Establish in London Society to Protect Jewish Rights in Palestine (Jewish Telegraphic Agency)
The seventy delegates representing various Zionist Revisionist groups in the Zionist constituencies in European countries are divided on the question of what program the League of Zionist Revisionists is to adopt to make its oppositional policies effective.
In the discussion which developed at their third annual conference in session here, following the political report of Vladimir Jabotinsky, two tendencies were manifest. Spokesmen for the extreme wing within Zionist Revisionism urged the adoption of a program of an economic and political action independent of the Zionist Executive, while spokesmen for the moderate group were opposed to such action. Vladimir Jabotinsky, leader of the movement, urged a middle course. According to his proposal, Palestine Jews and the Zionist Revisionists are to seek the realization of an economic and political program, which would not, nonetheless, interfere with the prerogatives of the Zionist Executive.
The central point in the political discussion was the idea recently advanced by Col. Josiah Wedgwood, British labor M. P., in his book, “The Seventh Dominion.” Col. Wedgwood advocates that Great Britain and the Zionists enter at this time into an understanding that at the expiration of the twenty-five year period of the Palestine Mandate, Palestine, as the Jewish National Home, is to assume the status of a dominion within the British Empire. The result of such an understanding would be that Great Britain would find it more to her interest to facilitate the Zionist efforts for the establishment of the Jewish National Home and that the Zionists and Great Britain would be more definitely committed to a joint policy concerning Palestine.
Conversations between leaders of the Zionist Revisionists and prominent Englishmen were said to have been held recently concerning this matter.
The proposal was officially presented to the Zionist Revisionist conference in a report submitted by Dr. Wolfgang von Weisl, German Jewish writer. Dr. von Weisl cited the reasons for the acceptance by the Zionists of the “Seventh Dominion” idea. He advised, however, to postpone definite action until “official English proposals are forthcoming.” In the meantime, he stated, Revisionists would do well to propagate the idea by the establishment of “Seventh Dominion Leagues.”
In the discussion which developed on this point, it was brought out that the concensus of opinion was against the adoption of a resolution accepting the “Seventh Dominion” policy. It appeared likely that the conference will adopt a resolution stating merely that the “Seventh Dominion” idea is in no conflict with the idea of a Jewish state in Palestine and will welcome the efforts of Col. Wedgwood.
That the Zionist Revisionists have established in London a Society for the Protection of Jewish Rights in Palestine was announced by Mr. Jabotinsky in his political report. A similar society under the name Sechutenu (our right) is in existence in Jerusalem, he stated.
The reasons why anti-Zionist tendencies grow in the Palestine administration lie in the circumstance that Palestine Jewry offers no resistance. Fifty per cent of the infringements of Jewish rights by the Palestine government could be improved by legal action brought in the English courts, he stated. It is highly necessary to provide Palestine Jewry with the political facilities to defend its rights, he declared. After all, the Zionism of the Diaspora is merely moral, while Palestine Jewry suffers physically. The influence of the Zionist Executive is nil, and often it is a negative influence, since the Executive, he asserted, has abandoned in principle the doctrine of fighting for rights. Revisionism finds it incumbent upon itself to complete what the Zionist Executive fails to do. The recent incidents at the Wailing Wall resulted in the issuance of another unfortunate White Paper, which, it is feared, will lead to new trouble.
The Zionist Revisionists must take upon themselves the task of preparing the ground, through an extensive educational campaign, to influence British public opinion and the British parties for a change in the Palestine policy. The Zionist Executive will still have the monopoly on the foreign policy of the Zionist movement, Mr. Jabotinsky stated.
A praesidium of five was elected, consisting of Messrs. Richard Lichtheim, Brutzkus, Soskin, Feller and Dr. von Weisl. An interesting incident occurred when message of greetings from the Zionist Executive of London was read. In it the Executive urged the delegates to the Zionist Revisionist conference to remain true to “Zionist discipline and Zionist idealism.”
Commenting upon the message, the chairman, Richard Lichtheim, who was formerly a member of the Zionist Executive, declared that he must reject this reference to Zionist discipline. He charged that the recent session of the Zionist General Council, when the Jewish Agency agreement was ratified, violated Zionist discipline, ignoring the decisions of the Zionist Congress.
Vladimir Jabotinsky and Dr. Wolfgang von Weisl were received on Friday in an audience granted them by Chancellor Seipel.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
