HC Deb 26 April 1920 vol 128 cc846-7
80. Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHY

I 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. PALMER

May 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. SPEAKER

If he puts his name down as being a Lieut.-Colonel I should certainly refer to him as gallant.

Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHY

When 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. SPEAKER

If 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. SPEAKER

Any further points of Order must be raised at the conclusion of questions.

Mr. CHURCHILL

I 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.