Rothenberg Sees War Ahead

Jews will be the first suffer### when “the powder barrel which ### Europe” explodes, and it be###es them to intensify their ### of rebuilding the Jewish ####ation Home in Palestine, Morris Rothenberg warns in his report as #sident at the opening of the #ty-seventh annual convention ###he Zionist Organization of #ca Saturday at the Hotel ###sea here.

There are more than 300,000 #ws in Palestine today as com#ared with 85,000 in 1921, the report declares. It is a compreheni#ve review of the agricultural, #dustrial and commercial growth ###the Holy Land as well as a ###mmary of the political status of ### Zionist movement and the re###onship between the Jewish peo####nd the British government.

IMMIGRATION POLICY

Registered Jewish immigrants who entered Palestine in 1933 {SPAN}#mbered{/SPAN} 30,327, according to Mr. Rothenberg. Commenting on the {SPAN}#ritish{/SPAN} government’s immigration {SPAN}#ic#{/SPAN}, the report states:

### entire policy with respect #ewish immigration in Palestine, coming at a time when the Jewish people is under the shadow of the tragedy which has befallen our brethren in Germany, and the social and economic discrimination which large numbers of Jews are suffering in other lands, too, is #oubly disappointing and strangely out of keeping with the noble sentiments of sympathy expressed by British statesmen at the mis###une that has come to our peo### Under all the circumstances, These are the strongest reasons ###or demanding a more just, not to ### a more generous attitude to### Jewish immigration.”

###e government also is criticized ####ot allotting enough to Jews ### the £2,500,000 loan to Palestine recently authorized by the British Parliament. The report comments: ### “While not applying an active #licy to the further Jewish development in accordance with the #rovisions of the mandate, the #vernment appears to incline to ### view that its main task is that ### looking after the interests of ### Arabs. Its duty in that direc### is of course undeniable, and ### indeed no less important for ### welfare of the country as a ###le than is that of the Jewish ###k, that the standard of life ### the Arabs should be raised, but ### a policy based on such a one#sided and exclusive line is hardly ###n accord with the spirit of the #mandate. If persisted in, especially #nsofar as it is reflected in the #gative attitude toward Jewish #ation, it must in the long #ave serious effects on Jewish #elopment in Palestine.”

GENERAL SITUATION

Turning to the general Jewish situation the report says:

“When we met a year ago, the #zi regime had but recently as#med power in Germany. Its acts ### violence and tyranny had al###ady stunned and revolted the #ilized world. In the year that ### elapsed the cruel fate that ### come to German Jewry has #revealed in all its stark and #ing features.

### disaster in Germany has ### other coun### stricken land and divert the thoughts of hungry peasants from the economic conditions which oppress them—and Jews to the same extent. Already violence has become common. In other neighboring lands—if to a lesser extent—there is noticeable a rise in anti-Semitic propaganda and anti-Jewish activity. The powder barrel which is Europe is exploding first in the faces of the Jews.

“The only luminous spot on the Jewish horizon has been Palestine. The tempo of its rebuilding; its ability to absorb an appreciable portion of German Jews and other fleeing from hostile forces; its transformation of Jewish character and infusion of new courage into those who have entered Palestine have attracted the attention of Jews everywhere. Palestine today has but a small fractior of the Jewish population throughout the world; it is nonetheless a significant influence, not only for the refuge it has given to those within its borders, but also because it has shown to other Jews in many stricken lands a path to a new and brighter future.

“The progress in Palestine previously recorded has continued uninterruptedly and the past year has been one of steady economic development. The investment of capital has grown considerably, resulting in an expansion of commerce, agriculture and industry. The influx of Jewish capital and the increased Jewish immigration and settlement were largely responsible for further adding to the surplus of the Government which amounts to nearly £2,500,000, so that Palestine enjoys a position of financial security unique in a world of economic disorder.

“During the year 1933 the Jewish population increased by approximately twenty-two per cent so that now the official Jewish population is 245,000, although actually it is undoubtedly over 300,000. Approximately 40,000 Jews came to Palestine during the past year. The proportion of immigrants arriving from different countries varied somewhat from that of previous years in that while Poland was again at the top of the list, Germany with approximately 17.7 per cent occupied the second place. It is estimated that up to this time over 12,000 German Jews have come into Palestine. Out of consideration for the condition of German Jewry, the government made certain concessions in their favor so that on two occasions it gave advances on the schedule for allotment to German immigrants, while permission was also given to allocate a percentage of the certificates sent to Germany to persons over thirty-five years of age. This is to be recorded, despite the fact that a wholly inadequate number of certificates were granted to meet the tragic situation.

“While the number of capitalists entering in 1933 in possession of £1,000 or more numbered 3,250 as compared with 727 in 1932, they represented in both years approximately the same percentage of the total immigration.

“The proportion of immigrants under the Labor Schedule increased from 55.1 per cent of the total in 1932 to 64.5 per cent in 1933. On the other hand, the category of dependents on residents in Palestine was reduced from 18.3 per cent to 9.7 per cent of the total immigration. The number of skilled artisans who were admitted with a capital of £250 and over was again very small and totalled only 121 in 1933.

“The capital brought into the country by the 3,250 heads of families under Category ‘A’ amounts at the very minimum to £3,250,000, but investigation has shown that actually the total capital in their possession amounted to more than twice that figure, and is estimated to be about £7,000,000.

“During the year ending September 30, 1933, there was utilized by the various bodies affiliated with the Jewish Agency for Palestine the sum of £477,000 contributed by the Jews of the world. The expenditures of the Keren Hayesod totalled £168,000; of the Jewish National Fund, £151,000; of the Hadassah Medical Organization, £65,000; of the Women’s International Zionist Organization, £20,000; of the Hebrew University, £38,000; of the Haifa Technical Institute, £5,000.

GERMANS FIND HAVEN

“The German situation has been a measure of Palestine’s importance in meeting the refugee problem. With the gates of the world practically closed, with opportunities for gainful employment limited in those lands which have generously admitted refugees, Palestine has been alone in welcoming—not refugees—but immigrants.

“At the last report over 12,000 German Jews had already entered Palestine since the Hitler regime began its reign of terror in April, 1933. The Association of German Immigrants in Palestine, the Palestine Amt in Berlin and similar bodies have been important factors in regulating immigration and directing the activities of immigrants. Correlating the work of these various bodies has been the Central Bureau for the Settlement of German Jews in Palestine, headed by Dr. Chaim Weizmann.”

Magnificent developments in Palestine, Mr. Rothenberg’s report states, have overshadowed the activities of the Zionist movement in America, but he expresses satisfaction with the latter “in protecting and furthering her interests in Palestine. He says:

“It has been one of the deplorable phases of Jewish organizational life in the United States that the preponderant interest in Palestine and the Zionist ideal has not been adequately reflected in the numerical strength of the Zionist Organization. However, the power that is implicit in such indirect support has given the Zionist Organization the background which it needs in safeguarding Palestinian interests.”

CONDITION OF MEMBERSHIP

Commenting on the condition of the membership, Mr. Rothenberg states:

“It is with a sense of satisfaction in the cooperation of Zionists everywhere that I report upon the improved status of membership to this convention. For the past five years there had been a continually descending ratio of membership. This disastrous depletion of our ranks was stemmed in the year 1932-33. In 1933-34 there has