Lord Melchett Not Prepared to Commit Himself on Joining Jewish Agency

(Jewish Daily Bulletin)

While not opposing the creation of the extended Jewish Agency he is not prepared to commit himself as to his becoming personally a member of that body until its functions are clearly defined and until the personnel is indicated, Lord Melchett, who was on a visit here yesterday declared in an interview with the correspondent of the Jewish Daily Bulletin.

The interviewer came to seek light on the attitude of Lord Melchett, who was a member of the Palestine Joint Survey Commission, toward the proposal for the extension of the Jewish Agency, it being at the time understood that the recommendations of the Joint Survey Commission were drafted “for the guidance of the Jewish Agency.” The question was prompted by the publication in “The Day,” New York Yiddish daily, of an interview with Lord Melchett purporting to be a detailed explanation of the short statement authorized by Lord Melchett en board the steamer Homeric to the representative of the Jewish Daily Bulletin and published in the Jewish Daily Bulletin of September 28. The interview in the “Day” was published under the caption: “Lord Melchett Comes Out Against Jewish Agency,” while in the authorized statement he declared “I am not sure whether I shall enter the Jewish Agency if such is formed.” The Day’s text of the interview also included criticism of the Zionist work in Palestine and of the Hadassah medical work there.

“Did you see the interview in the New York Day as attributed to you.” the correspondent asked Lord Melchett, to which he replied that the statement published on September 28 in the Jewish Daily Bulletin was submitted to him before its publication but, he said, “I did not see the translation that appeared in the New York Yiddish daily and therefore I cannot comment on the interview.”

Answering further questions, Lord Melchett emphasized the importance of the fund raising for the upbuilding of the Jewish National Home, mentioning in particular the Keren Hayesod, an activity “indispensible parallel with the need for private inestment.”

Declaring further that he did not come to the United States “to engage in any warfare on Zionist policy,” Lord Meldchett speaking on the Jewish Agency stated: “There is much confusion as to the whole scheme of the Jewish Agency. The fact, which is being so much emphasized in so many quarters, that I was the head of the Joint Palestine Survey Commission has been erroneously interpreted to mean that it implied my becoming a member of the Jewish Agenly. That is not exactly my position. I am ## at the amount of confusion that has been created on the whole subject matter. While I realize the special need of appealing to non-Zionists in America. I do not exactly see that it will do ## to replace the functions of the Zionist Organization until we truly ###