General Debate on Executive’s Report

The general debate on the report of the Zionist Executive opened last night with Dr. Chaim Weizmann presiding.

Joseph Sprinzak, leader of the General Federation of Labor in Palestine, was the first speaker. On behalf of the Laborites he

emphasized that the main aim of this Congress should be to find a way to concentrate the entire Jewish nation around Palestine. He appealed for unity in Zionist ranks and criticized the Mizrachi, orthodox Zionist party who are refraining from participating in the praesidium and in the general debate because their religious demands for Palestine are not being met, with bringing to the Congress a spirit that is certain to lead to a split.

A sharp attack against the Zionist Revisionists, extreme right-wing faction of the Zionist movement which recently left the official movement and will convoke its own congress in September, was launched today by Dr. Nahum Goldmann speaking on behalf of the Group “A” Zionists.

“The Zionist Revisionists who always speak in name of the Jewish State, ” he said, “are attempting to break the Jewish State before it is even established.”

Dr. Goldmann expressed his satisfaction over the growth of the Laborite movement in Palestine, but warned it against using its power for partisan purposes. He concluded his address by declaring that if the present Congress does not effect unity among the Zionist factions and create a wide coalitionary Executive, it will not have fulfilled its mission.

An appeal for unity between labor and capital for the benefit of the upbuilding work in Palestine, was voiced in the general debate by Dr. J. Schwartzbard, president of the General Zionist World Union, the so-called Group “B” General Zionists.

Discussing the internal crisis in the Zionist movement resulting from the friction between the various factions, Schwartzbard declared that responsibility for the present situation lies to a large extent with the Organization Department of the Zionist Executive. “This crisis,” he declared, “cannot be covered up even by the sale of more shekolim then ever before,” referring to the fact that this year’s Congress enjoyed the greatest sale of shekolim and registration of Zionists in the history of the movement.