MASS MEETING CALLED

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25083, 15 January 1947, Page 7

MASS MEETING CALLED

Jews To Discuss Terrorism

WARNING BY CHIEF SECRETARY • (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 10 p.m.) LONDON, January 13. Sir Henry Gurney, the Chief Secretary of the Palestine Government, today interviewed Mr David benGurion, chairman of the executive of the Jewish Agency, and gave him what was tantamount to an ultimatum. He warned him that the sternest measures short of martial law would follow any further outbreaks of terrorism, says Reuters correspondent in Jerusalem.

The Jewish National Council, soon after Sir Henry Gurney’s talk with Mr ben-Gurion, called a mass meeting in Jerusalem on January 20 to discuss measures against the terrorists. Pointing out that, in its efforts to stop terrorists, the Jewish Agency’s executive has up to now relied on propaganda and “moral persuasion.” the Jerusalem correspondent of “The Times” says that by now the executive must realise that this is not enough. No words are enough unless they ask the Jewish public outright to give information to the police. If words fail, the alternative is action, and here the final point is reached, namely, whether the Agency has the power to act. The correspondent adds that the conclusion seems to be that if the Agency cannot stop the terrorists the Government will be compelled to go ahead entirely on its own. This might mean simply a great intensification of the searches and curfews and such drastic action as ordering ail private transport off the roads. This would not root out terrorism, but it would be at least an attempt to preserve security until a political decision on Palestine is reached.