Further conferences for the purpose of coordinating activities throughout the world directed toward a boycott of Nazi Germany will be held here in October, Sir Robert Mond, noted industrialist and brother of the late Lord Melchett, revealed today in an interview with the Jewish Telegraphic Agency.
Sir Robert, who gained world renown for his chemical researches, has become chairman of the executive committee of the World Jewish Economic Federation. He has been widely known for his interest in archaeology and has been active in the establishment of a Palestine museum. He is president of the Egypt Exploration Society.
Sir Robert said he would keep in close touch with Samuel Untermyer, noted New York lawyer, and that the October conferences, in effect, would be a continuation of the recent Amsterdam parley under the chairmanship of Mr. Untermyer.
“In order to coordinate the various activities of the committees by which world Jews are trying to attain their object, it has been decided to hold a further conference in London the first week in October, of which I shall be the chairman,” Sir Robert told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency. The London conference will be held as a continuation of the Amsterdam conference.
WORLD JEWS COMPELLED TO ACT
“The economic situation created by the unexampled behavior of the German Government in its treatment of Jewish nationals,” Sir Robert said, “has compelled the Jewish community in other parts of the world to take concerted action for the protection and assertion of their rights and for the relief of the terrible distress which prevails.”
Referring to the forthcoming conference, Sir Robert proposes to limit its membership to one or two significant representatives of each country whom it is proposed to select “not only for their representative character and familiarity with the subject, but also for the personal activity which they propose to devote to the subject.
“The displacement, in the existing disorganized state of the world’s employment marekt, of several hundred thousand Jews, who, by ruthless execution of the Nazi plan, are robbed of all their possessions, creates a difficult, dangerous situation for which united effort is required to find a satisfactory solution.
JEWISH POINT OF HONOR
“As non-Aryans, we can and do reciprocate the Nazi desire to break off intercourse with us and this attitude will continue as long as and only as long as the Nazis desire that it should last. It should be a point of honor for each Jew faithfully to comply with this desire expressed by the Nazis and to facilitate this task will be the principal preoccupation of the conference.
ALTERNATIVE SUPPLY SOURCE
“The forceful disruption of the internal and external trading channels which have been maintained for a thousand years between the inhabitants of Germany and the Jewish population involve the creation of new trading channels and new machinery to deal with the situation. Moreover, as this cleavage is in racial lines, a large number of facts have to be collected before valid and wise instructions can be given how these objects may be attained.
“Although the endeavor to refuse to acquire German goods and the cessation of custom with re#arl#rs of such articles already has been exercised on an ever-widening scale, the creation of a supply of alternative commodities and the creation of customary credit facilities with their complement of a trustworthy information bureau, require patience and careful study to enable us to secure a sound foundation.
“We have the assurance of some of the most responsible Nazi leaders that so far as it lies in their power, this will not be a temporary phase in the evolution of their German ideal. Whether they can maintain the present unyielding attitude, whether economic conditions which rapidly are becoming worse may not sweep them away are questions we have to face and provide against to the best of our ability.
“We can consider ourselves most fortunate,” Sir Robert said, “that we enjoy the sympathy of the whole world although the ruthless Nazi less expenditure of money to break down this sympathy.”
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
