President Truman Supports Proposal to Refer Palestine Question to “big Five”

The White House today released a statement by president Truman expressing support of the recommendation that the Palestine security situation be referred to the Big Five made this morning before the U.N. Security Council by American delegate Warren Austin. The message, received from the Presidential yacht Williamsburgh, in the Caribbean Sea, stated:

“The Palestine problem has been and is the deep concern of this government. It has been given the most careful consideration by me, the Cabinet and other responsible government officials. The United States position has been developed through a long and exhaustive study and many consultations. This position has been accurately presented “by Ambassador Austin in his speech before the Security Council of the United Nations today.”

Congressman Emanuel Celler, New York Democrat, branded Austin’s statement as outrageously hypocritical,” and scored particularly the recommendation that a committee be created to study whether current disorders in Palestine constitute a threat to the peace. “No further committee studies are needed,” Celler declared.

The United States can effectively help the Palestine situation by withholding American money from Great Britain until the latter stops, sending arms to the Arabs, Henry A. Wallace told the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Opposing the European recovery program, Wallace declared, “it is American money that enables the British to deliver to the Arab states ‘in fulfillment of their contractual obligations,'” He said also that American money finances the training and equipment of Arab forces in the Arab states and enables the British to subsidize Transjordan armed forces.

“Today in Palestine innocent Jewish pioneers are being slaughtered,” Wallace asserted, “as a direct result of the Truman doctrine–protection of private American oil interest is more important to the administration than human lives and support of the U.N.’s decision,”

Senator Robert A, Taft’s statement during the week-end calling for U.S. support of a “moderate” United Nations international force for Palestine was made after consultation with Republican leaders here, it was learned. As chairman of the Republican Policy Committee of Congress. Taft, it is emphasized, mirrored not merely his own views but those of Republican policy makers.

LABOR, VETERAN LEADERS ASK STRONG U.S. POLICY ON PALESTINE

A.F.L. president William Green, in a letter to President Truman, expressed the hope that the United States Government would “stand uncompromising” behind the U.N. Policy on Palestine “even if it takes force.” He also urged that the ban on arms shipments to the Middle East be lifted to enable the Jews of Palestine to defend themselves. Green called on the U.N. to meet the Arab challenge, declaring “the U.N cannot surrender to a dissenting Arab group or to the Arab nations.”

James F. O’Neil, commander of the American Legion, yesterday told a press conference in Des Moines. Iowa, that “if the United Nations is going to continue to be an effective organization it must support its Palestine decision with a police force. “The United States,” he continued, “must be willing to furnish a part of that force. Either that or withdraw, “he insisted.