Britain May Soon Be Asked to Take More Positive Attitude on Palestine Says Weizmann

A demand that the British Government adopt a more positive attitude on the policy of a Jewish National Home in Palestine, was foreshadowed here by Dr. Chaim Weizmann, in an interview appearing in the Manchester Guardian. Stressing the fact that high official quarters in Washington share the views of the Jewish leaders on Palestine, Dr. Weizmann stated that hitherto Zionist circles had refrained from demanding a declaration on the Palestine question in order not to embarrass the British Government during the grave war crisis.

But now, said Dr. Weizmann, in view of the improved war situation and the willingness of American Jewry to “bear the brunt of the burden in alleviating the misery of countless European Jews,” it has become vitally necessary that American Jews be given some indication as to where “their unfortunate brethren can go.”

Stating that Britain possesses no stauncher friends than the American Jews, Dr. Weismann said that it was not surprising that they are demanding some positive statement from the Churchill Government. He added, however, that “the allegiance of American Jews to our cause has not been affected by what appears to them to be a reluctance on the part of the British Government to tackle the Palestine question fairly and squarely.”

Zionist circles in London commenting on yesterday’s visit to Palestine of Captain Oliver Lyttleton, Prime Minister Churchill’s personal emissary to the Near East, expressed the opinion that the British authorities fully appreciate the special position of Palestine. They consider particularly fortuitous the fact that in the present situation Churchill has a personal representative in control of Near Eastern foreign policy.

British Zionists are particularly gratified by Lyttleton’s coordinating efforts in the Near East as evidenced by his week end conference in Cairo with Sir Harold MacMichael, High Commissioner for Palestine, and his present visit to Palestine en route to Syria.