World Conference Studies Plans for Refugee Relief

representatives of the American Jewish Congress.

“Hitlerism cancelled Jewish emancipation in Germany, but it did more,” he declared. “It challenged the civil status of the Jewish people throughout the world. Hitler has thrown the gauntlet to all of us and we have accepted it, as a proud and self-respecting people should, in a spirit of determination and relentless combat in which all honorable weapons are not only permissible but obligatory.”

Other speakers included also Sylvain Levi, president of the Alliance Israelite Universelle, who declared that the French government, as well as the French people, have shown the greatest understanding and sympathy for the German Jews. He urged action in behalf of the half million Jews still in Germany “waiting for help.”

COMMITTEES IN SESSION

Following the opening session, committees appointed to consider various aspects of the situation went into executive session. The remainder of the conference, with the possible exception of the last session Wednesday, will be private. Dr. Weizmann is chairman of the Palestine committee and Mr. Goldsmih chairman of the Economic committee. James Waterman Wise, of New York, representative of the American Jewish Congress, was appointed rapporteur on emigration which is being studied by the Economic committee.

Dr. Weizmann emerged as the moving spirit of the entire conference yesterday afternoon when he presided at a joint meeting of the Palestine committee and the conference bureau. Dr. Weizmann became acting chairman of the conference bureau and presided at the joint meeting. Simon Marx, British Zionist leader, became chairman of the Palestine committee.

WORLD APPEAL FOR FUNDS

The intention to issue a general world appeal for two million pounds, with the sanction of the conference, was revealed at the joint meeting. Half of this sum would go for Jewish settlement in Palestine and it would be raised within a year, according to the plan.

In connection with this, it was learned, the Jewish Colonization Association is prepared to contribute 200,000 pounds for the purchase of land in Palestine for individual settlers. Measures would be taken to avoid conflict in activities with the Keren Kayemeth (Jewish National Fund), the Zionist land acquisition agency.

The need for special negotiations with the British government which holds the Palestine mandate, for special immigration certificates for German Jews independent of the immigration quota, was urged by Harry Sacher, one of the Jewish Agency delegates. Reporting to the joint committees on Palestine absorptive abilities, he declared that 35,000 Jews had settled in Palestine last year and considerably more could do so this year.

RELATIONS WITH LEAGUE BODY

All other committees held sessions throughout the afternoon. Relations with the League of Nations High Commissioner for Refugees were discussed, and particularly, Jewish representation on the autonomous governing body for refugees set up by the League.

It is understood that Dr. Weizmann and representatives of the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, international relief organization, and the Alliance Israelite Universelle, have been invited to fill three positions on the governing body. Whether other Jewish organizations will be given representation has not been finally determined.

Represented at the conference were the conveners, the Joint Foreign Committee and the Board of Deputies of British Jews, the American Jewish Committee, the American Jewish Congress, the Alliance Israelite Universelle and the Committee of Jewish Delegations and the Jewish Agency for Palestine, the Jewish Colonization Association, the Palestine Jewish Colonization Association, the Women’s International Zionist Organization, the Maccabee Organization, the Agudath Israel, the Vaad Leumi (Jewish National Council of Palestine), the Jewish communities of England, Bulgaria, Vienna, Amsterdam, Switzerland, Stockholm, Copenhagen, Belgium, South Africa, Hungary, Greece, Poland, Italy, Prague, Kovno in Lithuania, Riga in Latvia, the B’nai B’rith, the Alliance Israelite of Austria and various organizations for the relief of German Jews.