“hamburg Day” Observed in Palestine by General Strike and Protest Meetings

Trade, commerce and industry throughout Palestine came to a standstill at 3 p.m. today, the deadline for the general strike called by the Jewish National Council to protest the landings of the Exodus refugees at Hamburg.

Jewish houses marked “Hamburg Day” by hanging Zionist flage at half-mast from their windows. Crowds of Jews of all ages thronged the streets, especially in Tel Aviv, forming demonstrations. Protest mass meetings were hold in every city and in every settlement.

In Tel Aviv, thousands of Jews marched to Habimah Square, where they were addressed by Goldie Meirson, acting head of the political department of the Jewish Agency, and by Acting Mayor Eliezer Perlson. Chief Rabbi Herzog was the principal speaker at the mass meeting in Jerusalem.

Hopes that the mayors of Tel Aviv, Nathanya, Ramat Gan and smaller Jewish and polities, who were arrested last month, would be released today were dashed tonight when a government spokesman told a news conference that an official mission sent to the Latrun Detention Camp today to intercede with the mayors failed when the imprisoned Jewish leaders refused to answer questions put to them by officers of the Critical Investigation Department. The government earlier issued a communique stating that 21 “Jewish terrorists” were arrested between August 29 and September 3, of whom seven were released, five detained for indefinite periods and the remainder were still under investigation.

GOVERNMENT DROPS CHARGES AGAINST U.S. SEAMEN OF EXODUS CREW

The Palestine Government today decided to drop charges of “aiding and abetting illegal immigration” which had been placed against three American seamen of the Exodus ?. The three – Bernard Marks, Stanley Ritzer and Cyril Weinstein – will be deported to the United States. They were released from custody on July 20 on $4,000 bail ?.

The ultimatum sent by the Stern Group to about 50 Jewish income tax officials in Tel Aviv, warning them to give up their jobs with the government as part of a pass? resistance movement, expired this morning. None of the Jewish officials resigned ? appeared today at their desks as usual.

A spokesman for the Haganah today told a press conference that the extremist groups are facing a severe financial crisis as a result of the steps taken by the ? to prevent them from blackmailing individuals in order to secure funds for their activities. The spokesman said that the Haganah would continue its efforts to ? off funds from the extremists.

The Haganah representative also charged that the so-called “Arab Defense Organization,” which has claimed responsibility for the sinking of two ships which were be used in transporting visaless Jews to Palestine, is a front for British secret ?nts who direct its activities. The most recent act of this group was the blasting the 4,500-ton Pan Crescent in Italian waters last week.

Corporal Yochanan Sandersman, 27, who was attacked Saturday night by three brew-speaking men wearing uniforms of the British air force, died today. He was regarding the military installations near Tel Litwinsky, when the assault took place, and frustrated an attack on the camp.