The Washington times., 1937-07-21
GREEN LASHES
BRITISH STAND
ON PALESTINE
BY WILLIAM GREEN
President, American Federation Of
Labor

President, American Federation Of
Labor
The recent disturbing proposals
made by the British Royal Com.
mission affecting the fate of Pales.
tine call for a statement of facts
which may make clear to all citi-
zens of the United States what is
involved in the proposed partition
ingf of the Holy Land.
Palestine, to Christians and Jews
alike, is a sacred land, a land of
religious interest and of divine
promise. To us all it truly is a
holy land. Therefore anything
that affects it affects us all.
When America entered the
World war on the side of the Al
lied powers, it was glad to shed
the liie-blood of its youth and
spend billions of dollars to con-
tribute toward victory, because it
believed that the outcome of this
conflict would bring liberation of
oppressed peoples and establish
justice, freedom and goodwill
among mankind.
BalfOur Promise Cited
Americas entry into the World
War made it possible for the allies
to wrest Palestine from Turkish
domination after centuries of mis-
rule. And America was glad to
consent to Great Britain's Solicita-
ton for a mandate over Palestine,
because Of her assurance, through
her now famous yet sadly discred-
tied Balfour declaration that she
would administer Palestine as a
national home for the Jews of the
world.
The Palestine mandate was not
given to Great Britain for the
purpose Of letting her partition
the country. That mandate was
conferred on her because Of her
promise to world jewry, which of
all people have suffered greatest
at the hands of gentiles of many
lands.
The Jews have poured into
Palestine their man.power and
over 500 million dollars in i'm
provements during the past IS
years, they have bought up arid
land or malaria-infested swamps,
drained, irrigated, scientifically
cultivated it and increased its
productivity many times.
Now. instead of permitting
Palestine to become a haven of
refuge for the oppressed Jews of
Poland, Germany. Rumania and
elsewhere, Great Britain proposes
to limit the Jews to a small terri
tory scarcely large enough for
those who already have settled
there and prevent the prosecuted
Jews Of other lands from coming
there to settle.
British Defense Derided
In defense of this inexcusable
act OF political surgery" in vio-
latlon Of the clear terms stipulated
IN the mandate for Palestine.
Great Britain raises the false claim
that Palestine is an Arab land
This claim is without merit, for
Palestine never belonged to the
Arabs but to Turkey, from which
1t was WreSted by the allied powers
during the World War, but even
Il there were the slightest merit
TO this claim it was more than set.
tied with the Arabs who, as a
consequence OF the peace settle.
ment after the war, now rule over
an area Of million and a half
square miles.
Moreover, in 1922, Great Britain
committing her first violation of
tne Palestine mandate, split Pal
est1ne at the Jordan River and
gave to the Arabs exclusive con-
troll over 10000 square miles of
choice land east of the river and
limited the Jews to the 10000
square miles west of the river,
Now, in further and more fla.
grant violation of the mandate.
Great Britain would limit the
Jews to less than one-third Of the
tlllahle land east of the river. as
well, and allow a few hundred
thousands Arabs to continue in
undisputed possession of the re-
mainder Of the country on both
sides OF the Jordan River.
This limitation of Jewish settle
ment in Palestine not only is a
tragedy for the prosecuted Jews
Of the world who can find no other
haven Of refuge, but is also an un-
precedented breach of faith toward
the nations OF the world who have
entrusted Great Britain with the
guardianship of Palestine under
an explicit covenant guaranteeing
the upbuilding of Palestine as a
Jewish national home.
We protest against this gross