The Guardian from London, Greater London, England • 5

5 ARABS JOIN UP THE MANCHESTER GUARDIAN, MONDAY, MAY 24, 1948 FANATICAL JEWISH STAND IN GERMAN UNITY POWER FAILS TWICE Demand Too Heavy LANTERNS AT THE B.B.C. REFERENDUM A Farcical Poll VOTING EARLY AND OFTEN From our Special Correspondent JERUSALEM Slender Chances for a Truce ARABS STILL HAVE TO OVERCOME MANY OBSTACLES From out Special Correspondents U.N. ORDERS CEASE FIRE IN PALESTINE TO-DAY Jews Ready to Accept AMERICAN CONDEMNATION OF BRITISH POLICY "LEBANON i jf OTJ( i breached yesterday by Arab demolition parties seking to crush the fanatic Jews still sheltering in its crypt. Xhe whole Jewish quarter of the Old Cit bore obvious signs of its battering The Security Council has called on Arabs and Jews to order a cease-fire in Palestine by five o'clock this afternoon. The Jews last night issued an order to all their forces on all fronts to stop fighting at hat hour, or before, if the Arabs did the same.

The Political Committee of the Arab League is meeting in Amman to-day to consider the Council's request. I he Security Council will meet again this evening to consider what action to take if the cease-fire has not been put in force. Criticism of British policy in Palestine is mounting rapidly in the United States. Mr. Bevin, the Foreign Secretary, on Saturday received the United States Ambassador in London, Mr.

Douglas, and discussed the whole position with him. The Arabs claim that the Egyptian column which has come through Beersheba. Hebron, and Bethlehem has now made contact with the Arab Legion two miles south of Jerusalem. In Jerusalem itself the Arab grip is tightening, but the Jews in the Old City are still holclin? out. The righting there and the truce negotiations continue.

MOUNTING CRITICISM IN U.S. From Alistair Cooke The delegation is caught in the unfamiliar embarrassment of having its own resolution to declare a threat to the peace supported in Washington by many Democratic and Republican leaders, and in Lake Success by Mr. Gromyko Mr. Gromvko has used the same word about Britain that the Washington Post" used yesterday in an unaccustomed onslaught on the pro-Arab policy of Britain. The word was Cjisuistrv "CASUISTRY The Washington Post began its leader with only a momentary apology departing from its usual sympathetic-attitude to Britain and her policies.

It is painful to all friends of Britain," says. to see the British Government hesitating between the United Nations and the Arab Legion." It refuses to admit the casuistry that Brigadier Glubb is to all intents and purposes a Transjordanian. and goes "The British have seconded Brigadier Glubb to Abdullah, they have seconded another thirty or forty British officers to Abdullah, they are financing and arming and advising Abdullah, and in London thev have given him and his design their blessings. The Biitish people, With the Arab Irregulars in the Old City, May 23. Although the Arab forces are now slowly closing in on Jerusalem the hardest part of their military tasks are still ahead and both humanitarian and tactical considerations would appear to dictate caution." The east of Jerusalem is clear except for the Jewish pocket in the Old City.

The northern entrance is still dominated. it at icmgisn range, Dy the fortified area around the Hadassa hospital and the Hebrew University on Mount Scopus, and also by the high outskirts or Jerusalem between the Nablus and Jaffa roads. Confronting the Arabs on the north and south are solidly built stone suouros in most of which the Jews have tne advantage of the ground. Outside the northern wall of the Old City and right of the road from Nablus lies the old Jewish quarter, Mea Sheanm, where long rambling barrack-like buildings normally house Orthodox Jews who have come to the Holy Land to devote themselves to the study of their religion. WILL TO RESIST Behind Mea Shearim are the newer quarters leading to the centre of new- Jewish Jerusalem.

On the south Katemon Ridge, a favourite European quarter, is difficult to approach. An important factor is undoubtedly the strength of the Jewish will to resist. Buttressing it are the fanatical Irgun Zvai Leumi and the Stern Gang, front of whom no Jew dares to speak of defeat or surrender and the fear of what might happen should the Arabs gain control. Softening it are the shortage of water supplies and the natural desire of the inhabitants of a mixed city to live in peace with their neighbours. (Neither Jerusalem nor Haifa have the fierce exclusive Jewishness of all-Jewish Tel Aviv.) Finally, the international status accorded to Jerusalem by the United Nations, which deprives the Jerusalem Jews of any legal basis for action to dominate the city, is an argument to which they are likely to give more weight as their situation deteriorates than when, as a week ago.

