The World Jewish Congress was urged today to make a definite effort to win over non-participating organizations such as the American Jewish Committee, the B’nai B’rith, the British Board of Jewish Deputies and others.
Declaring that the Congress could not represent all Jews as long as numerous American and other Jewish organizations refrained from participating, Abraham Goldberg, American Zionist leader, recommended the appointment of a special committee to negotiate with such groups to induce them to join the Congress.
Mr. Goldberg also urged the Congress to find allies among non-Jewish organizations to aid in the fight on anti-Semitism.
This morning’s session was largely devoted to a debate and committee meetings in which American Jewish leaders played prominent roles.
The following committee chairmen have been named:
Prof. Horace M. Kallen of the American Jewish Congress, committee for fighting anti-Semitism; Mr. Goldberg, political committee; Dr. Joseph Tennenbaum of the American Jewish Congress, economic defense and boycott, and Nathan Isaacs, credentials committee.
ASK CHANGE IN BRITISH POLICY
Complete change in the British administration of Palestine was demanded tonight in a declaration read before the congress by Nathan Barou on behalf of organized Jewish labor in Great Britain.
Speaking at a session devoted to discussion of the trebled Palestine situation, Mr. Barou asked unrestricted immigration into the Holy Land and asserted that British labor supported such a demand.
A message was read from David Ben-Gurion, Palestine labor leader, declaring that it was more urgent than ever to mobilize defense forces.
“There is danger that the doors to our home land may be closed,” the message stated.
CRITICIZES J.D.C. RELIEF WORK IN POLAND
Delegates from Poland, dominating the general debate at today’s session of the World Jewish Congress, expressed the hope that the congress would work with liberal elements in each country to combat anti-Semitism.
A. Reiss, Jewish laborite from Poland, criticized the relief methods of the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee in Poland, declaring the Polish Jews wish a voice in determining how funds are to be distributed.
Speaking in behalf of Polish Jewish labor delegates, he said the parley was not a “world Jewish congress” but a “congress of Jewish groups and organizations” because, “not being the result of democratic election, the congress is not the expression of the Jewish masses.”
BLAMES POLISH POLICY FOR POGROMS
Last night, the Polish Government was accused in a report of depriving the Jews of elementary rights and not countering anti-Semitic agitation.
Speaking for the 60 Polish delegates, Mr. Reiss appealed to the Jews of the world to aid their co-religionists in Poland and declared that “3,500,000 Jews, terrorized by violence, do not despair despite the indescribable poverty and suffering they have undergone.”
He asserted that the Polish Government’s policy led to pogroms with loss of life and property. Jews had been branded as strangers and would be driven from Poland, he said, asking Jews of the world to show solidarity with their brethren in Poland by rendering constructive assistance.
Speaking on Nazism in America, Louis Segal, of New York, secretary of the Jewish National Workers Alliance, said that United States Jews were not afraid of anti-Semitism and trusted to the American spirit of liberty. However, he added, it was necessary to counteract Nazi propaganda.
CANADIAN JEWS HOLDING OFF FOES
Jews in Canada are successfully fighting anti-Semitism, it was declared by H. Kaiserman of the Canadian Jewish Congress in a report for his delegation.
Sir Neill Malcolm, League of Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, said in greeting the congress that while the situation of the Jews in Germany was serious, it should be remembered that there were those with similar problems who were not Jewish.
Dr. Stephen S. Wise, president of the American Jewish Congress, replied that the Jews of the world would not only help care for Jewish refugees, but would bear their full share in helping to care for non-Jewish refugees.
Dr. Nahum Goldmann, Jewish Agency representative at the League of Nations, in paying tribute to Jewish leaders who have died recently, included among them Stephen Lux, the Czech Jewish journalist who shot and killed himself at a meeting of the League Assembly in what was said to be a protest against Nazi persecution.
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
