but the powers that signed that issued a mandate to England; therefore the mandate is simply confirmed.

Doctor SHATARA. The mandate has not been ratified by the League of Nations yet, and they expect on the 25th of April it will come up for discussion.

Mr. COOPER. The mandate was issued to England.

Doctor SHATARA. But not ratified yet.

Mr. COOPER. I know it has not been ratified; but in so far as issuing the mandate is concerned, that affirms the Balfour declaration.

Mr. REED. There is another native Palestinian here, a law student.

(Additional statement of Doctor Shatara is as follows:)

We, the members of the Palestine National League, Americans by naturalization and Palestinians by birth, respectfully beg to submit for your consideration on behalf of the non-Jewish inhabitants of Palestine some important facts concerning the country of our birth which we believe have not been generally recognized, and which, in our opinion, ought to be given careful consideration when the status and disposition of that country come up for final settlement.

While we recognize that the United States has not and probably never will enter the League of Nations, we feel that for several valid reasons our Government will and should have her wishes considered in the final disposition of the status of Palestine. This is borne out by more than one statement issued by the State Department regarding the interest of the United States, the principal associated power, in the disposition of the territory which once formed the Turkish Empire. Palestine is specifically mentioned in these statements.

Moreover, Palestine is the Holy Land to Christian America, and as ex-Commissioner John Finley stated after his return from Palestine, it is too precious to revert to the followers of one creed or religion. Similar opinions have been expressed by the late Pope, by Cardinal Mercier, by Cardinal Bourne, by Bishop McInnes. Anglican bishop of Jerusalem, by the Rev. Dr. Herbert Adams Gibbons, by the Reverend Doctor Peters, by the Rev. Abraham M. ̧ Rihbany, and by others.

Furthermore, we believe that the principle of safeguarding right against might, for which the United States entered the war, has been trampled upon by the giving of what is known as the Balfour promise, upon which the Zionists base their hopes.

It is needless to submit in detail the arguments against Zionism, which are numerous and valid, but a few salient facts should be emphasized. It is the common impression in America that Palestine is a Jewish country, but nothing is further from the truth. There are about 70,000 Jews in Palestine, about 7 per cent of the existing population and about 5 per cent of the number of Jews in New York City. The overwhelming majority of Palestinians are uncompromisingly opposed to Zionism and the orthodox Jews of Palestine look with disfavor upon the Zionist movement. Palestine is a land of shrines sacred to Christians and Mohammedans. The Jews have little more than a few colonies which are still maintained by charitable support of Jews in Europe and America.

Historically Palestine was under Jewish rule from David's time to the fall of Samaria, under Shalmanezar III in 722 B. C., or, roughly, 250 years. After that the Jews regained independence only under the restless rule of the Maccabees, which lasted less than a century. On the other hand, the present inhabitants of the land are descended from a stock which goes back to the time before the Jews invaded the country and have remained in it long after the Jews ceased to be a nation, a period of about 2,000 years. To use the argument of Lloyd-George, "there is a limit to the title of property." Commenting on this, the London Morning Post of March 3, 1922, states:

"An Enoch Arden who has been away from home for 2,000 years does not come back with a title which the present possessor could be expected to recognize as overriding his own."

Furthermore, the Jews never occupied all Palestine, and the very name is taken from the Philistines, the arch enemies of the Jews. To turn over a country to a people who occupied it for about 350 years and ignore the wishes of the people who have lived in it for about 2,000 years is not only unjust but sets a dangerous precedent.

The claim that the Zionists will make an oasis out of barren Palestine is both erroneous and misleading. Palestine has more than 70 inhabitants per square mile, whereas the United States, with its rich natural resources, has

Liberal Government will put forth every effort to assist the national task of the Jews in full accord with the great allies of Greece. Apart from the motives of sympathy which we have had for the Jewish race, a new bond is now added. Among other points in common, the Jewish race and the Greek race have that of both belonging with those races which have ceased to be subjected to persecution. At this moment when Hellenism has been literally led to exhaustion by the barbarians of the East, I address with emotion to the Jewish race all my wishes for their establishment as a nation."

HOLLAND.

Mr. Jacobus Kann, president of the Dutch Zionist Federation, was authorized by the Dutch Government to declare that it is sympathetic toward Zionist aspirations.

SIAM.

