State Department Charged with Minimizing Danger of Renewed War Against Israel

Rep. Jacob K. Javits charged in the House today that the State Department is waging an “elaborate campaign” to lull the American people into thinking there is no danger of renewed hostilities in the Near East.

He cited the assurances given by Federal Security Administrator Oscar R. Ewing last night in an address before the Histadrut “Third Seder” in New York where Mr. Ewin spoke as an Administration spokesman, declaring that he represented not only himself but also President Truman.

In his speech in New York Mr. Ewing said: “In Israel there is real concern about reports of a sizeable shipment of arms to some of the Arab countries. Every ##ation has a right to its military establishment for the purpose of self-defense and security against attack. If that is the purpose of these arms imports, there can be to valid reason for any one to object. On the other hand, it would obviously be a serious matter to all free peoples if it were to become clear that these arms shipments were intended not for defense but for attack.

“It is hard to believe,” Mr. Ewing continued, “that any of the nations of the middle East could seriously consider any further military adventures in this tense period in international relations. I know, from my personal observation, that the government of Israel is intent only on peaceful development within its own frontiers. I am sure that Israel’s neighbors have the same intentions and that they will not be ##isled into taking any kind of action which they and we would regret.”

Interpreting Mr. Ewing’s statement as the opinion of the State Department, ##ep. Javits told the House: “An elaborate campaign is being waged by the State Department to reassure the American people that broad-scale shipments of heavy arms like jet fighter aircraft, tanks, gun boats, by Great Britain to Near Eastern Arab States, notably Egypt, Jordan, and Iraq, is not an incitement to a renewal of the Arab-Israel war.”