Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1918-11-26
TRUST OF The NATIONS
Palestine Should Be Under Intefna
tiODal Control
The View OF Prominent EDUCATOR

John II. Finley, Commissioner Of edu-
cation for the State of New York.
Just Returned From Palestine, While
Not Opposed to Zionism, Says No
Risk Should Be Taken.
Palestine should not be intrusted to
any single nation. race or creed, but
should be preserved by international
agreement and by international guar
antees. 1t is too precious a conquest
to leave TO future risks"
So said John F. Finley. state COM
missioner Of education Of New York.
who has just returned from four months
in Palestine as head Of a commission
Of the American Red Cross. in an in
terview in the Century club Of New
York, one day last week.
do you oppose the principles Oh
Zionism. them" Mr.. Finley was asked
Not Opposed to Zionisn.
No" was the reply. "As outlined to
me in London by DR.. Weizmann. head
of the Zionist committee. believe in
the principles Of the movement. un-
derstood from Dr. Weizmann that they
contemplate self determination. To that
1 subscribe. But my opinion-and L
am only giving voice to my own pri-
vate opinion-is that 1t will be some
years before any such government Will
be set up.
And believe that II such a govern
ment Is established it should be to hold
the sacred land in trust for civilization.
as 1 have outlined. That Is, this land
was the cradle of three great religions
christianity. Mohammedanism and
that Of the Jews. AS / see it, no one
of them has exclusive title to it,"
Let British Manage 1t.
Telling what proportion Of the in
habitants were Jews and what propor-
ton Moslems and Christians. Mr.. Fin
ley said 100, 900 were Jews and 100000
Arabs, and that only a sprinkling OF
the latter were Christians.
Asked If that would not Indicate that
his idea Of self-determination-a
working out Of the form Of govern
ment from Within" as he expressed it
would result in a Moslem republic at
the very least. Mr.. Finley said:
II would prefer not to draw any de-
ductions or to make any prophecies.
1t is too early to do that. Time Is re-
quired, and meanwhile Jew. Gentle
and Moslem may be very thankful that
the British are in occupation. / be-
lieve the administration Of the coun-
try should be left for an indefinite
time to the British. at least until re-
construction is we'll under way and the
world has taken thorough council as
to the future.
No Flags arc Floating.
THE administration now Is in the
hands of q remarkable group Of Brit
ish scholars, whose academic ability
and administrative genius everywhere
are apparent. General Allenby's assist
ants are men selected from England's
best. Most are men without military
biiCy oiS JuoS SaaS fN'''N
that l imagine Christianity IS glad to
be represented by.
The fine attitude of the British Is
represented in their official and unof-
fetal acts. They refer to Palestine not
as conquered country, but as 'occu-
pied enemy territory No British flag
floats from any building. The only
British flags visible are small ones on
officers autos. When we had our
Fourth of July celebration we were
asked courteously not to fly the Stars
and Stripes. The British were not fly
ing their own flag. so we found it easy
10 obey, and the only flags we had
were indoors"
Good Work of Red Cross.
Mr.. Finley said Gen. Allenby was so
impressed with the work at the Amer
lean Red Cross. which, with about IS
men and women, cared for 10000 ma
tives in its dispensary in Jerusalem In
one month. that through the British
war office he Fad asked the American
Red Cross to send over 200 more work.
crs. Mr.. Finley said the plan Is await
ing approval and that in case 1t should
be approved he will recruit the men
and women necessary.
He said the Turks in their retreat
had not destroyed any Of the historic
buildings or sacred landmarks, and
that the British had entered Jerusalem
one day later than they might have in
order that there would be no street
fighting.
Mr.. Finley entered Palestine il June,
left there October Is. and arrived In
New York November s. With him as
commissioners went Solomon Lowen-
stein, head Of the Hebrew Orphan Asy-
lum. Theodore Water Of the Christian
Herald and E. st. John Ward.