Opponents May Seek to Delay Congressional Action on Palestine Resolution, Silver Warns

Dr. Abba Hillel Silver, chairman of the executive committee of the American Zionist Emergency Council, today declared that the initial hearings on the Palestine Resolution before the House Foreign Affairs Committee “have shown unmistakably that the pending resolution commands very strong support both in the Committee and the House.”

Dr. Silver warmed, however, that “our own battle is not yet won, and it may be prolonged.” He pointed out that the opponents of the resolution may have recourse to “delaying tactics designed to hold up the passage of the resolution in the hope that something may happen which will help to defeat it.” He added that “it is possible that an effort will be made to delay Congressional action by bringing about intervention by one Department of the Government or another. Arguments on the ground of ‘military necessity’ may be used against the resolution as they were used a year ago to prevent or delay the restoration of the rights of the Jews of Algeria under the Cremieux Decree.”

Asserting that “those charged with responsibility are vigilant and will continue to do all that is necessary,” Dr. silver declared that the intensive campaigns which have been conducted for the abrogation of the White Paper and for a Jewish Commonwealth in Palestine “combined with the quiet political work which has been carried on, have produced a cumulative effect. It is no exaggeration to say that the political outlook regarding Palestine has recently undergone a change for the better both in Washington and London. I have reason to hope that we shall see evidence of this gradual improvement in the near future.”

Hearings on the resolution will be resumed in Washington on Tuesday when further testimony by proponents and opponents of the measure will be heard. Among those expected to appear are representatives of Arab groups in the United States.