Will Maintain Order in Palestine, Thomas Tells Commons

J.H. Thomas, Colonial Secretary, declared in the House of Commons today in connection with the disorders in Palestine that “His Majesty’s Government is determined to maintain law and order and will do so.”

He asserted that maintenance of law and order was exclusively a Government matter and the authorities would not deviate from that policy because of riots or threats of any kind.

After Mr. Thomas had been told that the ban on importation of arms into Palestine did not prevent Arabs from bringing in knives, their chief weapon, the Colonial Secretary said. “I have no experience with the knife, but I will make enquiries.”

Mr. Thomas, in replying to a query by Graham White, Liberal M.P. from Birkenhead, stated that importation of arms was permitted into Palestine only on issuance of non-transferrable permits by district commissioners.

Colonel Josiah Wedgwood, Laborite, immediately pointed out that knives, not guns, were the chief Arab weapons and asked the Colonial Secretary whether he intended to secure disarmament of Arabs of that weapon.

Citing the casualty list issued by the Palestine Government placing deaths at sixteen Jews and five Arabs, Mr. Thomas promised to circulate a full statement on the disturbances.

S.S. Silverman, Laborite, asked whether recent events ought not to convince the administration that the time was not ripe for creation of a legislative council for Palestine.

Mr. Thomas replied that he hoped Mr. Silverman did not intend to create the impression that a decision or expression of the House of Commons was responsible for the disorders.