Sees Question of Autonomy of Executive Main Difference in Views of Zionist and Non-zionist Interest

The main difference in viewpoint between the Zionists and non-Zionists in the Jewish Agency today is over the question of the autonomy of the Zionist Executive, says an article in the “Juedische Rundschau,” German Zionist organ, of January 24.

“With regard to the functions of the Executive, Mr. Warburg still maintains the standpoint held by the Americans in Zurich,” says the article. “The Zionists were of the opinion that in Zurich the question of the standing of the Executive was already decided. It thus happened that both sides meant something entirely different, each one believing that at the final agreement its point of view had won. The Americans were thoroughly convinced that the Administrative Committee of the Agency was the deciding body, towards which the relation of the Executive was only that of ‘executing’ its decisions. In the scheme of Mr. Warburg, the Executive was never regarded as a decision-making body, but as one of several committees of the Agency, in the same sense as one speaks of Ministries of State. According to the plan of Mr. Warburg, every committee was to be given such an ‘Executive.’ Besides that, four members of the present Executive were to be separated and to be known as a sort of ‘auxiliary Executive of the Zionist Organization.’

“Here the difference of opinion becomes undoubtedly serious. The decades of experience of the Zionist Organization has taught that our Executive must be a body with its own responsibilities and deciding power. The Executive which was elected at the Congress is the leader of the movement, which is of course responsible to the Administrative Committee and the Council of the Agency, but which during its tenure of office can under no circumstances be limited in its freedom of action in conducting Zionist affairs. The Zionist Actions Committee too, though formally its authority is above that of the Executive, has never interfered in the latter’s work. Once and for all it must be made clear that the same situation also holds true of the Jewish Agency. We cannot understand how otherwise, in this difficult and complicated situation, any Executive can perform its duties.

“The new members of the Jewish Agency haven’t as yet any experience in organization problems, and one must not wonder therefore that mistakes are being committed. The new men have certainly the desire to show that their entrance into the Agency is animated by their desire to work for the Palestine cause which is dear to them. Unfortunately there weren’t in Zurich any definite candidates for the Executive among the non-Zionists, so that the non-Zionist element is only represented in the Administrative Committee and wishes to cooperate through that body. It is therefore absolutely necessary, in the interest of avoiding future confusion, that the misunderstandings arising over fundamental organizational questions be settled as soon as possible.

“Recently Dr. Bernhard Kahn of Berlin at the request of Mr. Warburg discussed these questions with the Executive in London and thus contributed something to the clarifying of the situation. It is also worthy of note that Warburg in his speech at the Smuts banquet in New York took the opportunity to praise Weizmann’s leadership. One will not be so far from the truth when one will view these things as a sign that the differences between New York and London, insofar as they go, only revolve around questions of second rank, technical-organizational details, but never around the fundamentals of Palestine work. We are convinced that a thorough discussion between prominent non-Zionists of all countries and representatives of the Zionist organization will easily bring an agreement. The longer such discussion is prolonged, the greater becomes the danger that such misunderstandings will lead to lack of unity and that Palestine will suffer from it. For the sake of Palestine, for the sake of the collective aims of the Agency, this most pressing problem must immediately be solved.”