Proposal to Give Italy Palestine Mandate Stirs Political Circles in Rome

(Jewish Telegraphic Agency)

Italy is prepared to assume the mandate for Palestine and Mesopotamia and in case this becomes a reality, Italy is ready to give the best guarantees for the creation of a Jewish national home in Palestine, according to comments of the Italian press today.

The comments of the press were caused by articles published in the London “Daily Mail”, of which Lord Rothermere is the publisher. The suggestion that Italy be given the mandate was published in the Monday issue of the “Daily Mail” which has for years been conducting propaganda that England abandon the mandates over Palestine and Mesopotamia.

The “Messagero” observes that Italy will eventually take over the mandate and that it will give the best guarantees for the Jewish national home. Mr. Cantalupo, former Italian state secretary of the colonies, writing in the “Tribuna”, states that Lord Rothermere’s proposal touches the problem of the general revision of the mandate system. The “Impero” finds the proposal a just one corresponding with the historic traditions of Italy in Palestine.

The “Daily Mail’s” suggestion is termed epoch-making, as it is the first recognition, even if only an unofficial one, of Italy’s need to find an outlet for her surplus population and holds out some hope that this most important problem will receive proper consideration. The “Daily Mail’s” suggestion acquires added importance from the fact that it is known that Lord Rothermere recently was in Italy and that during his stay, which lasted some fifteen days, he had a long meeting with Mussolini. It is supposed that during this meeting the question of mandates was raised and that Mussolini expressed Italy’s willingness to assume the mandates over Palestine and Mesopotamia if the British Government should decide to relinquish them.

Official circles in Rome refuse to comment on the “Daily Mail’s” suggestion, as the British Government has never given the slightest indication that it would even consider relinquishing the ruandates. The general impression is, however, that if this eventuality ever were to come about, Italy would be willing to accept the mandates over Palestine and Mesopotamia. It is pointed out in this connection that England has no peasant class and practically no emigration and that its mandates therefore represent a loss owing to heavy military expenses, while Italy’s emigrants are almost entirely recruited from the peasant class and Palestine and Mesopotamia, it is declared, could become useful assets if settled by Italian peasants.

In most of the press comment on the “Daily Mail’s” suggestion, no opinion is expressed as to the usefulness or possibility of Italy taking over the mandates from England, but great importance is attached to it nevertheless as the most authoritative, if unofficial, recognition of “Italy’s right to expand.”

The “Osservatore Romano”, the official organ of the Vatican, prints the suggestion for the transfer of the mandates over Palestine and Mesopotamia verbatim. While the “Osservatore” publishes the news without adding any comment, it is felt here that the Vatican, which has never shown particular enthusiasm for the Zionist movement, would perhaps support a move to bring Palestine under the control of Catholic Italy.

New contributions amounting to $87,600 were reported Wednesday to Judge Proskauer, president of the Young Men’s Hebrew Assocation, by workers in its $1,500,000 Building Fund Campaign, at a luncheon meeting at the Hotel Biltmore. This sum, in addition to $412,000 previously raised, brought the total reported since the drive began on Monday within $400 of the half-million dollar mark.

Two contributions of $15,000 each were among those reported, one from David H. Schulte and the other from S. J. Bloomingdale. Ten thousand dollars each were given by Julius Goldman and Murry Guggenheim, and an anonymous contribution of $7,500 was made through Mark Hyman.

The Convention of the Federation of Young Judaea of Canada will be held in Toronto on June 25th, 26th and 27th. The Convention in Toronto will be followed by a special Western Conference, to be held in Winnipeg on July 10th, 11th and 12th. The educational program for the coming year for Canada will be considered at the Convention.

The National Association of Jewish Community Center Secretaries will hold its ninth annual conference in Atlantic City, N. J., May 31st to June 5th. Delegates from various parts of the United States are expected to attend. The headquarters will be the Ritz Carlton Hotel, where the opening session will he held. Congressman Meyer Jacobstein, of Rochester, N. Y., will deliver an address entitled “The Responsibilities of American Jewish Communities for Their Youth.” The president of the association is Tobias Roth, of Rochester, N. Y.