Evening star., 1949-01-13
Britain S Envoy
Sees Truman on
Palestine Issue
London Is Reported
Seeking to Patch Up
Rift Over Policies


Sir Oliver Franks, the British
Ambassador, visited President
Truman today and was reported
to have presented to him a re-
statement of Britain's position
on Israel in what was described
as an effort to patch up British
American differences over Pal
eStine.
Mr.. Truman and the Ambassador
conferred for nearly a half hour
at the White House. Franks said
afterward that he had submitted
the views of my government on
the Palestine situation"
The Ambassador said he had pre-
sented no note to Mr.. Truman.
A British Foreign Office spokes-
man in London, announcing earlier
that Sir Oliver would see the Pres
ident. said Franks would seek to
make plain the attitude Of his ma
jesty's government, and to learn
further the attitude of the American
Government in the hope that the
two countries can cooperate" in
settling the Holy Land conflict.
Instructions Reported.
The Associated Press reported that
an informed diplomatic source in
London said Franks had received in
structions from Foreign Secretary
Bevin since yesterdays four hour
long British cabinet session telling
him to make these points.to Presi-
dent Truman:
l. Britain regards the Jews as the
aggressors in the present phase of
the Palestine war.
2. Britain feels that unless Jews
and Arabs get settlement the "se-
curity, tranquility. peace" of the
Middle East will remain upset, with
results that can only benefit COM
munism.
8. Britain will regard a Jewish at
tack on the Red Sea port of Aqaba,
or on any other part of Trans-Jor-
dan, as an attack on itself, now that
King Abdullah has invoked the
British -Trans-Jordan mutual de-
tense treaty.
4. Britain does not intend to sus-
pend the precautionary measures 1t
has taken in the conflict area. (This
includes alerting of naval units in
East Mediterranean bases, dispatch
OF British troops to Oqaba, placing
Of Raj airfieldS in the Suez Canal
zone OF Egypt on a war-preparedness
baSis.)
Repeats Views Given Lovett.
On leaving the White House Sir
Oliver said the views he expressed
to the President were the same he
stated yesterday to Undersecretary
OF State Lovett.
Mr.. Lovett disclosed to a news
conference yesterday that the United
States had expressed concern to the
British government over troop move
ments in the. Palestine area.
He emphasized at the same time
that American policy Is directed
toward putting across an effective
armistice in the Jewish-Arab fight
ing.
Presumably, Franks visit was a
folloW-up to this earlier exchange
with the British government.
Refuses to Comment.
A reporter asked Franks whether
he gave Mr.. Truman assurances that
Britain would take no action in its
dispute with Israel over the shooting
down Of five British planes, which
might interfere with the truce nego-
tiations.
Franks replied that any comment
on what took place would have to
come from the President.
The reporters reference was to
the negotiations for an armistice
between Israel and Egypt, which
began today at Rhodes.
Franks refused to comment when
reporter said there were reports
that he proposed to "get tough" in
pressing Britain's views on Mr..
Truman.
Pressure on Jews Seen Urged.
Diplomats in Washington believe
Sir Oliver urged American pressure
OIL Israel to come to terms with its
Arab neighbors, the Associated Press
reported.
From highly placed diplomatic in
formants it was learned that Franks
unusual call on the Chief Executive
TO repeat something he had just
told the top State Department Of
fetal was made on direct instruc-
tions from Mr.. Bevin.
MIR. Bevin, whose tough" arms
backed policy in the Middle West is
in controversy in England, is re-
ported to feel that a most critical
point has been reached in the whole
Middle situation. He is said to feel,
(See PALESTINE. Page A-6)