U.S. and U.N. Experts to Evaluate Israel’s Needs at U.i.a. Parley

For the first time since the establishment of the State of Israel, top-ranking U.S. Government and United Nations experts will publicly analyze and evaluate Israel’s over-all plans for resettlement of immigrants and productivization of the country at a special planning session of the National Conference for Israel, this week-end at the Commodore Hotel here.

Rudolf G. Sonneborn, national chairman of the United Israel Appeal, announced today that Jewish Agency and Israel Government plans in four major fields of activity have been sent to this country and will be discussed by the experts. The fields to be covered are: 1. Housing for immigrants; 2. Full-scale development of the Negev, semi-desert area in the south; 3. An extensive agricultural program; 4. Vocational guidance and training for the newcomers.

The conference is being convened under the auspices of the United Israel Appeal, major beneficiary of the United Jewish Appeal campaign, which provides the bulk of the funds for the Jewish Agency program in Israel. Serving as moderator of the planning session will be Oscar Gass, economic consultant to the government of Israel. Experts include Charles Abrams, housing authority and educator; consultant to the U.S. Department of Interior and the United Nations; Louis Bean, economist and planning specialist, U.S. Department of Agriculture; Professor William Haber, expert on manpower, labor relations and vocational training; Dr. Charles E. Kellogg, specialist in soil reclamation, U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The U.I.A. chairman said that the conference will seek to devise techniques and procedures by means of which “we can help Israel expand its absorptive potential so that marginal existences for a large portion of the country’s population can be replaced by productive living.”