On the eve of the opening here tomorrow of the 22nd World Zionist Congress, which may be the most fateful since the first Congress was held in this city in 1897, the battle lines were sharply drawn between those who favor Jewish participation in the London Conference when it resumes in January, and those who oppose Jewish attendance.
The announcement by Secretary of State Byrnes that America would sit in on the talks, if the Jews agree to attend, has so far failed to sway opponents of participation. The question of attendance at the parley will–along with the major question of partition–be fought out on the floor of the Congress.
There is a deep cleavage of thought here. Dr. Weizmann, who will open the Congress tomorrow afternoon with delivery of the keynote address, is known to favor acceptance of the British invitation and believes that the Jewish negotiators should be given a free hand to act as they see fit to obtain maximum terms from the British Government.
Among the Laborites there is a strong difference of opinion on this subject. Moshe Shertok favors unconditional participation on any terms not harmful to the Zionist cause in order that a fight may be waged for a better plan than the Morrison-Grady scheme. David Ben Gurion, on the other hand, opposes unconditional participation and wants the Congress to leave the negotiations in the hands of the new executive which it will elect.
AMERICANS FAVOR ATTENDANCE ONLY ON CONGRESS’ TERMS OF REFERENCE
Spokesmen for the American delegation said today that they would insist that participation in the conference can be only on the basis of definite terms of reference adopted by the Congress. They added that they would oppose giving a free hand to the negotiators, if the invitation to attend is accepted.
The American stand on partition, as outlined last night by Dr. Abba Hillel Silver in an address to a conference of the General Zionists, was the subject of considerable discussion today. Dr. Silver strongly attacked the partition scheme, which he said “was not even offered to us.” He declared that “for years we have carried on what amounts to unilateral negotiations by ourselves in order to please people who continually interpreted every concession on our part as a sign of weakness.
“It is important that the Congress disavow the action of the executive, and reaffirm the basic Zionist position,” he added, “or else the opinion will continue to prevail that a partitioned Palestine represents the authoritative Zionist pro-
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