§ 80. Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYI beg on behalf of my hon. and gallant Friend (Lieut.-Colonel Malone) to ask the Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs whether any steps have been taken to select for any of the administrative posts in Palestine men who are Jews or of Jewish extraction?
Mr. PALMERMay I ask, Mr. Speaker, whether it is correct to describe as an hon. and gallant Member of this House one who has ceased to hold his Majesty's Commission?
§ Mr. SPEAKERIf he puts his name down as being a Lieut.-Colonel I should certainly refer to him as gallant.
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYWhen an officer has held His Majesty's commission during the War, and has been in action with the enemy on repeated occasions, is he not entitled to keep the courtesy title of gallant in this House?
§ Mr. SPEAKERIf the hon. Member describes himself upon his question as being a Lieut.-Colonel, presumably he is a Lieut.-Colonel. That being so, the House would naturally refer to him as gallant.
§ Several hon. Members rose.
§ Mr. SPEAKERAny further points of Order must be raised at the conclusion of questions.
§ Mr. CHURCHILLI have been asked to reply. The administration in Palestine is military, and the posts are filled from personnel drawn from the Egyptian Expeditionary Force. This personnel is naturally of different religious denominations. It is anticipated that the military administration will remain until the ultimate settlement of Palestine is decided by the Peace Conference, when civil administration will take its place. In the meanwhile the names of certain men who are Jews or of Jewish extraction are under consideration for employment in the latter administration.