tion be suspended so long as ‘any Arab’ remained without employment.”
The Colonial Secretary then adds a few general observations pointing out there “was no intention or suggestion that state or other land available for settlement by irrigation or otherwise be reserved exclusively for the Arabs. On the contrary, it is hoped that an appreciable amount of land—it cannot yet be predicted how much—may eventually become available for Jewish settlement.”
Lord Passfield also declares that “there is not a single word” in the White Paper “implying the prohibition or stoppage of any of the nine official categories of Jewish immigrants. Only one of these categories is so much as mentioned in the White Paper, namely the so-called Labor schedule which is determined each half year according to the absorptive capacity of the country at the time. The machinery for estimating the absorptive capacity is to be improved.
“Meanwhile the Labor schedule is actually being settled for the ensuing half year, due note being taken of existing unemployment, but also with full credit being given for prospective vacancies due to enlarging enterprises.” Lord Passfield concludes by saying that the inferences drawn by Sir John Simon and Viscount Hailsham are unfounded and based upon a misconception of the declared intentions of the government.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
