Coordination of activities of the major Jewish bodies, especially the Jewish Agency, JDC and the World Jewish Congress.

2. The opening of the doors of Palestine to unrestricted immigration of Jews from European countries.

3. Free immigration to Latin American countries and to all other lands where there is a shortage of labor.

4. An international bill of rights which will automatically guarantee equal rights for Jews in all parts of the world.

Maro Regalsky, another delegate from Argentina, in an address last night, criticized JDC activities in Latin American and charged that the JDC aims at under mining the World Jewish Congress in Argentina and other South American countries. A report on the work of the Congress in Latin America was delivered at today’s plenary session by Jacob Hellman another Argentine delegate.

CONGRESS PLANS TO CONVOKE A SPECIAL RELIEF CONFERENCE

The Congress reported today that it plans to convoke a conference devoted exclusively to relief and rehabilitation problems. “This conference is now in preparation and will be held in the very near future,” its report says. It adds that a standing committee for relief and rehabilitation established by the Congress is now preparing a draft of a program of post-war relief. This committee, the report emphasized, will synchronize the plans for various countries and will work out the relationship between Jewish relief activities and those of the respective governments.

The relationship between the American Jewish Conference and the World Jewish Congress was defined last night by Dr. Israel Goldstein, speaking in behalf of the Conference. It can be expected, he said, that the American Jewish Conference will do its utmost to help bring about a united Jewish front before the United Nations. In doing so it will work closely with the World Jewish Congress.

“If these two bodies can agree upon a plan of procedure and a program of demands,” Dr. Goldstein said, “it will no doubt make it easier to bring other groups into line or, failing that, these two bodies jointly could be so preponderant in their influence as to be in virtual command in the field of Jewish representation. American Jews,” Dr. Goldstein continued, “for the most part feel self-sufficient. Therefore, the interests of American Jewry in the World Jewish Congress would for the most part spring from a motive of altruism, a desire to help a weaker sister community.”

The conference voted today to adjourn the plenary session for one day in order to give time to its various commissions to study the resolutions on post-war Jewish policies which are to be adopted at the final session on Thursday.

Reports delivered by the delegates from England, Canada, Mexico, and from various Latin American countries during the general sessions today and yesterday. emphasized the interest of their communities in the activities of the World Jewish Congress. Speakers included Anselm Reiss, Polish-Jewish leader; Sydney Silverman, a member of the British Parliament; Dr. N. Barou, another British delegate; Arturo Wolfowitz, a member of the Mexican delegation; Abraham Mushin from Australia; A. J. Bennet from Canada, and Rabbi Wolf Gold, Mizrachi leader, who greeted the conference in behalf of the Jewish National Council of Palestine.

The Palestine delegation to the conference, which has been delayed by transportation difficulties, arrived in Miami by plane early today and is en route here. It consists of Oscar Wolfsberg, of the Poale Mizrachi; Sigfried Moses of the Aliyah Hadasha and Mordecai Ben-Tov of the Hashomer Hazair. Up to now Dr. Joseph has been the only delegate to arrive directly from Palestine, although the Jewish National Council decided a few days ago to designate Israel Mereminski and Joseph Israeli, laborites, and Rabbi Gold, all of whom were already in the United States, as additional Palestinian delegates.