British Military Official in Palestine Arms Trial Challenged by Jewish Agency

Delayed) — Major Richard B. Verdin, counsel for the defense in the trial of the two British soldiers who were sentenced last week by a military tribunal here to fifteen years each for selling arms to a Jewish organization, was challenged today by David Ben-Gurion to substantiate his anti-Jewish allegations “before any independent board of enquiry” where representatives of the Jewish Agency may be able to face him on equal terms.

The demand was made by Mr. Ben-Gurion as chairman of the executive of the Jewish Agency in a letter to Major General D.F. McConnell, Commander of the British Military Forces in Palestine. In his letter, Ben-Gurion wrote:

“At the trial of the two British soldiers, Private Charles A. Stoner and Christopher R. Harris, before a military tribunal in Jerusalem, Major R. B. Verdin, abusing his privilege as defending counsel, made a slanderous attack against the Jewish people, against the Jews of Palestine, against Jewish soldiers serving in His Majesty’s forces in the Middle East, against the Jewish Agency for Palestine and against myself as chairman of the Agency’s executive committee.

” I am advised that there is no legal remedy against this slanderous attack, From a purely formal viewpoint, this officer may be able to claim the privilege by reason of the function which he exercised. The only course open for me it to address you as his superior officer. As a representative of the Jewish people which was maliciously attacked and as a person who was directly insulted, I desire to declare that Major Verdin acted in this matter without any regard for the truth or decency and in manner characteristic of the lowest type of anti-Semitism. I challenge him to substantiate his allegations before any independent board of enquiry. where I may be able to face him on equal terms.”