Jerusalem seemed within their grasp. The crux, however, as Arab military leaders must realise, remains provisioning, and if the Arab hold on the ways into Jewish Jerusalem remains unbroken the suffering of the non-combatants may-soften the obduracv of the fanatics if the latter can set aside the memories of Jotopata, Masada, and stand of John of Gischala in a.d 70 when Vespasian's legions took a Jerusalem in which the only Jews who had given up fight were those who could no longer stand. THE OLD CITY SCENE As it is the fighting goes on, and this afternoon I watched from a vantage-point close to the Pool of Bethesda the battle for the Notre Dame de France pilpnms' hospice, which dominates the road from the Damascus Gate into Allenby Square. I could watch 25-pounders bursting against its walls and Arab automatic fire dashing little cascades of stone dust off its pinnacles. Beneath the twin towers of the roof, between which stands a colossal statue of the Virgin Mary, all seemed quiet.

As always in the Old City, surroundings dominated events and the scene stole the stage from the plavers It was impossible to keen one's eyes directed towards the fighting when so manv other scenes exerted their magnetic attraction Awav to mv left rose the octagonal tower of the great svnagogue. its dome CATHOLIC SCHOOLS! I HUNGARY Government Challenged From our Special Correspondent Vienna, May 23. The Hungarian Catholic party, the People's Democratic party, led bv Istvan Barankovics, a Budapest lawyer, which gained 16 per cent of the votes in last year's election, decided this week-end openly to oppose the Government's bill secularising all the schools. For the second time within a fortnight, the Catholic party's weekly. Hazank," could not appear because the compositors refused to pass articles attacking the policy of the Government.

It was learnt yesterday in Budapest that the contents of the episcopal letter by Cardinal Mindszenthy, the Catholic Primate of Hungary, are to be read from every pulpit in the country, after the passing of the secularisation law. In the letter the Cardinal attacks the Government for secularising the schools, stating that a cultural struggle between the Church and State has broken out. As a Government committee was to I have discussed the measure with representatives of the Catholic Church to-morrow it seems tnat the chances or an agreement are slender. I I London and wide areas of South-east England had two of the biggest electric power failures for many years yesterday. Current was off for periods up to four hours between noon and 4 p.m., and there were breakdowns again between 8 54 p.m.

and 10 40 p.m. The B.B.C. was off the air just before 1 p.m., and when the nine o'clock news was late in starting the announcer explained that the lights had failed in Broadcasting House and that the news had been completed by the light of hurricane lamps. The British Electricity Authority issued the following statement after the first breakdown "There were major mterrupUuns electricity supplies in the Eastern, London and South-eastern areas to-day, starting at 12 25 p.m Localities affecied induced Norwich. Yarmouth.

Ipswich. Colchester. Sinithend. London (North, Central, and Soutli-easi), Maidstone. Canterbury.

Folke-ennp Hustinps anrt Eastbourne The tiouble is a dnect consequence of the pie-sent acute plant shortage and the heavy demands arising fiom the cold weather, coupled with the necessity to carry oat maintenance of plant and equipment to ensure availabihtv for the essential week-da load. The mnionty of the supplies were lesumed at 2 30 and the remainder by 3 25" TRAINS STRANDED While the breakdown lasted trams, trolley buses, and Underground and electric trains stopped. Electrically controlled budges remained open. The B.B C. went dead.

Traffic and other lights went out, and housewives were left with their Sunday joints half-cooked in cooling electric ovens. Transport services in London were most affected by the breakdown Various sections ot the Southern Region of British Railways were without power, and many trains were stranded. "Signals and points could not work," said an ofticial, and even had there een enough current to lun trains all the signals would have been stuck at red in the directed areas." The nine o'clock failuie was also very widespread It was due to a serious fault on the Bedford-Luton section of the gnd which caused the grid to be split up into several isolated Sections, some of which had insufficient generating plant to meet the load. The Electricity Authority said that no grid point was left completely without supply, but that cuts up to 25 per cent had to be made. Areas alTected were as far apart as Norwich, Plymouth, Bristol, and Oxford, as well as many parts of London and towns in the Home Counties.

