Triangular Round Table

In the U. S., back in the early days of NRA, brash General Hugh Samuel Johnson used to settle labor difficulties by locking the employes' representatives in one room, employers in another, himself shuttling back and forth. If such could be called Round Table Conferences, then a Round Table Conference was held in London last week--on the Palestine question.

In and out of dark, crenelated St. James's Palace slipped separate, silent groups of Saudi Arabs in crisp brown silk robes and white headdresses, Yemen Arabs in turbans and black-and-green cloaks, Egyptians in scarlet fezzes, Jews in business suits, British diplomats in morning coats and silk toppers. On the eve of the "Conference" they split into three camps (Jews, "Defense" Arabs, "Mufti" Arabs), shut themselves into separate chambers and let the British diplomats shuttle.

Particularly distressing was the Arab split. Both parties were agreed that Palestine should be independent. But the faction under the exiled Mufti of Jerusalem has long tried to achieve that end by terrorism, while the Defense Arabs, under two leaders, Fakhri Bey Nashashibi and his uncle Ragheb, wanted negotiation. The Mufti Arabs refused to negotiate with the Defense Arabs, whom they would shoot on sight in Palestine. By diligent shuttling Colonial Secretary Malcolm MacDonald finally got them together.

But the "Conference" was already off on the wrong foot. Arabs refused to sit in the same room with the Jews.* On the first day the Arabs appealed to Allah, the Jews to Jehovah, and the British, diplomatic as ever, to common sense. Zionist Spokesman Dr. Chaim Weizmann declared that under the Balfour Declaration and League of Nations mandate, the Jews have a material and moral right to a permanent national home in Palestine, particularly now when the refugee problem is so critical. Arab Spokesman Jamal al Husseini said the mandate was a flop, that Arabs had squatter's rights 2,000 years old. The demands were mutually incompatible, the demanders adamant.

Jealousy among the various Arab delegates--from Palestine, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Trans-Jordan, Yemen--broke out next. It was learned that Palestinian Defense Leader Ragheb Bey Nashashibi had "caught cold"--not from dank British weather but from heat put on him by representatives of surrounding States.

At week's end Mr. MacDonald shuttled to the hotel to see the ailing Ragheb Bey Nashashibi. By then the Defense Leader was so miserable that he sent out word that he was sound asleep. To open his eyes, Mr. MacDonald sent him a bunch of big red roses.

*On the fifth floor of London's Park Lane Hotel was the U. S. delegation of Jews led by Rabbi Stephen S. Wise, just under their deadly enemies the Arabs, just above their equally deadly enemy, Nazi Labor Front Leader Robert Ley.

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