Preparations were completed here today by city officials for a reception to be given by Mayor Impellitteri to Israel’s Premier David Ben Gurion when he arrives in New York from Washington on Wednesday. The reception, to be held at City Hall, will be preceded by a parade up Broadway in which U.S. Army groups and 200 Israeli sailors will participate. A force of 3,000 policemen will line the route and seats for 5,000 spectators have been arranged in City Hall Park.
During his stay in Washington, the Israeli Premier was introduced to members of the U.S. Government at a luncheon given in his honor by President Truman at Blair House. Mr. Truman proposed during the luncheon a toast to Israel’s President Chaim Weizmann. Mr. Ben Gurion, in response, paid tribute to the special part played by Mr. Truman, referring to the affinities between the American people and the people of Israel. The Israel Premier drew a comparison between the ideals and pioneering endeavor which corresponds in the history of both Israel and America.
Another meeting has been scheduled between Mr. Ben Gurion and President Truman in addition to the previously announced itinerary. Mr. Ben Gurion will see the President Tuesday morning. During the week-end the Israel Premier also met with Secretary of Defense George C. Marshall. After the two had talked for about 45 minutes, Mr. Ben Gurion told the press that the conference concerned the maintenance of peace in the Middle East. He said a number of points of mutual interest were touched upon in his talk with the American Defense Secretary. The Premier was accompanied by Ambassador Eban and Col. Chaim Herrog, Israel Military Attache.
BEN GURION DISCUSSES “CERTAIN MATTERS” WITH U.S. GOVERNMENT, HARRIMAN STATES
W. Averill Harriman, special assistant to President Truman, revealed that he had talked for over an hour with Premier Ben Gurion and Ambassador Eban about Israel’s immigration problems and other matters which he said could not be disclosed. Mr. Harriman said he took the opportunity of his first meeting with Mr. Ben Gurion to inquire about conditions in the Near East. He added that they discussed general matters of interest to the two countries but that it was impossible to get into details. Mr. Ben Gurion was in Washington to discuss “certain matters” with the United States Government, Mr. Harriman declared.
The New York Times, in an editorial welcoming the Israeli Premier said: “David Ben Gurion is welcome in the United States as Premier of a friendly foreign country, as a statesman of international renown and as an outstanding leader of democracy in a most sensitive part of this troubled would. The Premier of Israel will discover during his brief visit here that Americans have the warmest regard for the energy, ability and idealism that have combined to build up in three short years a new and vibrant state in the Middle East. Overcoming every obstacle that man and nature could put in their path, the pioneers of Israel–among whom Ben Gurion himself is pre-eminent–have succeeded in establishing their homeland on a solid moral and political foundation.
“That new fords are still needed for its development and they are being sought here through private investors as well as through government assistance. We are sure that Premier Ben Gurion will find a receptive and sympathetic audience wherever he goes throughout the United States,” the editorial concluded.
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