Britain’s action in referring the Palestine problem to the United Nations was scored in the House of Representatives today by Congressmen Robert Twyman, Illinois Republican, and Emanuel Celler, New York Democrat, who described the move as “just another British delaying tactic.” Both called upon the United States to realize its responsibilities in the solution of the Palestine question by taking a strong stand when the issue comes before the United Nations in September.
Twyman called upon “President Truman, Secretary of State Marshall and the Congressional leaders of both Houses and parties,” to “take the initiative” in insisting that England carry out an interim program in Palestine until action by the U.N. can be achieved. This interim program, Twyman said, should be based on fulfillment of the British commitment, as contained in the Anglo-American committee report, to admit 100,000 Jews to Palestine and upon abolition of the land restrictions embodied in the White Paper of 1939.
He pointed out that Britain was imposing an unduly heavy burden on the American people whose tax money is going to support the Jewish refugees in Europe who, he said, except for British restrictions could be going to Palestine. He suggested that, if at all possible, Secretary of State Marshall bring up the question of the displaced persons at the forthcoming Moscow conference and seek a solution that would permit their entry into Palestine.
He called upon the U.S. representatives at the U.N. to insist on “the right of the Jewish people to a Jewish commonwealth” when the issue is raised in the U.N., and to seek a solution embracing free Jewish immigration to Palestine, fullest economic development of Palestine along the lines of the Lowdermilk Plan, and free and independent Jewish statehood climaxed by a seat by a seat for the Jewish state in the U.N.
Congresaman Celler pointed out that strong U.S. action in the U.N. when the question of Palestine is raised will give us the opportunity to stand by the declared American policy of favoring a Jewish National Home in Palestine and “can prevent the U.N. from becoming merely a sounding board for British opinion on Palestine.”
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