Palestine Telegraphic Agency Despatches

1. The party will be formed of the peasant class of Palestine without distinction of race. It may grant membership to capitalists and specialists amongst townsmen if they can help the party. The admission of the latter shall be decided by the Central Committee. 2. The aim of the party is: to strive to protect local products, to reduce taxes paid by the peasant and to improve the present agricultural system. 3. To spread education, especially agricultural education in the villages. To see that some of the peasants’ children are sent to Europe to study the profession of agriculture. 4. To strive for the preparation of a constitution which accords with the desires of the Palestinians. 5. One of the most earnest wishes of the party is to control the wakfs and their revenues, so that they shall be utilized in a manner benefiting all Moslems, equally, materially and morally. 6. To see that the townsmen and the peasants are treated alike. 7. The party is authorized to intervene in political questions connected with its program, provided that this is in the public interest. It may also cooperate with other Arab parties, as an independent group, if its deems it necessary to do so in the interests of the people. 8. In order to attain the abovementioned aims, the party will concern itself with the following matters: a, the introduction of new methods of land cultivation; b, the formation of cooperatives for sale of products, for purchase of agricultural machinery for common utilization; c, the holding of agricultural exhibitions and competitions and to give prizes for the best products; d, to ask the help of the Government with regard to the following: 1, the abolition or, at least, the amendment of the tithe, 2, a fair division of taxes amongst all classes of the population, 3, the amdsudement of other taxes which overwhelm the peasant, 4, the protection of local products by increasing custom dues on imported produce, 5, the opening of an agricultural bank which will lend money for long terms to peasants at a moderate and reasonable rate of interest, 6, the opening of agricultural schools and the sending of their best pupils to Europe to complete their studies there, 7, the nomination of agricultural experts who will apply new methods of cultivation, 8, rewarding of useful cultivation by means of the reduction of the export duty, or of taxes, or by giving money in cash. 9

9. The aims of the party are principally economic. But as political conditions, in so far as they relate to public order, peace and security without which no profitable work is possible in the country, affect the economic situation, the party declares that its earnest desire is: 2, to live and co-operate in peace with all the inhabitants of the country; b, to acknowledge the mandate conferred on Great Britain by the League of Nations; c, to reach an agreement with the government in following a positive policy; d, to have a legislative body comprising representatives of all the people convoked as proposed formerly by the government.