Weizmann and
Balfour

United Hebrew Schools Graduates o 1949

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but for a great many British pol-
itical figures. •
Arthur James Balfour, whom
I first met , in 1906, succeeded
Churchill in the Admiralty, Lloyd
George became Minister of Muni-
tions, and I had much to do with
his board. When the first period
of experiment and construction
was over, I had a certain amount
of leisure, as well as opportunity
to see British statesmen. The cen-
ter of gravity of my life shifted
once again toward my Zionist in-
terests, and the tide of events
moved rapidly toward one of the
climactic points in the history of
the movement and, I believe in
the history Of the Jewish people.
The Balfour Declaration
It was an extraordinary strug-
gle that developed within English
Jewry in the half year which pre-
ceded the issuance of the Balfour
Declaration. Here was a people
which had been divorced from its
original homeland for eighteen
centuries putting in a claim for
restitution. And a well-to-do,
contented and self-satisfied Jew-
ish minority, a tiny minority, rose
in rebellion against the proposal.
The assimilationist handful of
upper-class British' Jews was
aware that the Zionist cause was
making great headway in govern-
ment circles and in general public
opinion, but it was only in the
spring of 1917 that they felt the
critical moment to be approach-
ing. On May 24, David L. Alex-
ander, president of the Board of
Jewish Deputies, and Claude G.
Montefiore, president of the
Anglo-Jewish Association, pub-
lished a long statement in "The
Times," of London, violently re-
pudiating the Zionist position and
urging the government against
favorable action on our demands.
All the old arguments were there.
The Jews could not claim a na-
tional hoMe. The utmost that
could be demanded for the Jews
of Palestine was enjoyment of re-
ligious liberty, "reasonable" fa-
cilities for immigration and col-
onization, and so on.
The bringing of the• fight into
the open had made it imperative
that the government settle the is-
sue. I went to see Mr. Balfour and
put it to the Foreign Secretary
that the time had come for the
British government to give us a
definite declaration of support
and encouragement. Mr. Balfour
promised to do so, and asked me
to '• submit to him- a declaration
which would be satisfactory to us,
and which we would try to put
before the War Cabinet.
Assimilationists Interfere
Around Sept. 18, 1917, I learned
that this declaration had been dis-
cussed at a Cabinet meeting, and
that the sharp intervention of
one of the assimilationists, Edwin
Montague, then financial secre-
tary to the Treasurer, had caused
the withdrawal of the item from
the agenda. When it came up
again on Oct. 4, Montague made
a passionate speech against the
move. - There was nothing new in
what he had to say, but the
vehemence with which he urged
his views astounded the Cabinet.
Certain it was that hiS opposition,
coupled with the sustained at-
tacks which the tiny anti-Zionist
group had been conducting for
months, was responsible for the
compromise formula which the
War Cabinet subMitted to us a
few days later.
A comparison of the two texts—
the original and the one adopted
after Montague's attack—shows
a painful recession from what the
government itself was prepared
to offer. The first declares that
"Palestine should be reconstituted
as the national home of the Jew-
ish people." The second speaks
of "the establishment in Pales-
tine of a national home for the
Jewish race." The first says only
that the "government will, use its
best endeavors to secure the
achievement of this object and
will discuss the necessary meth-
ods with the Zionist organization."
The second inserts the subject of
the "civil and religious rights of
the existing non-Jewish corn-
' munities" in such a fashion as to
impute possible oppressive in-
tentions to the Jews.
But it goes without saying that
this second formula, emasculated
as it was, represented a tremen-

Graduates of the United Hebrew Schools who received their
diplomas in a ,ceremony Feb. 27 at Central High School, posed for
this graduation picture with their teachers.
First row, left to right: 'Jack Keystone, Ruth Buchhalter, Vicki
Lebow, Edward Kroll, Frances Novetsky, Gerald Halprin, Elissa Panush,
David Epel, Gail Smolinsky, Jerry Saltzman, Sonia Ploshnick.
Second row, left to right: Sharon Kass, Ursula Leah Sitzman,
Annie Guyer, Daniel Waldman, Nathan Firestone, Murray Lee Ja-
nower, Lawrence E. Wenokur, Esther Eisenstat, Shulamith Lakin, Vivian
Somberg.
Third row, left to right: Mr. Sol Kasdan, Sammy Dorchen, Charles
Mudryk, Larry Weiswasser, Sheldon Schwartzberg, Reva Rothenberg,
Esther Rothenberg, Faith Greenbaum, Miriam Lachover, Herbert
Edelman, Sheldon Mitchell Kantor, Donald Gary Kraft, Mr. Norman
Ruffen berg.

