Palestine Sub-committees Recess Until Monday; Defer Decision on Length of Transition

The Palestine question will be off the United nations calendar for the next three days as a result of a decision tonight by the two ?b-committees of the Ad Hoc Committee on Palestine to recess until Monday morning ? recess was decided upon after both committees had spent a full day in deliberations.

The sub-committee on partition decided to postpone consideration until Monday of the first recommendation of the UNSCOP majority, that following a transition perioed of two years, Palestine should be divided into an independent Jewish state and independent Arab state. The American delegate, Herschel Johnson, indicated that ## U.S. may suggest a shorter transition period.

At the same time, the sub-committee adopted — with slight modifications prossed by the U.S. delegation — the second UNSCOP recommendation, that both states all become independent after they adopt constitutions complying with certain pro?sions, have made a declaration to the U.N. containing guarantees regarding the full?lment of these provisions and have signed an undertaking creating the economication of Palestine and establishing a system of collaboration between the two states ? the city of Jerusalem.

JEWISH AGENCY INVITED TO PARTICIPATE IN WORK OF PARTITION GROUP

The partition sub-group unanimously agreed to invite the Jewish Agency and Bri{SPAN}##{/SPAN} in to participate in its work. Polish delegate Ksawery Prusyzinski was unanimously {SPAN}##cted{/SPAN} chairman and Prof. Enrique Fabregat of Uruguay was named repporteur, also without dissent.

The request of the Jewish Agency to attend meetings of the sub-committee, parcipate in discussion and submit proposals and views was supported by the U.S., Russia, ##lezuela, Uruguay and Guatemala. Moshe Shertok and Dr. Emanuel Neumann represented ## Agency.Declaring that the U.S. entirely favored the Agency’s request, Johnson asked this would entitle the Agency to intervene at any time in the debate. He pointed ## that “for practical purposes” the Agency would enjoy the same full status as committee members.

Russian delegate Simeyon Tsarapkin urged that the Agency’s request be granted, ##ming it a “useful proposal which would facilitate the work of the sub-committee.” advocated giving the Agency the same rights as members, except that of voting.

Britain, in a letter to chairman Herbert Evatt of the Ad Hoc Committee, declared its willingness to participate as an observer in both sub-committees, to furnish information and provide any assistance required. On this basis each sub-committee agreed to the British offer.

SOVIET DELEGATE ASKS THAT DATE BE SET FOR TERMINATION OF MANDATE

A lengthy debate on the question of when the Palestine Mandate should be ter{SPAN}##nated{/SPAN} developed during the afternoon session at the partition sub-committee. The soviet representative insisted on clarification as to when the transition period would legin. If it starts when the Mandate ends, then it is imperative to fix the date for {SPAN}##mination of the Mandate, Tsarapkin argued.{/SPAN}British observer J.M. Martin, of the Colonial Office, told the sub-committee ?at his government agrees entirely with the UNSCOP recommendation for termination the Mandate, but that as far as the transitional period is concerned, Britain must {SPAN}##ait{/SPAN} the outcome of discussion in the sub-committee. “We have come to seek advice gether than to give any on such questions, “Martin said, adding that “at the moment {SPAN}##{/SPAN} will put forward no proposal” regarding termination of the Mandate.

U.S. delegate Johnson said that the wording of the recommendation regarding ##ing of the Mandate is such as not to need a precise definition from the British ##. The earliest practicable date for the termination, Johnson declared, should be ## flexible point at some future time. We can defer coming to grips with the United Kingdom,” he said, “until we have gone further in the discussion, when some constructive suggestions regarding the transition period may be made. No one can claim that ## specific date is intended.” Venezuela agreed with the United States delegate on ## advisability of deciding on other recommendations without fixing the date for the ## of the Mandate.

(Iraqi Premier Salih Jabur said in Baghdad today that if the U.N. approves partition, Iraqi forces will invade Palestine as soon as British troops withdraw. He ## that Palestine was the “first and last defensive line of the Arab world.”)

The sub-committee took the view that the unanimous UNSCOP recommendations, representing principles rather than actual specific recommendations, called for very ?ttle discussion as the majority recommendations embodied and amplified them. It was therefore decided to omit discussion on them.

The sub-committee on setting up a unitary Arab state protested the composition the body, which has Colombia as its only non-Moslem member. It decided, therefore ## constitute itself only as a “provisional committee” and elected Colombian delegate ##nandez Genzalez as “provisional chairman,” pending consultation with Herbert Evatt, #airman of the Ad Hoc Committee, who is out of the city. The sub-committee decided to establish three “provisional” sub-groups to: 1. Study the question of the displaced ##; 2, Draft a legal challenge to the UNSCOP partition plan; 3. Draw up a blueprint for an Arab state in all of Palestine.