In Article 6 it states they shall encourage Jewish immigration, and if you did not do that you could not have Chairman BLOOM. Was that the convention? That was the mandate, was it not, which was embodied in the Convention? Mr. WRIGHT. The mandate was included in the convention. Chairman BLOOм. That is the convention signed by President Coolidge? Mr. WRIGHT. Yes, sir. I believe that the convention between the United States and Great Britain included the terms of the mandate. Chairman BLOOм. Oh, yes. Mr. WRIGHT. Then at the time it was contemplated there would be Jewish immigration. Dr. HITTI. Subject to this proviso, compliance with the memorandum submitted to the British Government. Even Feisal objected later. Mr. WRIGHT. Then I suppose you were also acquainted with the speech of Lord Balfour not long after the Balfour Declaration. I am quoting that to illustrate the purpose of the Balfour Declaration and I think that pretty generally states Chairman BLOOм. Did you put the date in there? Mr. WRIGHT. July 20, 1920. Chairman BLOOм. By Lord Balfour. Mr. WRIGHT. By Lord Balfour. Are you acquainted with the statement made by Prince Feisal on December 12, 1918? Now since that was the situation do you think there was any justification in shutting off immigration? Dr. HITTI. It has been multiplied by 10. Mr. WRIGHT. Was there any limitation at the time? Dr. HITTI. The idea of a politically converted Palestine into a Jewish commonwealth did not then loom high, not even in Weizmann's mind. Shall we talk frankly and freely? Chairman BLOOM. I thought we were. Mr. WRIGHT. I think we were all the time. Dr. HITTI. Feisal wanted to get some cooperation from the Jews. Feisal was not a diplomat; he made this bargain. You give us the Arabian Empire, you give us Mr. WRIGHT (interposing). The Jews [never opposed the concessions to the Arabs in Arabia. Dr. HITTI. No. Mr. WRIGHT. You agree the position of the Arabs is much better and if it had not been for General Allenby they would not have chased the Turks out. Dr. HITTI. Except Mr. WRIGHT (interposing). I have no desire to minimize contributions by the Arabs. Dr. HITTI. The point that we should never lose sight of is that Palestine has been occupied by people who are called Arabs. It is theirs by natural right. The people have the right of occupancy. They owned it before Christ. Mr. WRIGHT. As a practical matter the Arabs did not govern Palestine since the seventh century, although there may be some merit in what you say, but do you not think this makes a different situation? You spoke a while ago about telling the United States to make a Jewish home in Arizona. The United States governs Arizona. Dr. HITTI. I am taking exceptions, Mr. Chairman, to the statement the Arabs didn't rule Palestine. I wrote a history on the Arabs myself. Chairman BLOOM. The committee will be very glad to have a copy. Dr. HITTI. The Arabs were in control, but the point which I wish to bring out Mr. WRIGHT (interposing). May I just interject at that point? Mr. WRIGHT. You said you are a descendant from an ancient line? Mr. WRIGHT. Your own people were conquered by Arabs in the seventh century? Dr. HITTI. Yes. Mr. WRIGHT. Although you speak the Arabic tongue the people you speak for were subjected in the seventh century. Dr. HITTI. Yes; so far as Lebanon is concerned. It was practically an independent state. Our people after 1860 never contributed soldiers, or paid taxes to the Ottoman government. Chairman BLOOM. Pardon an interruption. The Chair would like to state that it would be well for you to get down to this resolution, because the gentleman has occupied an hour and a quarter. Mr. WRIGHT. Probably I am contributing to the delay. Chairman BLOOM. No; please continue with the resolution. Dr. HITTI. This is my last point, this Balfour Declaration to which you attach so much importance is sandwiched in between other promises to the Arabs. In this legal tangle the Palestinan Arab is the forgotten man Mr. WRIGHT. Did these promises ever mention Palestine? Dr. HITTI. Never by name. At that time the British made several promises including a promise to themselves, so we have too many promises. Mr. WRIGHT. The only public document we have which was agreed to is that which was agreed to by signatories to the League of Nations. Dr. HITTI. How about the League of Nations covenant article 