PALESTINE OUTRAGES

Evening Star, Issue 26000, 15 January 1947, Page 7

PALESTINE OUTRAGES

STERN MEASURES CONTEMPLATED JEWISH AGENCY LEADER WARNED LONDON, Jan. 13. The acting High Commissioner for Palestine, Sir Henry Gurney, interviewed the chairman of the executive of the Jewish Agency, Mr David Ben-Gurion, 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 R,euter’s Jerusalem correspondent. 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 anti-terrorist measures;

Pointing out that in its efforts to stop terrorists the Jewish Agency Executive had up to now relied on propaganda and “ moral persuasion,”

‘ The Times ’ Jerusalem correspondents say 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 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 searches and curfews and such drastic action as ordering all 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..