867N.01/1619: Telegram
The Consul at Geneva (Everett) to the Secretary of State
[Received June 30—2:14 p.m.]
186. Consulate’s telegram No. 181, June 22, 5 p.m. The Mandates Commission has terminated its session. I have obtained from a reliable source the following summary of the Commission’s position relative to Palestine.
During the discussions Rappard, Orts, Van Asbeck and Dannevig expressed opposition to the policy laid down in the British White Paper, considering it as being incompatible from several standpoints with the terms of the Mandate.
Lord Hankey defended the British position and Giraud while not taking an active part appeared to lend his support. Palacios though present at Geneva did not attend the meetings due to the attitude of the present Spanish Government towards the League.
An endeavor was made to draw up formal observations, Penha Garcia attempting to find a compromise between these two opposing views. Being unsuccessful in reaching unanimity and preferring not to submit a majority and a minority opinion the Commission decided that the report to the Council should merely refer the latter to the minutes of the session2 from which the Council could draw its own conclusions.
- Permanent Mandate Commission, Minutes of Thirty-Sixth Session, June 8–29, 1939.↩