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Immigration has gone far beyond the absorptive capacity of the country. Yet it still
increases. Those figures are official. But they would be much greater if the Jews who
have entered the country illicitly were included."
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"Britain has 100 million Arabs and Moslems. They are being alienated by Zionism.
Throughout the world there are 350 million Mohammedans. Palestine to them is a sacred
land. It is important that British policy does not antagonize them.
Since Italy is establish in Abyssinia the route through the Suez is no longer
permanently safe for British shipping.
Britain must have an alternative route from the Mediterranean to India and her other
Eastern possessions, and that route lies through Arab lands. Their friendship is essential
for the solidarity of British imperialism. But at present there is an increasing hostility to
Britain because of the administration in Palestine.
Syria and Transjordania joined the general strike, collected funds for it, organized
protests. In Iraq the Arabs have formed committees to collect funds and to co-operate
with the Arabs in Palestine. These Arabs threaten to march to the assistance of the Arabs
in Palestine. The tribes are armed and war-like.
In Iraq the Officers of the army (which is Arab) state that they cannot hold
their men much longer unless Jewish immigration to Palestine is stopped."
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"We demand a constitutional government in which the populations will be represented
proportionally to their numbers.
Under the mandate it was obligatory on Britain to establish self-governing institutions.
Owing to Jewish pressure that has never been done.
We have, indeed, less freedom of Government under Britain than we had under the Turks.
We have appealed to Britain for 18 years."
In the conflict between Jew and Arab, "Lawrence of Arabia" is being freely spoken of.
King Feisal added a footnote in Arabic to the agreement signed in London on
January 3, 1919, and it is being circulated that Lawrence "mellowed it down"
considerably in his translation.
We give first Lawrence's translation, and then a translation made direct from
King Feisal's own handwriting.
Being unable to read English, Feisal added a protective footnote to the treaty in
Arabic. This, translated by Lawrence on to Dr. Weizmann's copy and signed later by
Feisal, reads as follows:--
"If the Arabs are established, as I have asked in my manifesto of January 4th
addressed to the British Secretary of State of Foreign Affairs, I will carry out what is
written in this agreement. If changes are made I cannot be answerable for failing to carry
out this agreement."
A photographic copy of Feisal's own Arabic reveals stronger sentiments. It reads:--