Zionist Actions Committee Opens Talks on Coalition Executive; Will Meet Several Days

The American delegates to the World Zionist Congress — which concluded here yesterday without electing a president of the world Zionist movement and without being able to form an executive acceptable to all groups — today took the initiative in proposing names for a new Zionist leadership as the Actions Committee, authorized to elect such a leadership, began meeting.

The session of the Actions Committee, which is the supreme body next to the Zionist Congress, is expected to last four or five days, it was indicated today following the close of the first meeting. The General Zionist forces, headed by Dr. Abba Hillel Silver, are playing the dominant role on the Committee.

David Ben Gurion, Laborite chairman of the Jewish Agency executive, addressing the opening meeting, formally suggested in behalf of the Laborite delegates that the General Zionists be charged with the task of forming a coalition executive since they are the largest group.

Inter-party negotiations for the composition of the new executive continued throughout the day, between the morning and evening sessions of the Committee. Various proposals and counter-proposals were considered with indications that progress had been made in ironing out some of the difficulties hindering the formation of an executive, including the president of the World Zionist Organization and the chairman of the new Actions Committee, who so far have not been elected. It is believed that Dr. Silver will be the head of the Actions Committee, in addition to being one of the leading members of the new executive.

CONGRESS WAS MOST CRITICAL SINCE THE DELIBERATIONS ON UGANDA

Veteran Zionist leaders who have attended many Congresses today stated that the 22nd Congress, which closed here yesterday in confusion and without electing a new leadership, was the most critical since the 6th World Zionist Congress in 1903, at which the British Government offered Uganda as a territory for Jews, with a Jewish governor and internal autonomy. The offer was submitted to the Congress by Dr. Theodor Herzl, father of political Zionism, but was strongly opposed by Russian Zionists.

It was opposition to Dr. Weizmann’s policies rather than personal feelings against him which resulted in the refusal to elect him to active leadership, most of the delegates who remained in Basle to watch the sessions of the Actions Committee agreed today. The majority of the Congress, they said, felt that the time had arrived for a change in the traditional Zionist policy towards Britain, and Dr. Weizmann and the old executive symbolized that policy. Weizmann’s opponents argued that they are more aware than he of the spirit now prevailing among the Jews in Palestine. They insisted that the Jews in Palestine will no longer follow Dr. Weizmann’s policy.

The Zionist Laborite group which had enjoyed leadership at all Zionist Congresses during the last fourteen years was compelled to surrender its leadership because of internal differences over Dr. Weizmann. This brought the General Zionists to the dominant position they now occupy on the Actions Committee.