PARTITION PLAN.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19372, 9 July 1937, Page 6

PARTITION PLAN.

FUTURE OF PALESTINE COMMISSIONER'S APPEAL ERA OF GOODWILL ITALIAN ASSURANCES (British Official Wireless.) Reed. 2 p.m. RUGBY. July 8. A summary of the report of the Royal Commission on Palestine with the British Government's declaration of policy was broadcast in three languages in Jerusalem, followed by an address by the High Commissioner, General Sir Arthur Wauchope, who said: "I ask you all to weigh carefully the advantages which partition would bring to both Arabs and Jews and to consider whether such a scheme would not solve in a just and practicable manner the difficulties by which Palestine has been so unhappily dominated in the past.

"I have a genuine hope that the scheme will not only end our present troubles, but will create a new era of goodwill .and contentment, both to Arabs and Jews." The Permanent Mandates Commission has been summoned to meet at Geneva on July 30, when Mr. W. G. Ormsby-Gore, accompanied by the secretary of the Royal Commission, Mr.. J. M. Martin, will lay an interim report before the commission.

Possibility of Debate The possibility of a Parliamentary debate on the Palestine Report is discussed by The Times, which states that members are much impressed by the fact that tfie Royal Commission has been able to produce an unanimous report. Concerning future procedure, The Times assumes it will be the duty of the Mandates Commission to inform the League of Nations whether a case has been made out for a revision of the Palestine mandate. If the Mandate Commission and the Council of the League are favourable, the British Government will then, it is expected, be asked to prepare a revised mandate, the existing one continuing in operation in the meantime.

Criticism by both Arabs and Jews is anticipated by the newspapers which, however, view the partition proposals with general favour.

Common Measure of Justice The Times says that whatever criticisms may be levelled against the partition plan, it does offer the greatest possible common measure of justice to the two nations in Palestine and the British taxpayer. The Manchester Guardian asks, does it not seem that peace and the free unlimitable self-development that can only come with peace may be found in this plan? The Foreign Secretary. Mr. Anthony Eden, in view of the impending issue of the Palestine report, a few days ago interviewed the Italian Ambassador and expressed the hope that the Italian Government would avoid the issue from the Ban wireless station of any unfriendly broadcast comments.

Count Graudi called at the Foreign Office with a personal message from Signor Mussolini to the effect that the Duce desired in the friendliest spirit to do all he could to ease the situation. He stated that the Italian Government had taken all necessarysteps to meet. Mr. Eden's wish.

LABOUR CRITICISM DOUBTS IN JERUSALEM BOTH SIDKS COMPLAIN (Elee. Tel. Copyright-—United Press Assn.) (Reed. July 9,2 p.m.) LONDON, July 8. The Palestine report was generally well received although a section of the House of Commons opposes the idea of a corridor, recalling the nonsuccess of the Polish Corridor. The Labour Party is forming a committee to study the report and consider its attitude.

Meantime Mr. J. C. Wedgwood, the Labour member for Newcastle-under Lyme, declares that the report could not be worse. He stresses the fact that all of the unoccupied area to the south which provides a living for 100,000 Jews has been handed over to the Arabs.

A Jerusalem reports states that neither the Arabs nor the Jews appear willing at present to accept the report. The Arabs complain that they will have no harbours. The Jews declare that they cannot accept a Zionist move without Zion, nor a Jewish state without Jerusalem.