Jewish Leaders and Organizations Continue Protest Against British White Paper Which Telegram Says Vi

Suggesting that a “truly international administration” be appointed to govern Palestine, the New York Telegram editorially today opened a new possibility toward the solution of the Palestine problem.

“Great Britain feels that she must guard the interests of the Arabs, who constitute most of the population,” says the Telegram, after reviewing the international protests raised by the Passfield recommendations to throttle Jewish immigration and developments in Palestine. “This responsibility is always uppermost in the mind of London not only as a matter of justice to the Arabs but because of British imperial interests.

“There is no denying that Britain has let down the Jews. For better or for worse, this is one war-time pledge on which Britain cannot welch with safety. The Jews of the world have put too much labor, and faith, and money into their national homeland to be deprived of it at this late day without causing Britain endless trouble.

AGENCY SHOULD APPEAL TO LEAGUE

“The Jewish Agency should lose no time in appealing from London to Geneva on the ground that the intent of the mandate has been violated.

“This is not the first incident to raise questions in the neutral mind as to the justice or the value of the entire mandates system. Why should Great Britain, or the United States, or any other nation be given arbitrary power to rule over alien peoples?

“In this case, obviously, self-government would mean Arab domination over the Jews. But if an impartial outside administration is required, cannot that be provided better by a truly international administration than by a colonial British government?”

Harry Snell, member of Parliament and Chairman of the Labor Party, hurrying back to England to take part in the debates on Palestine, had to cancel his engagement to address the 16th annual convention of Hadassah. “Keep faith!” was the message he sent the Women’s Zionist Organization.

TELEGRAMS OF PROTEST

From two New York congressmen, President Hoover received telegrams urging him to make clear to the British government its duty to help the Jews establish a national home in Palestine. Representatives Emanuel Celler of Brooklyn, and William Sirovich of Manhattan, sent the telegrams.

One of the most touching statements was that of Richard Gottheil, former president of the American Federation of Zionists, who has for forty-three years been professor of Semitic Languages at Columbia University.

“I do not protest only because I am a Zionist of some 38 years standing, not only because I was a close personal friend of our second Moses, Theodore Herzl, not only because I had the honor to be president of the Zionist Movement in America for many years, and not only as a friend of the Arabs who has taught their language and literature for more than forty years. I protest especially because I was born in England, because I have always had a great affection for the commonwealth of nations of which she is the center. I feel ashamed that a great power like England should in so signal a manner go back on her plighted word.”

TAKE UP CHALLENGE

Fifteen Jewish Youth organizations arranged to meet in Chicago on Sunday to “take up Great Britain’s challenge.” Dr. Israel Goldstein, rabbi of the Congregation B’nai Jeshurun, and President of Young Judea, issued a statement, as did George M. Hyman, executive secretary of Avukah. “The time has come for a new heart and a renewed spirit in the Zionist movement,” read the Avukah declaration from the Zionist youth, calling for “pragmatic economic development in Palestine, and a crystallization and renascence of Zionist ideology.”

Burning under the implications made against Jewish labor in the Passfield statement, the Jewish Socialist Labor Party Poale-Zion of America declared: “We still hope that the British Labor party will not take upon itself the responsibility for the fatal mistake of the government, and will at once take the necessary steps to regain the faith of the Jewish people of Great Britain as well as of the world.”

The American press, however, continued in some instances to be apologetic for Great Britain. Thus, the New York Post said editorially: “It is not enough to say that Great Britain is betraying its pledge to support the movement for a Jewish homeland in Palestine. For Great Britain gave a pledge to the Arabs also. It now faces the difficult task of attempting to honor two pledges which are almost irreconcilable. The two pledges were made in the stress of war…. The mistake… cannot be rectified …. The only course Great Britain can follow is one of compromise…. It is a thankless task.”