867N.01/848: Telegram
The Consul General at Zurich (Frost) to the Secretary of State
[Received 10:15 a.m.]
Department’s telegram August 11th, 4 p.m.
Dr. Stephen S. Wise, American delegation head and a bitter irreconcilable against partition of Palestine, led a small American minority against ad referendum resolution to negotiate with British Government on partition scheme approved by Zionist Congress August 11th. Majority American delegates supported Louis Lipsky, who favored negotiations. 300 Congress delegates voted for resolution, 158 opposed. Reliably informed American delegates divided 51 for, 38 against. Divided among the four groups of American delegates the vote was as follows:
- Group 1, general Zionists, 16 favored and only 5 backed Wise in opposition;
- Group 2, Hadassah Women’s Zionist Organization of America of which Mrs. Judith Epstein is President, 14 opposed, 3 favored;
- Group 3, entire Mizrachi, conservative orthodox religious group consisting of 18 members voted against;
- Group 4, Labor or Socialist Zionists numbering 32 favored.