יומנים > יומן - מלא 27/09/1948

Monday, September 27, 1948 [Shimshon] Shapira, the Attorney General, believes that the LEHI men [arrested after Bernadotte’s assassination] should be put on trial soon, so that it doesn’t turn out that a law was adopted needlessly. I fear it’s too soon – because the suspected assassins and the top-tier have not been caught yet. Possibly [we] should also release some [of the detainees] – [those] who declare that they’re leaving and joining the army. Shapira doesn’t agree – [they] can be released any time, even after the verdict. And he advises trying about 50 men who can be proven to be LEHI members. Isser [Harel] argues that it’s hard to investigate them at this time when they’re all together, and they should be tried without a preliminary investigation. A detention center is currently being prepared in Mansura near Wadi Milek [today – Yokne’am Junction], and within a week they can be transferred. Last night [the following] were found in Natan [Yellin-Mor]’s apartment – in the hidden arms cache – 7 Sten [machine gun]s, $ 7,000, and archives, many bullets. – Last night [the following purchases] were unloaded [from a ship:] 10,000 rifles, 500 MG [light] machine guns, 200 Besa [machine gun]s, 5 million bullets, 1,536 aerial bombs, ammunition for “Knives” [Messerschmitt aircraft], for 20 mm cannons, and more. – Yosef Yaakovson and [Aharon] Becker came [returned]. In London they bought 67,000 winter coats, 62,000 combat uniforms for winter, some are already on the way here. A winter coat costs $ 3.5-5, combat uniforms are also $ 3.5-5. Women’s clothing was also bought separately. They bought 3,500 tons of food (neither flour nor sugar): meat, canned fish, cheese, canned vegetable, milk powder, condensed milk, grains of all sorts, more than 100 million cigarettes (our army needs 30 million cigarettes per month), a thousand cigarettes [cost] $ 2.6. In Panama they bought 800 pickup trucks for 1½ million, delivery half a million. Some of the vehicles are already on the way. [We] need another half a million dollars to complete the purchase of winter clothing in Europe immediately. With [Henry] Morgenthau’s help, the Joint [Distribution Committee] granted $ 2 million to Hammer (for the [Jewish] Agency). Silver and the management in America and the Agency approved. Half a million was sent to Gad [Pinchas Kozlowski-Sapir – procurement envoy in Europe], half a million remain with Hammer. The second million, once [Israel] Goldstein became the new king [Jewish Agency treasurer], was delayed, along with the half-million held by Hammer. 1½ million was already spent in America, and another half-million is needed for Italy and for winter clothing. With good organization it’s possible, the delegation members believe, to ensure all the food and clothing from America and from Canada for free. The delegation members praise Kozlowski’s efforts – he took charge of the work and organized it. Those who helped in America were [Henry] Morgenthau (as if he were a delegation member), Potofsky, Hillman’s successor in the Amalgamated [Clothing Workers of America (labor union)] (Dubinsky was in Europe), Breslow and Nagler, Herschkowitz [sp.] (hat makers). Canadians [who] did excellent work – Zachs, Grubb, Dickstein, and others. – Yaakovson gave me a message from Morgenthau. He’s worried about the situation – on the one hand ETZEL, on the other hand Mapam, and he wants to come to the country to help so that things remain in B.G.’s hands. Yaakovson explained to him that this is absurd – it’s better that he do his important work in America, and leave Eretz Israel in B.G.’s hands. Morgenthau complained about not receiving any letter from me. Yaakovson described the order of my life [schedule] to him – and Morgenthau was moved to the point of tears. He [Morgenthau] then spoke about his conversation with [US Secretary of Defense James] Forrestal. He convinced him of three things: 1) America cannot count on Middle Eastern oil. 2) Instead of pipelines, which can be exploded, it’s better for America to equip itself with oil tankers. 3) The State of Israel is not in conflict with America’s interests. A week after the conversation, Forrestal sent him a letter [saying] that he’d thought a lot about the conversation, accepted his opinion, and as proof of good faith sent him a check for the United Jewish Appeal. Morgenthau has important friends in Canada, whom he helped during the war: the foreign minister, the finance minister, and others. He’s prepared to take action so that England releases funds to be used in Canada for the purchases we need. He suggests that people such as [Aron] Barth and [David] Horowitz come over there. – In the afternoon State Council: on foreign policy.