The Waikato Times. With which is Incorporated The Waikato Argus. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 24, 1930. THE PALESTINE MANDATE.

Waikato Times, Volume 108, Issue 18158, 24 October 1930, Page 6

The Waikato Times. With which is Incorporated The Waikato Argus. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 24, 1930. THE PALESTINE MANDATE.

The British Government have issued in a White paper a statement of the policy which they propose to carry out in Palestine. It is a matter whioh will be watched with some interest. After the recent outbreak a Commission was sent by the League of Nations to report on the manner in which Britain had carried out her mandate, and this Commission made some uncomplimentary remarks particularly on the failure to provide for the maintenance of order, and in consequence the statement begins with an announcement that the Government will not be moved from the line of policy they intend to pursue. Two battalions of infantry, two squadrons of aircraft and sections of armoured cars will be retained in Palestine. It is considered that the time has come for an advance 'in self-government and a Legislative Council will be set up, consisting of ten official members and twelve! unofficial members. If the requisite number of unofficial members should not be elected the Governor has the power to pass any legislation which may be required- It is stated that on present methods of I cultivation there is no margin of land available for settlement, and unrestricted immigration of Jews is deprecated. Immigration was suspended in May and the Government consider this to have been justified. It is admitted that the Arabs are suffering from depression and that they think this is due to Jewish immigration, and while this suspicion exists it is hopeless to expect improvement in relations between the two races. It' is evident from the above that while the Government are coming to 'see the difficulties of the mandate it i-s by no means certain that they see how to deal with them. It is not certain that there is any method by which they can be met. The difficulties are not all internal. It would "eem from the nature of the' armed forces that are to be maintained in Palestine that an attack from Arabs across the Jordan is considered possible. Aircraft and armoured cars are not necessary for maintaining civil order, while it is quite likely that Arabs of the desert would feel sufficient sympathy with their Qo-religionists of Palestine to assist in any outbreak. The constitution of a Legislative Council with ten official and twelve unofficial members is not a very. promising experiment. Absolute government is possible and is possible 'but this Legislative Council is neither one nor the other, for the official members will be more capable, and will always be able to fall back on the Governor in any difficulty. It is the economic position which will he found to give the most trouble. The country is one-tenth the size of New Zealand and the population a year ago was estimated at 816,064, which did not include about 103,000 nomads. Without these nomads the population is about 80 to the square mile, density which would make it difficult to absorb any large immigration unless time were given. It is an agricultural country with no great manufacturing or mining industry. A concession has been granted to develop the mineral resources of 'the Dead Sea, and should this prove successful it might provide employment for a certain number. It- is clear, however, that at present there is no opportunity of taking large numbers. The strange thing • is that the Jews do not remain in Palestine. In 1928 there were 2178 immigrants and 2168 emigrants. It would seem, therefore, that whatever trouble has arisen from the presence of the Jews it is not increasing. Nevertheless it is possible to understand the suspicions of the Arabs. The Jews as newcomers are probably brisk- and businesslike in obtaining whatever work is offered. We know in this country where the population to the square mile is so much less how much jealousy and suspicion was shown while immigrants were coming to the country, and that the immigration was stopped. The same feeling would exist among the Arabs of Palestine and racial animosity would increase the feeling and would in turn he increased by it. Whatever Government may be in power is likely to find the mandate for Palestine a troublesome problem. Economic conditions do not make any large population possible. Palestine is not a rich country agriculturally, though the slopes towards the Mediterranean which have a better rainfall contain good land, and are the country spoken of in the Bible as flowing with milk and honey. Since Biblical times it is stated that the rainfall has diminished, a'nd if this be true the best hope for the country lies in irrigation if conditions permit. Mesopotamia supported a vast population for hundreds or even thousands of years and some day will be developed again. Whether this is possible in Palestine or Syria we cannot say, but if not it is of no use trying to place a larger population in the country than it oan carry, and racial animosities will not make the difficulties any less. It is said that the intention to put-the Jews back into Palestine was adopLed

in order to obtain the sympathy and support of th'e Jewish race throughout the world. As a war measure it may have been defensible, but (the difficulties are so great that the man-

date is likely to be always a source of trouble.