FRANCISCAN FRIARS RAISING MILITIA TO DEFEND HOLY PLACES

Grey River Argus, 7 June 1948, Page 5

FRANCISCAN FRIARS RAISING MILITIA TO DEFEND HOLY PLACES

NEW YORK, June 5

Franciscan Friars delivered notes to the Embassies of Rome to-day, announcing i that they intended to raise a militia of Christian volunteers to guard Palestine’s holy places, says the New York Herald Tribune’s Rome correspondent.

The Franciscans said that 408 Brothers of their Order,- at present in Palestine, are no longer able to guarantee the security of the holy places, and need between 500 and 1000 armeo. men of all nationalities to assist them.

The Friars, who announced the plan, are members of the Franciscan "Holy Land Delegation”, which has been safeguarding Christian sacred places in Palestine since the 13tb century.

CATHOLIC CHARGES AGAINST JEWS

(Rec. 9.30) LONDON, May C The head of Catholic communities in Jerusalem released the text ox a telegram they had sent to the Vatican protesting against Jewish activities in the Holy City. The telegram said that protests to the three-man consular truce committee as well as to representatives of the International Red Cross had failed to yield results. The telegram was submitted fox “The Holy See’s information and consideration.” It also says: “The Arab forces have kept their promise to respect the Holy places, convents and Red Cross institutions. If they occupied a certain Convent it was only to protect the Holy City against Jewish attackers trying to penetrate and spread death and destruction.”

Two officials of the Latin Patriarchate in the Holy City,and the Franciscan Fathers who are guarding the Holy Places discussed the situation in Jerusalem with King Abdullah to-day.

JEWESSES KILLED IN FRONT LINE

(Rec. 11.0 LONDON, June 6 Two London-born Jewesses were killed in front line fighting with the army of Israel during the battle of Jerusalem. They are twenty-three year-old Esther Calingold, daughter of the London publisher of Jewish books, and Silvia Beyrack, ex-secret-ary of the Zionist Youth Movement in London.