Wide Participation of American Jews in Jewish Agency Work for Palestine Predicted by David A. Brown

Wide participation of American Jews, regardless of party or group affiliation, in the work for the rebuilding of Palestine, now that the Jewish Agency pact has been consummated and that American Jews gained the largest representation on the Jewish Agency Council, was predicted by David A. Brown, national chairman of the United Jewish Campaign and a member of the Non-Zionist Committee of Seven which, under the leadership of Felix M. Warburg, designated the forty-four non-Zionist representatives to the Council.

A generous response to the forthcoming appeals of the Jewish Agency on the basis of the new understanding between the Zionists and the non-Zionists was likewise regarded as certain by Mr. Brown who, in his capacity as national chairman of the United Jewish Campaign, is best able to gauge the sentiment of the prospective contributors on the basis of their past performance. In a statement issued to the Jewish Daily Bulletin, it was disclosed by Mr. Brown that the term “United Jewish Campaign” for the 1925 campaign of the Joint Distribution Committee, was originally conceived by him with the idea of making it a real united Jewish campaign which would embrace not only the cause of relief but the cause of Palestine. Had there been no obstacle, which arose because of the then prevailing misunderstanding between the Zionists and the non-Zionists and the conflict which ensued because of that, the campaign would have had as its goal not the $25,000,000 for the Russian settlement work and the European relief activities, but an amount of $50,000,000 for Palestine as well. Negotiations toward this end were begun at that time, but no satisfactory understanding could be reached.

Now, that the basis for all misunderstandings has been removed and that, by virtue of its largest representation on the Jewish Agency Council, the center of responsibility in Jewish life has been shifted from Europe to the United States, American Jews will act in accordance with this voluntarily assumed responsibility and will present a united front for the upbuilding of Palestine, which will find its expression in an all-Jewish, generous response to the cause.

Mr. Brown, who was absent from the Zurich proceedings because of his obligations in New York, when informed of the result of the Zurich sessions, gave expression to this view in congratulatory messages he cabled to Louis Marshall, Dr. Weizmann, Felix M. Warburg and Lord Melchett.

In his cablegram to Mr. Marshall, Mr. Brown said:

“I hasten to congratulate you, and through you, all those who participated in this greatest of all Jewish gatherings, in bringing to conclusion efforts of past six years. No one knows more than I of your tremendous labors and time given in connection with building up of non-Zionist section of what is now known as Jewish Agency. It has been for you great labor of love, for no one has loved Jewish people more than you and no one is loved more by Jewish people than you. Wish I were there to congratulate you all in person. From now on there should be peace and cooperation in every effort on behalf of Jews throughout the world. Again congratulations.”

To Dr. Weizmann he sent the following message: “May I join thousands of others who this day are congratulating you upon culmination of six years’ great effort in bringing together through Jewish Agency those forces who seemingly were far removed one from the other. It is great achievement that only time itself can place proper value on. I know what it will mean in America for those causes in which you and all of us have been so deeply interested. Mazeltov and Sholom.”

LAUDS WARBURG’S AND MELCHETT’S HALF MILLION DOLLAR SUBSCRIPTIONS

The national chairman of the United Jewish Campaign also sent messages of congratulations to Felix M. Warburg and Lord Melchett, upon the receipt of the news of their $500,000 subscriptions to the contemplated Palestine finance corporation.

To Mr. Warburg, Mr. Brown cabled: “Press announcement of your generous participation in Palestine reconstruction work in connection with Jewish Agency has strengthened favorable reaction in this country toward Agency. I know you will be happy to learn this, just as we have been happy to hear of it over here. Congratulations to you and your associates upon historic accomplishment now taking place.”

His cablegram to Lord Melchett read: “As one watching closely from this side the great work of accomplishment taking place in connection with the Jewish Agency, I hasten to extend to you heartiest congratulations for your fine, generous act in subscribing five hundred thousand dollars to Palestine reconstruction work. Yours and Mr. Warburg’s action has already resulted in such favorable press reports throughout America that I believe it will be of greatest importance in stimulating many who up to the present have been lukewarm.”

Mr. Brown, who visited Palestine twice, in 1922 and in 1925, on his world tour when he campaigned in Australia, New Zealand and India in the interest of the Keren Hayesod, before he was drafted, upon his return to America, as national chairman of the United Jewish Campaign, was the first non-Zionist leader to tackle the practical problem resulting from the new pact of unity in regard to Palestine.

