Two resolutions on different aspects of the Palestine problem were introduced in the Senate and House today.
The House resolution, initiated by Rep. Jacob J. Javits, Republican of New York, and introduced separately by 29 Congressmen so that each bears the name of (##)e individual sponsoring representative–calls upon the United States to announce (##)s continued adherence to the Palestine policy established by presidential (##)clarations and congressional resolutions. It also called on the U.S. to announce (##)s willingness to join in the carrying out of a solution of the Palestine problem (##)long the lines of (such) policy.”
The Senate resolution, introduced by Senator Warren Magnusson, Democrat (##) Washington, and co-sponsored by eight Senators, directs Secretary of State (##)rshall to request the British Government to terminate emergency regulations in Palestine and restore civilian administration and civil rights. It was identical (##) a house resolution introduced last week by Rep. Andrew Somers, Democrat, of New York. The co-sponsors were Republican Senators Langer and Young of North Dakota, (##)rse of Oregon, and Democratic Senators Myers of Pennsylvania, Murray of Montana, (##)avez of New Mexico and Taylor of Idaho.
In a speech supporting the resolution, Senator Morse said “for too long (##)ve the British been permitted to believe that we are not serious about our (##)mmitments and our rights as regards Palestine. They have been comforting themselves with the notion that we Americans were merely making sentimental statements, possibly motivated by domestic politics.”
Senator Murray said he thought it was “time to quit dilly-dallying about Palestine and pretending that it is a British province and a British problem… (##)t is time for some action, affirmative and constructive, to be initiated by the United States.” Senators Langer and Taylor also sharply criticized the British (##)ministration in Palestine in speeches.
Concurrent with the introduction of the resolution, Rep. Kenneth B. Keating, New York Republican, introduced for insertion in the Congressional Record, a brief (##)lled “a legal view of the Palestine question,” as a guide in studying the resolution which he and the other 28 Congressmen had just introduced. Raising the (##)estion “on who’s side is the law in the Palestine picture,” Keating traced the (##)story of Palestine from the Palfour Declaration in 1917, and the issuance of (##)e mandate.
“The respective legal position of the parties to the Palestine dispute leads (##) the conclusions,” that Jewish claims are “predicated on a formal international (##)cument of unquestionable legal validity and supported by the terms and legisla(##)ve history of the mandate,” his brief said. In the Palestine situation, he (##)larged, the Jewish people are “in a position to assert their legal position against (##) deprivation of contract rights.”
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