Zionists Fail to Arrive at Unanimous Decision on Jewish Agency Commision’s Report

(Jewish Telegraphic Agency)

The recommendations of the Joint Palestine Survey Commission, for the basis for cooperation between the Zionists and non-Zionits arrived at at the London conference of the Jewish Agency commissioners, will not have the unanimous support of the members of the General Council of the Zionist World Organization in session here.

This became clear this morning following the close of an all night session of the Political Commission which adjourned without any likelihood of persuading the various factions to agree to the passage of a unanimous resolution.

The Political Commision was in session all day Tuesday when the Zionist leaders attempted to frame a resolution on the Jewish Agency Commission’s report in such terms as will enable all groups to support it.

At the forenoon session of the Political Commission a resolution declaring that the Jewish Agency Commission’s report constitutes a basis for cooperation between the Zionists and non-Zionists was defeated by a majority of ten against eight votes. This resolution also expressed the gratitude of the Zionists to the non-Zionists for their earnest readiness to cooperate in the upbuilding of the Jewish National Home. It included reservations stating that the Jewish National Fund should remain the only organ for putting into effect the land policy and that the national social character of the Palestine work be retained as well as that the freedom of colonization forms including the Kvouzah is to be guarded.

During the night’s session strenuous efforts were made to secure the support of the representatives of the labor parties Hitachduth and Poale Zion to this resolution. These efforts failed and it appeared likely that when the plenary session of the General Council opens Wednesday evening three resolutions will be presented–the first being the resolution of the majority, which will express appreciation to the non-Zionists for their readiness to cooperate in the upbuilding of Palestine but will recite the conditions outlined in the resolutions of the 14th and 15th Zionist Congresses; the second, a minority resolution representing the views of the labor parties Hitachduth and Poale Zion and the third resolution, sponsored by the radical Zionists and Zionist Revisionists, asking the General Council to reject the Jewish Agency report and to express lack of confidence in the Zionist Executive.

Because of the uncertainty of the situation, Dr. Lee K. Frankel of New York and Herr Oscar Wassermann of Berlin, two of the Commissioners of the Joint Palestine Survey who participated in the drafting of the report, were not invited to address the Political Commission, as was previously planned.

At the plenary session of the General Council held Tuesday afternoon, the Zionist Executive presented its Palestine budget for the next year. The budget is greatly reduced Many of the speakers criticised the Zionist Executive for submitting a reduced budget declaring that this fact equals an admission on the part of the Executive that the Zionist movement is on the decline.

The General Council unanimously decided to send on the occasion of Lord Balfour’s eightieth birthday and the sixth anniversary of the ratification of the Palestine Mandate by the League of Nations, the following congratulatory message, with the signature of Dr. Leo Motzkin as Chairman of the General Council and Dr. Chaim Weizmann.

“The General Council of the World Zionist Organization, now assembled in Berlin, mindful of the ratification six years ago of the Palestine Mandate embodying your historic Declation, tenders you tribute of grateful homage and heartieh congratulations on your eightieth birthday. The General Council expresses the hope that you may be spared for many years to come, to witness the continuous growth and progress of the Jewish National Home.