Evening star., 1939-05-18
Jews in Palestine,
Angered, March
10 Protest Plan
175,000 in Demonstration
Against England;
Is Are Injured
BACKGROUND

BAChGROUND-
Palestine scene OF periodic tur-
noil since Arab general strike in
1886. England has sent seperdl
commissions to Holy Land to
seek formula TOR peace. London
Conference held last 1Uinter
sought uainly plan to end Je1u-
ish-Arab strife Britain finally
decided to impose her o1Un plan
on Palestine. 1t lUds announced
yesterday in parliamentary
1Dhite paper.
Text of Jewish agency state
ment Page A-l9
By the Associated Press.
JERUSALEM, May 18.-Jews of
all ages, estimated by their leaders
at 175,000 strong, marched and
shouted in demonstrations through
out Palestine today, protesting
against the British governments de-
cision to establish an independent
Palestine under Arab control.
Up to noon the demonstrations
were free of disorder such as a clash
last night at Tel Aviv in which 25
persons were injured.
Jews said 10000 persons took part
in the Jerusalem demonstration, a
similar number at Haifa, an even
larger throng at Tel Aviv and ad-
ditional thousands in agricultural
settlements.
Jewish Parade Mile Long.
In Jerusalem the demonstrators
formed a procession, eight abreast,
behind the chief rabbi and marched
to an open space in the Jewish quar-
ter. The parade was one mile long
Rabbis carried sacred scrolls
Other marchers sang and shouted
slogans of protest or carried plac-
ards. Selections from Isaiah were
read to the multitude when the
marchers halted.
Earlier in this holy city, younger
Jews gathered in the main streets
booing British and Arab passersby.
Few Arabs appeared and all non
Jewish traffic was diverted by po.
lice from the main streets. A lpo-
lice guard, one of the heaviest in
recent times, was on the alert at
all government buildings.
Frequent Arab comment on the
British plan was, this is full evil
dence that Britain has realized the
need of Moslem aid'-for defense
of the empire
Rejecting the Jewish viewpoint
the Palestine Post, the only English
language daily published here, said
1T is not for long that Britain will
be headed by government welded
to appeasement and a government
whose belief it is that moral values
must yield to expediency."
Government Offices Fired.
Fighting broke out at Tel Avi,
last night when several Thousand
Jewish youths, according to British
reports, set fire to government dis.
trlct Offices and then kept a fire
brigade from going to the blaze.
Police said order was restored
early today. The injuries resulted
it was reported, when police free
into the air and then charged with
batons.
Mayor Israel Rokach pleaded with
the demonstrators not to besmirct
Tel Aviv's name after flying stone!
injured him slightly as he stepped
from an automobile The munici.
pality in a statement condemned
the demonstration, and the govern.
ment ordered a curfew.
Authorities believed that Jewish
opinion generally was against VIC
lence and that sponsored Jewish
protests would take the form of /.
passive resistance campaign aftel
the pattern set by Mohandas K
Gandhi in India.
Many Arabs expressed satisfac.
ton with the new British policy, al.
though extremists reserved their de-
cision until an announcement BY
their grand multi from Beirut, ane
some wanted further concessions.
Steel-helmeted police patrollee
Holy Land cities as Jews suspended
business for "a hours in "protes
strike" and populations in principa
centers assembled for professions.
Bombs damaged the immigration
building in Jerusalem, and a cop,
of the White Paper-through which
the British government announced
its new plan-was burned ceremo
niously at Haifa.
Arabs adhering to the moderat,
wing of their political groups salt
(see PALESTINE, Page A-3J