Day and Morning Journal Disappointed at Debate; Forward Voices Satisfaction

The debate on Palestine in the British House of Commons on Monday does not leave the Jews in a better position than the one in which they were before the debate and it remains for the conference between the British government and the Jewish Agency to re-establish the good will between England and the Jews which the White Paper has destroyed, declares an editorial in the New York Day of Wednesday.

“The only one who really encouraged us during the entire debate was Lloyd George,” says the editorial. “He spoke openly and emphatically when he said that only anti-Semites could have written the White Paper. He was right. Jews throughout the world felt that way immediately after the publication of the White Paper, and one needed the courage of a Lloyd George to hurl it openly into the face of England.”

Jacob Fishman, in an editorial in Tuesday’s issue of the New York Jewish Morning Journal declares that the first impression of the statements of Prime Minister MacDonald and Under-Secretary for the Colonies Shiels in Parliament on Monday is one of disappointment. Dr. Shiels’ speech particularly, says Fishman, was a reflection of “his master’s voice,” the voice of Passfield. The government declarations in Parliament show that the Jewish fight must be continued, he says.

“The statement of Dr. Shiels that the government is planning to spend twelve and a half million dollars to colonize ten thousand families in Palestine has for us under the circumstances no significance. Dr. Shiels did not give any details about the colonization plan, but from the tone and contents of his speech one can surmise that this will be accomplished on the basis of Sir John Simpson’s report, which means that those who will be colonized will be mostly, or entirely, Arabs.”

The Jewish Daily Forward (Socialist) is satisfied with the outcome of Monday’s debate. It says:

“Our comrades, who are now the representatives of the British government, in issuing the White Paper, simply made a mistake, a false and unjustified step. At the present moment this thought is even easier for us to express, for as it seems the false step was made by one of our comrades who is now at the helm of the British State, by Comrade Sidney Webb (Lord Pass-field).

“Now, after the debate, there has been created a basis for a mutual understanding in the Palestine situation. We hope that with the aid of cautious Jewish leaders and of more conscientious and honest Arab leaders a way out will in time be found.”