House of Lords Depates Palestine Issue; U.S. Zionists Criticized by Lord Samuel

American Zionists were criticized today in the House of Lords by Viscount Herbert Samuel in the course of a debate on the Palestine question, in which he demanded the admission of 50,000 Jews annually to Palestine and condemned terrorism.

The American Zionists, the first High Commissioner for Palestine said, made an “unfortunate political blunder” by pressing for a Jewish state during the war. He expressed his opposition to partitioning Palestine into separate Arab and Jewish states and advocated bi-nationalism.

In condemning terrorism in Palestine, Viscount Samuel said that “the Jewish population of Palestine as well as the Jewish Agency is blameworthy for not having extirpated this curse.” He emphasized that all the Jews in Palestine support the demand for free immigration, and asked whether there was any clause in the Palestine Mandate authorizing Britain to halt immigration.

First Lord of the Admiralty George Hall told the House of Lords that 68 military, 30 policemen and 15 civilians have been killed in Palestine since August, 1945. A total of 168 Jews were convicted for terrorism. Four of them were executed and two committed suicide. During the same period 33 Jewish extremists were killed and nine wounded, Hall stated.

FINAL SOLUTION OF PALESTINE PROBLEM EXPECTED AT U.N. SESSION IN SEPTEMBER

He disagreed with Viscount Samuel’s contention that Jews should be admitted to Palestine under all circumstances. He denounced as criminals those persons responsible for fostering “illegal immigration” and called upon “the moderate Jews and Arabs” to assert themselves. He expressed the hope that a final solution of the Palestine problem will be achieved at the September session of the United Nations General Assembly.

The First Lord of the Admiralty also denounced the campaign “to raise $30,000,000 in the United States for encouraging illegal immigration and buying guns” and for “openly advocating the support of the terrorists who are shooting down British soldiers.” On the other hand, he admitted that during recent months the Jewish Agency has done much to cooperate with the British authorities in Palestine and that it has denounced terrorism. However, he claimed that the Haganah could do more to check violence in Palestine than it does.

URGE ABOLITION OF PALESTINE MANDATE; ADVOCATE BEVIN’S PARTITION PLAN

Lord Lloyd advocated the abolition of the Palestine Mandate. The sending of another fact-finding commission to Palestine seems an “incredible” folly, he said, adding that the Arabs consider themselves the rightful inhabitants of Palestine. “To force upon them immigrants who may in time become a majority in the country would be a negation of international morality,” he said.

Lord Altringham, Liberal, declared that the partition plan offered by Foreign Secretary Bevin is the only solution and the only hope for peace in Palestine. He denounced visaless immigration as “reminiscent of the slave trade,” and supported the government policy of intercepting refugee ships. Jewish homelessness, he said, is Europe’s responsibility and cannot be placed as a burden on the Arabs. “The gravest aspect of the Palestine problem,” Lord Altringham declared, “is that British forces there are developing anti-Jewish feelings because of terrorism.”