Evening star., 1946-05-19

TO BrlClSn mlllLary estimates, 10 put IN
effect the proposals of the Anglo
American Commission of Inquiry on
Palestine, consist of two infantry divi-
sions, two armored divisions, two fighter
plane groups and one mixed brigade.
AS soon as the American Government
indicates its adherence to this PROPOSE
ton and begins to move the troops into
Palestine, the British government will
proceed with the plans to open up the
country for the immigration of 100000
displaced Jews who are now in Europe.
This important American contingent is
needed, Prime Minister Attlee said,
to reinforce the British garrison already
In Palestine and adjacent forces which
may be needed in the event the Arabs
carry out their threat to declare holy
war to prevent wholesale immigration.
A cursory analysis of the British re-
quest shows that if the Arabs outside
Palestine did not become involved, the
present British garrison, together with
the irregular Jewish armed forces,
would be sufficient to cope with the local
situation.
Could Be FulI-Fledged War.
But the British are convinced that
the question of Jewish immigration to
the Holy Land cannot be localized, once
the native Arabs begin to fight. Some
American authorities concur with this
point of view. But they add that if the
Jewish immigrants were taken into the
frtro ho urich nf ho Aroh he
and the whole of the Middle East be-
came ablaze, the number of American
troops requested by the British would
be only a drop in the bucket. The
situation might become critical enough
to justify the belief of many observers
who have returned to Washington that
the United States and Britain might
have a full-fedged war on their hands
The whole matter is much more
complex than appears on the surface
and much depends on Moscow's policies
Ever since the Anglo-American COM
mission made its report public the Arab
chiefs have put out feelers to Moscow
to find out whether they would be sup
ported by the Soviet government in the
fight against Jewish immigration and
the establishment of a national home
for Jews in Palestine.
There have been indications that the
Soviet government is receiving the Arab
pleas sympathetically although so far
Moscow has taken no formal position on
the question.
British Empire Menaced
The Russian leaders have been court
ing the Moslems in the Middle East and
India for some time. According to
some expert observers, this is within
the framework of the Soviet policy look
ing toward liquidation of the British
Empire, which has more at stake in the
Middle East than in any other part of
the world
American diplomats who cannot break
through the impenetrable iron curtain
which Russia has established around
her extended borders are trying to sum
up the policies of the Kremlin from
past history and from vague hints which
Soviet diplomats and agents choose to
drop occasionally. From these it appears
that the Kremlin considers the United
States as lesser capitalist evil than
Britain to the new order now being
established by the U. S. S. R.
Russia, say some of these unofficial
hint dispensers, is historically and geo.
graphically in the position of having in
it's own fold the countries which in the
D,;f
rectly or were under Britain's political
influence. America has no interest in
Europe, the Midle East, Africa, or
strictly speaking, in Asia. According to
some of the Moscow political philoso-
pliers, we are purely American country
with real interests only in the Western
Hemisphere and parts of the Western
Pacific. An eventual splitup or decay
Of the British Empire would necessarily
place Canada, Australia and New zea-
land within the Western Hemisphere
zone where the American interests are
paramount.
Hence, say the Russians. there is no
reason why the United States should
risk it's welfare for misconcepted role
and support an empire which exists in
name only.
Efforts in India Fail.
To support this thesis, the Russians
point out that despite the Security
Councils decision, Azerbaijan has al
ready been detached from Iran and the
country, whose independence and sov-
ereignty was guaranteed by the Big
Three. will soon become another Rus
sian satellite. Prime Minister Qavam
will either have to accept Russia's at
tempts to make Iran into Soviet pro-
tectorate or leave his job and hand it
to another more supine and under
standing man who would be willing
to play the Russian game
The attempt of the British to bring
about an understanding between the
Hindus and the Mohammedans as a
preliminary step to giving India her
independence has failed so far. The
chances of getting the two groups to-
gether are limited And although the
British have been correct in their un-
dertaking to iron out the differences,
they have not been successful. AS is
natural, both groups are putting the
blame on the British negotiators, al
though it Is known that the irrecon-
ciliable hostility between the two creeds
in India has been the cause of the
breakdown.
1t is probable that India soon will
enter period of turmoil and open re-
L v-l-.- =.
power to fish in troubled waters and