Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-09-15
AMERICANS LOSE
HEAVILY IN RIOTS
Tour Sees Few Casualties
IS Result of Trouble
in Palestine.
BY VINCENT SHEEAN.

BY VINCENT SHEEAN.
BY Cable to The Star.
JERUSALEM, September IA CN.A.
NAL have just returned to Jeru-
salem from a journey through ,the
country investigating the whereabouts
and welfare of American citizens for the
United States consul general.
The trip took me to Jaffa and Tel
Aviv and up the coast to Haifa, then
north to Safed and back through Tibe-
rias, Nazareth and Samaria. The gen.
eral result of interviews with several
score Americans and careful checking
of the lists available shows that Ameri-
cans suffered no casualties anywhere in
the country except Hebron, on August
"a. The property loss, however, has
been considerable, especially at Safed,
where some American families are al
most destitute.
The principal role in this expedition
was played by make-Shift American
flag. When left Jerusalem last Tues
day the consulate didn't possess an
extra flag.
Queer Flag Is Effective.
So proceeded to Jaffa without one.
The authorities at Tel-Aviv considered
1t unsafe to go through the coast area
with its alternate Arab-Jewish belts
AS it had proved impossible to buy
an American flag at the shops cham
bermaid at my hotel volunteered to
make one. She produced an extraor-
binary piece of cloth of the wrong size
and shape, with five stripes and nine
stars. Yet, wherever this variegated
remnant appeared, it produced re-
markable effect.
It was cheered by American boys be-
longing to the ReaIi Secondary School
at Haifa, and in many places, particu-
larly Safed, 1t collected crowd OF
Americans almost before could get out
Of the car.
Once, on Friday, while the car was
tearing along the road beside the Sea
of Galilee in a great hurry so could
reach a telephone at Tiberias, this
piece OF bunting was applauded by
group of farmers. A final quaint tribute
was paid at Nablus by a courteous Arab
who sold me cigarettes.
IF YOU did not have that flag" he
said, smilingly politely, I'VE should Kill
you"
Troops Play Foot Ball.
This remark might have been more
impressive If British troops had not
been visible In a nearby field, playing
foot ball.
The first area of investigation was
rounding. I found all Americans safe,
and as conditions never had been COM
parable to those of Jerusalem. the
atmosphere of the whole district was
better About 80 Americans living IN
the colony of Rananiah had been with"
out protection until the last few days,
but never had been attacked. Charles
Lazar of New York. told me that he. like
most others, had been on guard every
Aight, however. since the trouble began.
Petach Tikwah. a strong colony
founded half century ago, contains
about so American families, all safe.
Petach Tikwah now harpors a detach-
ment of Is British sailors in addition
to its own defense resources. Among
the Americans there are Mrs. Esther
HurwitZ and her two daughters, from
Far Rockaway, N. Y. Mrs. Hurwitz had
o severe nervous breakdown after the
murder of her son at Hebron. but now
Is somewhat recovered and plans to re-
turn to the United States soon.
Americans are Calm.
In Tel-Aviv itself the alarm has been
far less than elsewhere in Palestine,
and I found most Americans calm,
though an appreciate number said
they we're returning to the United States
In few weeks.
When l found Mrs Morris Silverstein
Of New York, one of the FIRST on my
list, she was kneading bread on the
porch of her relatives home on the out
skirts of Tel-Aviv.
II heard there had been a lot Of
trouble" she remarked, but I haven't
seen any of it,
When visited the American syna-
gogue at Tel-Aviv I found a group OF
elderly men leading prayers. They
were delighted to see a representative
- IakA
deal of help. Among them were Ben
jamin Rathner, Cincinnati: Wolf Blass,
Baltimore; Lewis Polakovitch, Bidde-
ford. Me-, and Isaac Cantor, Buffalo.
All these visitors TO Tel-Aviv. who
have been puzzled by recent events, are
returning home during the Fall and
Winter. Eli Consumer, 1927 Leggett
avenue, New York, blamed it all on the
talkies.
Will Return to New York.
IF they had never been invented"
he said, II would still be playing the
trombone at the Rivoli Theater In New
York. The talkies made it hard for
musicians in America, so I thought I
would come here and work in the Or
chestra of the Palestinian Opera Co."
Consumer Is sailing this Thursday and
will remain in New York.
Nobody is interested In music here"
he said. When any trouble arises where
he lives in New York, he explained, the
police stretch piece Of string across
the street and nobody dares break 1t.
He wonders why this is not done in
Palestine.
From Tel-Aviv north Jewish colonies
often are in an unenviable position in
regard to defense. This is particularly
striking at Herzlia, colony founded by
Americans. 1t has more than 40 Ameri-
L. e. IA q -
no telephone and it takes is minutes
for the rider of fast horse to reach the
nearest telephone at Bananiah.
They are open to attack on all sides
and had no protection throughout the