Mr. O. E. d’Avigdor Goldsmid agreed to-day at the meeting of the Jewish Board of Deputies, after many members had spoken urging him to reconsider his decision, not to insist on his resignation from the Presidency of the Board in view of the fact that conditions at present are not normal, adding that he could no omit from consideration the state of affairs in Palestine, in which the Board is bound to take a deep interest. Until a more settled position is reached, he said, I feel that my retirement might add to the difficulties there, and therefore after considering all these points, I am going to venture to suggest a compromise. May I, he said amid cried of “agreed” from all parts of the hall, come forward as a candidate with the idea of tiding over the difficult times I see before us and being free if elected, to retire before the end of the next session.
It is quite correct to say, Mr. d’Avigdor Goldsmid told the Board, that six months ago I had firmly decided not to offer myself again as a candidate for the Presidency. I have occupied this very honourable position for five years, and I felt it was time for younger and more efficient shoulders to take the burden from mine. In addition to that, I felt that my increasing deafness militated against the successful chairmanship of our meetings. A former President stated that there should be a change in the Presidency every three years, on the ground that an old officer is likely to get into a groove, while the introduction of new blood would stimulate the work of the Board by the introduction of new ideas. For all these reasons I had decided not to offer myself as the President on the next occasion. I speak quite candidly when I say that I am proud of having been President of the Board and that I am intensely proud of the Board as an Institution, and therefore the welfare of the Institution must come before any personal questions. Since I reached this decision representations have been made to me from a good many sides that it would be in the best interests of the Institution if I offered myself as a candidate next time. These representations have come from all sections of the Board and have given me not only great pleasure but also a great deal of food for thought. I do feel very strongly there should be a change in your chief Executive Officer, and had we been going through an entirely normal period in the life of the Community these very flattering representations would not have weighed with me.
NO STATISTICAL COMMITTEE TO BE ESTABLISHED: TRIBUTE PAID TO WORK OF JEWISH HEALTH ORGANISATION.
The proposal made by Mr. Harry Samuels for the establishment of a Statistical Committee was defeated by the Board by 36 votes against 30, after the Law and Parliamentary Committee of the Board had reported that the establishment of a Statistical Committee by the Board is not practicable, adding a warm tribute in the course of its report to the work done by the Jewish Health Organisation in this field.
Mr. d’Avigdor Goldsmid in opposing the establishment of a Statistical Committee said that the question was whether a statistical bureau can be set up with the certainty that it can provide accurate statistics. Inaccurate statistics were the worst thing in the world. The foundation, he said, rests on the census, and there is no return made in the census of the religious beliefs of the population. Therefore there is no scientific basis available for the main statistical information that would be desired by the proposed statistical committee. He agreed, Mr. Goldsmid said, that statistics of the Jewish population would be valuable, but he wanted the Board to take steps that were practical and which would lead to scientific results. He also referred to the work of the Jewish Health Organisation in the field of statistics, and he suggested to the Board that the Community should support the scientific body that already exists.
HOME SECRETARY STILL CONSIDERING HOW TO MAKE ALIENS REGISTRATION LESS IRKSOME TO RESPECTABLE RESIDENTS.
The Home Secretary, Mr. J. R. Clynes, has written to Mr. d’Avigdor Goldsmid in regard to the representations submitted to him, Mr. Schildkraut, the Chairman of the Aliens Committee of the Board reported.
As regards the question of registration of aliens, the Home Secretary wrote, I have still under consideration the question whether, by relaxation of the provisions of the Aliens Order I could make the requirements as to registration less irksome to the respectable residents of foreign nationality. I have had under consideration various proposals to this end, but the enquiries which I have undertaken have not yet been completed. As regards the proposed tribunal in respect of certain deportation cases, I am glad to be able to inform you that the matter has now reached an advanced stage and I hope to be in a position to make a public statement before long.
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