Luke Takes Witness Stand; Says Course During Outbreak Dictated by Policy, Not by Weakness or Cowardi

The officer responsible for the government of Palestine during the August outrages. Acting High Commissioner, H. C. Luke, unexpectedly took the stand today before the Inquiry Commission. He affirmed his complete sympathy with the government’s policy as laid down in the White Paper.

He began his narration of his activities to preserve order by stating that his course was dictated by policy and not by cowardice or weakness. Luke told the Commissioners that in ordering reinforcements directly from Egypt in order to maintain order he broke a rule.

Questioned by the government’s counsel, Preedy, Luke said that August 14 passed quietly and on noon of the 15th he was informed that the Jews, including non-Jerusalemites, wanted to demonstrate at the Wailing Wall and in front of the government offices. The decision whether to permit the demonstration rested with him. Jerusalem district officers and Bineh, Bergman and Hoofien tried to persuade the Jews not to demonstrate, Luke continued. At 2 P. M. Saunders and Cust advised him, he said, that they were unable to dissuade the Jews and told him not to prevent the demonstration for if he did he would be playing into the hands of some Jews who wanted to try conclusions with the police.

Luke testified that because he was unwilling to interfere with the Jews right to visit the Wailing Wall-“the only Jewish right disputed by no one, -and especially on the day of Tish B’Ab, he granted the requested permission for a Jewish procession at the Wailing Wall but prohibited a demonstration of flags at the Wall or any military formation. He denied being aware that some Jews had refused to promise not to raise flags, or, he said, he might have denied permission for the procession.

Luke admitted knowing that the passing of the Jews through the Arab quarter would have had a bad effect and he asked the Arabs to remain quiet during the procession. They did so. Luke said, and consequently felt that advantage had been taken of them when the Jews demonstrated at the Wailing Wall. Luke said that when he heard that the Moslems were planning a counter demonstration on the Wall’s pavement he phoned the Mufti to come and see him at once. He told of urging the Mufti to prevent the Moslem demonstration but if it was unavoidable to at least limit it to the Mosque area to which the Mufti agreed. Before the Mufti could reach the Mosque the Moslems were already on the pavement.

“Then you never were formally asked and you never formally granted permission to the Moslems for a demonstration?” queried Preedy, to which Luke replied, “quite so.” Luke testified that he did not know about the petition in the crevices of the Wailing Wall. When asked why the police did (Continued on Page 3)

Questioned regarding the outbreak on August 23 Luke said that he did not hear of it until he actually saw a mob of angry Arabs swarming below his office window near the Damascus Gate. He said that half an hour before that Gust had told him that things were quieting down.

Luke testified that he immediately informed police headquarters, ordered armored cars from Ramleh and telephoned Playfair, Commandant of the Royal Air Forces in Transjordania, to come from Amman but he then phoned Amman ordering an air demonstration over Jerusalem and decided with Play-fair to order a section of the Transjordanian frontier force. He also told of asking the naval commander at Malta to send a warship to Jaffa, and Haifa and called upon London for reinforcements.

Continuing Luke said that he phoned the High Commissioner of Egypt asking him to send troops immediately despite the fact that this was a violation of a standing War Office rule. At eight o’clock he called in the military but said that martial law was never proclaimed.

With reference to a Jewish-Arab meeting suggested by Horowitz, Luke testified that a meeting between three Jews and three Arabs was held in his house but postponed, concluding an agreement for several days, and then never re-assembled because of the outbreak on the 23rd.

Luke concluded his first day’s testimony by answering questions regarding an offer on August 24 of 500 Jewish volunteers to undertake the defense of the Jewish suburb and colonies. He said that after learning that troops were coming from Egypt and also being advised by Playfair that Saunders could protect all of the colonies and suburbs he decided not to accept the Jewish offer, “after serious consideration.” Luke is expected to take the stand again on Monday.