The New York herald., 1921-09-19
Mandate a Heavy Burden.


The first impartial and satisfactory
survey OF conditions in palestine
which has come out Of that land for
some time Is contained in the report
gust issued by Sir HERBERT SAMUEL,
High Commissioner and Commander
in Chief. A thoroughly modern re-
port on a land which Christianity
knows best by its life and GUS
IONS of centuries ago, land whe:s
almost every locality has a Biblical
Or historical association, seems some
what incongruous. 1t may cause US
something of shock to find a people
| giving expression to modern ideals
N the language of the Old Testa-
nent, to read of tramways, electric
s,alions, railways, and modern mai
! factories rising amid scenes who's
sacredness has inspired centuries OF
yeneration.
| Palestine in way is settling down.
There is order and security through
cut its length and breadth with the
exception OF the inundated area east
of the Jordan, where it is stated
these peace conditions are still lack
ing" This does not mean, however,
that the racial problem has reached
the stage where it is no longer trou-
blesome. Sir HERBERT reports that
the population is 100000; of these
.6, 900 are Jews, about 1900 Chris
tians and the remaining 1000 are
Moslems. There has been friction
between the jew and Arab for which
misunderstanding on both sides is
responsible. The London Times in
its comment on the report says.
The ancient and tenaciously cher
ished traditions which have impelled
the Jews TO seek home in the little
strip OF land in which they once
enjoyed independence. which was the
birthplace OF a literature that has
profoundly influenced the world, aud
not least the present mandatory, are
wholly unfamiliar to the Arabs who
have occupied the country for CEN
turies."
The grave abuses of the Turkish
rule, which hampered progress and
development, have passed, according
to the report. All the people of Pales-
tine have opportunities now which
they did not have when the land
was a part of the Ottoman Empire.
The administration has made prog
ress in the establishment OF Arab
schools. the introduction OF new
methods OF raising revenue and the
abolition OF cumbersome and annoy
| ing taxes. For the Turkish rule the
present substitute is the mandatory
power exercised by the British. Its
chief civil duty, it is explained, Is TO
moral and material conditions that
viii enable both peoples to live hap.
PLY side by side and to contribute
to each others welfare"
Just what the administration has
cost Is set forth by sir HERBERT in his
report. The civil administration has
been, he states, no burden on the
British taxpayer. but with regard to
military expenditure the case is very
different. The report says:
"The defence OF Palestine is as
| surcd by a garrison maintained by
the mandatory Power The numbers
Of the garrison have now been re-
duccd TO 5000 combatant troops. The
charge thereby imposed upon the
British Exchoquer is f2,500,000 a
year. 1t therefore appears that the
cost OF a British garrison. with its
\ complement OF ancillary troops, oai-
GERS, artillery. horses and mules, il
now AZ the rate OF $1,000 a year for
every two fighting men, or 100000
for every 1000 men,
These figures represent q charge
in normal times of almost $4,000 for
each soldier and total expevse ~
St950o.Ooo for tho year They sar.