German Rapporteur’s Absence Delays Study of Palestine Petition by Mandates Body

League circles are speculating as to whether Dr. J. Ruppel, German representative on the League of Nations Mandates Commission will participate in the twenty-fourth session of the Mandates Commission which opened this morning.

Despite the fact that all the members of the commission are appointed as experts and not as representatives of individual countries, the German representative has not arrived and his arrival is considered doubtful in view of Germany’s withdrawal from the League.

At the last session of the Mandates Commission, which opened on June 19, Dr. Ruppel was appointed rapporteur on the petitions on the Kneseth Israel (the Jewish community organization in Palestine) submitted by the Agudath Israel, ultra-orthodox Jewish group, and the Vaad Leumi, the Jewish national council of Palestine.

The Agudath Israel had presented a petition asking for the organization of a special Jewish community for the orthodox Jews. The Vaad Leumi objected to the creation of a community within a community. The Palestine Rabbinate also objected to the Agudath Israel petition. These petitions figure on the agenda of the present session of the Mandates Commission.

If Dr. Ruppel does not come to Geneva, the entire discussion of the Kneseth Israel, based on the petitions submitted will probably have to be postponed.

The petition of Auni Abdul Hadi, member of the Arab Executive of Palestine, containing the Arab demands, is also on the current commission agenda, as well as the comments of High Commissioner Wauchope on previous conclusions about Palestine reached by the Mandates Commission.

The sessions of the governing body of the League Labor Office also opened here today. On its agenda are a number of resolutions including one on refugees from Germany, adopted at the last session of the Labor Office.