Evening star., 1945-11-02
Letters to the Editor
States the Arab Point of View
Concerning Palestine.
tn the EDITOR NJ rh. st.r.

For some time past the newspapers
have been full Of stories which repre-
sent the Zionist viewpoint of the Pal
estine controversy. The Arab side is
completely ignored. Some writers have
even suggested that we need not look
into the justice of the conflicting claims.
Open Palestine to unlimited Jewish i'm
migration, they say, and let the Jews
rule it, regardless Of Arab opposition.
And they hasten to assure us that it
would be easy for the British, or some
one else. to put down any Arab upris-
ing, since the Arabs have no modern
war machines.
I desire to express deep indignation
at this form of argument. 1t is con-
trary to the principle for which America
has always stood. 1t is contrary to
our war aims as embodied in the Four
Freedoms and in the Atlantic Charter.
1t is contrary to the spirit and purpose
of the United Nations Organization, on
which humanity pins its hopes.
In democracy, discussion is the basis
of decision and action. And discussion
means the presentation of both sides of
the problem and not one only.
Let us examine the facts and ascer-
tain to whom Palestine belongs. If 1t
belongs to the Jews, they certainly
should have it. But if it belongs to the
Arabs, we would be following the very
path chosen by Hitler If we sanction
or encourage the use of force to compel
them to accept Jewish immigrants or
submit to Jewish rule. And the Jews,
who suffered so much at the hands of
that madman, should be the last to
advocate his methods.
Traditional Arab Country.
History tells us that Palestine was
an Arab land for 1000 years before the
Jews set foot on its sacred soil and has
been an Arab land since they were
driven out 1000 years ago. When the
first page of history was written the
country was inhabited by Arabs whom
the Bible calls Canaanites. The He
brews came many centuries later, and,
while they succeeded in ruling 1t for a
brief period. they were in turn con-
quered and driven out by other invaders.
The Assyrians took ten of their tribes
into captivity $500 years ago. These
were assimilated and lost their identity.
Eight hundred years later the Romans
drove the remaining two tribes out. In
the seventh century the Moslem Arabs
drove the Romans out and again made
Palestine 100 per cent Arab land. The
Crusaders have since occupied 1t for a
short period and the Turks ruled it for
four centuries, but 1t has remained an
Arab land.
With these facts before us, how can
we say that Palestine belongs to the
Jews of Germany, who have never seen
countless generations had never seen it?
OF course, I have read the Balfour
declaration, and know that it received
the blessings of our Congress in 1922
But I also know that Palestine, then as
now, belonged neither to Britain nor
to the United States. Consequently.
neither the British Foreign once nor
the American Congress had the right
to give 1t away. And to my way of
thinking we have no right to do so
now, unless we take the position that
our atomic bomb and superior military
power give us that right.
But surely we did not fight this bloody
and destructive war so that might, and
not right, may prevail. We fought to
free the world of aggressors, not to sub
stitute ourselves for them.
Interprets Balfour Letter.
Besides, the Balfour declaration did
not promise to give Palestine to the
Jews. 1t only promised to give them
home in Palestine, and this only to
the extent that it does not affect the
rights of the Arabs. The British say
that 100000 Jews have been provided
with homes in Palestine, and that the
admission of more Jews cannot but in
jure the Arabs. 1t would seem that the
British have fulfilled their pledge to
the Jews, and that the latter are asking
for more than the bargain called for.
Palestine Is smaller than Maryland.
Its area is less than 10000 square miles,
and less than one-third of this is fit
either dry desert or mountains which
are rocker than those of my native
State of West Virginia Yet its popu-
lation almost equals that of Maryland,
which has no desert land, is we'll sup
piled with water and has many indus
tries, including shipyards and airplane
plants. The density of the Palestine
population is more than three times
that of this country. And If we con-
slider further immigration injurious to
our people, aren't the Arabs justified
in taking similar stand? And let us
remember that the ratio of Jews to
Arabs in Palestine has risen since 1918
from l in Is to in persons
President Roosevelts sympathy for
the Jews and his sincere desire to allay
their sufferings are well known. Never
theless, he had to recognize the inherent
justice Of the Arab cause. Those who
pretend to be shocked at the policy
expressed in his letter to the King of
Arabia, and Mr.. Byrnes' decision to
adhere to that policy, will do we'll to
study the facts which impelled those
two great Americans to adopt it., despite
political considerations.
Certainly, the least we can do is to
consult the Arabs before we attempt
to dispose of their fatherland.
America today is the hope Of the
weaker nations. They look to us to
lead this war-weary world into a new
era Of international relations-an era
of good will, cooperation and peace.
Let us not disillusion them.