PALESTINE

Franklin Times, Volume XXX, Issue 90, 15 August 1941, Page 3

PALESTINE

A GRATEFUL COUNTRY IMPORTANCE TO ALLIES The importance of Palestine to the Allies, its gratitude for the assistance given towards the reassembling of the Jewish nation on its own ground as foretold in the Scriptures, and the part Palestinians have played in llie present war, were pul before the Wellington Travel Club by Dr. S. Lowy. an eminent bacteriologist and patriot. There was no doubt, he said, that many great British politicians and statesmen had regarded the returning of the territory of Palestine lo the Jewish people nol only as of great value to the Allies, but also as a compensation for what the Jewish nation had suffered for 200 years. They had regarded it as a national home for the wandering Jew. Since then, thanks to the favourable opinion of the British people, 300,000 Jews had immigrated info Palestine, and were creating one of Hie greatest miracles of modern history. Cities had grown, there were modern schools, and the population was glad and happy lo become ft free , people, Better housed and accommodated than it had ever been. Twenty-live per cent of Palestine Jews had enlisted in voluntary service on land, sea, and in the air. immediately on the outbreak of war some went to France, served with the British Expeditionary Force, and were evacuated from Dunkirk. They had fouglii in Libya, Syria. Greece, and Crete. General Waved bad written of their line work, and an officer in command in Eritrea, referring to the men on machine-gun work, wrote: "I have the greatest admiration for their fighting spirit.”

In the medical Held of war malarial troubles had been overcome through the serums introduced by Jewish doctors.

Thanks to the foresight of the British politicians of 23 years ago there bad'been a great strengthening of tlie British Empire in the Near East. It was now hoped by the Jewish people that out of the holocaust of fear and blood there would emerge a new nation as pari of the Empire.