Evening star., 1946-04-14
Palestine Commission
Reported Locked in
Debate After Survey
By Helen Kirkpatrick
Foreign Correspondent Of The Star and
the Chieuso Daily News


GENEVA, April 13-The Anglo
American Commission on Palestine,
after three-month investigation,
is locked in debate and the chances
OF reaching an agreement on Pales-
tines future appear extremely re-
mote.
Six Americans and six Britons
were appointed last November to
study the Palestine problem and the
plight of Europe's Jews. Their
report is being drawn up in Laus-
anne and should be completed
shortly after Easter unless the ex-
pected deadlock on recommends
tions prevents final agreement.
There is a split not only between
the British and American members,
but each delegation is itself divided.
The Americans, under the able
Craftsmanship of Judge c. Hutche-
son, Houston, Tex, are pressing for
the establishment of an Arab-Jew-
lsh state under United Nations
trusteeship and for the lifting of
restrictions on Jewish immigration
bTltlSn Stand outlined.
The British are prepared to see
up to 100000 European Jews ad-
mitted this year, but are opposed
to any solution that is not accept
able to the Arab world Two Amer
ican members of the committee are
oetleVed ready to compromise in
order to obtain an agreement and
one British member may present
minority decision disagreeing with
both the American and British
views.
First the commission held hear
ings in Washington, London and
Cairo. Then it toured Palestine,
the Arab states, Poland, Czechoslo-
vakia, Italy, Greece. Switzerland and
all zones of occupation in Germany
and Austria, except the Russian.
The Russians assured the COM
mission that they have no Jewish
problem. The commission was not
able to go to Hungary, Romania or
Bulgaria.
Vital Points.
If the results of the investigation
are frankly and fully stated in the
commissions report, the following
IL points would undoubtedly stand
out:
l. The incredible tension existing
in Palestine.
2. The police character of the
Palestine administration, which
governs through force.
3. The strength and efficiency of |
the Zionist organization, known as
the Jewish agency.
4. The bad relations existing be-
tween the Palestine government and
the Jewish agency.
5. The violent anti-British feeling |
OF all Arabs, both in and outside |
Palestine.
6. The impressive results in in
dustry, agriculture, education and
training achieved by the Jewish
agency.
7. The lack of basic antagonism
between Jews and Arabs, owing to
their common semitic ancenstry, but
the conflict caused by the impact of
Jewish western civilization on Arabic
orientalism.
8. The inevitability of continued
and increased Jewish immigration
through the powerful Jewish under
ground If not legally authorized.
9. The possibility of Jews and
Arabs combining against the British.
10. The impossibility of suppress
sing the Jewish nationalist move
ment short of using overwhelming
armed force.
II. The probability that a strong
Jewish state eventually will emerge
in Palestine.
Otherwise, there seems little
chance of reconciling the American
policy of support for a Jewish ma
tional home in Palestine with Brit
ish determination not to ALLEVIATE the
Arabs.
Members Named.
Members of the commission are:
Americans: Chairman Hutcheson,
Frank Aydelotte, Princeton, N. j.;
Frank Buxton, editor of the Boston
Herald; BARLEY Crum, San Fran
cisco lawyer; James Mcdonald of
New York and William Phillips, for
mer presidential envoy to India.
British. Chairman Sir John Single
ton, of the British high court of
justice; Wilfred Crick of the Mid
land Bank; Richard Crossman, La
Dor member of Parliament: Sir Fred
erick Leggett, former secretary of
the Ministry of Labor; Reginald
Manningham Butler, Conservative
member of Parliament, and Lord
Morrison, Labor member of the
House of Lords.
Copyright, 1946)