The Zionist organization of America received the text of a statement issued by the Siamese Government expressing its approval of the plan to establish in Palestine a national homeland for the Jewish people. The statement was issued to Mr. E. S. Kadoorie, one of the leading bankers of China and president. of the Shanghai Zionist Association, by H. R. H. Prince Devawongse Varopakar, Siamese minister for foreign affairs. It reads as follows:

FOREIGN OFFICE, Bangkok, August 22, 1918.

DEAR SIR: I have the honor to state that the Royal Siamese Government expresses its accord with the sympathetic position taken by its allies with reference to the establishment of Palestine as a national home for the Jewish people and, in cooperation with the allied powers, will use its best endeavors to facilitate the achievement of this object, it being clearly understood that nothing will be done that may prejudice the civil or religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine.

I am, very truly yours,

CHINA.

DEVAWONGSE.

The Zionist organization of America received a cablegram from Mr. E. S. Kadoorie, president, and N. E. B. Ezra, secretary of the Shanghai Zionist Association, informing it that on December 14, 1918, the Chinese Government had officially indorsed the project for establishing a Jewish homeland in Palestine. The text of the Chinese indorsement is as follows:

66

The Chinese Government expresses its complete accord with Great Britain's proposals for the restoration of Palestine as the national home of the Jewish people, it being clearly understood that nothing shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine or the rights and political status enjoyed by Jews in any other country, and will cooperate with her allies at the Peace Conference in the attaining of that object."

JAPAN.

The Government of Japan authorized its ambassador to Great Britain to announce its approval of the project to establish in Palestine a Jewish national homeland, in accordance with the principles enunciated in the Balfour declaration of November 2, 1917.

STATEMENT OF DR. FUAD I. SHATARA, 153 CLINTON STREET, BROOKLYN, N. Y.

Doctor SHATARA. My occupation is surgeon.

Mr. COCKRAN. Were you born in this country?

Doctor SHATARA. No, sir, Palestine; but I am an American citizen and graduated from an American college.

Mr. MOORES. Columbia University?

Doctor SHATARA. Yes, sir; but my father and mother and brother are in Palestine, and when I hear Mr. Goldberg speak about the miseries of the Jews throughout the world it reminded me of my father and mother suffering during the late war because of their proally sympathy. They were deported to Asia Minor and suffered a great deal, and we are willing to share with Mr. Goldberg some

of the miseries of the Jews of this country and elsewhere. It is nothing to compare with the miseries that the people went through within Palestine during the war and before the war under the oppression of the Turks. Is it any wonder, gentlemen, that we have not made any progress? Any native who dared express any liberal ideas was forced to evacuate and leave the country. Any foreigner who tried to accomplish something in Palestine was opposed by the heavy taxation which made it impossible to develop the land, and even up to the present date most of the Jewish colonies that Mr. Goldberg has mentioned were managed by Arab labor. Arab labor has created Jewish colonies, but I have seen in one of the Zionist reports on the Zionist colonies in Palestine in spite of the help from outside countries that they are up to this date not self-supporting. They demand outside subsidy.

Gentlemen, the word "Palestine" itself is taken from the word "Philistine." The Philistines were the arch enemies of the Jews. I am a Semite myself. I can not be accused of anti-Semitism at all. I can not be accused of being against the Jews, for several reasons. I have spoken to Jews themselves who are opposed to the Zionist movement. Do you know that when Lord Northcliffe recently visited Palestine a delegation of native Jews in Palestine went to Northcliffe and protested against the Zionists?

Hon. Henry Morgenthau, in World's Work in July, published a strong article against Zionism, in which he states it is the most stupendous failure in Jewish history, wrong in economics and in spiritual aspirations.

Recently Sir Stuart Samuel, brother of the high commissioner to Palestine, brother of Sir Herbert Samuel, in an interview published in the Daily Mail of February 18, makes out a case against Zionism and advises the Jews to keep out of Palestine because they say it means added trouble to them. Mr. COCKRAN. Whom do you mean by they?

Doctor SHATARA. The Jews. Lots of Jews thought Palestine was a paradise and found things were otherwise when they go there. All that is a beautiful dream and vision, and I admit it is when you read it on paper, but applied in practice they find it far from what they have been led to believe it is.

