Minister Issues Threat Of Martial Law

Rotorua Morning Post, Issue 5315, 30 January 1947, Page 5

Minister Issues Threat Of Martial Law

LONDON, Jan. .29. In speaking in the House of Commons, the Minister of Colonies, Mr A. Creech Jones, warned the Palestine Jews and others who condoned brutalities, that the course of recent events must lead to an order placing the country under fu.ll military eontrol, with all that it implied. He said the evacuation of women and children and the concentration of British civilian personnel was now being considered. The Government intended to give unreserved support to the Palestine civil and military - authorities in their measures to end the "despicable evils." . Mr. Creech Jones" said that Major Collins is believed to have been seriously injured but that Judge Windham was not injured. He added that unless Major Collins and Judge Windham were produced within 48 hours the civilian administration and facilities would be withdrawn in Tel Aviv and two other towns. The Government, in consultation with Lieutenant-General Sir Alan Cunningham, had issued a strong direetive intended to ensure the application of more effective police measures. "The suppression of terrorism demands the active participation of the whole Jewish community and . also the direct co-operation of the Jewish Agency which, I regret, has not been forthcoming to the extent essential for the preventing of these acts of terrorism," he said.

"I make one more appeal to the community leaders and each .^individual Jew to recognise where such crimes must lead and prove that they have the will and the power to niaintain the ordinary decencies of civilised life and essential conditions for the continuance of civil Government." Dov Gruner, the Jew under sentence of death, handed a leter to his lawyer, Mr. Levitsky, to be opened "after I have died," says the British United Press Jerusalem correspondent. Mr. Levitsky opened the letter in the hope of finding "some psycho-Ic-gical approach" to Gruner. The letter stated: "I do not want to be a religious martyr, but I am as much prepared to be the sacrifice for my people as Christ was."

A message from Washington says that Mrs. Helen Friedman, of Lancaster, Fennsylvania, has lodged a plea with the British Ambassador, Lord Inverchapel, for sparing the life of her brother, Dov Gruner. Mrs. j Friedman said that Lord Inverchapel promised to send the plea to London promptly. Reuter's Paris correspondent reports that Mr. Peter Bergson, chairman of the Hebrew Committee of National Liberation, said that he cabled President Truman appealing for direct intervention in the Palestine crisis "irrespebtive of the Brjtish Agreement."

He asked President Truman to 111form Britain that unless the removal of Jews from displaced persons' camps in Europe began immediately, the -United States would not participate any further in the Palestine inquiries or discussions.