Right of Jew to Return to Homeland Held Sacred As Briton’s Right to Return to England

Assailing the British decree suspending Jewish immigration to Palestine, Elihu D. Stone, member of the Jewish Agency’s administrative committee, yesterday told a Zionist meeting here that the Jew’s right to return to his homeland was equal in sanctity to the Englishman’s right to return to England.

“The recent announcement in Parliament by Colonial Secretary MacDonald to the effect that the Government contemplates the closing of the doors of Palestine for six months, is a manifestation not of strength, but of despair,” Mr. Stone declared. “It is a vivid indication of the hopelessness of the White Paper. It represents the last struggle on the part of MacDonald in fighting for a dying cause — his political child — the White Paper. Otherwise, there could be no explanation for an act which could only be described as sadistic.

“This cruel coercion of the Jewish people on the part of the Chamberlain Government is doomed to failure. The Jews of Palestine, as well as the Jews of the world, will never make themselves a party to the execution of the White Paper and betray the Jewish National Home, regardless of the penalties. It is a terrible blow to the Jewish people; it is particularly painful to us when that blow is struck by a British Government.

“I am confident that the majority of the British people, as well as the enlightened public opinion of the world, do not condone the MacDonald decree. It is very difficult to reconcile this policy of terror against the Jews by the Chamberlain Government with the policy of conciliation and appeasement practiced by the same Government with reference to the ex-Mufti and his confederates. Apparently it is easier to be a ‘hero’ in the treatment of defenseless and homeless Jews.

“The future generations of Great Britain will be ashamed of Malcolm MacDonald. As for the Jewish people, this will serve as nothing else to unite them for the purpose of combatting the latest effrontery with all the means at their command. The right of the Jew to return to his homeland is of equal sanctity to the right of an Englishman to return to England. This may be the beginning of the end for the Chamberlain Government. We have faith in the fair play of the British people; they will yet do justice to the law.”