Fulbright Told of •ITA's Role
(Continued from Page 1)
throughout the free world
wherever Jewish communities
existed.
"Our purpose at that time was
to make certain that there would
be uninterrupted operation of
the Jewish Telegraphic Agency,
or JTA as it is commonly known,
and that at some point as soon
as we could arrange it there
would be a transfer of this prop-
erty—not only transfer of the
share ownership, which is some-
thing that is not of great value
in view of the deficit position of
the JTA, but also the burden of
financing it to other people.
"In the middle of 1950's"
Hammer continued, "I per-
sonally undertook negotiations
with representatives of the
Council of Jewish Federations
and Welfare Funds, leading to
their extending support to and
participating in a reorganized
JTA, and these negotiations
went on for several years.
"During that period, the
Jewish Agency for Israel, Inc.,
provided the budget or provided
funds necessary to cover the de-
ficit of JTA to keep it going. I
understand that the process of
transfer to a reorganized board
of the JTA and the transfer of
stock is taking place and has al-
most reached the final stages of
conclusion."
(Special to the Jewish News)
In a major development on
Thursday, it was disclosed
that Fulbright's committee
had charged the American
Zionist Council as being a
"conduit" for influence in the
United States by a foreign
power, namely Israel.
Spelled out, the accusation
is that the Jewish Agency
had funnelled more than
$5,000,000 over a period of
eight years through the AZC
as an instrument to create a
favorable impression of Is-
rael in this country.
While the Jewish Agency
is registered here under the
Foreign Agents Act, the
AZC is not. The Fulbright
committee was told that the
AZC declined further finan-
cial assistance from the Jew-
ish Agency in January of
this year. The Council was
advised by its legal counsel
to sever its financial connec-
tion with the Agency because
of the "problem of register-
ability under the Foreign
Agents Act."
Testimony revealed that
the Agency had provided at
least 80 per cent of the
Zionist Council's funds until
that action.
The American Zionist Coun-
cil represents nine major
Zionist groups in the United
States, including the Zionist
Organizations of America
and Hadassah.
Eleazar Lipsky, president of
the Jewish Telegraphic Agency,
in a letter dated Tuesday to Ful-
bright on behalf of the JTA
Board of Directors, reviewed the
IF YOU TURN THE
UPSIDE DOWN YOU WON'T
FIND A FINER WINE THAN
Milan Wineries, Detroit, Mich.
relationship that existed between American Jewish life and in-
the Jewish Agency and the JTA cluding distinguished publicists
and emphasized that the reorg- is now directing the affairs of
anization of the JTA as an in- JTA and will shortly assume di-
dependent entity operating in rect ownership of the news
the interests of the Jewish com- agency or of any other organiza-
munity and the free world is tion and its revised constitution
now nearing completion.
will assure that his will continue
. "In 1951," Lipsky wrote," the to be the fact.
JTA was in acute financial diffi
"The financial responsibility
culties which severely constrict- for the service is being in-
ed its operations and in fact creasingly assumed by the
jeopardized its continued exist- American Jewish Federations
ence. To prevent the total col- and Welfare Funds, more than
lapse of this news service, which 135 of which are now directly
was considered vital to the well participating in its work.
being of the Jewish community,
"An outstanding committee of
the Jewish Agency was re- American editors and publicists
quested by the JTA to continue is now being formed to study
functioning on what was ex- and review the operations of
pected to be a provisional basis. JTA and to formulate recom-
It became nominally the owner mendations for its future pro-
of the Jewish Telegraphic grams. This committee's recom-
Agency through ownership of the mendations will guide the JTA
voting shares by transfer from board in its efforts to make JTA
the late Jacob Landau, founder a most effective instrument of
of the JTA. For a long time, the the American Jewish community
JTA regarded advances by the and a trusted dependable useful
Jewish Agency as interest free source of information for the
loans.
world press," Lipsky concluded.
