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Wedgwood Urges Palestine Mandate Be Transferred to U.s.; Censor Rebuked

May 28, 1942
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A B.B.C. broadcast to America by Lord Wedgwood last night, in which the Laborite member of the House of Lords urged that the United States take over the mandate for Palestine from Britain in order to assure justice to the Jews, has provoked great commotion in England, causing the British Broadcasting Company to issue a statement today explaining that the censor did not properly scrutinize the script.

Lord Wedgwood, who visited the United States several months ago, stated in his broadcast that America could convert Palestine “into another free land with open doors and open hearts.” He openly accused the British administration in Palestine of being biased against Jews.

Replying to criticism by the London Daily Mail, which expressed dissatisfaction with Wedgwood’s address, the pro-Zionist peer stated: “The broadcast represents my considered opinion. The manuscript was passed by the censor in the usual way without any comment. Our mandate over Palestine is hopeless and should be transferred to the United States. America will run it much better. She cannot run it worse.”

The statement issued by the British Broadcasting Company said that the censor made a slip in passing the suggestion about transferring the Palestine mandate. “Owing to a serious error in judgment on the part of the official whose duty it was to scrutinize the script, the regulations were not properly interpreted.” the statement asserted.

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