יומנים > יומן - מלא 15/04/1948

April 15, 1948 Morning with Golda [Meir], Reuven [Shiloah], and Zeev [Sherf] about putting the Political Department [of the Government and the Jewish Agency] in order. In Golda's opinion, the main things will be transferred to the yod-gimmel ["the 13," the provisional government or People's Administration] but a few things will remain [in Jerusalem]: negotiations with the consuls, UN, municipal authorities, Arabs. In my opinion, Golda should be in the yod-gimmel either in my place or in Moshe [Sharett's] or in [David] Remez's. But if she isn't in the yod-gimmel, she should run the Political Department for the [Jewish] Agency. We still do not know what the Government's fate will be, and we've got to keep the [Jewish] Agency going, although Bevin is already washing his hands of it. She should also run the Jerusalem Department for the Agency, with Fishman [Rabbi Y.L. Maimon] representing the yod-gimmel in Jerusalem. Sherf suggests transferring Elias [Eliahu Sasson, head of the Arab Department] to Tel Aviv, [Ya'akov] Shimoni will return to Jerusalem. - [Dr. Ernst David] Bergmann, [Meir] Weisgal: we have the formula for plated glass now. Someone from Phoenicia [Glass Works], together with someone from the [Weizmann] Institute [of Science] in Rehovot should deal with this. According to Bergmann, the scientists in America are not producing for us; instead, they're collecting material for our people here. In his opinion, generally speaking, things should be done here, in Eretz[-Israel]. Weisgal wants us to bring several scholars who would be helpful for the war effort to Eretz[-Israel] (Perkis, Segal, Rosenberg, etc.) and to put the institute to use. However, given their limited resources, [he wants us to] take the expenditures on ourselves. I told him clearly that we're willing to avail ourselves of the institute and not to help it, and we'll bring in a scientist only if we find that we need one for somethings that's vital and if no one in this country can do the job. Harry Levine has a factory in Italy-for medical [products] and plastic. Bergmann believes these things should be manufactured here-and not imported. I agree. [Dale] Pollack (the radio expert) advises [me] to centralize things: in Rehovot-what's done mainly there [to begin with], and for this purpose he suggests transferring [Professor] Ollendorf [from the Haifa Technion] to Rehovot for electronic research and concentrating mine detection in Haifa. He advises [us] to manufacture artificial meat in Eretz[-Israel] (at Shemen) using Weizmann's formula-it's being manufactured now in Philadelphia-and to import 750 pounds now. By manufacturing here, there will be output after 4-6 months; in the meantime, it should be ordered from Philadelphia. - [Dov] Joseph advises that 250 vehicles may set out for Jerusalem in a convoy on Saturday. - A delegation from ''Ein HaShofet and Dalia (Guberman, Baruch Czapnik): they [were ranked as] third-class [settlements], but attacks on Mishmar Ha'Emek have made them anxious. What will happen if our force leaves the area? I advised them first of all to dig-and to prepare shelters for children inside the settlement, and I explained that despite everything they're better off than some other settlements. They're prepared to get a compressor and a bulldozer for excavations but they have no manpower. They also have to be given back the weapons that were recently taken from them (they took 18 rifles from Dalia). They also need Stens (''Ein HaShofet has 14-16 rifles, a 2" mortar, 3 Stens, 7 machine guns). They have 100 men and 15 girls in positions. - I suggested to Hillel Cohen that he go to America to vet the purchases, the buyers, and the bills. He thinks he cannot leave, suggests Kozlowski [Pinchas Sapir] instead-and is willing to take on Kozlowski's work here. Other comrades made me what might be a more practical proposal: appoint [Dov] Joseph (who is travelling to the [Jewish Agency] Political Department conference in New York) and [Avraham] Dickenstein to vet all the economic emissaries: [Viktor] Avrunin, Hyman [Shamir], Ephraim [Illin], Yehuda [Arazi], Eliahu Sacharoff, [Dr.] Heller, Teddy Kollek, David Hacohen (if he deals with these matters, etc.) and Hammer`s bills: 1) proceeds from the special appeal, 2) the two million, 3) Golda's revenues, 4) revenues from South America, 5) miscellaneous. Amos [Ben-Gurion] saw [Lod police commander] Flaningham in the matter of the airfield at Lod: There's a platoon of army men there. They're about to leave any day. No police at all. Afterwards he advised that they'll be leaving altogether next week, and Flaningham will give us two days' notice about it. BOAC [the British airline] is about to leave on April 25. - Gershon Zack: the American company is ready to buy two tugboats in America, 20 horsepower each, single-engine (diesel), both $ 16,000, shipping and insurance $ 5,000, together $ 21,000, and two LCMs [Landing Craft Mechanized]-$ 24,000, shipping and insurance $ 15,000, together 39,000, grand total 60 thousand dollars. Approved in principle, after I get an answer about Avrunin's money. Sea-wolf advises that it's possible to buy-in addition to what's already been bought-two LCT [landing craft tanks]-15 million [Italian] lira, an ML [motor launch] 13 million. In Eretz[-Israel] ships will have to be leased (in accordance with a list that I was given). - The Finance Committee (Kaplan, Zabrasky, Shkolnik, Yisrael [Galili], Baruch [Rabinov]). We looked for a way to fund the budget-2½ million for April. Thus far, 700 has been paid. The administration salaries for March and the soldiers' payroll for April have not been paid. 600 tins have been received-half of them for civilian armor. Kaplan heard that South Africa authorized, due to intervention by [Field Marshal] Jan Smuts, a transfer of 135 thousand £. JNF agreed, under certain conditions, to guarantee a 5 million loan. On April 24, the Government will be closing its books. We decided to put the Histadrut and various circles to work for the appeal and the loan. - Afternoon, a meeting of the Committee of Four [probably the "Five" without David Remez]. Shapira didn't come-either due to the Mizrachi conference or [he's] angry because they didn't immediately serve refreshments to a wealthy [member of] Mizrachi from America who came to Eretz[-Israel], [Herman Zvi] Hollander.