League Last Resort of Jews if Britain Has Yielded to Political Pressure, Says Cohen

Recourse to the League of Nations is the last resort of the Jews if Great Britain “with its fine tradition for fair dealing and faithful adherence to solemn pledges” has yielded to political pressure, declared Alfred M. Cohen, president of the International B’nai B’rith, in commenting on the British government’s statement of policy in Palestine.

Mr. Cohen said that “announcement of the new policy of the British government towards the Jew in Palestine must cause deep grief and disappointment to every Jew whether Zionist or not. The incomplete reports at present available here indicate a reversal of the Balfour Declaration as confirmed by the League of Nations whether construed liberally or literally.

“It seems unbelievable that Jews should be barred from their cradle land which they had been encouraged to rebuild and resuscitate. One may express complete surprise that the economic difficulties of colonization should become apparent only after a brutal attack on innocent men, women and children with the resultant loss of many lives and that this should be set up as a reason for excluding further immigration of Jews.

“Ample evidence has been furnished by competent non-Jewish observers and investigators that the effect of years of work by Jews in Palestine has bettered the economic conditions of the Arab population. One dislikes to think of Great Britain with its fine tradition for fair dealing and faithful adherence to solemn pledges as yielding to political pressure, but if she has, then Jews the world over must have recourse to the higher authority, the League of Nations.”