Large aieas of South Devon, including half of Torquav, were also affected, while there were short interruptions of supply in Brighton and Birmingham. Between Hastings and Eastbourne trolley buses were at a standstill. Railway signals were affected in the Southern Region and for an hour trains were slowed down on many lines. Shortly before ten o'clock television was abandoned for the mch! AIRPORT IN DARKNESS At London Airport the lights failed while passengers from one incoming 'plane were half-way through the Customs A search was hurriedly made for emeigency lighting All lights at the airport were still out at 10 50 p.m. 'Planes had diflKultv in landing since all the runwav lights were out and weather conditions were bad.

A 'plane from Australia circled the airport for over half an hour as the pilot could not lower his undercaniage. but eventually was "talked down" after the wheels had been unlocked. A 'plane from Calcutta was sent on to Shannon, but 'planes from Paris and New York were able to land by the light of flares. Supplies began to be restored at 9 30 m. and were fully restored by 10 40 m.

The British Electric. tv Authority last night issued an economy warning for to-dav from 7 30 a.m. to 12 30 p.m.. in all areas except Scotland. 20 TO 1 IN FAVOUR OF HANGING Darwen's Referendum Mr.

Stanley Prescott, Conservative MP. for Darwen, on Saturday declared the result of the ballot of his constituents as to whether thev were in favour of abolishing capital punishment. He sent out 39,340 ballot papers, of which 14.546 were returned Those in favour of retaining capital pun.shment numbered there were 718 1 against, and 92 papers were spoiled. I Mr. Prescott was one of a comparatively small number of Con-, servat.ve MPs who voted in favour of abolishing hanging for the five-year tr-al period.

He said last night "Naturally the result w.U considerably I influence me when the bill comes i back from the House of Lords JEWS' VIENNA PARADE I From our Special Correspondent Vienna, Mav 23. I Two thousand Jews, mostly refugees from the satellite countries, walked slowly through the streets of Vienna carrying Jewish flags and banners with I the slogans Long live the Jewish Army and Israel peace is world to pay nomage ai tne grave pi Theordore Herzl, a founder of Zionism. The inmates of one Vienna transit camp, a school where ten families share one classroom, each family living on two beds, told correspondents that the Palestine war did not worry them. They wanted to "go home" and take the place of those who had fallen in the battle They were Rumanian Jews. Manv had hn in Rnnlnni'an anH T4in.

garian prisons for attempting to cross 1 a -1 trie ouraer illegally. j.ney naa lezt Or- their own accord, fearing that there might be massacres of Jews in the course of violent upheavals it the present regime should not last. SIX-POWER DISCUSSIONS ON GERMANY TO CONTINUE From our Diplomatic Cornqpoadenl Lowdow, Sranwr. It is believed that the six-Power talks on Germany, which were expected to end to-morrow, will continue for a few more days in the hope of reaching a general settlement. This settlement, if it is actually achieved, will ba subject to final oonnrmation br tba six GowwimnTia vnwtt md Berlin.

May 23. The Volksbegehren, or people's referendum on the subject of German national unity, began in Berlin to-day. It is being sponsored by the Socialist Unity party and its intention is to prove that the overwhelming majority of the German people is in favour of a policy of unification and the elimination of zonal boundaries, which has neither been originated nor proposed in concrete form, as opposed to purely theoretical form, by the Socialist Unity party. In Berlin the registering of votes for this purpose has been forbidden in the French and American sectors, but allowed in the British sector on condition that no intimidation is involved. The streets of Berlin this morning wore their air of usual Sunday calm.

In the British sector it was impossible to discover any places of registration for the people's referendum. The police had no idea here it might be taking place and no instruction to deal with disorders which the British authorities have very 1 reasonably not believed likely to occur, In the Soviet sector polling-booths were installed on main roads and squares and in cafes, public-houses, and otherwise deserted premises. Although I stopped for periods of up to twenty minutes opposite these I saw no signs of activity and did not witness the registration of one genuine vote. NO CHECK ON SIGNATURES There was, however, not the slightest difficulty in adding one's name to this purely mythical and propagandist list. I signed mv own name in the Schlesische station of Berlin in the Soviet sector, which is a centre of busy all-day traffic I was not asked for any sort of identification and my illegible signature was scrutinised and apparently entirely approved.

