The News-Chronicle today gives sensational display to a report by its returned Jerusalem correspondent that the Jews in Palestine have a semi-secret, well-equipped and trained army of 50,000 men and women for purposes of defense against the Arabs.
According to the correspondent, the army possesses a chain of secret forts and radio stations, a signalling code, a Red Cross unit with modern equipment, machine guns, rifles, bombs, hand grenades and ample stores of ammunition.
Hundreds of tractors, each convertible into armored cars, are also reportedly available to the army.
The report alleges that the army is operated on the “cell” system, seven men or women to the cell. Control is said to be vested in a secret committee comprising representatives of all Jewish sections.
The writer states that the British Government is aware of the army’s existence.
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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.