Mr. FISH. I understand that you referred to Sir Stuart Samuel. He has denied that statement.

Doctor SHATARA. I have not seen the denials.

Mr. COOPER. Has that been officially denied?

Mr. LIPSKY. An interview published in a London newspaper attributed certain statements to Sir Stuart Samuel. Subsequently, Sir Stuart Samuel issued an official denial of that interview published in the same newspaper.

Doctor SHATARA. I have not seen the denial. I might also mention that a few years ago a Member of this House, Julius Kahn, came out against Zionism in 1918 or 1919. When President Wilson left for Europe a protest of Zionists was handed to him and signed by Jews only, among them Adolph Ochs, editor of the New York Times, the late Professor Jastrow, Julius Kahn, and several others. Gentlemen, you see the idea is this

Mr. COCKRAN. Did Otto Kahn sign it?

Doctor SHATARA. Not Otto; Representative Julius Kahn. What I am trying to get at is this: This is Jewish. We are not against the Jews. The Jews before this Zionist movement lived with us in friendly and neighborly harmony, and we shared with them our rights and privileges in the land and our duties. The difference between our proposition and the Zionist proposition is that Palestine is a home for the Palestinians who have been in the land for 2,000 years, descended from the stock in Palestine before the Jews invaded, and they persisted long after the Jews ceased to be a nation. As Lloyd-George once said, there is a limit to the title of property; and, as one of the northern papers recently said, if one does not go back home for 2,000 years he can not expect to go back with a title over persons who are making Palestine a homeJews, Christians, and Mohammedans. We do not discriminate against anybody. The Zionist proposition is different. We maintain these people who have borne the oppression of Turkey for many years are now entitled to develop their home land and, in justice, they should be given a trial. They have never had a chance. Give them 10 years and try what they will do with help. Nobody could do anything under Turkey.

These colonists, most of them, had immunities which the natives—the farmers in Palestine-did not have, and consequently they throve when the natives did not.

Mr. COCKRAN. What immunities? That is very important.

Doctor SHATARA. I can not specify the immunities, but during the Turks' régime capitulations, certain rights, concessions were granted foreigners of various organizations. They were allowed to have their own post offices, and they were exempted from taxation, or they were taxed very lightly, and there were other privileges,

Mr. COCKRAN. Those were not extended to Jews?

Doctor SHATARA. I think they were.

Mr. LIPSKY, No; these were the rights extended to foreign governments.

Doctor SHATARA. But these Jewish colonists were extended immunities because subsidized.

Mr. COCKRAN. Subsidized?

Doctor SHATARA, I mean also that they were given certain immunities.

Mr. COCKRAN. What were they? That is an important matter.

Doctor SHATARA, I think they were not taxed as heavily as the Palestinians. MP, COCKRAN. On what basis was the differentiation made?

Doctor SHATARA. On the basis that they were foreign colonists.

Mr. COCKRAN. That the Jews were foreign colonists?

Doctor SHATARA. Yes, sir.

Mr. COCKRAN. Was there a different kind of taxation for the foreign colonist from the native farmer?

Doctor SHATARA, I think so,

ME. COCKRAN. That is a very important matter. That is a fact we can ascerfalu and have verified. Otherwise we can not consider a mere thought in the matter.

Doctor SHATARA, I can look it up.

M COOKHAN. I hope you will.

Doctor NHLAPARA, A word about these massacres that Mr. Goldberg referred To As you have seen, after the Jaffa massacre, which was one main riot, there wins an official commission headed by Sir Thomas Haycraft appointed to invesForte Thom Plots. This commission was perfectly neutral, reported on all those Flobe, and that is the report from which the chairman has read. I might here alate flurt these are some of the posters circulated there, to use a surgical term, is the exciting cause for these riots: “Long live the Communist Internationale; Toms Live the free women of the Communist Society; Down with the English

Thom posters were circulated in Palestine, and are the exciting or the Immatiate cause, as you choose to call it, for these main riots.

AFC COCKHAN. You do not attribute this to the Jewish colonists?
Proctor MITAFARA. Yes, sir.

AFC Clock#VN. The men who had property themselves circulated these cirFular #articit property?

Fodor **X*XEX I do not know about property. They were probably people Fyrved ludo Palestine by Zionists.

Af Therave What proof have you that they were Zionists?

