Heads of A.f.l. and C.i.c. Call on Truman to Protest British Arms Shipments to Arabs

The presidents of the American Federation of Labor and the C.I.C. have asked President Truman to intervene in the shipment of arms by Britain to the Arab states for a second round of warfare against Israel. They called at the White House, accusing Britain of causing an arms race which may cause renewed hostilities. A.F.L. president William Green and C.I.C. president Philip Murray presented a joint protest to the President and said they are convinced that the objective of the armaments race is a second war on the part of the Arab states against Israel. Mr. Truman promised to take their statement under advisement.

Messrs. Green and Murray issued the following joint statement after conferring with President Truman:

“In the name of the overwhelming majority of organized labor in America, we have expressed to the President our firm support of the new democratic state of Israel and our anxicty over the threats to this state and to the people of the Middle East through the heavy and needless armaments race now being undertaken by the Governments of Egypt and other Arabic countries in the Middle Eastern ares. From authoritative newspaper reports and other trustworthy sources of information, we are convinced that the objectives of this drive towards militarism is a second war against the state of Israel.

“We regard this development as a threat not only to the new democratic republic of Israsl but also to the hopes of the American people for stability and peaceful progress wherever possible in the world. Labor in America, both C.I.O. and A.F.L., have long supported the reestablishment of Jewish sovereignty in Palestine. We took great pride in the prompt action of our government in giving recognition and support to the new state of Israel, which is the fruition of centuries of Jewish aspirations and hopes. We have followed with close interest and approval the efforts of the democratic Government of Israel to achieve peace and progress for its citizene. We have come to recognize the republic of Israel as a bastion of our hopes for strengthening the democratic prcesses in the Middle East. We have maintained close and friendly relations with the Histadrut, the splendid Labor Federation of Israel, which is accomplishing much for the welfare of its members and the new state as a whole.

URGE TRUMAN TO PERMIT SALE OF U.S. ARMS TO ISRAEL

“We had hoped that after the conclusion of Israel’s rightful struggle for national independence it would be allowed to develop its human and natural resources in peace and with the cooperation of its neighbors. The growing menace of renewed armed intervention by reactionary and unrepresentative neighboring governments–as reported in considerable detail in the press–has caused growing alarm, This renewed military threat is being aimed at a state which is working more effectively than any other in the Middle East to bring its people higher standards of living, literacy, housing and health. It has made tremendous strides in its first 18 months of experience, and great progress can be expected if peace is maintained throughout the entire region.

“We appealed to President Truman, since the flow of arms to the Arabic countries still continues, to permit the sale of arms to the Israel Government in order to meet the daily increased threat to the security of the state of Israel. We see no reason why Israel should not be given the opportunity to purchase means of defense while the arms machinery of its neighbors is constantly increased, for obviously aggressive purposes. At the same time we have voiced to the President our hope for continued American support to help achieve a just and permanent peace settlement be tween the Government of Israel on the one hand and Egypt, Trans jordan and other Arabic countries.”