A German journalist who accompanied me signed his name at thi and two other polling booths. At all three there weie less than half a names of subscribers to the Socialist Unity propaganda campaign bv half past eleven this morning The booths were open onlv from nine to twelve so the tally which will eventuallv be Dublished is unlikely to bear any relation to that which has in fact been achieved Both the Soviet Military Government and the German Central Verwaltung for the Soviet zone have put transport at the disposal of those ready to demonstrate for the people's referendum, or at least willing to have a free ride through the streets of Berlin. Lorries were packed with children waving red flags and singing choruses about the benefits of national unity. The lorries were inscribed with the slogan We will not be rent asunder." After nearly two hours' drive through the Soviet sector I had seen only one red flag hung from a house other than an official party or Soviet Military Government building. In spite of the prohibition Socialist Unity agents collected votes in the American sector of Berlin.

One of these at the Sudende station stated that the prohibition in the United States sector had only been ordered in orderj to avoia incidents. HITTING THE HEADLINES The people's referendum has been splashed in headlines in all Berlin's Left-wing papers to-day. It is maintained that a great number of votes have already been registered in house-to-house collections. Fifty thousand people are said to have demonstrated in favour of the referendum in Chemnitz in Saxony and Halle miners have sent a telegram of encouragement to the Ruhr. The Red Army paper Taegliche Rundschau" writes that meetings have been held in sympathy in Munich and Hanover.

These reports can be discounted by Berlin's apathetic calm. Whatever lists and figures are published will be illusory since no attempt has been made to check the right of any person to cast his vote in any polling booth. The Volksbegehren must rank as one of the worst-played farces in the political historv of post-war Germany CLERGYMAN DEFIES BISHOP Preaches to Press Men The Rev. Trevor Bowen, defying the Bishop of Chester's ruling that he was no longer vicar of the parish of Hargrave. yesterday conducted three services.

But parishioners stayed away and he preached only to relatives and newspapermen. He first conducted 9 am. Holy Communion at Hargrave after he had opened the church, lit the altar candle, and rung the bell himself Apart from seven pressmen the congregation consisted of his wife, his brother-in-law (Mr. J. Davies) and his wife and daughter.

Mr. Davies took the collection, wh.ch amounted to 4s lid. After the service Mr. Bowen masked his face with, a handkerchief to avoid the attention of photographers and cycled for two miles through country lanes to Huxley, where he took the morning service, preaching on the significance of Trinity Sunday to eight pressmen. The service lasted for 25 minutes.

He told a reporter All I will say is that I am taking the services." When he later took Evensong at Hargrave, two photographers quietly entered the cnurch with flashlights fitted to their cameras. Mr. Bowen please retire." Last Monday a sequestration notice was posted on the church door at Hargrave. and the Bishop (Dr. D.

H. Crick) has stated that Mr. Bowen ceased to be vicar from that date Mr. Bowen has repudiated the resignation which he handed in recently at the request of the Bishop. The Bishop, in an interview yesterday, sa.d he was not surprised that the parishioners had stayed away.

He was going to London to attend a meeting of bishops to-day. and he would be taking legal advice. HUMAN REMAINS FOUND ON GOLF COURSE Limbs in a Pond Scotland Yard Is investigating tne discovery of human remains in a pond at Potters Bar (Middlesex) Golf Course. Boys collecting golf balls on Friday found a bone and on Saturday other human remains. A pond was then pumped dry by the police, and a right hand and arm and other parts oz a mimin Doay, not in sshSBi at the hands of the Arabs this last week.

