Senate Debate Develops over Transjordan’s Independence; State Dept. Inquiry Demanded

Three members of the U.S. Senate today demanded the Senate floor a report from the State Department on the legality of Britain’s proclaiming of Transjordan as an independent state without regard to the provisions of the Palestine Mandate, and her violation of the charter of the United Nations which states that no change may be made in the status of mandated territories without the approval of the General Assembly of the United Nations.

Sen. Francis J. Myers, Pennsylvania Democrat, condemned Britain’s unilateral Nation as “a direct violation of her treaty with the United States.” He pointed out that not only did the British Government abrogate the treaty of 1924 which provides that no change be made in the terms of the Mandate for Palestine, but it also disregarded Article 3 of the treaty which provides that “vested American property rights in the Mandate territory shall be respected and in no way impaired.” Calling Britain’s Nation a “dangerous precedent” Myers pointed out that there is now “well over ?0,000,000 of American capital invested in Palestine.”

“I call upon the Department of State to explain its lack of protest in the rogation of a solemn treaty with the United States. I ask action by this body in mending the facts. I solemnly and vehemently protest this disregard for the rights the people of the United States and the violation of treaty obligations,” he said.

Senator Warren Magnusson of Washington said the United States Government should not in any way recognize Transjordan as an independent state” if publication the Transjordan treaty evidences “what we know now is correct.” Magnusson called Senator Arthur Vendenberg to support his argument that the United Nations charter bids any change in the status of mandated territories without approval of the United Nations General Assembly. Vandenberg replied that the language of Article 80 of the charter is clear and that the only question is one of fact “as to what the Mandate was and still is.”

Complete concurrence in Senator Myers’ proposal for a full State Department regard on action contemplated by the United States Government was expressed by Senator on Brewster of Maine. He also declared that the Senate should inquire into reports at the Emir is considering hiring 29,000 Polish troops for Transjordan.

CASE MAY BE BROUGHT TO THE SENATE’S FOREIGN RELATIONS COMMITTEE

In a press conference following the Senate debate Senator Myers said that he had written to Secretary of State James F. Byrnes today, asking for a full report on Transjordan affair because of, what he termed, Britain’s action in violation of treaty obligations.

“If the report is not satisfactory,” Myers said, “I will ask Mr. Byrnes and the State Department to go even further.” He suggested that if the State Department report was not satisfactory he would take the matter to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Representative Agustus Bennett, New York Republican, who spoke yesterday on House floor condemning Britain’s action, told the press conference that “the worst thing about the Transjordan affair is that it was sprung upon us without any warning before the Anglo-American Committee of Inquiry had had time to finish its investigation and report. Part of the report now becomes useless,” he said, “because Transjordan is much the greater part of Palestine and setting it up as an independent state proves it from the recommendations which may be made by the committee.”

Former Senator Guy Gillette, now president of the American League for A Free Palestine, also participated in the press conference.