Fourth row, left to right: Rene Terebelo, Natalie Goldberg, Bar
tiara Eisenberg, Paul Goodman, Herbert Rosner, Maynard Ostrow,
Arthur Oleinick, Mark Davidson, Fred Joseph Brainin, Sylvia Bachman 1
Jack Pearlman, Mr. Morris Lachovel'.
Fifth row, left to right: Mr. Alexander Roberg, Paul T. Richma
Sidney Forman, Hilda Schecter, Philip E. •0zrovitz, Robert Shapiro,
Cyril Freedman, Jerry Sherman, Jerry Gerenraich, Mr. Morris Nobel.
Sixth row, left to right: Sharon Superstein, Florence Gutman,
Blossom Lehrman, David Appel, Ancil Zeitak, Sue Hyarns, Molly Mar-
golis, Dorothy Feinberg, Shirley Levine.
Students not in the picture: Gilbert Lewis, Terrence A. E. Nosan-
chuk, Hershel Ploshnick, Judith Sanders, Carol Diamond, Arlene Shut.
man, Saralee Shulman, Harold S. Barron, Paul Feldheim, Ted Gan
Faculty members not in the picture: Joseph Haggai, M. Michlin
Leah Pike and Max Gordon.

dous event in exile: Jewish
history.
Our judgement was to accept it,
to press for ratification. For we
knew that the assimilationists
would use every delay for their
ownp purposes, and we also knew
that in America the same internal
Jewish struggle was going on. Our
intention was to obtain from
President Wilson, who was whole-
heartedly with us, a public ex-
pression of sympathy. In this we
were not successful. But on Oct.
16, Colonel E. M. House, acting
for President Wilson, cabled the
British government America's
support of the substance of the
declaration. This was one of the
most important factors in break-
ing the deadlock.
On Nov. 2, 1917, after a final
discussion in the War Cabinet,
Balfour issued the famous letter
known as the Belfour Declara-
tion. The text read:
"His Majesty's Government
view with favour the establish-
ment in Palestine of a national
home for the Jewish people, and
will use their best endeavors to
facilitate the achievement of this
object; it being clearly understood
that nothing shall be done which

Play by Galileans, Cafe Tel Aviv
At Judaean Carnival on March 20

may prejudice the civil and re-
ligious rights of the existing non-
Jewish communities in Palestine
or the rights and political status
enjoyed by 'Jews in any other
country."
While the Cabinet was in ses-
sion, I was waiting outside. Sir
Mark Sykes, chief secretary_ of
the War Cabinet, brought the
document out to me with the
exclamation: "Dr. Weizmann, it's
a boy!"
Well, I did not like the boy at
first. He was not the one I had
expected. But I knew that this-
was a great departure.

Getting the Balfour Declara-
tion was one thing, putting it
into effect another. Next week,
Dr. Weizmann will tell of what
happened when he went to Pal-
estine to make plans for the
national home, and of his desert
meeting with Prince Feisal, the
Arab soldier.

This is a serialization of parts of
"Trial and Error," by Chaim Weizmann,
published in book form by Harper &
Brothers. Copyright, 1949, by the Weiz-
mann Foundation.

