Lipsky Presents American Zionists’ Grievances to British Colonial Secretary

Col. Amery Assures Delegation Difficulties Will be Overcome; Great Britain Will See to it That Palestine is Success; Situation May be Rapidly Improved if Help is Forthcoming (Jewish Telegraphic Agency)

The grievances of American Zionists against the Palestine Administration for its insufficient cooperation with the Jewish settlers in Palestine were expressed and assurances on behalf of the British Government that whatever may be considered an aconomic obstacle will be removed when the new taxation policy is fixed were made yesterday when a delegation of American and Canadian Zionists called on Col. Leopold H. Amery, British Colonial Secretary, who is on a visit here.

The delegation consisted of Louis Lipsky, President of the Zionist Organization of America; Archibald J. Freiman, President of the Zionist Federation of Canada; Abraham Levin, Honorary Vice-President of the Zionist Federation of Canada; Lyon Cohen, Honorary Vice-President of the Zionist Federation of Canada; Robert A. Darwin, and Rabbi J. L. Zlotnik, Executive Director of the Zionist Federation of Canada.

In his statement to the delegation, the Colonial Secretary declared that some of the old-fashioned methods of taxation inherited from the Turkish times needed re-casting and that the method of taxation on a fixed assessment instead of the annual produce was being introduced into Palestine and would eventually displace the former.

Mr. Lipsky spoke of the handicaps placed on the Zionist endeavor by what seemed to he the indifference of the Palestine Government to economic and taxation reforms essential for the development of the Jewish National Home. He spoke of the hardships imposed upon Jewish colonists by the heavy taxes on produce, regardless of the profits involved; of the assessment based upon the prices paid by Jews to Arabs while the Arab land was not affected by the tax upon the registration of titles and of the lack of assistance to industrial development. He unfolded the grievances held by American Zionists against the Palestine Government on account of its lack of cooperation in industrial and commercial development. The President of the Zionist Organization of America said that the great sympathy and the confidence of American Zionists in the British policy in Palestine was being undermined and asked Mr. Amery whether the Government had in mind the elimination of causes for these grievances.

Mr. Freiman spoke of his impressions of Palestine during his visit made last year. He said that inasmuch as the Jews were paying in taxes practically 80 percent of the income of the Palestine Government, there was no reason why the Jewish education and sanitation work should not be supported more liberally by the Palestine Government.

Mr. Amery in reply said that the British Government fully appreciated the great part played by the Zionists in the United States and elsewhere in from them. Of the ultimate success of the great experiment which the British Government had undertaken when it gave the Balfour Declaration and assumed responsibility for the mandate in Palestine, and it welcomed and valued the co-operation it had received from them. Of the ultimate success of that experiment he had no doubt, indeed it was already more than an experiment, but between the inception and the fruition of a great undertaking there were always the difficult initial stages, he said.

Some of the initial difficulties had indeed, been overcome, the Secretary continued. The prudence and care, which to some may at one time have seemed almost excessive, taken to safeguard Arab interests and to allay Arab fears as to their position under the regime had led to a much more satisfactory attitude on their part, which was an important factor in future developments. It had also insured general support for the whole policy of the mandate in Great British and had put the matter outside of the fluctuations of party polities. British as a whole stood behind the mandate and intended not merely to live up to the letter of it but to make it a success to the fullest extent possible.

There were other initial difficulties in the economic and administrative spheres which have still to be surmounted. The Secretary said that some of the old fashioned methods of taxation inherited from Turkish times stated recasting and informed the deputation that the method of taking on a fixed assessment instead of on the annual produce was being introduced and would eventually displace the latter.

The severe depression of the last two years which had made it necessary to restrict immigration had been a great disappointment to the Palestine Government Col. Amery said he realized how much the task of the Zionists in America in raising funds was made more difficult by the fact that at the very moment when these funds were most needed they could only point to a difficult and anxious situation in Palestine. He would remind them that in a small country Eke Palestine depressions might not early come quickly but go quickly. Col. Amery expressed the before that with a reasonable measure of help the situation might very rapidly he improved. He saw no reason why the deputation should not have confidence. The work already achieved in Palestine was ## and enduring work and the British Government had no intention of going back on his undertakings the Colonial Secretary concluded.