Evening star., 1938-07-17

From earliest times it has been ct
Bible calls Canaanites, now loosely
termed Arabs. They were long before
the immigration of Abraham and his
descendants and have continued to
live here throughout the lands
changeful history, including the five
or six hundred years in which the
Jews held sway. At one time or
another every one of the great powers
Of history ruled the land.
The number of these persiSting
Inhabitants, or Arabs is now about
100000. heavy increase since the
war. They are predominantly agri-
cultutists, wrestling scant living
from a soil that is in great part
sterile Most of them are Moslems.
Right after the war there were
about $4,000 Jews in Palestine, less
than 20 per cent engaged in agri-
culture That proportion still holds,
although, under the impetus of
zionism, their total has increased
to 100000 At present immigration
Is restricted and this is the sorest
plant of the Jews. They frankly
want immigration to continue until
there is a majority Jewish popula-
ton, when they hope to establish a
sovereign Jewish state. Yet at present
there are $4,000 Jews unemployed in
the amazing all-Jewish city of Tel
Aviv, adjoining old Jaffa.
Jews Look to Balfour Promise.
AS their charter of hope, the Jews
have the famous Balfour declaration,
issued during the war. 1t followed
promises of self-government for the
Arabs. The text of the document, only
the first half of which is usually
mentioned, deserves quotation and
study:
His Majesty's government view
with favor the establishment in Pales-
tine Of national home for the jew
lish people, and will use their best en-
deavors to facilitate the achievement
Of this object; it being clearly under
stood that nothing shall be done which
may prejudice the civil and religious
rights of existing non-Jewish COM
munities in Palestine, or the rights
and political status enjoyed by the
Jews IN any other country.
Undoubtedly the bulk of the Arabs
are a backward people, and no match
for their clever Jewish neighbors. But
their primitive passions run deep, as
does their attachment to the soil that
for ages has been titled by their ia
theirs. They are willing to have pious
Jews come to Palestine, as in the
days before the war, when the two
peoples dwelt amicably together. But
they have revolted against the project
of a Jewish state, and have turned
to violence, for which they have an
aptitude.
Jews Baked Council.
When the British tried. two years
ago, to establish a legislative council
for the government Of Palestine, the
Jews refused unless they should have
equal representation with the Arabs,
despite the disparity in their number.
Eleven thousand British troops pa
troll the land, besides police force
costing f1,o00,000 year. There are
almost daily clashes. Censorship pre-
walls. Military rule is strict; even pos
session Of a firearm or of gun-powder
by an Arab brings sentence of death.
The Jewish colonies are armed by the
British. What with airplanes tanks,
machine guns, radio and military
forces, the British have sought to out
terrorize the terrorists. But the kill
= ing by the Arabs. and occasionally by
Jews, continues to be reported almost
daily
This regime of terror has kept
away tourists, hurt business, driven
many residents from the country
and created In general an intoler-
able situation. Conditions are rem
dered graver by the fact that neigh
boring Arab nations and Moslem
= peoples have openly sided with the
Palestine Arabs
Arguments for Zionism.
There Is much to be said for the
Zoinist position, although / have
been repeatedly assured by my COM
patriots here that no non-Jewish
American and no Briton resident in
this land favors Zionism Certainly
] have met none.
The British government is severely
assailed. in Palestine and abroad,
both by the partisans of Zionism
and by the partisans of the Arabs
This state Of things has become so
grave that it imperils British in
terests throughout the Moslem world.
What aid and comfort it gives to
Italy may be imagined.
IL er% ol,1
Palestine for more than rs years
could fail to recognize the vast i'm
provements wrought under British
rule with Zionist help. This applies
particularly to the system Of roads
and to reforestation. Agriculture,
trade and public health have been
greatly benefited. Because of the
Jews Palestine has risen lately to the
s-Werlds second largest exporter of
citrus fruit
Huge Sums Attracted.
zionism has brought huge sums
into the country, thus lifting the
general level of prosperity. More
important. 1t has brought myriads
Of alert, progressive and capable men
and women. Two hundred Zionist
agricultural colonies have been es-
'tablished, although few have become
wholly self-supporting The creation
within 80 years on the Mediterranean
sands of the all-Jewish city of Tel
Aviv, with population of more than
100000, is historic achievement.
Hospitals, schools, social service CEN
ters, publications, cultural activities.
many small industries and a great
increase Of trade bear witness to
Zionist efficiency. New Jerusalem" "
the larger part Of the city, which now
lies outside the old walls, is modern
and progressive, resembling a Europ-
psan city.
There is reason for the Jewish
assumption of superiority over the
Arabs. For example, while the Jews
own only IS per cent of the culti-
waited land, they produce IS per cent
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