British Press Resents Truman’s Appeal to Attlee; Charges It Complicates Problem

The British press is almost unanimous today in declaring that President Truman’s appeal to Prime Minister Attlee for the immediate admission into Palestine of 100,000 Jews has complicated matters for the British Government and made its task in Palestine more difficult.

An editorial in the Daily Telegraph says that the Truman letter ignores some of the major factors in the Palestine situation. It asserts that behind Arab objections stands the newly-born Arab League, and behind that is Moslem opinion. “These forces cannot be lightly swept aside,” it adds, “if there is to be an enduring peace in the Middle East.” It stresses that the Palestine question must be merged in the larger question of finding areas where the Jews can build a peaceful, properous life. This, the Telegraph concludes, is the responsiblity of all the Allied nations.

The Daily Mail carries an editorial declaring that “the British people who have been living with the Palestine problem for twenty-five years know that such a solution (as proposed by Truman) is impracticable, and even to propose it is not helpful.” If the U.S. is unwilling to undertake any responsiblity besides that of criticizing, and making impracticable suggestions, it should be prepared to accept the British solution, the editorial says. It also urges that the whole problem be placed before the United Nations.

The diplomatic correspondent of the Telegraph today says that the Truman letter coupled with the statement by Moslem religious leaders in Damascus yesterday, that partition of Palestine might lead to a holy war, presents the British Government with a tremendous problem. He predicts that the Government will submit the entire question to the United Nations.