* * *
"The Jewish Agency did not
interfere or attempt to inter-
WASHINGTON, (JTA)—
fere in the editorial operation American economic assistance to
of the Jewish Telegraphic Israel came under severe criti-
Agency, its policies, its news cism at a hearing of the Senate
content, its selection and treat- Foreign Relations Committee, on
ment of news, its reporting or grounds that Israel was "too
the management of its busi- rich" to go on receiving Ameri-
ness.
can benefits, it was disclosed
"The Jewish Telegraphic here.
Under questioning by the
Agency is grateful to the Jewish
Agency for having made it poss- committee, David E. Bell, ad-
ible to continue its operations ministrator of the Agency for
and render important services to International D e v e l o p m e n t,
the Jewish community. We be- pointed out that, "on a per capita
lieve that the American Jewish basis, U.S. aid to Israel has been
Community is under a deep obli- higher than to any other
gation to the Jewish Agency for country." Chairman J. W. Ful-
having preserved this service for bright, Ark a n s as Democrat,
stressed that "Israel has re-
it.
"The Jewish Telegraphic ceived from this country, private
Agency has served the Jewish public, nearly two billion dol-
people, the American Jewish lars."
Bell added that Israel's for-
community and the free world
generally for more than 46 eign exchange reserves have
years," Lipsky continued "Its been rising, "so that they are in
sole function has been to report really quite good shape." Sen.
as accurately and objectively as Fulbright added that Israel re-
human frailities permit those de- serves have been rising, while
velopments anywhere in the America's "have been going
world of special concern or inter- down." In the opinion of the
est to the Jewish people, to chairman, on the subject of con-
bring to light information which tinuing American loans and
their well-being required and to grants to Israel, "this is not
provide the information on very good business."
which Jewish leadership could
Sen. John J. Williams, Dela-
take informed action.
ware Republican, attacked the
"The importance and effec- Administration for being too
tiveness of the JTA was ac- slow in phasing out aid to Is-
knowledged over the years by rael. Sen. Williams told Bell:
the Jewish leadership here and "You are loaning Israel about
abroad and its journalistic pro- three and a half times as much
ficiency by the long list of in 1962 as you did in either of
newspapers which relied on its the two preceding years. I don't
services. "The Jewish Tele- know what kind of a phasing
graphic Agency has always out that is." Sen. Williams went
freely and publicly acknowl- on to enumerate new loans to
edged this relationship with Israel.
the Jewish Agency. The Amer-
Sen. Fulbright pointed out
ican Jewish' Federations and that Israel has "one of the high
Welfare Funds were aware of gross national product rates per
it and were kept apprised of capita" in the world. He said
the continuous efforts to es- that per capita aid to Israel was
tablish a new basis for JTA. $39.70, while Mexico got only
The Jewish Agency almost $2.60.
immediately took the initia-
Much of the discussion on
tive in discussing with the phasing out the Israeli pro-
leadership of the American gram, and criticism of Amer-
Jewish community reorganiza-
tion of JTA to ensure its in-
dependent operation and Sentence Ex-Nazi
financial stability. As a result to Life in Prison for
of its endeavors, an agreement
was reached in 1960 for the Killing Ghetto Jews
BAMBERG, Germany, (JTA)-
future organization of JTA.
"The reorganization of JTA as Georg. Schlosser, 49, a former
an independent entity operating policeman here, was sentenced
in the interests of the Jewish to a life term in prison for mur-
community and the free world dering Jews in the Czestochowa
is now nearing completion. Only Ghetto in Poland during World
some technical details remain to War II. Specifically, he was con-
be effected. A distinguished victed of the murder of three
board of directors composed of Jews. He had been a Nazi guard
representatives of many facets of in the ghetto.
ican programs benefiting Israel,
was deleted from the transcript
made available for "reasons of
national security," so that the
public is only informed of a
censored version of the actual
full remarks.
The United States has now
become "the most influential
outside power in the Near
East" by achieving friendlier
relations with Egypt, the De-
partment of State has official-
ly reported to the Senate For-
eign Relations Committee.
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