Evening star., 1947-10-30
Hagana Leader Sure
Jewish 'C|andestine
Army Can Beat Arabs
By PouI GhoIi
Foreign Correspondent Of The Star and
the Chieoao Daily News

the Chieogo Daily News
JERUSALEM, Oct. 30.-The lives
and property of 100000 Jews may
soon depend largely on the military
qualities and training Of their So
called "clandestine" army, the Ha-
CANA.
interviewed an important lead
er Of that army recently. He
expressed full confidence in Ha-
gana's capabilities to defeat any
Arab attack.
AS a matter of fact, even Arab
leaders here with whom I have had
contact obviously have healthy
respect for Hagana' S strength. They
willingly admit that Jewish forces
in Palestine are superior to those
they themselves can arm here at
the moment, though they grimly
add, "it will not be for long"
No mysterious visitors invited me
to accompany them to my meeting
with the Hagana leader whose post
here Is of most official nature. He
himself telephoned me and asked
me to come to his Office, which Is
the center of Jerusalem.
Group Branded Illegal.
In fact, it surprises any one like
myself who had contact with un-
derground movements in Europe
during the war, that Hagana Is
described as clandestine, although,
Of course, the British treat it as
illegal.
This is especially true since it
continues to function despite the
fact that the British intelligence
could easily put an end to 1t any
time. The truth is, the British feel
the Jews cannot be fairly prevented
from preparing to defend them
selves against the Arabs.
At the moment the Hagana has
reverted to the function for which
it was originated, namely, to pro-
tect Jewish settlers in Palestine.
Founded in 1918 by Russian Jews
who had fought the Czarist police,
it has followed the ups and downs
Of British Jewish relations.
Original Role Recalled
In the beginning its role was to
supplement British police in protec-
ton of the Jewish settlement. Later,
it added illegal immigration Of Jews
to its task and thus came into con-
flict with the British.
During the last 1s months 1t has
been responsible for IS blockade
runners carrying $4,000 Jewish i'm
migrants, of which at least 10000
have found their way here despite
the British.
Early this month Hagana's lead
ers proclaimed a state of alert which
acted as the signal for a general
overhaul. The training Of recruits
was hastened, and Hagana missions
abroad were ordered to speed up the
buying and trans-shipment of arms
to Palestine.
Military service in Hagana Is not
compulsory, but practically all Jews
here are Hagana soldiers. Total ef-
fectives as they stand today amount
to 10000 men, divided into divisions
along the same pattern as the Brit
ish Army according to my Hagana
informant. Several of its officers
served the British during the war.
Leadership Secret
Supreme leadership of the organi-
zation is in the hands Of q secret,
restricted council now, but in case
of hostilities will revert to one COM
mander.
Although all attempts to ascertain
the strength and nature of Hagana's
arms. draw a blank, 1t is safe to
assume that 1t possesses at least one
mechanized division.
Apparently, its main deficiency
lies in aircraft. But some military
experts here would not be surprised
if the Hagana had trained flying
squadrons.
theoretically Hagana remains vi
olently opposed to the methods of
the terrorist Irgun and Stern groups,
but nobody holds the slightest doubt
that In time of danger all three will
be merged.
Meanwhile, preparations for Jew
ish-Arab conflict 60 on, for Hagana
feels itself already in the pre-hos-
tilities period. And these prepara-
tions find easy hideouts within the
compounds of numerous Jewish COL
onies scattered throughout the
country.