(Jewish Telegraphic Agency Mail Service)
A preliminary conference of members of the General Council representing the Zionist Federations, called on the initiative of Mr. Louis Lipsky, was opened here. Four meetings have already been held attended by about 25 members of the General Council as well as by some members of the Executive and of the Finance and Economic Council.
Louis Lipsky has been elected chairman. Dr. Weizmann, who delivered the opening address, after reviewing the political situation, emphasized the need of increasing the budget income in order to enable the reconstruction work in Palestine to be continued on the necessary scale. If they could contine to bring into Palestine 40,000 people a year, he said, there were great possibilities for the successful realization of their idea. He urged that each of the Federations should take up a definite pledge with regard to its contribution to the Keren Hayesod.
On a proposal made by Mr. Ussishkin, it was decided that members of the General Council who do not belong to any separate Union, shall for the purpose of the meeting form a single group which shall frequently deliberate on questions arising in the course of the proceeding, and agree as far as possible on a joint attitude to be adopted by it within the General Council.
A debate followed on Dr. Weizmann’s speech, in the course of which speeches were delivered by Kurt Blumenfeld, Dr. Gottlieb, Leon Levite, Dr. Alexander Goldstein and Mr. Supraski of Palestine.
Mr. Supraski said that the middle-class immigration had brought into Palestine £ 8,000,000 and no one had taken any interest in it. He urged the need of establishing an industrial bank to provide credits for the development of the small exporting industries. This would require at the outset at least £ 50,000 They would have to extend the mortgage bank, which would need £ 100,000 and they should transfer the urban population of Palestine to the soil.
A small committee has been appointed for the purpose of formulating in a resolution the sense of the debate.
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