U.S. Members of Jewish Agency Say Jews Will Not Become “informers”

The American members of the Jewish Agency executive, meeting in Washington yesterday, supported the action of the Agency in Palestine in refusing to “become a nation of informers.”

Approving the Agency’s reply to the British ultimatum for cooperation with the Palestine security forces in stamping out terrorism, the American members of the executive yesterday cabled the Agency a strongly worded message of encouragement and “full support.” The text of the cable declared:

“Your statement to the public press on Palestine Government ultimatum has our full support. The ultimatum is obviously a smokescreen for new acts of repression on the part of the Palestine Government. We shall do our utmost to make clear to the world that the responsibility for the bitterness and ruin resulting from such action by the British Government is to be charted to its own lawless policy. Our thoughts are with you in these trying days.”

The American section of the Agency’s executive has been meeting in special emergency session here the past two days to discuss the situation brought about by Britain’s newest policy. It is understood that Dr. Silver while here, conferred with Secretary of State George C. Marshall and O. Max Gardner, American Ambassador to Great Britain, who has since departed for London, and Loy W. Henderson, chief of the Division of Middle Eastern and African Affairs of the State Department. Dr. Silver also discussed the Palestine situation with members of Congress, including Senator Vandenberg, chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, and Senator Owen Brewster, Republican, of Mains.