Mandates Body Blames Spread of Riots and Later Events on Lack of Police, British Troops

The limited number of British troops in Palestine and the inadequacy of the police force were the principal causes for the spread of last Summer’s disturbances and for the serious consequences which followed, the report of the Mandates Commission of the League of Nations holds, according to the “Daily Telegraph.” The Mandates Commission is of the opinion that the Palestine troubles did not arise suddenly but were preceded by a series of warning events, of which the incident at the Wailing Wall was the evident center.

Regarding the premeditated aspects of the riots the Commission is not satisfied that the merciful view taken by the majority of the Palestine Inquiry Commission as to the attitude of the Arab leaders is justified. Although the report, according to the “Daily Telegraph,” agrees that the Arab attacks were directed only against the Jews, the Mandates Commission regards as unjustified the view that the Palestine movement was not directed against British authority.

SHOULD HAVE ACTED BEFORE SEPTEMBER

The source of the Arabs’ resentment is political conditions for which the British government is responsible and all the demonstrations of Arab leaders, societies and representatives made clear that the Arab movement tends to resist the Mandatory’s policy, the report points out, remarking that the British government should have taken action before September, 1929.

While agreeing with the Inquiry Commission as to the state of mind in the country maintained by continual propaganda in the Arab press, the Mandates Commission holds that the Palestine administration did not make timely use of the press law by suspending the seditious publications.

The Mandates Commission, according to the “Daily Telegraph” in its report regrets that the Mandatory power has not succeeded in the total execution of the Mandate, has not carried out its obligation to encourage the establishment of a Jewish National Home and has also failed to assure the conditions essential for the development of a national center for the Jewish race—security for life and property.

OTHER THAN JEWISH INTERESTS HURT

The slackening in some particulars by the British government in the face of an unprecedented happening has hurt other than Jewish interests, the Mandates Commission says. The Commission’s report points out that the Arabs without financial resources and unorganized are bound to have grave doubts about their economic future in face of the well-organized Jewish community possessing extensive monetary resources.

By studying the economic problem affecting the inhabitants the Mandatory power might have brought the two element of the population into close relations, the Mandates Commission says. It expresses hope that the necessity for action against hostile elements will not prevent the Palestine government from carrying a constructive program with more vigor than it has done. The Commission’s report also holds that the obligation of the Mandate favors two sections of the population, equally important and by no means irreconciliable.