Great Britain Grants Dead Sea Concession to Novomejsky and Tulloch

The efforts begun in 1921 by Moses Novomejsky, a Jewish engineer, a citizen of Palestine, in association with Major Tulloch, to secure the concession for exploitation of the mineral salts of the Dead Sea, were brought to a successful conclusion Wednesday afternoon when the agreement to grant the concession was signed at the Crown Agents’ office.

The agreement was signed in behalf of the governments of Palestine and Transjordania by the Senior Crown Agent and by Novomejsky and Tulloch in behalf of the concessionaires.

The negotiations for the grant for the concession and the terms which would secure the interest of the Jewish National Home in the exploitation of the vast natural resources were carried on uninterruptedly since 1921. Many obstacles and difficulties raised by various opposing elements, had to be ovecome.

BRANDEIS-MACK GROUP GUARANTEED ALL THE CAPITAL REQUIRED

The disclosure that the Brandeis-Mack group of American Zionists, otherwise known as the opposition group, is financing the concession of the Dead Sea and that the group last November raised for this purpose the sum of $500,000, was made in a statement issued by Jacob DeHaas to the Jewish Daily Bulletin, in commenting on the cable on the signing of the final grant of the concession. Mr. DeHaas disclosed further details of the negotiations preceding the grant of the concession and the financial operation involved.

In his statement, Mr. DeHaas declared:

“With the signing in London on Tuesday of the Dead Sea Concession, there was achieved what is, in all probability, the most remarkable effort ever undertaken by a group of American Zionists. The victory, which assures Jewish national dominace in the management and direction of the exploitation of the Dead Sea belongs to the group variously known as the Mack-Brandeis group, the Association for the Reorganization of the Zionist Organization of America and more generally referred to in Zionist circles as the “Opposition.”

“Mr. Novomejsky, who had been struggling with the problem of the concession since 1921 came to America in 1925 and obtained support to the extent of $50,000 for the experimental work, through the efforts of Judge Julian W. Mack, from the Palestine Economic Corporation. From then on, until the end of 1927 Mr. Novomejsky was confronted by many difficulties- (Continued on Page 4) (Continued from Page 1)

“One of the big problems was the adjustment of what seemed to be, but were not conflicting interests. On the one side it was properly felt that the Board of Directors of the Corporation which should own the concession should be dominantly British: on the other side it was felt that the Board should be dominantly Zionistic. This problem has been successfully solved. The Board is to be composed of eleven persons of whom Lord Lytton, the Chairman, is one. Apart from Mr. Novomejsky. who is to be a Director, the Jewish group in Europe for whom the Jewish Colonial Trust is acting as Trustee will have one director: the Palestine Economic Corporation is represented by Mr. Felix M. Warburg and Mr. Bernard Flexner. the Mack group is represented by Mr. Israel B. Brodie and Mr. Edward Friedman of Cedarhurst, L. I. and a third representative who will be a British subject. Mr. Brodie is now in Palestine discussing the legal technicalities involved in the incorporation. Major Tulloch, Mr. Novomejsky’s co-concessionaire, is studying transportation problems. Mr. Novomejsky will shortly leave for Palestine to start activity and it is anticipated that in a few days Judge Mack’s associates will announce the date on which they will celebrate their achevement.”