It lay in silence except when some concealed gunner fired a burst at occasional traffic coming over the brow of Siloam ridge and the Arab armoured car stationed there on the roadside answered tenfold. In the middle distance rose the olive domes of the Holy Sepulchre, with the blinding white stone tower, its hue apparently unsoftened by time, of Kaiser Wilhelm's Church besides it Below me was the Ecce Homo arch on the Via Dolorosa and a sudden outburst from the crowd below brought me down to see half a dozen terrified carabinieri of the Italian Consulate's guard who had somehow fallen into the hands of Arabs, being led to head- quarters for interrogation. The crowd had started to cry "Jews. Jews" and tney were most-relieved Italians who finally found themselves safe in the charge of the Arab Legion, for the ciowd would otherwise have torn them limb from limb. Random, misaimed shots aroused strange echoes arches and passages and the child reported last week'to have been practising piano scales was still at it and had apparently made little progress There had been a lull in the shelling, but now it had started afresh, and again Notre Dame de France spurted smoke and stone dust.

Machine-gun fire intensified and seemed to be answered from the direction of the southern end of the Street of the Prophets. So for another hour it went, rising and falling VOICE FROM SUSSEX Chattins with volunteers awaiting their turn to enter the fight, I was surprised when one answered me in English, English of Sussex. He wanted specially to tell me that in the Jewish quarter of the Old City was a Jewish woman sniper who he considered was the best Bren-gun shot he had ever met. I have, foitunately. not been able to check his assertion.

The sun and the noise of battle were now declining together, so that the crash as Arab sappers fired two more heavv charges in the Jewish quarter of the Old City made us all jump As I passed through St. Stephen's Gate on the way home. I overtook a little party carrving a dead Arab fighter to burial on the" hill where 2,000 years ago Saul had watched Stephen stoned to death. A white-bearded Iman commended his soul to Mohamed and Allah and five minutes later the onlookers had departed, leaving only a very old blind man who slowly tap-tapped his wav towards the now almost silent Old Otv NO TRUCE? Jerusalem, May 23. Fighting in the Old City flared up again to-day, Arab forces having broken through a number of Hagana defence lines in the besieged Jewish quarter.

Meanwhile Jewish forces are trying to break into the Old City to rescue the thousand beleaguered Jews. The United Nations truce commission and other consuls representing foreign countries have intervened endeavouring to reach agreement for a cease-fire within the Old City walls in order to save the holy places, but so far they have been unsuccessful. There seems indeed but little chance for such agreement. 'TheTimes' "Manchester Guardian' Service FRIENDSHIP WITH BRITAIN AND U.S. Basis of Turkey's Policy From our Special Correspondent Istanbul.

May 23 The Turkish Foreign Minister, Mr. Nejmedin Sadak, in an address to-day to a local congress of the People's party in his constituency at Sivas. surveyed Turkish foieign and domestic policy. He said It is dogma with Turkey to side always with those countries which respect other people's freedom and independence and for this reason an alliance with Britain and close friendship and collaboration with the United State are keynotes of Turkish policy Without naming the Soviet Union. Mr.

Sadak made some remarks which evidentlv refer to Turkish-Soviet relations He mentioned cases when friendship was offered to Turkey on conditions incompatible with Turkish territorial integrity and independence and said that this country is ready to establish relations of friendship on condition that they be based on principles of honour. non-interference others internal affairs, and respect of Turkish sovereign rights. As these principles cannot be applied unilaterally Turkey is compelled to ensure her securitv bv spending half of her meagre resources for her national defence. 'The Guardian' Service made easier by the Government's various extraordinary measures. Apart from the problems which may be called those of government, those of partv had also to be discussed.

In the present state of the law half the members of the Conseils Generaux (county councils) must present themselves for re-election in October. The Socialists, Communists, and some members of the MH-P. voted for a postponement of the elections in the Assembly Commission last week. Attendance at this meeting of the commission was small and, therefore, this vote should not be given great significance. The U.DSJt., on the other hand, the most Gaullist of the groups supporting the Government, has declared that it will leave the Government majority (which requires its votes to maintain a majority) if the elections are postponed.

M. Schuman has also declared against a postponement. The voting in October would reflect the big Gaullist success of the municipal elections of last October, at the expense of Socialists and MJtP. Councillors elected three years ago. The Government's solution of this problem, according to its spokesman, the Minister for Pensions.

M. Mitterand. is to leave it to the Assembly. If the Assembly wishes to change the present law it is for one of the parties concerned to bring forward a bilL The Government would not make it a matter of confidence qwo way ox tha other. EGYPTIANS RAID R.A.F.

