Mystery Broadcast Urges Jews to Revolt; Strike Call Authorized As Unity is Effected

Tension mounted sharply today as Palestine Jewry, in a mysterious radio shortwave broadcast, was called upon to revolt against British plans to set up an Arab-controlled state in which the Jews would have a minority status.

The anonymous announcer declared a military organization of 10,000 Jews existed in Palestine and the Diaspora which was prepared to fight to the last. He said there would be no retreat though many might be arrested and many others hung.

The startling broadcast, which the authorities immediately set about tracing, came after a 24-hour session of Jewish leaders from all parts of the country had proclaimed a new policy of unity, threatened "non-cooperation" with Great Britain, authorized the Jewish National Council to call a general strike at its discretion and decided on mobilization of the Jewish community’s economy and manpower to meet any emergency.

Meanwhile, arrests of Jews in connection with recent outbreaks of violence assumed a wholesale character, with eight arrested at Hedera, eight at Tel Aviv and six at Haifa. A majority of those seized are Revisionists (extremist Zionists). Those arrested at Tel Aviv were immediately committed to the Government concentration camp for three months. Three of those seized at Hedera were sent to Acre prison to serve three-month terms.

In Jerusalem, a Revisionist youth distributing an illegal leaflet bearing the imprint of "The National Military Organization of Palestine," was arrested by British police. The youth made a dash for liberty, was fired at without being hit and recaptured.

In Haifa, meanwhile, the military authorities acted to suppress an Arab strike called in protest against Monday’s bombings there. Threatening severe measures Brig.- Gen. Bernard Montgomery declared in a proclamation that striking railway workers had dislocated essential services and had prescribed condition for resumption of work. "I am not," Gen. Montgomery said, "accustomed to have conditions dictated to me. I shall act most severely against striking persons and organizations."

The February disorders, it was revealed today, took a toll of 110 killed and 153 wounded, including 13 Jews dead and 53 wounded. A majority of the remaining casualties were Arab terrorists slain in clashes with British troops. The figures were compiled from official communiques issued during the month. Eliahu Bagin, a Jew wounded Feb. 21, died here today.

After a full day and night of deliberation, the meeting of Jewish leaders, convoked by the Jewish National Council, adopted a series of resolutions as follows:

(1) Calling for mobilization of the Palestine Jewish community’s economy and man-power to meet any emergency, and renewing the Kofer Hayishub, Jewish defense and redemption fund; (2) authorizing the Jewish National Council to call a general strike at its discretion; (3) ordering a census of the adult Jewish population to prepare for emergency national service; (4) recommending enlargement of the Jewish National Council to permit inclusion of the Revisionists, the Jewish Farmers’ Association, the non-Zionist religious Agudath Israel and other groups, and (5) urging the Jewish delegation at the London conferences on Palestine to call upon world Jewry not to despair.

The proclamation issued in conjunction with the resolutions, while threatening non-cooperation with Britain if a minority status for the Jews is enforced, called upon the Jewish community not to commit irresponsible acts. A proposal by representatives of the Jewish State Party, to recall the Jewish delegation from London and to call upon Dr. Chaim Weizmann and other officials of the Jewish Agency for Palestine to resign as a protest against the British proposals, was rejected by the meeting.

The authorities suspended two Revisionist dailies, the newly-founded Hamashkif for a fortnight and Hayarden, which has suffered frequent suspensions before, for three months.

The Jewish National Council announced receipt of the following cable, sent in Hebrew, from American Zionist leaders: "The Jewish public follows with deep concern what is happening in London. It has yet the strength and courage to resist, to help and to act. Your stand in the years of bloodshed have conferred honor on our people and served as a source of confidence for the entire house of Israel. The final triumph is with us." The cable was signed by Rabbi Solomon Goldman, president of the Zionist Organization of America; Mrs. Judith Epstein, president of Hadassah; Leon Gellman, president of the Mizrachi Organization and David Wertheim, secretary of the Poale Zion-Zeire Zion Organization.