U.N. Warned by Britain on Partition, United Press, San Francisco Chronicle, Dec. 12, 1947

LONDON, Dec. 11 (U.P.)—Colonial Secretary Arthur Creech Jones, confirming Britain’s decision to lay down its Palestine mandate about May 15, warned today that the United Nations Commission which takes over the riot-torn country may have to invoke the authority of the Security Council to impose partition.

This implicitly was a warning that the U. N. may have to decide whether to use armed force to impose partition on the Arabs.

Opening a two-day full dress debate in Commons on Palestine, Creech Jones reaffirmed that Britain will not help the U. N. impose partition on the Arabs, criticized the lack of U. N. action to back up its partition decision and showed plainly the strong resentment Britain holds against the position in which it has been placed.

BRITISH TROOPS

He invited the U. N. Partition Commission to keep out of Palestine until about two weeks before the mandate ends, and said Britain would use its troops to maintain order in the country, after its mandate ends, only in those parts where its evacuating troops happen to remain.

U. N.’s plan to partition Palestine into Arab and Jewish states provides for a five-nation commission to take over responsibility from the British and, in turn, hand over legal authority to the new Arab and Jewish governments.

Oliver Stanley, opening debate for the Conservatives, demanded that Britain instead of consulting the U. N. on the exact date—about May 15—for laying down the mandate, set its own date and get out even before May 15 if possible.

TIME TABLE

The time table in Palestine, as Creech Jones outlined it, is-

February or March—British troops start to withdraw.

Mid-April—Full scale evacuation starts.

About May 1—U. N. Commission arrives.

About May 15—Britain ends mandate and U. N. assumes full responsibility.

August 1—Britain completes withdrawal of 70,000 troops.

Creech Jones said flatly that Britain would not share control of Palestine with the U. N. or any other organization until its troop evacuation was well under way.