Entry of 250,000 Jews to U.S. Asked in N.Y. Council Resolution; Lehman Pleads for Dp’s

The immediate admission to Palestine of 100,000 Jews from Europe and Congressional legislation permitting the entry of more displaced persons to the United States was demanded last night by ex-Governor Herbert H. Lehman, former head of UNRRA, addressing a dinner at the Waldorf-Astoria arranged by the Independent Citizens’ Committee of Arts, Sciences and Professions.

Meanwhile, a resolution was introduced today in the New York City Council calling for the entry into the United States of 250,000 displaced European Jews. Emphasizing that the American people also favor the transfer of 100,000 Jews to Palestine, the resolution points out that since more than a million other Jews in Europe are faced with despair and destruction, the United States should provide them with a permanent haven in line with this country’s tradition of providing a home for the “suffering and oppressed.” The proposal, introduced by Councilman Eugene P. Gounelly, is in line with the recent recommendation of Mayor O’Dwyer.

A resolution criticizing American inaction and U.S. failure to fulfill promises with respect to the Zionist cause was adopted last night at a conference of 300 delegates representing 10,000 members of the Manhattan Zionist Region. Principal speaker at the conference was Emanuel Neumann, vice-president of the Zionist Organization of America. “Had our Government pressed as hard for the admission to Palestine of 100,000 Jews, as it has for certain other measures, it would have been accomplished long ago,” he said.

BRITISH FEDERALIZATION PLAN CRITICIZED BY LEHMAN; BACKS PARTITION SCHEME

Strongly criticising the British Government for forcing Jewish immigrants into concentration camps in Cyprus and for “appeasing the Arabs by sacrificing Jews,” Mr. Lehman said that large-scale immigration of Jews into Palestine is now “the most immediately important part of the Palestine question.” He criticized the British-proposed “federalization plan,” and emphasized that he supports the Jewish Agency scheme providing for the creation of a “viable Jewish state” large enough to permit the absorption and maintenance of further large Jewish immigration under Jewish control.

Appealing for the admission of more displaced Jews to the United States, Lehman said: “We should call upon Congress to enact legislation permitting us to welcome, without regard to race, religion or national origin, our fair share – even more than our fair shares – of the pitiful victims of unparalleled disaster.” He emphasized that the displaced persons now in the camps in Germany, Austria and Italy are “a blot on our civilization which must be erased without further delay.”