The absorptive capacity of Palestine is far from exhausted, the Political Committee of the League of Nations Assembly was told today by Dr. Christian L. Lange of Norway, presenting the annual review of the work of the Mandates Commission.
The development of Palestine has continued to be satisfactory, Dr. Lange said. Jewish immigrants and capital accounting for the increasing prosperity of the country.
He congratulated the Jewish Agency for Palest one on the results thus far obtained. The country, he said, is actually suffering from a shortage of labor. “This is a fact,” he declared, “which is a matter for gratification in view of the large number of refugees seeking a home at present.”
He also congratulated the Mandatory Power, Great Britain, for its liberal immigration policy. “Prosperity not being eternal,” he said, “the Mandatory Power is doing well in reserving a fund for public works.”
“Jewish immigration,” he emphasized, “naturally has certain limits also in relation to the attitude of the Arabs. Generally speaking, Jewish immigration is a complex problem. The Mandatory Power must be congratulated for its efforts to establish harmony between the various interests.”
In the general debate that followed presentation of the report, Jewish efforts in Palestine were lauded by delegates from numerous countries. The delegate from Czechoslovakia stressed the benefits derived by the Arab population of Palestine from the work of the Jewish Agency. “Jewish work in Palestine is of historical and international importance,” the delegate from Spain declared expressing the conviction that a spirit of collaboration on the part of the Wise administration of the Mandatory Power has resulted in colonization work in Palestine being done by peaceful means for the benefit of both Jews and Arabs.
A proposal that the report to the Assembly of the League contain a special recommendation for the facilitation of Jewish immigration into Palestine was made by the delegate from Latvia who joined in congratulating the Jewish Agency.
This proposal, however, was opposed by the British delegate Cranborne, who had the last word in the debate. He emphasized Palestine’s prosperity when all other countries are suffering from the world-wide economic crisis. He assured the committee that the Mandatory Power will do all in its power to promote harmonious cooperation between all sections of the population in both municipal and central government.
The delegates from Italy, Poland, France and Switzerland also spoke favorably of the Jewish upbuilding work in Palestine. The delegate from Italy, however, asked that Jewish immigration into the country be maintained at such a level as not to prejudice the rights and interests of the native population.
Dr. Lange of Norway was appointed by the Political Committee as its rapporteur on Mandates to the League of Nations Assembly.
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