Walter Reuther, president of the Congress of Industrial Organizations, left Israel late yesterday after a week’s tour as head of a CIO delegation which came to Israel at the invitation of the Histadrut. Before departing, Mr. Reuther said that the achievements of Israel and of the Histadrut were “indescribable” and that he hoped the CIO delegation’s visit would strengthen American-Israel friendship. He also expressed the opinion that Israel would be able to defend itself in the future as well as it had done in the past.
Earlier, Mr. Reuther had participated in a ceremony dedicating Philip Murray House a cultural and community center built with funds from the CIO’s Philip Murray Foundation and the Histadrut, at Eilath, in Southern Israel. The foundation contributed $100,000 toward the center and the Histadrut matched it with a like contribution.
At that ceremony, Mr. Reuther expressed his faith that the port of Eilath, located at the head of the Gulf of Akaba, would continue its growth and soon become Israel’s southern gateway and port of entry for trade from Africa and the Far East. He assured the Israel people of the full support of American labor. Gov Theodore McKeldin of Maryland, another American visitor in Israel, and United States Ambassador Edward B. Lawson, were among the other speakers at the ceremony.
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