British Minister Tells Lords Govt. Sanctioned Arrest of Jewish Leaders in Palestine

Announcing the arrest this morning of Jewish leaders in Palestine, including three mayors and many prominent Revisionists, Lord George Hall, government spokesman in the House of Lords, today told that body that the mass roundup was sanctioned by the British Government.

The Palestine High Commissioner has been assured of the fullest support of the government, he declared. Commenting on a suggestion that High Commissioner Sir Alan G. Cunningham and the military and civilian officials did not see eye to eye on anti-extremist measures, the former Colonial Minister said that such allegations were entirely without foundation. He added that there was the closest contact between Cunningham and the military and between Cunningham and the Colonial Office.

He reported that an investigation into the killing of five Jews in Tel Aviv last week by British police and troops had been ordered. He also stated that the recent hangings of two soldiers in Palestine had greatly increased the tension in the country. Although the loss of life among members of the security forces has been “grievous,” Hall said, the “relentless and continuing action” of the security detachments has been more effective than is generally appreciated.

HANGINGS TERMED GREATEST INJURY TO JEWISH CAUSE

Lord Salisbury said no event had done more severe “injury to the Jewish cause than the hangings.” He added: “Britain for centuries has been the best friend of the Jews and they are treated better here than in any other country, including the United States. It was due to the initiative of the Balfour Declaration that the Zionist experiment was ever started and due to our protection that it has been so successful.”

Referring to the European Jews who entered Britain during the war, Salisbury said: “We believed that the vast majority of the Jewish community recognized this fact but a small, extreme section of the Jews are treating Britain as their supreme enemy.” He continued: “If the Palestine mandate had been entrusted to Germany or some other country, severe penalties might be imposed, making the entire population suffer.

“We must not reply to terror with terror,” he concluded, “but they must not try even us too much.” He declared that it was incumbent on the government and the Jew,” especially on the Jewish leaders in Palestine and the Haganah to put down disorder by every means in their power.”

The Earl of Perth condemned the anti-Semitic demonstrations in England, saying, “This isn’t the British method of dealing with these things.”

CHURCHILL CRITICIZES LABOR GOVERNMENT POLICY IN PALESTINE

Declaring that “no British interest is involved in Palestine with our retention of the Mandate,” Winston Churchill, in a speech yesterday at a huge Conservative rally, declared: “For nearly 30 years we have done our best to carry out an honorable, self-imposed task. A year ago I urged the government to give notice to the United Nations that we could no longer bear these insults and injuries, but the ministers only gaped in shameful indeoision. They are still only gaping.”

Charging that the Labor Government has cast away India and Burma while clinging “at all costs to tiny Palestine,” Churchill added: “Our sympathies go out to the British soldiers who have endured unspeakable outrages in Palestine with so much fortitude and disciplins, and who are just marking time, month after month, under painful ## waiting for the government to think of some sort of plan or policy.”