22? Mr. WRIGHT. Since the mandate has been established the Arab population has increased from 600,000 to a million. Dr. HITTI. Almost correct; yes. Mr. WRIGHT. There can be no justification that the Jews are driving the Arabs out. You do not say that there can be any fear of the Jews. Dr. HITTI. The fear is based on such Zionist statements as the advertisement in the New York Times and the book entitled "Middle East: The Cross Roads." They said definitely the proposition is to transfer two or three million Arabs. Mr. WRIGHT. Is that an official statement by anyone responsible? Chairman BLOOM. No. Dr. HITTI. But that advertisement appeared. Mr. WRIGHT. You are not responsible for everything anyone might say. Dr. HITTI. No; but when I refer to the Arabs I find myself thinking Mr. WRIGHT (interposing). It is quite possible there may be various opinions but I think we should consider the practical opinion. Dr. HITTI. There is an article in Foreign Affairs (January 1942) by Dr. Weizmann saying the transfer of the Arabs would be facilitated Mr. WRIGHT. There are a million there now. Dr. HITTI. Correct. Mr. WRIGHT. That is all. Chairman BLOOM. Mrs. Bolton. Mrs. BOLTON. No questions. Chairman BLOOM. Doctor, you are acquainted with the convention, the treaty of 1925, which was signed by President Coolidge? Dr. HITTI. No, sir. Chairman BLOOM. Yes; in 1925 the convention between the United States and Great Britain. Dr. HITTI. Yes. Chairman BLOOM. You made the statement here the United States is so concerned about that thing that it seems to be just agitation. If we have a convention signed by the President of the United States, call it a treaty or whatever you want, they live up to the promises. Dr. HITTI. Yes. Chairman BLOOM. Do not articles 1, 2, and 7 specifically cover immigration? Dr. HITTI. The convention was in 1925. Chairman BLOOM. There has always been immigration. On pages 18 and 19 it is the Covenant signed by President Coolidge and, I think, Chamberlain. You would not have any objection to the United States asking that all portions are carried out? Dr. HITTI. Which particular articles have been violated? Chairman BLOOM. I will have the clerk read articles 1, 2, and 7, from page 18. (The clerk thereupon read articles 1, 2, and 7 from p. 18:) ARTICLE 1 Subject to the provisions of the present convention the United States consents to the administration of Palestine by His Britannic Majesty, pursuant to the mandate recited above. ARTICLE 2 The United States and its nationals shall have and enjoy all the rights and benefits secured under the terms of the mandate to members of the League of Nations and their nationals, notwithstanding the fact that the United States is not a member of the League of Nations. ARTICLE 7 Nothing contained in the present convention shall be affected by any modification which may be made in the terms of the mandate, as recited above, unless such modification shall have been assented to by the United States. Chairman BLOOM. Now if the British Government according to the convention and the mandate have done things which they should not have done without the consent of the United States, do you not think the Congress should ask the British Government to adhere to the mandate of the convention of 1925? Dr. HITTI. Absolutely. Chairman BLOOM. Would you concede immigration and conditions and things that have been existing have nothing to do with this? Dr. HITTI. So far as I now see there is nothing in the 1939 white paper to modify its terms. Chairman BLOOM. Doctor, if they restrict immigration, if you say there shall not be any immigration or limited immigration whatever, if it is contrary to the articles as contained in this convention of 1925 without the consent of the United States, would you say that is wrong and the United States has a right to make their objection? Dr. HITTI. Your question implies that in the mandate there was a provision for an unlimited admission of Jews. Chairman BLOOM. I just took the word of the mandate and the convention. Dr. HITTI. Yes. Chairman BLOOM. If there was any change in the mandate or convention without the consent of the United States, the United States Government has a right to protest. Is that all right? Dr. HITTI. Absolutely. Chairman BLOOM. We have a right to protest in that regard and the Government of the United States has the right to suggest