The Zionist opposition members, who led the fight at the recent Zionist convention in Pittsburgh, started at the Washington conference on April 29, have decided to create a permanent organization to continue the struggle for the “restoration of the morale of the American movement and for the sake of the upbuilding of Palestine on right lines.”
This decision was taken at a meeting of the opposition members, working under the name Committee for Z. O. A. Reconstruction, held Wednesday, July 11, at the Hotel Majestic, New York City. A committee was appointed to carry out the decisions adopted. Press representatives were not invited to the meeting, but the Committee for Z. O. A. Reconstruction issued the following statement to the Jewish Daily Bulletin.
“Permanent organization was decided upon by the Committee for Z. O. A. Reorganization at an enthusiastic meeting held on Wednesday, July 11, at the Hotel Majestic.
“Despite the heat and the fact that only fifty invitations were issued, sixtyfive persons were present and many encouraging letters were received from out-of-town supporters of the movement.
“Israel B.Brodie of Baltimore presided and in the earnest discussion that followed there took part, besides Judge Julian W. Mack and Jacob de Haas. Abraham Tulin, Dr S. Miller of Yonkers, Elias Ginsberg. M. Zeldin, Pincus Friedman, Dr. A. M. Hilkowich. A. H. Fromenson, Isaac Allen, Edward Friedman of Far Rockaway and Samuel J. Rosensohn. There was general agreement among all those who spoke that the Pittsburgh Convention had proved the demoralization existing in the Zionist Organization of America and that both for the sake of the restoration of the morale of the American movement and for the sake of the upbuilding of Palestine on right lines, permanent organization should be affected by those willing to struggle for the aforesaid principles. The determination to organize was unanimous. The only differnce of opinion between the different speakers was the line of action to be pursued. The majority opinion however favored action within the Z.O.A.
“The following committee was appointed with power to coopt and to define a program and give effect to the decisions of the meeting Isaac Alien. Lawrence Berenson, Israel B. Brodie M. Danzis, Jacob de Haas. Dr. Chas. Dumay, B. Epstein, A. H. Fromenson. Ed Friedman. Elias Ginsberg. Dr. A.M. Hilkowich. Aaron Horvitz. Mrs. A. M. Kross. George Lubarski, Julian W Mack, Dr Simon Miller. S. Posnansky, S.J. Rosensohn. Michael Salit. M. Sapir. Alice Seligsberg. Johan Smetenko. David Surdut, Mrs. Robert Szold, Robert Szold, Abraham Tulin and M. Zeldin.
In interesting exchange of letters between Mr. S. D. Tulin of Hartford, Conn. and his son. Mr. Abraham Tulin opposition spokesman at the Pittsburgh convention, containing some comment on the outcome of the Pitsburgh convention has been made public by the New York “Day”. The text of the letters were Furnished the newspaper by Abraham Tulin’s father.
In his letter Mr. S.D. Tulin adview his son to withdraw from Zionist affairs because “you cannot convince everybody to be as honest as you are. You only neglect your business and acquire, in addition many enemies. It would be necessary for the propher Isaiah to rise from his grave and lift his voice in the following words: ‘My people your leaders are your misleaders.’ “
In reply Mr. Abraham Tulin wrote inter alia: “I am grateful to you for your letter of the 5th in which you advise me to drop Zionist affairs for my own sake I cannot however follow your advice. I shall continue the fight until the Zionist Organization in this country is lifted up out of its moral degradation and is made into an instrument: worthy of the ideal which it is supposed to farther.
“This morning’s J.D.B. prints a telegram from Rabbi Silver of Cleveland denying and branding as absolutely false the statement that I had told him that the judges would have the District Attorney on Lipsky’s trail if he ran for office and furthermore denying that he had ever said any such thing to Fishman.
“It was Fishman. of the Morning Journal. who asserted at the Convention that Silver had told him that I had made such a statement to Silver. I denied it in writing at once. Judge Mack reading my letter to the Convention. The only reason why I did not personally make a statement to the Convention upon the subject was because I had completely lost my voice by that time and could not talk even in a whisper . Judge Mack therefore kindly undertook to talk for me.
“Now my denial is absolutely and positively confirmed by Silver himself. This clears the record.”
The first number of the “Southwestern Hebrew.” was published in Houston Texas. It is a weekly publication, edited by L S. Ruppin.
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