Evening star., 1948-10-20
Wants Neseb for the Jews


The tragic and regrettable death Of Count
Bernadotte in no way validatesj his short
sighted recommendation For it would deny
reclamation Of badly neglected and damaged
lands Of Palestine and prevent the full use with
conservation Of unique features and resources
OF Palestine that are surely the best basis for q
lasting solution. Southern California and Pal-
estine are so alike that what has been done
IN irrigation and hydroelectric power develop
ment here can be done In Palestine on q pro-
portionate basis.
The Bernadotte proposal would nullify the
well considered decision of the United Ma
tlons OF last November, which is not yet re-
scinded, OF political partition but with economic
union that makes possible full development
Of all the country.
Moreover, the Bernadotte proposal would
mark new low in international bad faith, of
which Palestine has suffered too much already
The Bernadotte proposal would partition
OF the Negeb, the Dead Sea with its store of
/ minerals and the Port of Aquaba and leave only
2,4o0 square miles to Israel, reduction to 5.3
per cent of the original Mandate for the Jewish
National Home. It would be indefensible ap-
peasement. The American people surely would
not agree, If they fully understood this skin
game against the pledges of the nations of
Chance for Reclamation.
Again, Palestine offers to the United Ma
tions remarkable opportunity to give direc-
ton to growing urgent needs for reclamation
and full use with conservation Of old and
damaged lands Of the world to grow food
enough and needful raw materials for q
hungry and restless world of rapidly in
creasing populations with their enarging de-
aNAa h,,S. a. .tAa~
treaties nor the peace.
Palestine gives the United Nations an urgent
opportunity to encourage the splendid demon
stration already carried out by Jewish colonies
on per cent Of the land, all that the Man
date Power allowed them to buy, as demon
stration to the backward Middle East. For
the Jewish colonists have written an inspiring
record in these long neglected lands of Pales-
tine. Of malarial marshes turned into orchards
and orange groves, barren hills covered with
forests, eroding hillsides terraced and planted
again to food crops, trees and vines. Much of
the Negeb, under the Jews, would be brought
under irrigation, ito blossom as the rose" and
provide homes for several hundred thousands
OF people, Under Arab control, 1t would re-
main desert. The Jews have been faith
ful In few things" they are entitled to ap-
proval and assistance in greater opportunities.
repeatedly accorded them by nations of the
world. to develop the resources Of Palestine as
q demonstration for the Middle East and for
the world at large.
The untried approach to the Palestine
problem Is to put the people, all the people,
to work in their own interests in a great con-
Structlve program of Jordan Valley Authority
This irrigation and hydroelectric power project,
which proposed in 1914 in my little book
Palestine, Land Of Promise" has since been
worked out in detail by competent engineers
OF whom James B. Hays was chief, with
consulting board of leading American recla-
nation engineers. The project Is declared by
them feasible and practical, would cost $780,
100000 and would pay out in so years at
per cent interest," from the sale Of irrigation
water and electric power alone at rates charged
in Southern California.
Irrigation Proposal
This power and irrigation project Calls, first,
for the diversion of the sweet waters of the
Jordan River and its tributaries for irrigation
OF dry but fertile lands on the costal plain
and much Of the Negeb to increase the ir-
risated area eighttold to 100000 acres. Second:
The plan calls for replacement Of sweet waters
OF the Jordan now lost by evaporation in the
Dead Sea with waters from the Mediter-
ranean Sea. This salt water would flow
through canal beginning near Haifa, and
tunnel to the brink of the Jordan depression,
and be dropped 800 feet through two great
hydroelectric power plants into the Dead Sea.
This sea water would disappear by evapora-
ton and leave behind great quantities of
salts to replenish present stores and make
the Dead Sea perpetual mine of indis-
penseble minerals OF potash, bromides and
magnesium. Hydroelectric power to CSC, ,OO0-
900 kilowatt hours per annum would be pro-
duced to turn wheels Of many industries and
to extract magnesium metal.
The Bernadotte proposal Is an unenlight-
ened approach to the basic problems that face
all the people Of Palestine as well as the
world today. For political stability depends
on economic stability. Further breaking up
of the country administratively would deny
such resource development for Palestine and
deny gainful occupation to more than 2,000,-
600 people in agriculture and industries.
On the other hand Jordan Valley Au-
thority of full resource development would
benefit the whole country and all its in
habitants, including Jews, Arabs and Chris
tians. A far-sighted, constructive approach
to the Palestine problem calls for the pro-
duction of abundance. Besides, the removal
Of privations and fear Of privations is the
surest check to the march of totalitarianism
that breeds on such fears.
The Bernadotte proposal should be rejected
promptly. Palestine is good, If not the
best, place to begin constructive approach
to peace, which can only come with production
of food in abundance, and to uphold the
integrity and effectiveness of the United
Nations That is still manknds greatest hope
for safe and sane world
Berkeley, Calf. w. C. LOWDERMILK.
Personal Impressions of Buchenwald
To the Editor Of The Star:
J. ]. sperry's letter printed in The Star
regarding the natural dead" of Buchenwald
shocked me deeply. The $4,000 human beings
who died at the camp within few years
were murdered by the SIS, and Camp Com
mander Koch's Frau Ilse was free to run
amuck to satisfy her bloody hobby
Aissxs 4l,o - Il eS -