AIRFIELD Four 'Planes Shot Down The Air Ministry announced on Saturday that four Egyptian aircraft had been shot down by A.F. Spitfire fighters in attacks during the day on Ramat David airfield, within the British evacuation area centred on Haifa. Three attacks were made, the first by a single Spitfire of the Egyptian Air Force. In the other two attacks R.A F. Spitfires had been alerted and shot down the attacking 'planes.

Four A F. airmen were killed in the raids, two A.F. men were seriously mured, and three were slightly injured. The four were buried with full military honours at the British military cemetery at Haifa yesterday. The Spitfires which intercepted the raiders were based on Cyprus and ail returned undamaged.

The A.F. fighter force on the island is being strengthened. We very much regret this incident." said the Foreign Office, "but we must emphasise that the airfield is well within the 20-mile radius which we laid dow as being our evacuation area The Egyptians say that the attack was a mistake. ARMIES JOIN UP Az7am Pasha said last night that an Egyptian flying column has joined up with the Arab Legion at Rachel's Tomb, two mi'es south of Jerusalem The column is striking considerably ahead of the main Egyptian force. It has few guns and armoured ears and operates more or less independently of the main force.

Reuter, Associated Press, and British United Press. MR. DEWEY CARRIES OREGON Defeat for Mr. Stassen Portland, Oregon, May 23. Mr.

Harold E. Stassen has conceded victory in the Oregon Republican fight for the Presidential nomination to Governor Thomas E. Dewey, of New York. With 82 per cent of the precincts reported, Mr. Dewey's total of votes was 92.316 with Mr.

Stassen at 85,695. It is regarded as an important victory for Governor Dewey. The Oregon primary election is looked upon as a test of the vote-drawing power of the two rivals. The campaign was one of the most bitterly fought in recent American political history. In the personal debate between Governor Dewey and Mr.

Stassen over the latter's proposal to outlaw the Communist partv in the United States Governor Dewev was held to have made a much better showing than Mr. Stassen, and this was one of the factors to his victory. Reuter. PLANE CRASHES ON COAST ROAD Two Men Killed The bodies of two men were dragged I from a blazing 'plane which crashed yesterday afternoon on the main Margate-Ramsgate coast road 20 vards from the Duke of Kent Hotel at Boughton. near Faversham.

Mr. J. E. Philpot, licensee of the hotel, told a reporter About five o'clock, I saw the 'plane, a cream biplane, flvine low. It appeared to be I trying to land on the road.

It hit some electric wires, crashed into the road. bounced, and caught fire as it landed again on the road. Guests from the i hotel with water, and motorists with extinguishers, tried to get near enough to rescue the two occupants, but the heat was too intense." The dead were Mr. L. R.

Chaplin, of Faversham Road. Kennington. near Ashford, and Mr Percy Kenneth French, of Batteries Farm, Lynsted, near Faversham Five men were injured and taken to hospital when a plane carrving a consignment of apricots crash-landed near Studham (Bedfordshire) last n.ght. FINGER-PRINT CHECK House-to-House Inquiry Into Blackburn Murder Detectives investigating the murder of June Anne Devaney, aged four, in the grounds of Queen's Park Hospital, Blackburn, are now making a house-to-house inquiry in which all men are being asked to give impressions of the left thumb and forefinger The inquiry as started yesterday in an area near the hospital, and last night Inspector W. Daws, one of the Scotland Yard officers in charge of the case, said it might be extended to the whole town.

"We want impressions of the left forefinger and thumb he said We give an undertaking that these impressions will not be used in any other inquiry and that they will be destroyed in due course. We are asking for the co-operation of the public, and we feel sure they will be anxious to I assist us in tracing the man responsible." Fingerprint experts were called to the hospital soon after the crime was discovered in the early hours of May 15, and thev are understood to have found impressions on panes of glass and on a bottle near the girl's cot CHILD FALLS 45FT. FROM BALCONY Charles R. S. Hayde (4).

of South Hill Road. Dingle. Liverpool, playing on the balcony of his tenement home last night when his mother thought he was in bed. climbed on to the rail, overbalanced, and fell 45ft. to the pavement flags.

