More light on the oppositional movement said to be in existence within the ranks of American Zionists was shed at a meeting of the Back-to-Herzl movement held Tuesday night at the Hotel Breslin, under the chairmanship of Jacob de Haas. About thirty leading New York Zionists attended the meeting.
Strong dissatisfaction with the present state of affairs in Palestine, in the World Zionist movement and in American Zionism were expressed in the addresses delivered by Mr. de Haas, Robert Szold, Isaac Allen, Elias Ginsburg and others.
Hyman Siegel and Mr. Robins were the spokesmen for the group which demanded that the opposition formulate a constructive program to meet the pressing problems of the Zionist movement now, on the basis of which a new or renewed administration slate might be chosen at the forthcoming Zionist convention in Detroit during June. Mr. Siegel and Mr. Robins urged the opposition leaders not to confine their activity to mere criticism.
In reply to a question from the floor, Mr. de Haas confirmed the report current that Dr. Stephen S. Wise has resigned from the administrative committee and the executive committee of the Zionist Organization of America, although he retains his post of honorary chairman of the United Palestine Appeal.
Mr. de Haas also explained that although he is an opponent of the Jewish Agency idea, he believes that the new administration, when chosen, should not undertake a policy of repudiation of an agreement once entered into.
Although the dissatisfaction embraces the state of affairs in the Zionist movement at large, the opposition is at present to concentrate on bringing about a change in the administration of the Zionist Organization of America and then to carry the fight to the Zionist Congress, according to plans formulated at the meeting.
It is proposed to call a conference of representative Zionists throughout the country to sound the call for the change and to prepare for the annual Zionist convention. The conference is to take place in Washington. The tentative date was set for April 15, which may be altered to April 29. The call to this conference, which will be signed by the opposition leaders reads as follows:
“Zionist affairs are in a perilous condition. The cry for a remedy is widespread and insistent. The need is urgent.
“Remedy is not possible without a far reaching change in the policy and administration of the Zonist Organization of America. To ths end, a conference called by the undersigned will be held at Washington (place to be designated) on Sunday, April 15, 1928 at 10 a.m. You are invited to atted. Will you? Please send reply promptly.”
Following a lengthy discussion a committee to work out a program of Zionist work to embody the views of the opposition was appointed. It consists of Robert Szold, Isaac Allen, David Surdut, Ephraim Ish Kishor, B. Epstein and Mrs. Caroline Greenfield.
The Jewish Daily Bulletin learns that the resignation of Dr. Wise was taken up at last night’s meeting of the administrative committee of the Zionist Organization of America. The vote will be announced tomorrow.
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.
