867N.01/11–646
Memorandum of Conversation, by Mr. William J. Porter of the Division of Near Eastern Affairs
| Participants: | Dr. Goldmann of the Executive of the Jewish Agency |
| Mr. Henderson, NEA | |
| Mr. Porter, NE |
Dr. Goldmann called on Mr. Henderson at 4:45 p.m. He told Mr. Henderson that his reason for coming was to inquire about the meaning of the Secretary’s announcement, as published in the press, to the effect that the Secretary was taking over the handling of the Palestine matter and would discuss it with Mr. Bevin in New York when an opportunity offered. Mr. Henderson replied that he did not think there was any particular significance to be attached to the statement although people had tried to read various things into it. He said when the Secretary was in Paris efforts were made to prevent discussions from going on at two different levels, that is, between the President and Mr. Attlee on the one hand, Mr. Byrnes and Mr. Bevin on the other. Mr. Henderson thought that the feeling was that such a procedure would only lead to confusion. While the Secretary was in Paris therefore the matter had been handled by the President. Now that the Secretary had returned, and Mr. Bevin had come to New York, Mr. Henderson believed that the President and the Secretary had decided to take advantage of the opportunity of personal contact provided by Mr. Bevin’s visit.
Dr. Goldmann added that he was very glad that the Secretary was taking the matter over; that the Secretary had worked with Mr. Bevin on a good many subjects and they had generally managed to reach an agreement; that this was a heaven-sent opportunity to get something done before the World Zionist Congress convened at Basle on December 9. Dr. Goldmann said that as the matter now stands the Congress would convene in a “vacuum” unless Mr. Byrnes and Mr. Bevin could come to some arrangement. Dr. Goldmann added that all the essential people were in New York, the Arab Delegations, important members of the Jewish Agency, and top-ranking British and American officials. He said that if the World Congress convened with matters standing as they are now, it would give the extremists, led by Dr. Silver, a great opportunity to embarrass Dr. Wise and other moderates by demanding what they had gained by their policy of [Page 723] moderation and their Partition proposal. He said that the extremists could do a great deal of damage in certain circumstances.
Dr. Goldmann said that if an agreement could be reached informally in New York they could keep matters in line in Basle very easily even though a formal settlement might have to await the reconvening of the conference in London later in December.
[Here follow three paragraphs giving Dr. Goldmann’s account of factionalism in the Zionist movement and an intended organization of the main branches of the Jewish Agency outside of Palestine.]
Dr. Goldmann thanked Mr. Henderson for the time he had given him and said that he was going to New York immediately with a view to seeing his colleagues and talk over with them the possibilities which he envisaged as resulting from Mr. Bevin’s visit to this country and Mr. Byrnes’ taking over the handling of the Palestine problem.