Guardian Scores British Statement As Hiding Behind Two-fold Nature of Mandate

“The British government amended its Palestine policy following the disgraceful Arab riots of August, 1929, in such a way that it gave the Arabs the greater part of their less extreme demands and this result which the Arabs achieved is not a lesson which will be soon forgotten among the people of the East,” the Manchester Guardian writes in commenting on the British statement on policy and the Simpson report.

Reviewing the government’s statement, the Guardian finds the document hall-marked “with timidity” and taking refuge in “the two-fold nature of the Mandate. While the government vigorously argues that both tasks the Mandate imposes are of equal importance, in practice the government subordinates the establishment of the Jewish National Home to the interests of the local population, thus falling into the opposite error to that which it so strongly deprecates, making clear that for the present any further development of the Jewish National Home would be inadvisable.”

ARABS WILL HAVE MAJORITY

Referring to the plan for the establishment of a legislative council the Guardian points out that the Arabs are sure to have a majority among the 12 elected members and “have good reason to expect support in moderation of the ten appointed members who will be the heads of the various government departments. While the Arabs will be unable to look to them for support of their extreme views they should now realize that the nominated members, servants of the British government, hold views extremely favorable to the Arab pretensions. They are also strengthened in the knowledge that the new statement of policy is in consequence of the riots, although it would not be easy to deduce this from one document.”

The Guardian deprecates the resignation of Dr. Chaim Weizmann from the presidency of the Zionist Organization and the Jewish Agency, “Weizmann, whose statesmanlike qualities smoothed away many serious difficulties and in whom Great Britain loses a warm friend, has resigned with the feeling that Great Britain has gone back on its former policy,” the Guardian concludes.