Zionist Congress Passes Resolutions on Palestine Colonization Policies

The Saturday night session of the Sixteenth Zionist Congress, held at the Opera House, did not conclude the work of the Congress, and another session was called for Sunday morning. Many guests, including some of the non-Zionist delegates to the Agency conference, filled the galleries to witness what was believed to be the final session of the Congress. Among them were seen Leon Blum, French Socialist leader, Judge Edward Lazansky of Brooklyn, N. Y., Abraham Shipliakoff, New York labor leader, Oscar Gruzenberg and Sholom Asch. The chairman, Dr. Leo Motzkin, welcomed the visitors.

The session was occupied with the consideration of the resolutions on colonization policies. An amendment introduced by Vladimir Jabotinsky, calling for “a fair distribution” of the opportunies among all groups of Jewish immigrants to settle on the land, laying special emphasis on favorable consideration for agriculturally trained Sephardic, Yemenite and Oriental Jews, was adopted unanimously. A resolution was also adopted calling for support in the settlement work of the Ha’poel Ha’Mizrachi, Orthodox workers. Another resolution, introduced by S. Kaplansky, recommended that the workers’ agrarian settlements be located in the neighborhood of the older colonies.

The resolutions setting forth the policies in regard to urban colonization were adopted en bloc without debate.

AMERICAN ZIONIST MEMBERS OF AGENCY COUNCIL NAMED

The election of new members of the Zionist General Council was effected at this session without difficulty. Simultaneously, the names of the American Zionist members of the Zionist General Council and of the Zionist part of the Jewish Agency Council, including their alternates, were announced.

An important decision was also taken with regard to the voting right of the membership of the Zionist General Council. Until now all members of that body, irrespective of whether they are elected or life members, had the right to vote in the Zionist Congress. Under the rule now adopted, only such members of the Zionist General Council who are delegates to the Congress will have the right to vote.

WARBURG HOST TO ZIONIST AGENCY COUNCIL MEMBERS

The Secretariat of the Congress announced at the session that Felix M. Warburg had invited all Zionist members of the Jewish Agency Council to a luncheon on Sunday. The luncheon is to be given at a kosher restaurant.

NON-ZIONISTS AGREE TO CONGRESS AMENDMENTS

In well-informed Zionist circles it was stated, following conferences between Mr. Marshall and Mr. Warburg with Dr. Weizmann and his associates, that the American non-Zionist leaders have agreed to the amendments made by the Zionist Congress in the Jewish Agency constitution draft, and that no difficulties are expected to arise on this score.

ZIONIST EXECUTIVE COMPOSITION STILL PROBLEM

Due to the conferences with the non-Zionist leaders, Dr. Weizmann was unable to continue his negotiations with the Zionist parties regarding the composition of the Zionist Executive. The task was delegated to Felix Rosenblueth and Salman Schocken. The latest slate, offered Saturday night, was as follows: Sacher, Kisch, Miss Szold, and Dr. Arthur Ruppin, who is to be in charge of an independent colonization department; two Laborites and two Mizrachi members, one of whom is to cooperate with Miss Szold in the education department.

Mr. Sacher, it was learned, refused to enter such a combination, in which he would have the responsibility for the financial policy only, although he was offered the chairmanship of the Zionist Executive in Jerusalem. Miss Szold, too, declined to serve without Sacher. She was also unwilling to share the responsibility for the education department with a Mizrachi member. This slate will probably go through, owing to the necessity of completing the Congress sessions Sunday morning. The Center may abstain from voting for this Executive.

Miss Szold, in an interview with the correspondent of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency representative, stated that she was not disposed to enter the Executive. If forced to do so because of Mr. Sacher’s wish for her cooperation, she may agree, but she would accept no post under any circumstances without Mr. Sacher on the Jerusalem Executive, nor would she accept membership without the education portfolio, as Mizrachi leaders had suggested. She would also be unwilling to share the responsibility for the education department with a Mizrachi co-director, she said.

Miss Szold added that she does not agree to all the conditions stipulated by Mr. Sacher as, for instance, she does not share Mr. Sacher’s reluctance to work with Dr. Ruppin.

Col. Kisch, upon his return from London, denied the report that he might consider a post on the Zionist Executive in London. His presence there was unnecessary, he said. He was definitely settled in Palestine and will not leave the country, even if he will not be re-elected to the Executive.