Weizmann Urges Jews to Display Courage, Predicts Great Britain Will Alter Palestine Policy

Sooner or later the British statement of policy in Palestine will be rectified in accordance with the true traditions of the British Empire, Dr. Chaim Weizmann, former president of the World Zionist Organization and of the Jewish Agency, who resigned both offices Tuesday as a protest against the government’s statement, declared today in a statement urging the Jews to show the world that in building their national home they have the same courage which enabled other peoples to overcome obstacles as they have arisen.

In an appeal for the Jewish National Fund, whose methods of land purchases were sharply criticized in the Simpson report, Dr. Weizmann pointed out that the government has not definitely prohibited the purchase of land but has merely revealed its intention of sterilizing “our work by administrative action and by placing obstacles in the way of every legitimate effort we make. But they are only obstacles and as such can be overcome by Jewish endeavors.

“There are 150,000 dunams of land held in reserve by the Jewish National Fund, according to Sir John Simpson but most of this land is not yet fully paid for and on some of it only an option has been taken. To complete the purchase and to put the land into condition for starting to colonize it require very large sums of money. There is no intention to interfere with the consummation of these transactions, which whatever may happen are the first steps in further progress,” Dr. Weizmann said.

He urged the Jews to strengthen the Jewish National Fund for by so doing they will show their “conviction in the justice of our cause and justice will win through.” Speaking of the government statement, Dr. Weizmann defined it as an unfortunate document “more unfortunate in impression than in actual wording and giving an undeserved blow to the establishment of the Jewish National Home. The whole spirit of the statement is contrary to the true traditions of the British Empire,” Dr. Weizman asserted, adding that he believed that sooner or later it would be rectified in accordance with these traditions.