Objections Lead to Postponement of Einstein Meeting in New York

A memorial meeting in honor of Dr. Albert Einstein which was to have been held in Carnegie Hall here today was postponed following the withdrawal of a number of prominent individuals and groups either associated with it or who had been listed as speakers. The new date set for the memorial is June 26.

Bernard M. Baruch, listed as a speaker, had never consented to attend, he said, Daniel Gutman, counsel to Gov. Averill Harriman declared he had never agreed to act as chairman of the meeting, as had been advertised only to introduce speakers. Admiral Lewis Strauss, chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission, in a telegram, withdrew as a speaker because of the pressure of work. The Rev. Dr. Henry A. Atkinson, general secretary of the Church Peace Union said that he would not participate “unless there is a whole new deal,” while Sidney O. Raphael president of the Interfaith Movement, said his group’s board of directors had decided to withdraw because of “unexplained things.”

So far as could be ascertained the sole remaining sponsor of the memorial is the American Jewish Literary Foundation, of which Dr. Harry Cohen is chairman. Dr. Cohen was elected chairman of the memorial meeting yesterday. Announcing the postponement, Dr. Cohen said it was due to “attacks of certain groups who, by their violation of Dr. Einstein’s way of life, have made it unwise for this tribute to be held on the date originally scheduled.” it was understood that a representative of the Einstein estate had expressed dissatisfaction with “so called memorial meetings of this type.”