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British Statesmen Set to Debate Partition in House of Lords Today, Commons Wednesday

July 20, 1937
See Original Daily Bulletin From This Date
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LEADERS OF GOVERNMENT AND OPPOSITION FORCES GROOMED THEIR BIGGEST GUNS TODAY IN PREPARATION FOR THE FORMAL DEBATE ON PROPOSED PARTITION OF PALESTINE, SCHEDULED FOR TOMORROW IN THE HOUSE OF LORDS AND THE FOLLOWING DAY IN COMMONS.

IN BOTH WINGS OF PARLIAMENT, THE QUESTION WILL BE PUT AS AN ISSUE OF CONFIDENCE IN THE GOVERNMENT. THE MOTION WILL BE “THAT THIS HOUSE APPROVES THE POLICY OF HIS MAJESTY’S GOVERNMENT RELATING TO PALESTINE.”

PRESENTING IT AS A QUESTION OF CONFIDENCE IS CONSIDERED A TACTICAL MANEUVER DESIGNED TO THROTTLE WHATEVER CONSERVATIVE CRITICISM MIGHT HAVE DEVELOPED OVER THE ISSUE AND ASSURING AN OVERWHELMING VETO OF APPROVAL.

IN THE HOUSE OF LORDS, VISCOUNT SAMUEL, NEWLY RAISED TO THE PEERAGE, AND OTHERS WHO HAVE SERVED IN THE COLONIAL GOVERNMENT, WILL PLAY LEADING ROLES IN THE DEBATE, WHICH IS CONSIDERED AS IMPORTANT AS THAT IN COMMONS THE FOLLOWING DAY. (VISCOUNT SAMUEL WAS THE FIRST BRITISH HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR PALESTINE.) LORD WINTERTON, LONG KNOWN FOR HIS PRO-ARAB SENTIMENTS, WILL WIND UP FOR THE GOVERNMENT.

MORGAN JONES WILL BE ONE OF LABOR’S FRONT BENCH SPEAKERS WHEN THE DEBATE OPENS IN COMMONS. SIR ARCHIBALD SINCLAIR AND JAMES DE ROTHSCHILD WILL PUT THE LIBERAL PARTY’S VIEWPOINT ON PARTITION BEFORE COMMONS. WINSTON CHURCHILL IS ALMOST CERTAIN TO REVEAL HIS FIRST-HAND KNOWLEDGE OF THE MANDATE’S HISTORY IN THE COURSE OF THE DEBATE.

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