Palestine Parliamentary Club to Press for Full Day’s Debate on Palestine

The consultive committee of the British Labor Party, with Harry Snell presiding, has decided to send a deputation to Lord Passfield, Colonial Minister, to urge him to revoke the order suspending Jewish immigration to Palestine. The Palestine Parliamentary Club at a meeting attended by Sir Herbert Samuel, Leopold Amery, Ormsby Gore, Commander Kenworthy, Michael Marcus. John Buchan and others resolved to press a demand upon the government for a full day’s debate during this month of the Palestine question, and it is not improbable that the request will be granted.

The renewed activity of the pro-Palestine group in Parliament is due to the fact that Parliament will adjourn shortly not to meet again until the Fall while the report of Sir John Simpson, who is investigating problems of land settlement, immigration and development, is expected before the end of July. The house of Commons will therefore be unacquainted with Sir

John’s recommendations until the Autumn.

It is felt that Zionist interests require safeguarding while the House of Commons is not sitting, as there is said to be a distinct possibility of a Colonial Office decision of an unfriendly nature being reached without consulting the House of Commons. The government is nevertheless reported to be uneasy about the intensity of the feeling aroused in Jewry throughout the world and will probably hesitate to commit another blunder which would precipitate a first class crisis in the ranks of the Labor Party.

In the meantime negotiations are said to be proceeding between government and Zionist leaders regarding a proposed conference with the Arabs in the Fall but practically no progress has been made.

In a statement today to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, I. S. Kaplansky, a member of the London executive of the Jewish Agency, declared that relations between Dr. Chaim Weizmann, president of the Jewish Agency and the Colonial Office, are becoming normal. Mr. Kaplansky denied the allegation in this week’s “Jewish Chronicle” that the government has of late been complaining of what it calls Dr. Weizmann’s “aloof superiority.”

The “Jewish Chronicle” also claimed that the Zionist chief was undoubtedly scoring by adopting this policy. Mr. Kaplansky said that the “Chronicle” was creating mischief by publishing rumors of this nature and fabricating news which is entirely unfounded. He dismissed the story that Lord Passfield, under pressure of the Parliamentary Labor Party, was about to resign and also denied that J. H. Thomas, recently appointed Minister of the Dominions, was to replace Lord Passfield temporarily.