Palestine Immigration Stoppage Only Temporary Measure British Representative Tells the Mandates Comm

Great Britain does not intend to depart from the policy of setting up the Jewish National Home in Palestine nor is it acting otherwise than in accordance with the terms of Mandate. Dr. Drummond Shiels, under-secretary for the Colonies told the Mandates Commission here yesterday which is holding an extraordinary session to discuss the Palestine situation.

COMMISSION SEEKS MORE DATA

Marquis Theodoli, chairman of the Mandates Commission, then stated that the Commission wished further information supplementary to the statements contained in the White Paper and was especially desirous of learning the opinion of the British government with regard to the events of the last few years, their immediate and remote causes and mission’s chairman also pointed out that the Commission wanted to know what measures had been taken to prevent a recurrence of such events and what policy the Mandatory intended to follow in the future.

Explaining that the suspension of immigration to Palestine was only a temporary and provisional measure, Dr. Shiels declared that the recent steps of the British government in Palestine had called forth much protest from the Jews the responsibilities involved. The Com-which he said was “due largely to a misapprehension based upon inaccurate reports which gained currency.”

AWAITING SIMPSON’S REPORT

The statements that immigration has been stopped he characterized as untrue for, he said, “the British government fully realizes the important part played by immigration” in the policy of establishing the Jewish National Home. Dr. Shiels told the Commission that Great Britain is “awaiting the guidance of Sir John Simpson’s report regarding the lines on which that part of our policy is to be pursued. During the few weeks that must elapse before the report is in our hands it seemed to us considerations of prudence required that we proceed cautiously.”

Turning to the Palestine riots, he declared he did not wish to enlarge upon the general difficulties of the position but he wanted to point out that “the events left an inevitable aftermath in the atmosphere of unrest, uncertainty,