ZOA Answers Wise Attack; Calls Him Most Tragic Figure at World Zionist Congress

The Administrative Council of the Zionist Organization of American today issued a statement commenting upon Rabbi Stephen S.Wise’s resignation from office in the Z.O.A. and answering his attacks upon the organization.

Asserting that in his press interview annuncing his “regrettable resignation,” Dr. Wise made statements which “cannot and must not” go “unchallenged or unanswered,” the Council’s statement said: “Dr. Wise could legitimately have been expected to express dissatisfaction and disagreement with the deliberations and conclusions of the World Zionist Congress after his return from Basle. Referring to him as “the most tragic figure” at the Congrass, it added: “His friends, the very people who fought for Chaim Weizmann to the last hour, found it neither feasible nor even possible to assign to Dr. Wise a place in the new executive, or another position of importance. They retained even Dr. Nahum Goldmann. Not Dr. Wise.

“What was not to be expected and what will grieve all Zionists of whatever shade of political opinion, is Dr. Wise’s unthinking attack on the Zionist Organization of America,” the statement continued. “Grand old fighter in so many causes that he is, and constant proclsimer of his faith in democracy, he seems unable to endure differences of view or political defeat without flaming anger.

“One specific and thoroughly unfair accusation of Dr. Wise must be met, the accusation, namely, that the General Zionists of America have in the matter of the great and unrivalled American relief funds ‘aided little and raided much.’ It is universally known and not denied that the General Zionists, though naver representing the wealthiest stratum in American Jewry, have been the most generous contributors and, above all, the most devoted workers,” the Z.O.A. statement declaved.

“It is the General Zionists finally who for years threw their gifts into the common funds of the United Palestine and United Jewish Appeals without special sharec for their colonization work in Palestine. All other parties have always, and quite properly, had such special funds. The General Zionists are now following the example of the other parties, with the thorough approval of the Basle Congress,” it concluded.