20—THE JEWISH NEWS

Friday, March 11, 1949

- LIVES OF OUR TIMES

A play by Young Judaean Gali- States, according to an announce-
leans, a puppet show by Chanah ment by Norman Schanin, execu-
Szenesh Young Judaeans, a Cafe
Tel Aviv, booths, refreshments tive director of Young Judaea.
and many other features will
mark the city-wide Purim carni-
U. S. Raises Ban
val to be held at 7 p.m. Sunday,
March 20, at the Rose Sittig
On Israel Travel
Cohen Bldg.
WASHINGTON (JTA)—The
Sue Lasser and Judith Heyman,
bars on travel to Israel set up
who are in charge of the commit-
by the U. S. Government dur-
tee of arrangements, stated. that
ing the early period of the
elaborate plans are being made
Palestine hostilities haVe been
for a full evening's entertainment.
lifted, the State Department
Proceeds of this event will go
informed the American Zion-
for the Young Judaea project of
ist Ernergency Council.
,Tzofim, .the Scout movement in
Richard Ford was named
Israel.
counselor for Israel by the
On the occasion of the carnival,
State Department. He will act
the Young Judaea periodical will
as charge d'affaires should
be issued.
Ambassador James G. Mc-
Galileans, who will present the
Donald leave Israel. Ford
play, are directed by . Miss Hey-
previously served as consul-
man.
general at Barcelona and has
The month of March has been
served in various State De-
designated Keren Hanoar Month
partment posts throughout the
for the more than 15,000 Young
world for the last 26 years.
Judaeans throughout the United

PAUL BAERWALD

FOLLOWING WORLD WAR 1, 1P b.' ALONG
WITH FELIX M. WARBURG,LOUIS MARSHALL,
HERBERT LEHMAN AND OTHER LEADERS
HELPED BUILD J. D.C. INTO HISTORY'S
GREATEST INSTRUMENT FOR HELPING

AN 'UDR STATESMAN s OF AMERICAN OVER-

-

SEAS WELFARE WORK,HONORARY CHAIR-
MAN OF THE JOINT DISTRIbUTION
COMMITTEE

PRODUCED DY NORMAN 604 NODEL

Pr

MILLIONS OF STRICKEN JEWS OVERSEAS.

ALP

WHEN HIS CLOSE FRIEND,FELIX M. WARBURG.
RETIRED AS J.D.C. CHAIRMAN IN 1932; P.8'
TOOK HIS PLACE .DURING THIS PERIOD HE
DIRECTED J.D.C.'S UNTIRING EFFORTS --
RESCUE,RELIEF,RESETTLEMENT—ON BEHALF
Of THE VICTIMS OF HITLER TERROR.

BORN IN FRANKFURT-AM-MAIN,GERMANY,IN
IB71,50N OF A SCHOOL PRINCIPAL, HE WAS
EDUCATED IN FRANKFURT, AND CAME TO THE
U.S. AT THE AGE OF 25. HE SOON DISTINGUISHED
HIMSELF. IN COMMERCE AND FINANCE.

IN RECOGNITION OF 1115 SERVICES TO
JEWS EVERYWHERE,HE WAS AWARDED
HONORARY DEGREES BY HEBREW UNION
COLLEGE AND JEWISH THEOLOGICAL
SEMINARY. \

IN 1938 WHEN PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT ORGANIZED
THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON POLITICAL RELIEF,
MR.BAERWALD WAS THE FIRST JEWISH REPRESENTA-
TIVE TO bE INVITED TO SERVE. HE SPENT LONG
. HOURS PLANNING DARING OPERATIONS WHICH SAVED
s
THOUSANDS OF JEWISH LIVES.

THOUGH HE RETIRED FROM ALL FORMAL OFF-
ICES IN JDC IN 1949,11. IS ,STILL ACTIVE IN
GUIDING ITS VAST RELIEF,RESETTLEMENT AND
RECONSTRUCTION PROGRAMS, AS A MEMBER
OF ITS ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE.

HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF JEWS
BUILDING THEIR LIVES ANEW TODAY
ARE INDEBTED FOR THEIR WELL-BEING
AND OPPORTUNITY FOR A FUTURE TO A
MAN WHO HAS DEVOTED ALMOST HALF
HIS LIFE TO THEIR WELFARE ......

PA (go
WAIP
eiltA

OMR GNI- 44 •

taftAPHI(s AOLNCY