to the British Government the advisability of living up to the agreement. Dr. HITTI. I am beginning to analyze this Chairman BLOOм. We are not analyzing. Dr. HITTI. It is a theoretical matter. Chairman BLOOM. What I am trying to make clear here is, Do we have the right to do that or not, if the British Government has done anything contrary to the convention of 1925 with reference to anything contained therein then the United States has the right to protest? Dr. HITTI. I agree to that, in theory. The resolution Chairman BLOOM. We are asking the British Government to reconstitute Palestine in a Jewish home-check me on the sections. Mr. WRIGHT. Sections 14 and 15 of the mandate. Dr. HITTI. Will you read it? Chairman BLOOM. The Chair wishes to state that Mr. Wadsworth is next, but until he returns the Chair will recognize Dr. Pfeifer. Dr. PFEIFER. Doctor, you are an American citizen? Dr. HITTI. Yes. Dr. PFEIFER. You believe in civilization? Dr. HITTI. In civilization, I hope I do. Dr. PFEIFER. Do you believe in the democratic way of life? Dr. HITTI. Absolutely. Dr. PFEIFER. You are happy over the fact of the Arabs being removed from the Turkish yoke? Dr. HITTI. Absolutely. Dr. PFEIFER. Before you made the statement about speaking frankly, the Arabs were allowed there and the fact that they were permitted to come into Palestine simply for one reason on account of what they got from the Jews. Dr. HITTI. I did not say that. Dr. PFEIFER. Did you not say the Arab rejection was the fact that immigration was permitted into Palestine by the Jews for one reason, simply to get what you could from the Jewish immigrants. Is that right? Dr. HITTI. No. 95149-44-17 Dr. PFEIFER. The population of Palestine, Doctor, as you stated, numbers about a million. I mean as far as the Arabs are concerned. Dr. HITTI. Correct. Dr. PFEIFER. In the past 25 years it increased almost double. Dr. PFEIFER. And that increase was due to one thing-the immigrant Jew? Dr. HITTI. No, sir. Dr. PFEIFER. What made the Arabs inhabit Palestine to a greater extent? Dr. HITTI. The regime was very good. Obviously there were better public health conditions, not due to the Zionist activities but due to mandatory power. Because of that fact the Arabs contributed much to the population of Palestine and to blame it entirely on the Zionists is unfair. Dr. PFEIFER. Do you not think the greater degree of improvement was due to the Zionist immigrant? Dr. HITTI. They did not produce much improvement except in their colonies. Dr. PFEIFER. Did not the Arabs go to Palestine to get help? Dr. HITTI. No, sir; because the Jewish economy is more or less of a closed shop. Many of the Arabs were dispossessed by the purchase of their lands. Chairman BLOOM. They sold it of their own free will. Dr. PFEIFER. They did. Dr. HITTI. They were dispossessed and did not know where to go. They were refused employment in the Jewish shops because they were not Jews. Dr. PFEIFER. Do you not believe if the Jews did not immigrate to Palestine today Palestine would be sparsely settled? Dr. HITTI. No; if you notice the increase in population in Lebanon, Iraq, Egypt, where there was no Jewish immigration. Dr. PFEIFER. Doctor, we are interested solely in Palestine. Is it not true the land itself showed a remarkable depreciation in value and of use while under the Arabian rule; did not the Arabs neglect their own land to such a degree it became uninhabitable? Dr. HITTI. No, I beg to differ with you. The comparison has often been made between Jewish and non-Jewish lands in Palestine. There were Jews in Palestine before the Zionists, and you will find there is very little difference between their lands and the Arabs' lands. Dr. PFEIFER. This small area of Palestine measures about what, 10,000 square miles? Dr. HITTI. Approximately. Dr. PFEIFER. Today Palestine is an outstanding portion of territory. Is it so outstanding, the fact that the Arabian regime made it so or because the Jewish immigrants through their hard labor converted it into a Holy Land? Dr. HITTI. You mean outstanding in getting headlines in the paper? Dr. PFEIFER. The land, the beautiful cities are now shining cities of the world. Do you think that was due to the Arabs or the Jewish immigrants? Dr. HITTI. I would not admit it except insofar as Jewish colonies. The Arabs say, "We would not barter our independence for the sake |