National Parley of United Palestine Appeal Opens in Washington to Consider Israel Needs

Delegates from 38 states today began arriving in Washington for the annual national conference of the United Palestine Appeal which will be held here this week-end to draft a program of action to meet present emergencies in Israel. One thousand delegates are expected.

Berl Locker, chairman of the Jewish Agency executive in Jerusalem, who arrived by air from Israel today, will report on the new state’s economic crisis.

Judge Morris Rothenberg, U.P.A. acting national chairman, announced that a comprehensive 10-year program of development would be reviewed. This plan covers the areas of Israel to be settled, the number of settlements, and the amount of population to be absorbed. Citing figures to emphasize the crisis, Judge Rothenberg said that in 1947, when 21,452 immigrants arrived, the U.P.A. funds per capita came to $1,990; in the first eight months of 1949 when 178,000 immigrants arrived U.P.A. funds available for each immigrant were $236–a fraction of what was required for their adequate care.

Principal speakers at the parley will include Gen. Lucius D. Clay, former American military governor of Germany; Israel Ambassador Eliahu Elath; Gen. John H. Hilldring, a former member of the U.S. delegation to the United Nations; Henry Morgenthau, general chairman of the United Jewish Appeal; Daniel Frisch, president of the Zionist Organization of America; Dr. Israel Goldstein, a member of the American Section of the Jewish Agency; Mrs. Rose Halprin, president of Hadassah; Charles Ress, president of the Palestine Foundation Fund; Max Kirschblum, executive vice-chairman of the Mizrachi Organization of America; Nahum Goldmann, chairman of the American Section of the Jewish Agency and Mr. Locker.