SELF-GOVERNMENT IN PALESTINE
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
[Correspondents are requested to keep their letters as brief as is reaconaWy possible. The nost suitab!e length is that of one of our 'News of the 11-eek " paragraphs. Signed letters are given a preference over those bearing a pseudonym.—Ed. THE SPECTATOR.] [To the Editor of THE SPECTATOR.]
!-Ili.—The contentions of your correspondents in your issue .,f April 17th regarding the Legislative Council of Palestine are based on a complete misinterpretation of the terms of the mandate, and a deliberate ignoring of the history of the ouncil project.
1. There is no truth in the allegation that the development • .1 self-governing institutions is intended to subserve and safeguard the establishment of the Jewish National Home. The maniate itself is perfectly clear. It is not a mandate, a, your correspondents would like it to be, to establish a Jewish National Home, but a mandate to accomplish two objects, which are set out in full in the preamble. The first purpose therein 'mentioned is to give effect to the Covenant of the League of Nations, Article 22. That Article ignores the Jewish Home but provides that " Certain communities formerly belonging to the Turkish Empire have reached a stage of development where their existence as independent nations can be provisionally recognised subject to the rendering of administrative advice and assistance by a mandatory until such time as they are able to stand alone." In the case of every other portion of Turkish territory placed under mandate to Britain and France,that has resulted in the creation of legis- latures and of governments in considerable measure autono- ilious, while Iraq has become an independent State. In the ease of Palestine this development must be harmonised with the second object of the mandate, and the result is that the British t;overrunent is unable to go further than to propose to establish a Legislative Council with no control over the executive and no power to pass a single enactment without the assent of the High Commissioner. No more modest effort to fulfil the obligation of Article 22 can well be imagined.
2. Historically the case is overwhelming. To Sir Herbert Samuel belongs the credit of presenting in 1915 to the Cabinet a memorandum on the establishment of a National Home for the Jews in Palestine ; in July, 1920, he assumed the grave burden of the High Commissionership. In August, 1922, was issued the Order in Council to give effect to the mandate, prepared by the British Government in the closest co-operation and conjunction with that high-minded statesman and devoted representative of the Jewish race. The Order in Council provides explicitly for a Legislative Council, in -which but two seats would have been given to the Jews as against eight to the Moslem Arabs. Thus at a time when the • Jews were a feeble minority and when promotion of immigra- tion was essential, Sir Herbert Samuel and the British Government were in complete agreement that the terms of the mandate demanded that they should institute a Council with an overwhelming majority of Arab members. The only answer to this available to your correspondents is to repudiate Sir Herbert Samuel and the British Government, the authorities jointly responsible for the Jewish National Home.
3. When Arab intransigence refused to work the Council, it was not abolished by the Order of 1923, but merely sus- pended in operation.- It stands, therefore, as an essential principle of the Constitution, and when the riots of 1929 showed the defects of the existing system the Colonial Office announ' eed that the Council would, in due course, be consti- tuted, but that in the first place there must be a thorough reorganisation of the municipal governments. No one can say that there has been undue haste when in 1980 the Council is still under leisurely discussion.
4. Sir Arthur Wauchope, who desires the institution of the Council, has been on the spot since 1931, and has worked so well that a fresh term of office has been offered and accepted. So far from being lukewarm in support of the National Honie, he has accomplished marvels in securing immigration of recent years of almost incredible proportions. When he asks for a Council, to refuse it would be an inexcusable case of overruling the mature judgement of a most competent administrator.
5. Not only are the Jews given substantially more than a proportionate representation on the Council, but the powers of the Council to thwart the purpose of the mandate are simply non-existent, and fear of injury to immigration is fantastic. It is impossible for the Council to restrict the sale of land to Jews unless the High Commissioner and His Majesty's Government approve. Is it really tolerable that so important a territory as Palestine should be denied a Couneil and placed on the level with Somaliland, St. Helena and Gibraltar ? Are the wishes of some 825,000 Moslems and 100,000 Christians to be wholly ignored at the bidding of 320,000 Jews ? Or is a Council to be withheld until immigra- tion swamps the Arab population and political domination is transferred to the Jews On reconsideration I hope that general support will be given to the just and proper proposals of a government which has deserved well of the Jewish race and has endeavoured to fulfil its duty to all com.erned with impartiality.—I am, itc..
University qf Edinburgh. A. BERRIED ALE KEITH.
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