Wise and De Haas, in New Book, Attack White Paper As the Great Betrayal

That the Passfield White Paper is a violation by Great Britain of an agreement she entered into with the allied and associated powers, including the United States, whereby the establishment of the Jewish National Home was publicly avowed as one of the aims of the World War, is the direct charge made by Dr. Stephen S. Wise and Mr. Jacob de Haas, in a book The Great Betrayal, of which they are joint authors, brought out yesterday by Brentano’s. The book, which is dedicated to Nathan Straus, was planned by Dr. Wise immediately upon the issuance, on October 20th last, of the Passfield White Paper.

Dr. Wise and Mr. de Haas charge in The Great Betrayal that the White Paper is the climax of a conspiracy by permanent functionaries of the British Colonial Office to nullify the League of Nations’ Mandate to Great Britain, which recognizes the historic connection of the Jewish people with Palestine, by transforming that country into a British Crown colony. In this conspiracy to make Palestine a British possession in defiance of the League, hatched before the signatures to the Mandate had time to dry, British military officers, including General Allenby and officers of the Palestine Government, have participated.

A historic document bearing on the war aims of the allied powers in the Near East quoted by the authors is the following statement issued by the British government during the war, a half year prior to the issuance of the Balfour Declaration.

“It is proposed that the following be adopted as the heads of a scheme for a Jewish re-settlement of Palestine in accordance with Jewish national aspirations:

“1. Basis of Settlement. Recognition of Palestine as the Jewish National Home.

“2. Status of Jewish Population in Palestine Generally. The Jewish population, present and future, throughout Palestine is to possess and enjoy full national, political and civic rights.

“3. Immigration Into Palestine. The Suzerain Government shall grant full and free rights of immigration into Palestine to Jews of all countries.

“4. The Establishment of a Chartered Company. The Suzerain Government shall grant a charter to a Jewish company for the colonization and development of Palestine, the company to have power to acquire and take over any concessions for works of a public character, which may have been or may hereafter be granted by the Suzerain Government and the rights of pre-emption of Crown lands or other lands not held in private or religious ownership and such other powers and privileges as are usual in charters or statutes of similar colonizing bodies.

“5. Communal Autonomy. Full autonomy is to be enjoyed by Jewish communities throughout Palestine in all matters bearing upon their education, religious or communal welfare.”