“I am not a lover of White Papers,” declared Sir Philip Cunliffe-Lister, Minister for the Colonies, when he addressed the Anglo-Palestine Club this evening at a dinner given in his honor.
He revealed that he had been initiated into Zionist problems and ideals by the late Lord Balfour, and had since taken a keen interest in all that happened in Palestine. Touching on the question of present Palestine prosperity, he said, “Palestine is prosperous, not only relatively by comparison with the world crisis, but even in the absolute sense.” He referred, in glowing terms, to the progress of Tel Aviv and of the chemical works on the shores of the Dead Sea.
Of paritcular importance was the Colonial Minister’s declaration, “I believe in deeds and not in words.” He concluded with an assurance that he, on his part, would do all in his power, expressing hope that economic cooperation between the Jews and the Arabs would help to allay mutual political suspicions.
James de Rothschild, who presided, drew attention to the need of security in Palestine: He also touched on the invitation extended by Arab chiefs for Jews to settle in Trans-Jordan, as evidence that Arabs are beginning to acknowledge the beneficent effect of Jewish activities.
Proposing the toast of the “Jewish National Home”, Colonel Josiah Wedge-wood, M.P., referred to the Jewish position in Germany where nationalism has run amuck. He expressed the hope that England would offer an asylum to the persecuted Jews of Germany, and that Jews in England would extend their support to their stricken Jewish brethren.
Dr. Nahum Sokolow, President of the Jewish Agency told of what he had seen on his recent visit to Palestine and the great progress evident throughout the country. He paid a tribute to the High Commissioner, who, he said, had a good appreciation of the real meaning of the Balfour Declaration. He revealed in the course of his speech that Sir Philip Cunliffe-Lister would shortly pay a visit to Palestine.
Lord Melchett described the eagerness of Polish Jews to go to Palestine and the Zionist enthusiasm which he had witnessed during his recent visit to Poland.
A rare speaker at a Zionist gathering was Hannen Swaffer, the well-known English journalist, who humorously invited the Colonial Minister to bring back with him from his proposed visit to Palestine a lesson on how Britain itself should be managed.
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
