Evening star., 1947-06-23
u. n. probers Warned
Aqaiin.'si Comment on
Palestine Penalties
BY The Assoeiotsd Press

JERUSALEM, June Lo.-OiI
Henry Gurney, chief secretary OF
the Palestine government, in
formed the United Nations Pal
estine Commission today that sit
is necessary to avoid public COM
ment" on the death sentences
imposed June 16 on three men,
bers of the Jewish underground.
In letter to the COMMISSIONS
secretary. Sir Henry declared:
ut is observed from the press that
your committee has published a
resolution expressing the concern of
a majority of its merbers as to pos
sible unfavorable repercussions that
the execution of three death SEN
tences pronounced by a military
court might have on full
fillment of the committees Inquiry
"As the committee Is no doubt
aware, the sentences referred to
have not been confirmed and with
out such confirmation have no legal
force or effect.
Refers to Secret Resolution.
THE matter is therefore sub
judice and in these circumstances
it is necessary to avoid public COM
ment."
Sir Henry referred to a resolu-
tion adopted by the commission at
a secret. meeting yesterday-the gist
of which subsequently was released
to the press. The resolution was to
be forwarded to u. NJ Secretary
General Trygve Lie for relay to
British authorities, along with an
appeal which the commission re-
ceived from the mothers of the con-
demned youths.
The commission announcement
made no mention Of taking up the
matter with the Palestine govern
ment direct, but some informants
said that in informal discussions the
Palestine government had agreed to
delay the executions should the sem
tences be confirmed, at least until
the commission left Palestine.
Action Called Fair
A Jewish Agency spokesman called
the commission action fair" and
said:
"One would have liked them to do
more, but we could not expect them
to. 1t gives an indication that they
are concerned and they would be
happy If the death sentences were
not confirmed and executed
Emil Sandstroem of Sweden, COM
mission chairman, told newsmen the
majority of the commission felt
that the "unfavorable repercussion"
which might result if the British
carried out the death sentences
would affect the "fulf1llment of the
task which the General Assembly
has entrusted to the committee"
Justice Sandstroem said the IL
nation body could not intervene
directly in the case, however, as it
was beyond the commission jur-
isdiction.
kidnapping of Officer Fails.
The three condemned men-Meir
Makar, Absalom Habib and Jacob
Weiss-were convicted of partici-
pating last month in an attack by
Irgnn zvai Leumi against Acre
Prison, which resulted in the escape
OF some $50 prisoners.
While yesterdays conference was
In progress an unsuccessful attempt
to kidnap a British police officer
was made by five persons whom au-
thorities described as Jewish ex-
tremists.
The announcement said that the
assailants entered a bookstore where
one of them clubbed the policeman
while. a woman pressed a chloro-
rm-soaked rag over his face. The
group fed when passing army Of
ficer called police car and ran 10
the scene.
Authorities identified the police
man as C. J. C. Pound, assistant
superintendent of criminal investi-
CATION in the frontier department.
Secret British Organization.
The existence of a secret British
organization of army men. who have
been striking back at the Jewish UNI
derground in defiance of army reg
ulations, came to light, meanwhile
with the announcement of the
escape here last Thursday of Maj.
Roy Alexander Farran, arrested in
connection with the disappearance
of a l6-year-old Jew.
The organization, composed of 40
British Army off1cers-parachutists,
commandos and underground liai-
son men with combat experience,
has already evoked protests from a
Jewish agency source on the ground
that such antiterrorist methods
were "hampering our own" anti
terrorist campaign.
A British brigadier admitted that
he had headed one of the anti
terror oprational columns and
said that since the Farran busi-
ness I've been sacked"
Mai Farran, who was arrested in
Syria at British request, was re-
turned under guard to Jerusalem.
where he escaped through the win
dow of mess hall at Allenby bar