Zionist Leaders Satisfied with Explanations of White Paper Following Exchange of Views with Cabinet

I think when the letter is published you will find that is so, Mr. Ramsay MacDonald, the prime Minister, said in the House of Commons this afternoon, when after he had stated that “a Committee of the Cabinet has been exchanging views with Zionist leaders with regard to the interpretation of certain passages in the statement of policy presented in Parliament in October last” and that “it is proposed to embody the explanations which have been given in the form of a letter to Dr. Weizmann which will be published”, Commander Kenworthy, who had raised the question by asking whether the Prime Minister had any further statement to make with regard to the policy in Palestine, enquired whether the Zionist leaders were now in agreement with the Cabinet Committee on this matter and whether they were satisfied.

I think, under the circumstances, it will be better to let it go as a letter which would be published and would be available for reference, the Prime Minister went on, in reply to a question by Sir Austen Chamberlain, former Foreign Secretary, who wanted to know whether the paper would be laid before parliament.

If it were laid before Parliament, Mr. MacDonald said, I think – I am not at all sure Sir Austen would agree with me – it would give the paper a status which it is very undesirable it should have.

The Prime Minister does not suggest that an understanding will be given in the letter which would be of too binding a quality if presented as a parliamentary paper? Sir Austen queried. My suggestion, he pursued, is really in the interests, or what are generally regarded as the interests of this House, and this House ought to be kept informed in matters of this material consequence.

I am perfectly willing to meet Sir Austen’s views, the Premier answered. But the White Paper was published in October last as a White Paper declaring the policy of the Government. There were certain explanations asked for both in this House and outside regarding certain expressions and statements that on further examination were not perhaps quite so clear as they might have been. I am very unwilling to give them the same status as the dominating document. If it would meet Sir Austen I will have the letter published with the Votes, so that it will become official in that sense.

NO INTENTION OF TRANSFERRING SUPERVISION OF PALESTINE AFFAIRS FROM COLONIAL TO FOREIGN OFFICE DR. SHIELS STATES: ACTION ON SIMPSON REPORT STILL UNDER CONSIDERATION

There is no intention of transferring the supervision of the affairs of Palestine from the Colonial Office to the Foreign Office, Dr. Drummond Shiels, Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies, said in reply to questions by Colonel Howard-Bury, one of the leading members of the Pro-Arab group in the House of Commons, and Mr. Ormsby-Gore, former Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies.

Seeing that the letter of agreement with Dr. Weizmann had been signed by the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, and not by the Secretary of State for the Colonies, was the Mandate to be transferred to the Foreign Office from the Colonial Office, Colonel Howard-Bury’s question ran.

Mr. Ormsby-Gore, in addition to asking whether it was proposed to transfer the supervision of Palestine affairs from the Colonial Office to the Foreign Office, wanted to know whether Dr. Shiels had any announcement to make regarding the further instructions issued to the High Commissioner in Palestine regarding the various questions raised in the Hope Simpson report.

The action to be taken on the various recommendations contained in the report of Sir John Hope Simpson, Dr. Shiels answered, is still under consideration.

The reply to that part of the questions dealing with the discussions between His Majesty’s Government and the Zionist representatives will be given by the Prime Minister, Dr. Shiels said in reference to enquiries by both Colonel Howard-Bury and Mr. Ormsby-Gore as to whether the meetings between the Government and the Jewish Agency on the question of the Palestine White Paper had been concluded. Colonel Howard-Bury also wanted to know why the Government had adopted a policy different from that outlined in the White Paper.