Plan $1,000,000 Drive for Hospitals in Palestine

A Joint Hospital Committee composed of representatives of Hadassah, the Women’s Zionist Organization of America and the American Physicians’ Committee, was organized for the purpose of initiating a movement to raise $1,000,000 in America for the erection of a series of hospital buildings in Palestine, according to an announcement made yesterday by Dr. Nathan Ratnoff, chairman of the Joint Committee.

The plan includes the establishment of a medical department in connection with the Hebrew University on Mount Scopus. This project will serve as the cornerstone of the hospital program of the Joint Hospital Committee. Originally, the project was the aim of the American Physicians’ Committee which was organized in 1921 with the aid of Dr. Chaim Weizmann. president of the World Zionist Organization. Through its aid, two institutions, the Bio-Chemical and the Micro-Biological Laboratories at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem are now being developed. It has also provided the University with a medical library which consists of ten thousand volumes, and it is now cooperating with Hadassah to build the University X-Ray Laboratory. The university medical building when completed will serve as the medical center for Palestine and the Near East.

HUNGARIAN MINISTER TO U. S. SAYS NO NUMERUS CLAUSUS AGAINST POST GRADUATE MEDICAL STUDENTS

Sir:

In response to your inquiry of June 16, 1925, I beg to state that according to information received from Hungary, the cable report which was enclosed with your letter is erroneous in so far as the recognition of only ten medical men has been postponed, and not by the Budapest but by the Pecs University.

The postponement decision was taken at the ### of May 14, 1925, at said University. Three of the petitioners, namely Dr. Arany, Dr. Szilasi and Dr. Weppel, have brought the matter before the Ministry of Public Instruction, which has subsequently notified the Senate of Pecs University that it would have no objection to the recognition of the diplomas of these men, provided the petitioners had complied with the conditions established by law. The decision of the Ministry of Public Instruction, although it naturally has a bearing only on the three diplomas in question, would of course also affect the cases of the other seven petitioners as well as similar cases which may arise in the future.

Very truly yours,

LADISLAS SZECHENYI,

Minister of Hungary.

Royal Hungarian Legation.

Washington. D. C.

May 24, 1926.

(The letter of the Hungarian Minister refers to an item which appeared in the “Jewish Daily Bulletin” of June 16, last year, which was brought to the attention of the Minister. The despatch from Budapest read:

“A broadening out of the numerus clausus, not only against students but also to graduates, is a matter of concern to the Jewish population as a result of a step taken by the Senate of Budapest University.

“Twelve Jewish medical men who, because of the numerus clausus, had completed their studies at foreign universities and had gained their diplomas, applied to Budapest University for approval of their diplomas so that they could begin practice. By fifteen votes against two, the Senate decided to postpone consideration of the application for six months. Hitherto there has been ### difficulty about obtaining the approval of diplomas issued by recognized universities abroad.”)