867N.00/410: Telegram

The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Bingham) to the Secretary of State

513. Embassy’s despatch 2404, July 31. Palestine Royal Commission left yesterday due Jerusalem November 11.

[Page 453]

In the House of Commons yesterday the Colonial Secretary rejected, as unjustifiable on economic grounds and as likely to prejudice the work of the Royal Commission, the view that immigration should be suspended. But in view of conditions in Palestine the High Commissioner had been asked to take a conservative view for the immediate future of the absorptive capacity of the country. The British Government accepted his recommendation that the 6 months quota should be reduced from about 8,000 to 1,850 including 300 German Jews already in Palestine who had been unable to obtain transfer of their capital from Germany and must technically rank as immigrants. Full text by pouch.

Bingham