PACT DOES NOT MEAN ONLY APPLAUSE-FUNDS WILL BE NEEDED

“Is this adherence to be one of applause and cheering of benevolent lip-service only? The Jews of the world have been given to understand that participation means service, means giving to the builders of Zion the means with which to build speedily. Vast economic projects will be proposed for the development of the resources of the land and for making it possible for thousands, who are waiting for the opportunity, to become speedily absorbed in the agriculture and industries of Palestine. These projects will require vast sums of money. American Jewry, both Zionists and non-Zionists, has the largest representation on the Agency. The center of Jewish life, outside Palestine, has by that fact been swung to this country. The greatest measure of responsibility has now been assumed by the Jews of America. Palestine now stands before the Jews of the world as the great Jewish ideal. Not the ideal of a faction, of a group, or of a party, but as the ideal of the entire Jewish people. After six or eight years of pondering over the question the Jewish communities throughout the world have, each in their turn, with deliberation and solemnity, pledged their adherence to the Jewish Agency for Palestine,” Mr. Brown said.

HAS FAITH IN AMERICAN JEWS

“I have faith in the Jews of America. I have travelled the length and breadth of the land time and again. I have met them by the thousands and have come to know their hearts and minds. There is a noble sense of service in their souls. There is a desire in their hearts to do their full duty toward every cause that appeals to them. And the cause of Palestine makes a tremendous appeal to them as it makes a tremendous appeal to Jews the world over. They have become sufficiently informed about Jewish conditions abroad to realize that the ultimate success of the Agency depends upon them-and I am confident that they will assume this holy responsibility as they have during this generation assumed every Jewish responsibility.”

PAYS TRIBUTE TO MARSHALL, WEIZMANN AND WARBURG

Mr. Brown, who was one of the staunch supporters of the Jewish Agency extension plan and was consulted by Dr. Weizmann on the best methods to enlist the interest of larger numbers of American Jews in

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the cause of Palestine, paid tribute to the statesmanship and patience of Dr. Weizmann, Mr. Marshall and Mr. Warburg in bringing the pact between the Zionists and non-Zionists to a successful conclusion.

“Louis Marshall’s life has been one of greatest usefulness and is filled with achievement, but in nothing that he has ever done has he wrought so well, as in this the greatest achievement of his life. To accomplish this, which is bringing new joy and hope into the Jewish world, he has labored incessantly for years, exercising marvelous patience in the tremendous task of creating harmony and confidence between the discordant Jewish groups and factions. many of them at the outset absolutely antipathetic to the idea, and now, at last, welding them into a united army, marching together, striving together for the great Jewish ideal.

“Side by side with him has worked Felix M. Warburg,” Mr. Brown declared. “No one knows better than I how hard Mr. Warburg has worked for the attainment of this glorious purpose. Filled with love for the land, as he is overflowing with love for everything Jewish, Mr. Warburg, who has visited Palestine a number of times, returning from each visit even more enthusiastic, would have, like Mr. Marshall, regarded his life as incomplete if the Agency had not been brought into being. Persevering in the face of many obstacles and difficulties, and bringing to bear on each problem not only his great ability but his geniality, his part in the effort which has just come to such a glorious conclusion, will engarve his name even deeper into the hearts of his people than it is already. Seeking nothing for themselves, aiming only to accomplish this crowning achievement which will bless countless thousands, both Mr. Marshall and Mr. Warburg could meet every issue on its merits and arrive at statesmanlike solutions of every problem with the result that is now history.

“To Dr. Weizmann, the whole Jewish world is doing homage today-and deservedly so. His was a task which would have broken any man less spiritually strong, less convinced of the righteousness of the cause. For a long heart-breaking period, it was for him the rolling of a huge stone uphill. Opposed at every step and turn, both by many in the ranks of his own organization as well as by many within the spheres he sought to win over to the cause of Palestine, harrassed and often mortified and frustrated by those who should have been his staunchest supporters, he nevertheless persisted. Some day the full story will be told, and then Weizmann will stand out even greater than he is regarded today. That in the determination to achieve the Agency for the good of all Jewry, as well as for Palestine, he sacrificed his health is indicative of the greatness of his devotion to the cause, for which-and I speak with knowledge-he would not have considered the sacrifice of life itself as too much. I congratulate him from the very depths of my soul, as I congrateulate Mr Marshall and Mr. Warburg and all the others who so selflessly gave and are giving themselves to this cause-the greatest cause of Jewry,” Mr. Brown declared.