He was stated to be in "a critical condition" with a fractured skuU at Smtth-dovn Road Hospital New York, May 23. The rising stoma of protest in this, country against Britain's arming of the Aiabs is moving from the news-pnprrs into the Senate, the White Ilnuv. and the American delegation it L.iko Success. Senator Styles Budges. Republican, of New Hampshire, announced on Friday that the Senate Appropriations of which he is chairman, would bfR.Fi to investigate cnarge and see how far Britain's present policy in Palest.

was made possible by the failure of thp Americans to "recapture miliums upofi millions of arms and munitions left in the Middle East after tne war This promise to examine the balance-hooks of Britain's Middle Eastern military establishment is nothing less than a tin eat lo reduce the flow of Anicr can help to Britain under the European Recovery Programme. For lus ornmitlce is the one that must the money already authorised by Congress. The moneys now being disbursed Europe are advanced by the Rei onstruction Finance Corporation. Senator Bridges in fact said that if it is proved that European Recovery Piogramme indirectly enables Britain to finance the Arabs it would be very appropriate" to trim the $1,324,000,000 now authorised for Britain. IGNOMINIOUS And in the Seriate Senator Brewster, of Maine, said I think our position in world affairs has been made sufficiently ignominious bv wh.it has heretufore happened without further adding to it by assisting a nation hich at Lake Success and in the Middle East is opposing what wc allege to be our pohc President Truman on his yacht on the Potomac is studying over the weekend the lifting the arms embargo to Isiael and receives hourly encouragement from his most powerful supporters in Congiess.

Senator Alben Barkley, of Kentucky, the Democratic leader in the Senate, who has been chosen to make his keynote speech at the Democratic convention in July, has urged the President to act at the earliest possible date The President has invited Dr. Chaim Weizmann. President of Israel, to come to the White House on Tuesday as his guest. The move came from the "White House and accords to Dr. Weizmann the prestige of the visiting head of a State.

He will stay Monday night at Blair House as the Government's official guest. QUESTION OF SANCTIONS At Lake Success, where the Security Council called one of its rare Saturday sessions, the United States delegation was beginning to stiffen in favour of and for the fust time seemed willing to admit that worse catastrophes could overtake Palestine than the arrival of Russian ticcps as part of a United Nations fon-e. This has been the I Anglo-American bugaboo. but the American deleeatian rinds its gibbering a good deal less fearful than the likely consequences of iguoi mg Congressional opinion and the cabled appeal of the Secuntv Councils own truce to take a realistic view and send a large and powerful neutral force into the Hob" Land. NO MENTION OF Lke Success, May 23.

The United St.ite; delegation to the United Nations has been instructed to Lring the Palestine case before the Security Council again if Jews and Arabs have not stopped fighting by 5 p.m. (B S.T. to-morrow. The ceasefire order adopted by the Council List night, with onlv the Syrian representative It is underMoou that the United States has not given up hope of forcing the United Nat. ons to recognise that there is a breach of the peace within the meaning of article 39 of the Charter, which involves the possible use of economic and military sanctions.

The Security Council yesterday refused to admit that there was such a breach in Palestine as the original American resolution would have had it- Russia, the Ukraine, France, and Colombia supported the American resolution, but the remainder of the Council, including Britain, abstained. Seven affirmative votes are necessary for a majority. REPLIES TO QUESTIONS The Security Council received the Arab and Jew.s'n replies to the questionnaire ask ng for information about military act.v ties in Palestine. The four Arab States Egypt. Iraq.

Syria, and the Lebanon all replied in. similar terms. They said they were operating in Palestine without any dis-crintination between areas where Jews or Arabs are in the majority as they considered Palestine as one State. Their military objectives were directed against the armed insurrection of Ziorist terrorist bands." and, they added, No negotiations can proceed with the Jewish authorities for bbv rjolitical settlement in Palestine as long as the Jews insist on a separate State." Mr. Aubrey Eban, for the Jewish Agency, said the provisional Government Israel exercised control ovex for it on of is to as do in at 8 having quit the mandate, think tne problem is now a United Nations responsibility.

