U.S. Group Favors Illegal Entry

An overwhelming majority of the American delegation to the Zionist Congress is in sympathy with leaders advocating illegal immigration to Palestine as a method of fighting the White Paper it became clear today during a four-hour discussion at a meeting of the group. The discussion was the result of Rabbi Abba Hillel Silver’s address during the general debate last night in which he passionately condemned illegal immigration as a menace to the Palestine Jewish Community.

Dr. Silver’s talk today drew a bitter attack from Berl Katznelson edition of the Palestine Laborite newspaper Davar in which he charged the Americans were preaching defeatism and warned the delegation to dissociate itself from Dr. Silver’s statement.

Katznelson called upon Zionists to combat the White Paper with all methods short of terror. Condemning terrorism he declared that those Jewish elements in Palestine who were advocating it were actually “following in the footsteps of the Mufti.” The editor declared he was satisfied with the Mandate Commission report on the White Paper but warned against optimism on the League Council’s decision which is scheduled to be made early next month. He attacked the British Government for substituting for the Balfour Declaration the “anti-Balfour White Paper” and cautioned the Congress against underestimating the danger of the situation. He was given a great ovation when he concluded.

The Congress reaction to Katznelson’s speech made it clear for the first time today that whatever the decision on the question of general non cooperation with the British Government may be the majority will favor illegal immigration even if the Congress should not adopt any resolution to that effect.

Like the Congress itself the American delegation will hardly go openly on record as favoring illegal immigration. A committee has been appointed however to convey to the Congress the fact that not everybody in the delegation agreed with Dr. Silver’s condemnation of illegal entry.

Keren Hayesod directors meanwhile received a check for L 133,000 sterling from the British Czech Refugees Fund to be distributed among Jewish refugees from Czechoslovakia already in Palestine. Trustees of the fund informed the Hayesod directorate that an additional £290,000 will be transmitted as soon as more refugees from Czechoslovakia leave for Palestine within the next three weeks. They stated that the Gestapo at Prague has agreed to permit Jews to leave the country without difficulties as soon as they obtain Palestine certificates.