P.e.n. May Discuss Resolution on Soviet Jewry in September

Although the proposed resolution urging the Soviet Government to give full cultural rights to Jews in the Soviet Union will not be acted upon at the International P.E.N. Congress which is now taking place in New York, it may come up for discussion at the next session of the executive council of the organization which will be held three months from now, probably in London, it was indicated here today.

The resolution, which the P.E.N. presidium refused to include in the agenda of its congress here — in which more than 600 poets, playwrights, essayists, editors and novelists from 55 countries participate — was introduced by the Yiddish P.E.N. Center of New York. Members of the Yiddish group today denied a report that there had been a “split” among them on whether to walk out of the congress sessions here because of the refusal to put their resolutions on the agenda.

“There had been disagreement among the Yiddish members on a proposal to walk out of the Congress,” a spokesman said, “but there was no split. The decision stands now that we should not walk out.” a spokesman said. He pointed out that Aaron Gianz-Leyeless, president of the Yiddish P.E.N. Center, is scheduled to address a plenary session of the congress, next Saturday. “There is no doubt that Mr. Glanz-Leyeless will bring up in his address the suppression of Jewish culture in the USSR,” he said.

He also said that Joseph Leftwich, a British Jewish writer, is the Yiddish Center’s permanent representative on P.E.N.’s world executive council, and will participate in the body’s meeting which will take place three months from now. Mr. Leftwich was one of the movers of the Yiddish P.E.N. Center resolution along with Mr. Glanz-Leyeless, prominent American Yiddish poet.