But the United Nations is not a thing in itself; it is America and Britain and Russia and everv member nation "Britain at Lake Success clings to mediation and at the same time is upholding the British-Arab batner that is responsible for the lack of success ot mediation. If it maintains this policy it will condemn the United Nat ons to the same bankruptcy that overcame the League Nations. We are sure the British people, on reflection, want to see the United Nations survive. We are equally sure that by comparison they are not interested in the Arab League or the Arab Legion. It would be good for them to see the situation as it now coming into the open for all to watch Britain's Brigadier Cl.ivton sits will- the Aiab League, whose chief member, Egvpt has just triumbed its noe at the United Nations Britain's Brigadier Glubb runs the Arab Legion.

Thev are brth developing a policv whioh is playing into Soviet 1 ands. MR. BEVIN'S STUBBORNNESS "The enormity of the proceedings of Britain's Middle Eastern policy is compounded bv the acquiescence of the stubborn Foreign Secretary Bevin. Mr. Bevin seems to think he is a Palmerston in an age and in a period in British history which admits of no more Palmeistons.

At Scarborough he got a big hand for defending the Marshall Plan as the only alter-nve of another loan from America. It is fantastic- that Mr. Bevin should be allowed let Britain appear to the world to be more interested in behind-the-scenes membership of the Arab League than in friendship with Ame-ica and in behaving a pillar of the United Nations" This is onlv the most moderate of the press comment on Britain's policy in Palestine. Washington, the press, and the people now await a British veto in the Security Council ag3inst any use of sanctions to unloose a popular American revulsion against Btitain that would be unprecedented in these times and would, prodigious harrn to Britain's standing the Western Union, to her authority Lake Success, and to everv shop and warehouse America where Britain's exports stra to win a customer. ARTICLE 39 the entire area of the Jewish State laid down by the Genet al Assembly.

In addition, it exercised control over Jaffa, North-western Galilee, and the Jewish settlements to the Lebanese frontier, almost all of new Jerusalem, and of the Jewish quarter within the walls of the Old City of Jerusalem. Military operations had been carried out in area outside the State of Israel to repel aggression, and to prevent these areas from being used as bases for attacks against Israel, and to protect Jewish population, traffic, and economic life outside the area. Mr. Eban also said that the Jewish authorities would agree to an immediate and unconditional truce for the city of Jerusalem and the Holy Places Renter and Associated Press JEWISH AND ARAB RESPONSE Tel Aviv, May 23. A statement by the provisional Government of Israel issued here tonight said The Provisional Government cf Israel has ordered a cease-fire on all fronts as from 8 p.m.

local Jewish time. May 24. If the other side ceases fire at an earlier hour then the Jewish cease-fire order comes into effect at that earlier hour If after p.m. local time the other side does not cease fire the Jewish defence must continue." Later a general cease-fire order was given to all forces of the State of Israel on all fronts. In Tel Aviv, however.

Government quarters do not believe that the Arabs will comply with the Security Council's request. Reuter. Cairo, Mat 23. The Egyptian Foreign Minister, Ahmed Pasha, is flying to Amman to-morrow to join the Arab League Political Committee to discuss the cease fire order. Egypt, he said to-night, was doing her best to answer the Security Council within the 36-hour time It is being suggested here that the Arabs are not likely to accept Joe ceaae-fixev Rentery FRENCH BREAD RATION INCREASED Part of Plan to Lower Cosfc of Food From our own Correspondent Pms, May 23.

The French Government yesterday withdrew from Paris to the Chateau des Champs to discuss, in the calm of this country house belonging to the French Government, the accumulated problems of six months of the Coalition. The principal outcome of the Cabinet meeting was the announcement that the I bread ration would be raised from 200 grammes to 250 grammes (from a little i more than seven ounces to a little less I than nine ounces a day), with an I accompanying message of thanks to the unitea states lor making this possible. An increase of the bread ration before the harvest is surprising and probably means that the Government is not confident of its ability to make a reduction in the cost ot living in any other way. An increased bread ration" reduces the search for alternative and more expensive food or for forged bread tickets (which also involves additional expense). M.

Rene Mayer, Minister of Finance, appears to have reminded his colleagues of his difficulties in either increasing revenue or decreasing expenditure, in view of the opposition of one or other of the Coalition parties to the various possible solutions. The second half of the year promises to be financially more riifflrtrit than the first, waieh hat bees.