Jewish Agency Denies Charges of Non-cooperation with Government in Checking Terror

The charge that the Jewish community in Palestine has failed to cooperate with the Palestine authorities in checking terrorist activities in the country was termed “preposterous” today by Bernard Joseph, acting head of the political department of the Jewish Agency, in a statement to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency.

Replying to the accusation made yesterday by Chief Secretary John V. Shaw of the Palestine Government, Mr. Joseph said that Jewish organizations were doing everything in their power to prevent a recurrence of further acts of violence. He pointed out that the primary responsibility for maintaining order rested with the police, emphasizing that the authorities were spending $12,000,000 for security in a tiny country and that the country was “entitled to expect the police force to have the information to enable them to track the culprits down.”

Mr. Joseph accused the police of “inexcusable negligence” in handling the problem, citing the escape of a score of terrorist suspects from the Latroun detention camp and the assignment of only two policemen in Haifa, when a citizen notified the police of a wounded gangster’s presence, instead of a squad. As a result, one of the policemen, a Jew, was killed and three other gangsters in the vicinity escaped.

The Jewish Agency spokesman denied that there was any connection between the Jewish authorities’ refusal to cooperate in the White Paper policy, under which further Jewish immigration is banned except for unfilled quotas, and alleged public unwillingness to cooperate in maintenance of law and order. “We oppose the White Paper,” he said, “but at the same time vigorously oppose such terrorism.”