Charge Against Lawrence

Manawatu Times, Volume 61, Issue 141, 17 June 1936, Page 7

Charge Against Lawrence

Mistranslated Arab-Jewish Treaty ALLEGATIONS BY LEADING ARABS United Press Association—By Electrio Telegraph.—Copyright. Received Tuesday, Midnight. LONDON, June 16. The News-Chronicle’s Jerusalem correspondent says propaganda iu the Arab-Jcwisk struggle has thrown up the name of Lawrence of Arabia, who allegedly mis-translated for King Foisul the xArab-Jcwish Treaty signed iu London in 19.19, which has recently been published. Doctor Weizmann, the Jewish leader, produced a copy of tho treaty as a proof that King Feisul strongly sympathised with the Jewish national homo in Palestine, but the Arabs declare that the document is a Jewish forgery. This is improbable, but it is suggested ou photostatic copies of the treaty that Lawrence mis-translated the treaty because ho realised that unless Feisul could bo forced into giving the Jews their demands, ho could not fulfil his dream of a great Arab empire. Fcisui was unable to read English and added a protective iout-noto which. Lawrence translated ou Dr. Weizmann’s copy and Feisul signed thus: “If the Arabs are established as I asked in the manifesto addressed to tho British Foreign Secretary, I will carry out this agreement.” The photostatic copy in Fcisui’s Arabic shows that he wrote: “Should the Arabs obtain independence, etcetera.” It is said that Lawrence, as a faultless Arabic scholar, could not have mado a faulty translation. Accordingly it is suggested that if he mellowed Feisul’s foot-note, he almost certainly toned down the Zionist aspirations presented to Feisul. The Moslem Council supports this view, declaring that when it was hinted that tho treaty existed Feisul telegraphed dcuying his signature and this telegram is now in the possession of Hadi Bey, a signatory to the treaty at present interned in connection with the disorders.