Slav Bloc Opposes Naming of British Liaison Officer to U.N. Inquiry Commission

The United States and the Slav bloc delegations at the United Nations split today on the issue of whether Britain should be allowed to name a liaison officer to accompany the U.N. inquiry committee on Palestine. The British Government has informed the U.N. Secretariat that it plans to appoint a representative to work with the commission.

The Slav delegations at the United Nations take the attitude that since Britain refused to be represented officially on the commission, she should not have the advantages of participation with none of the disadvantages of responsibility. The United States delegation, however, considers the matter a purely British affair, since the liaison officer would not be a member of the commission.

Jewish and Arab circles are watching the British move with interest. The Jewish Agency has indicated that it will request the appointment of a Jewish liaison officer to the commission, if a British officer is named. The Arabs intend to advance the same demand.

(Dr. C.A. MacGillivray, who presented the Palestine Government’s case to the Anglo-American Committee of Inquiry, is expected to leave Jerusalem for New York on Wednesday to act as the liaison man with the U.N. inquiry commission, according to a London dispatch to the JTA.)

U.N. ASKED TO INTERVENE FOR SUSPENSION OF MILITARY COURTS IN PALESTINE

The United Nations was today asked to intervene with the British Government to suspend immediately the activities of military courts in Palestine until the U.N. deals with the Palestine problem again in September. The plea was made by Max Seligman, Tel Aviv attorney, in a meeting with Andrew Cordier, executive officer to Secretary-General Trygve Lie.

The Jewish attorney stated that the entire Jewish community regards the British military courts in Palestine as illegal and an “instrument of oppression,” and so long as they continue to function the possibilities of a truce, such as was called for by the General Assembly at the end of the recent special session, were very “remote.” Mr. Cordier informed Seligman that his representations would receive consideration by the U.N. Secretariat.