Righ U.S. Source at San Francisco Says Palestine Will Not Be Discussed at Conference

Queried today concerning the attitude of the United States delegation to the security conference towards the question of a Jewish Commonwealth in Palestine, a high authoritative source said that this question was not within the jurisdiction of the parley.

This same source stressed, however, that Secretary of State Stettinius is ready and willing to discuss the Palestine problem, at any time, with representatives of Jewish groups.

Meanwhile, it was reported that Commander Harold E. Stassen, a member of the American delegation, has been autherized by the delegation to deal with all matters affecting the question of international trusteeships.

In connection with this, it was learned authoritatively that the U.S. delegation has completed a plan for international trusteeships for mandated areas. It was stressed, however, that under this plan no specific areas will be discussed a the conference.

Leaders of the American Jewish Conference here are devoting a great deal of attention to the question of the composition of the committee which is expected to be set up shortly to handle the international trusteeships. In fact, representatives of all the Jewish organizations here are agreed on the necessity for keeping close match on the composition of this group.

ZIONISTS CONCERNED ABOUT ERITISH INFLUENCE IN TRUSTEESHIP COMMITTEE

Zionist leaders present here do not hesitate to admit that they are perturbed concerning the potentialities of this committee. They suspect that Britain may atilize it for the purpose of securing changes in the status of the Palestine mandate which would not even give the Jews a chance to bring an appeal before a supreme international body.

Zionits feel there are grounds for such suspicion, since it is taken for granted here that if the Palestine question should come up, the British representatives on the trusteeship committee will play the dominant role, with the United States representatives following Britain’s lead. The British influence will be even stronger, should the Arab delegations succeed in securing representation on the committee.

One of the important Jewish observers today pointed out bluntly that he fears that Britain is camouflaging its intentions with regard to Palestine by lulling public opinion into the belief that this conference will not discuss Palestine’s future. He emphasized that true as this may be, it is becoming more and more obvious that the destiny of Palestine may be decided through the mechinery which the committee on international trusteeship will establish.

Since the representatives of the Jewish Agency have not yet arrived in San Francisco, the job of keeping close watch on any development here that may affect Palestine has fallen on the representatives of the American Jewish Conference, who are in close touch with the United States delegation.

AMERICAN JEWISH COMMITTEE WILL ALSO PRESENT VIEWS ON PALESTINE

The delegation of the American Jewish Committee also indicated in a statement issued today that it will present its viewpoint “for the development and hopes of Palestine.” The statement issued by the committee takes issue with a statement of the American Jewish Conference, published in the April 20th issue of the American Jewish Congress Weekly, which alleges that the committee exercised pressure upon high governmental quarters, which in turn forced the State Department to name the American Jewish Committee one of the consultants to the U. S. delegation here.

“It is not true,” the statement of the American Jewish Committee says, “that the committee exercised any pressure of any kind. It did not exercise backdoor influence. It formally requested the State Department and the President of the United States to grant it recognition. This request it had the same right to make, as did any other organization. The committee in no way attempted to oppose the request of the American Jewish Conference or any other Jewish organization for recognition.

“It has been our esrnest endeavor to coordinatc our work with that of all other Jewish organizations within the areas of agreement,” the statement continues. “This endeavor has been unfortunately thwarted by the unwillingness of the American Jewish Conference representatives to meet with us in the endeavor to work out a common program for the San Francisco Conference.”

“The American Jewish Committee,” the statement concludes, “intends to present the viewpoint which it believes to be sound for American Jewry, for the development and hopes of Palestine, for the welfare of the Jews throughout the world and for all mankind.”