Evening star., 1939-05-28
U. 5. Urged 10 Seek
Change in Britain's
Palestine Policy
Jews and Other Groups
Protest Program Is
Violation Of Pledges
1y the Associated Press.

8y the Associated Press.
Strong demands are being regis
tered here that the United States dc
something to change Great Britain's
new policy Of setting up an Arab
dominated state in Palestine.
Jewish and other organizations
and members of Congress are pro-
testing that the policy is violation
of pledges to establish Je'.sh Ma
tional Home in Palestine. and that it
breaks a treaty under which Amer
leans have invested 500, 100000 in
the Holy Land.
But the administration, while ex-
pressing sympathy for Jewish aims,
has shown no sign Of taking a strong
attitude against the British policy.
The considerations guiding officials,
as authoritatively described here,
narrows down to these:
President Roosevelt's administra-
ton wants to do nothing that would
interfere with Britain's program of
making herself strong enough to
meet the military challenge of the
Rome-Berlin alliance.
Sympathizes With Britain.
The President has openly indi-
Gated his sympathies for Great
Britain and France. Witness his
speeches, statements, the helping
hand he gave in the purchase of
war planes by Britain and France,
his recall of Ambassador Hugh Will
son from Berlin, and his desire for
changes in the Neutrality Act.
High officials believe Britain took
her decided position on Palestine for
strategic reasons. Palestine protects
one flank of the Suez Canal. Prime
Minister Chamberlain must have re-
called the two attempted attacks on
the Suez Canal from that side during
the World War.
Officials are asking themselves
such questions as these:
@1s the United States going tc
take a stand which would interfere
with Britain's efforts to pacify Pal
estine by giving the Arabs superior
ity in numbers?
rs there any point In helping
Britain and France purchase l,50(
OF the latest American warplanes
and at the same time push Britain
into creating enemies of 1000 .OO(
Arabs in Palestine and millions else
where in Arabia who would be ir
excellent strategic position to do a
world of mischief?"
U. S. Rights Admitted.
The officials admit
That the United States has GER
tain rights in Palestine.
That the United States has been
interested in the creation of a
Jewish National Home in Palestine
and that American Jews have put
millions of dollars into that land.
But overshadowing all these con-
siderations is the fear of weaken
Ing Britain in the face of an ad-
vancing Germany.
The moment seems to some per-
sons here to be ripe for an appease-
ment between Britain and the
Arabs. Premier Mussonni's wooine
OF the Moslem races, his accept
ance OF the sword of Islam in Libya
nave been partly vitiated in their
erect on the Arabs by his invasion
OF Moslem Albania. The Arabs have
mad their troubles with Britain, but
reports reaching here state thev
would still prefer to fight for her
rather than for another.
OF one thing Great Britain can
be sure. Though the Arabs might
or might not fight against her in a
great war, the attitude of the Jews
IN Palestine in conflict between
Britain and Germany is a foregone
conclusion. They certainly woulc
not fight for Germany.