Addendum to US Senators Visit to Palestine

That's the 1936 visit that I blogged here.

I have now found internal correspondence that is interesting:


867N.00/358: Telegram


The Consul at Jerusalem (Wadsworth) to the Secretary of State
Jerusalem, August 22, 1936—11 a.m.
[Received August 22—9:40 a.m.]

I learned 3 days ago that Senators Copeland,14 Austin15 and Hastings,16 accompanied by their wives, a female secretary, and Isaac Don Levine as publicity agent,* will arrive Haifa Sunday morning on 2 weeks visit to investigate Palestine situation. Local inquiries elicited information that preceding day President Magnes, Hebrew University, received telegram requesting him reserve hotel accommodations and inform head Political Department, Jewish Agency; also that Hadassah, New York, has telegraphed suggesting that Dr. Copeland would wish to visit Zionist hospitals and health centers.


A local committee of five representative Americans (leading Zionists) has been formed to meet party on arrival and has planned propaganda visits to Jewish colonies before proceeding Jerusalem. Meanwhile, I asked Consul General at Alexandria where party arrived yesterday to keep me in touch with developments. Today Legation Cairo telegraphed party has been organized and financed by Hearst.17 This is confirmed by New York Times correspondent Levy who suggests junket designed to appeal to Jewish vote in coming Presidential elections through pro-Jewish propaganda and neutralization former Hearst Nazi-philia.


This afternoon Chief Secretary of the Palestine Government expressed surprise that neither he, through issuing British visa office, nor I had heard from our Governments. He is reporting matter to London and requests that I inform the Department. He takes position on grounds of safety alone that the party cannot be permitted to tour country. With this I fully concur, particularly in view of present recrudescence of terrorism and especially as Zionists are sponsoring tour.

Wadsworth
Royal S. Copeland, Senator from New York.
Warren R. Austin, Senator from Vermont.
Daniel O. Hastings, Senator from Delaware.
William Randolph Hearst, newspaper publisher.
* Archives

And arrive they did:

On September 14, 1936, this appeared:

And the trip resulted in an amazing proposal, if only Ambassador DM Friedman could know:

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