VILIFICATION OF BRITAIN

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26540, 15 August 1947, Page 5

VILIFICATION OF BRITAIN

RESENTMENT EXPRESSED IN COMMONS N.Z.P.A. Special Correspondent LONDON, Aug. 13. The angry feeling which the situation in Palestine has aroused in Britain was reflected in the House of Commons debate. Members on both sidea of the House cheered loudly when Mr Creech Jones (Colonial Secretary) said: “The spate of malicious abuse and vilification of Britain, which has appeared in some American and French newspapers, and the bitter campaign pursued by some American nationals are intolerable.” Labour members joined in Opposition applause when Mr Oliver Stanley said evacuation was the only alternative to partition, and advocated that Britain should quit Palestine unless the United Nations took prompt action. When the United Nations

Assembly considered the question in September Britain must submit a definite plan. If the assembly disagreed with this Britain should immediately surrender the mandate. Case for United Nations “I do not believe this country can continue to carry the burden in blood, treasure, and labour on the lines we have done in Palestine for the past 20 years,” said Mr Stanley. “Peace of the Near East is in the interest of the United Nations—let them do something to carry the burden.” A bitter attack upon Government policy was made by a Labour member, Mr N. H. Lever (Manchester Exchange). “I am surprised that the House has allowed the Government to get away with two years of planless, gutsless policy in Palestine," he said. “If the Colonial Secretary goes on much longer in this attitude he will cover his hands vffith more pur-poselessly-shed blood than any Minister of the Crown in this generation.” He strongly criticised the action oi the London Daily Express in publishing a photograph of the two hanged sergeants before the bodies were cut down, and asked whether it was “ speculative incitement to Opening the debate in the House of Lords on Palestine, Lord Long asked that a committee be se,t up before the House rose, so that the United Nations findings on Palestine could be investigated and Parliament called together to act immediately. Vague Exhortations He said it was no use issuing vague exhortations to the Jewish community in this country to exercise influence with Jewish terrorists which they did not possess and which they were not likely to possess. Referring to the fund in Britain to help Jews in Central Eusope, Lord Long asked whether the money was really getting into the right hands or whether it was going to the Communists who were helping the illegal immigration to stab England in the back. , , . Lord Derwent said he hoped the feeling that we should give up Palestine would not come to a head. Britain could not abdicate the Balfour agreement until some authority such as Inc United Nations took it. Lord Derwent said that if martial law was not introduced there should be convoy systems on the roads and collective fines. “The time has come when we must face the fact that the whole Jewish community in Palestine is responsible,” he said. . , „ „ Replying to the debate, Lord Hall said anti-Jewish demonstrations in England were a danger signal which could not be ignored He did not know of a Communist organisation behind illegal immigration, but he was convinced that if financial support in the United States was withheld it would not’ be carried out to the same extent as in the last 18 months. The French Government did not approve the departure of the immigrant ship President Warfield, and it was prepared to receive the Jews if they left the ship voluntarily, but would not remove them forcibly.