Evening star., 1941-01-26
Jews Launch Drive
For $12,000,000
War Fund.-
National Conference
For Palestine Opens;
MeNutt to Speak

Declaring that Jews "already have
been defeated and broken in more
than 10 countries of Europe" and
are looking to Palestine for saliva.
ton, Dr.. Abba Hillel Silver of Cleve-
land, national chairman of the
United Palestine Appeal. last night
launched a drive in the United
States to raise a $12,000,00O War
Emergency fund.
Sounding the keynote of the Ma
tional Conference for Palestine at
meeting at the Willard Hotel, DR..
Silver called on the Jews of America
to arouse themselves, and to realize
"the cold, hard fact that the Jews
of the world are at war, that a
war of determination has been de-
clared against them"
"Organized Jewish Community
life has ceased to exist on the con-
/ tinent of Europe" he declared. "Our
casualties in slain, suicides, prisoners
| in concentration camps, helotS in
conquered lands, and refugees and
exiles are now more than millions.
The satanic force which has
brought this unprecedented disaster
upon Israel is still triumphantly
marching on, and his victorious
march menaces every surviving
Jewish community In the world
even as 1t endangers every surviv-
ing democratic country in the
world"
DR.. Silver summoned the 5,000,-
600 Jews in the United States to
place themselves on war footing,
as have other peoples who wish to
survive as free men," He called
for the fund in order to preserve.
defend, and rebuild the Jewish
National Home in Palestine as a
haven for homeless Jews. and bas-
ton of British defense in the Medi-
| terranean."
Banquet Slated Tonight.
The conference opened yesterday
afternoon with an informal confer
ence on economic problems, and will
continue through today. winding up
with banquet tonight Among
prominent speakers for the remain
| ing sessions will be Federal Security
Administrator McNutt, who will
speak at noon to the conference and
! by radio: DR.. Stephen S. Wise of
New York. chairman of the Admin
istrative Committee, United Pales-
tine Appeal, and House Majority
Leader Mccormack, who will deliver
the banquet address tonight.
The importance of American sup
port to Palestine in 1941 was stressed
in messages cabled to Dr. Silver
from London by Lord Robert Cecil,
Viscount Samuel, Lord Smell, Col
Josiah Wedgwood and the Duke of
Devonshire. They emphasized that
material assistance from the United
! States will have to be greatly in
creased in the current year to help
Palestine tide over the economic
crisis resulting from the war, and
to maintain its program of immigra-
ton and settlement of homeless
Jews from European lands.
Discussing the war effort of the
Jews of Palestine, DR.. Silver said
they were standing Loyalty by the
side of Great Britain despite the
fact that restrictions and adverse
policies had been put into effect to
hamper the full development of the
Jewish national home, in accord
ance with the British pledge con-
tained in the Balfour declaration.
Aims Outlined.
"Our aim" said DR.. Silver. sis
Palestine Jewish commonwealth
adding he would prefer that the
country be within the system Of free
British commemorative. He esti-
mated that Palestine would be able
to provide for 100000 additional
refugees following the end of the
war.
DR.. Chain WeiZmann, pesident of
the Jewish Agency for Palestine and
the World Zionist Organization, in
formed DR.. Silver by cable that he
would come to the United States
within the next few weeks to assist
in raising the S12,O00,000 campaign
fund. The financial needs of Pales-
tine as cabled from Jerusalem out
line expenditures totaling $13 3,640,-
900, of which the Jewish community
of the United States is expected to
contribute $l200OO00 through the
United Palestine Appeal.
In addition to DR.. Silver, the fol-
lowing leaders addressed the opening
session Of the conference last night:
DR.. Israel Goldstein, president OF
the Jewish National Fund; Charles
j. Rosenbloom, national treasurer of
the United Palestine Appeal. Pre-
siding was Benjamin R. Harris OF
Chicago. chairman of the midwest
region of the United Palestine APP
peal.
Today's program will open with a
national youth conference for the
United Palestine Appeal, with Julius
Bisno presiding.
At the luncheon session at which
DR.. Silver will preside, Mr. McNutt's
address on Palestine, A Symbol for
Democracy" will be broadcast over
the N. B. C. network and the ad-
dress by DR.. Bernard Joseph of Je-
rusalem, legal adviser of the Jewish
Agency for Palestine. will be broad
cast over the Mutual Broadcasting
System.
Others Will Speak.
At the banquet tonight there will
be several speakers in addition to
Representative Mccormack. They
! include: DR.. Wise, presiding; Henry
Monsky, president of Bnai Birth;
Edmund l. Kaufman, president of
the Zionist Organization of Amer
lea. and DR.. Nahum Goldman, for
mer representative of the Jewish
Agency for Palestine at Geneva.
The afternoon session will be well
coined by Rabbi Isador Breslau of
this city. Speakers will include
Judge Morris Rothenberg, co-chair-
man of the United Palestine Ap-
peal; Mrs. David de Sola Pool, presi-
dent, Hadassah, Leon Gellman,
president, Mizrachi; David Vert
helm, secretary, Poale Zion; Charles
Ress. chairman of board, Keren
Hayesod; DR.. Wise, Rabbi Morton