Towing BVFARA. This was established by the Thomas Haycraft commis

afe Pluckeye How does he do it?

14 Xxxxx This be an official report.

afc Ecat Ome would think you assumed the Arabs were trying to protect Hu-fulfide and the conflict between the Arabs and Jews was the result of trying be protect the British. be that what you try to make out against the Jewish

FOTO PREVEXHA No: but those things were irritating to the Arabs and Put the flot and, as Mr. Goldberg began to say, there was a fight among To for themardver at frst.

AFC Fanare MTC Cloldborg says these were circulated by Bolsheviki-50 in all and the uptodon was that they had been sent there for that express

Prevex Edo not know that he can substantiate it.

At Espree The you think the Jew, the owner of private property and proridutty # ToHever in private property, would circulate any law that would plate property?

AF ESGID# For your bottove in Mr. Goldberg's explanation, or do you believe Hot plate ornets of property would circulate communist circulars?

Doctor SHATARA. I do not think the Zionist colonies are mainly private property. I think they are mainly owned by or the plan is to have them sort of State property. I do not think it is a private-property plan.

Mr. COCKRAN. Then what would you think would be the use of issuing circulars against a plan of which they were a part; that they would circulate those incendiary documents inciting violence against the system of which they were themselves part?

The CHAIRMAN. A paragraph in this report will give you the facts. I will read it into the record, because we do not want to print the whole report. It reads as follows:

"During October and the beginning of November, 1920, there were outbreaks of labor trouble among the Jews in Jaffa. There was at this time a considerable amount of unemployment among recently arrived immigrants, and the M. P. S., who were able to work upon the feelings of these dissatisfied men, aggravated the trouble where they did not originate it."

Who are the M. P. S.?

Doctor SHATARA. The Socialist Labor Party.

The CHAIRMAN (continuing):

"who were able to work upon the feelings of these dissatisfied men, aggravated the trouble where they did not originate it. On the 7th of November the M. P. S. had become so emboldened that they placarded Jaffa and Tel Aviv with locally printed posters in which they called upon all laborers in Palestine to take part in social revolution, to have nothing more to do with the slaves of the British bayonet,' and to celebrate the 7th of November, the anniversary of the establishment of soviet rule in Russia, with a half day's abstention from work. The poster ended with the following sentiments."

Substantially as quoted by the witness.

Doctor SHATARA. About the question of whether Zionism would trespass upon the rights of Palestinians or not

Mr. KENNEDY (interposing). Have you been in Palestine recently?
Doctor SHATARA. I have been in this country since 1914.

Mr. KENNEDY. Not in Palestine since then?

Doctor SHATARA. No, sir. But we get these reports constantly from Palestine, and I might mention that we have now in London a delegation of native Palestinians who have been protesting to the British Goverment against the Balfour declaration, and I might say that sentiment in England is greatly changing in our favor. Several members of the House of Commons and of the British Government who previously had come out in favor of the Balfour declaration are coming out against it now, and I might say that it has been urged in England now to send a committee to make an impartial inquiry regarding Palestine. Neither the British Parliament nor the French Senate have as yet ratified the Balfour declaration which is included in the mandate. I have here a cable from a French Senator, Senator Dominique Delahaye, that they are opposed to a mandate which ignores France, and I really am surprised that the United States, which has kept aloof from foreign entanglements should take this step in indorsing the Balfour declaration, and demanding steps that neither Great Britain, nor France, nor the League of Nations has yet taken. They are waiting, maybe, to send a committee of inquiry into the conditions before the Parliament takes this matter up, and if the United States Congress goes on record as indorsing this, they would have taken steps which neither the British nor the French have as yet taken.

The CHAIRMAN. Proceed.

Doctor SHATARA. I would also, while talking on this point, mention that during the Wilson administration

Mr. COOPER (interposing). Did not the English Government in substance approve the Balfour declaration at the time it was issued?

Doctor SHATARA. Yes, sir.

Mr. COOPER. And they approved it in the darkest hour of the war for the British Government.

Doctor SHATARA. Yes, sir.

Mr. COOPER. So the British Government did approve the Balfour declaration You said a moment ago that neither the British nor the French Government approved it.

Doctor SHATARA. May I finish that?

Mr. COOPER. Did not the British Government when the Balfour declaration was issued approve it?

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