PALESTINE POLICY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 24 May 1939, Page 6

PALESTINE POLICY

GOVERNMENT MOTION CARRIED IN COMMONS Some Conservative Opposition CRITICISM OF WHITE PAPER IN BOTH HOUSES MR CHURCHILL ALLEGES BREACH OF FAITH (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 12.13 p.m.) z RUGBY, May 23. The House of Commons passed a Government motion approving-, the proposals of the Palestine White Paper by 268 votes to 179. About twenty Government, .supporters, including - , it is understood, Mr Winston Churchill and Mr L. S. Amery, voted against the proposals. The proposals were subjected to strong - criticism.in the de-bates in both the House of Commons and the House of Lords, and by Government supporters as well as Opposition speakers. The speeches of chief interest from critics in the House of' Lords came from Viscount Samuel, a former High Commissioner, anchthe Archbishop of Canterbury. Lcrd Samuel said it was his personal view that it was a mistake to try to lay down a. policy now for five or ten years ahead. He touched upon the possibilities of federation—a federation .linked with a great confederation of Arab States, ensuring - full rights for an autonomous Jewish State, while guaranteeing - the Arabs in Palestine against domination. The Archbishop of Canterbury, while not associating himself with the charges that the Government policy constituted a breach of pledges, expressed the view that the proposals failed to do justice to the Jewish people, but added a strong plea to the Jewish leaders to use their influence to prevent further confusion and embroilment. Tn the House of Commons, Mr Herbert Morrison (Labour) and Sir Archibald Sinclair (Liberal) claimed that the proposals were inconsistent with the mandate, were a repudiation of pledges given t'o the Jews, and were a surrender to terrorism. They urged that the proposals should not be proceeded with pending their submission to the Hague Court or Mandates Commission, or both. Mr Winston Churchill opposed the proposals as a breach of faith with the Jews, particularly in connection with immigration.