Thousands of persons jammed Madison Squar Park here this afternoon at a demonstration protesting the mass arrests in Palestine and the seizure of leaders of the Jewish Agency.
Speakers included Rep. Emanuel Celler, Dr. Abba H. Silver, Emanuel Neumann, Louis Hollander, president of the New York State CIO, Mrs. Moses Epstein, president of Hadassah, and other communal leaders. Messages were received from Prof. Albert Einstein and William Green, president of the A.F.L.
Rep. Celler told the meeting that he would vote against the proposed U.S. loan to Britain when it comes before the House in order to curb British imperialism and force in Palestine. He denied that the Haganah was a terrorist organization and called on all Americans to support the Jewish resistance movement with both spiritual and material aid.
The message from Prof. Einstein charged that Britain has embarked upon a policy of “ruthless suppression of the Jews of Palestine” to divert attention from its failure to carry out the recommendations of the Anglo-American inquiry committee. The disarmament of the Jews in Palestine, he said, would mean delivering them to their doom. He appealed to the people of the United States and Britain to raise their voices in protest against this high-handed action of the British Government.
GREEN SAYS U.S. WORKERS SHOOKED BY REPORTS FROM PALESTINE
Mr. Green said that “the distressing situation which prevails in Palestine has caused a feeling of grave apprehension in the minds of all working people in the United States. We are shocked by the reports that those residing in Palestine are being subjected to military control, martial law and persecution,” he continued. “We protest such treatment as a violation of civil rights and subordination of those people to military dictatorial control. We insist and demand that such practice shall cease and Great Britain shall immediately put into effect the unanimous recommendation of the Anglo-American Committee.”
Mr. Hollander said that the action of the British Government in Palestine discredits labor all over the world. American labor, united in its demand for justice to the Jewish people, will insist that the solemn obligation made by the Labor Party and the Labor Government by carried out and that the 100,000 Jewish refugees be admitted to Palestine at once, he added. American labor will not be fooled for an instant by the holier than thou attitude of Prime Minister Attlee and his meaningless talk of putting down “Jewish terror” and “restoring order” in Palestine.
Mr. Neumann said that “the Bevin-Mufti alliance, representing the dark forces of imperialism and reaction, will not prevail against the forces of justice, right and democracy.” Isidor Nagler, vice-president of the N.Y. State Federation of Labor, suggested daily picketing of the British Consulate.
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.
