Evening star., 1938-07-24

nOte OF real WlStfulneSS No Jew
nowadays sets foot within the greater
part OF the old city that is his spiritual
home. He keeps clear OF all Arab
quarters. in fear of death.
Likewise, the Arab ventures into the
Jewish quarters at his peril When an
Arab chauffeur drove me to Zion Hall
for an amateur theatrical perform
ance by English players, attended by
the new High Commissioner (the oc-
casion was boycotted by Jews, as a re-
buke to the British, he took of his
fez as he entered the Jewish quarter.
He was afraid he would be shot If rec
ognized as an Arab The same pro-
cedure was adopted by the Arab who
drove me into Tel-Aviv.
Foreigners Are Fearful.
Not natives alone live under this
obsession of fear and foreboding.
Foreign residents, while outwardly
calmer, have ever an ear open for the
sound of shots or bombs 1t is more
than the historic Jerusalem jitters"
that affects them. At any moment an
incident, however trivial. may start
large-scale rioting in which nobody's
life would be safe.
Daily talk concerns the previous
days shootings, raids and railway
wreckings. Was there any news in
the paper?" I asked the German
consul's wife. No. nothing but two
bombings," although there had been
dispatches from Austria, London,
Spain and China. This present sense
OF solicitude crowds out the big world.
Before one travels anywhere he asks,
is the road open?" For main
travelled roads are frequently closed by
the military, perhaps in needless pre-
caution. I drove after dark from Dan
and the Syrian border down to the
Lake Of Galilee, only to learn by next
days newspaper that the road had
been closed. I saw no signs of either
raiders or soldiers.
Many Atrocity Tales.
On that same trip I encountered
an incident which gives point to the
common idea that not all happen
ings are made public The local
Arabs told us that they had found
the body Of one of their neighbors
in the mountains, shot from the air.
I cannot tell which sentiment is
stronger among the Arabs, dread of
the Britishs troops and planes or
deep animosity toward them. From
sympathetic Britons I have had many
"atrocity" tales. 1t was an English
man who had lived 80 years in the
land who recounted a list of horrors
to me, winding up with the tale, al
ready reported in the press, that be-
cause several villages were suspected
their entire livestock, 2,7oo head, had
been seized.
No traveller has been molested dur
ing the troubles, but the almost total
absense this year Of the usual tour
ist traffic has seriously affected busi-
ness.
There have been some large-scale
battles between Arab bands and SOL
diers, with many casualties, mostly
inflicted from the air. Bombing planes
fly continuously over the land on
the outlook for companies OF horse
men. While a party of us on horse
back were climbing the southern slope
of Mount Hermon the one Palestinian
with us remarked. IF we were in my
country now we would be fired on by
the planes" Every band Of horsemen
is counted suspect.
Martial VaIor Doe Not Count.
An observed of present conditions
IN Palestine Is led into depression
concerning Americas part in this new
era Of terror from the air. 1t Is rather
q startling fact that two young Amer
lent sons Of On Ohio clergyman are
responsible for most OF the hopeless
ness of the small and subject nations
For 1t was the invention Of tl'e air.
plane by the Wright brothers that put
a new and irresistible weapon into the
hands Of the imperial powers. No
longer does native martial valor count.
The "embattled farmers" cannot re-
peat the experience Of the American
Colonials, much as they may aspire
to do SO. Conflicts are no longer
breast to breast, man to man.
With safety to themselves-indeed,
regarding the pursuit as a sport-the
bombing planes OF the italian, French
and British fly over villages and
armies Of undocile natives and blow
them to bits. They Syen bomb docks