Lawrence of Arabia, Zionism and Palestine - The World War I ...

Ï
ZIONISM AND PALESTINE 111
nearest approach to a world conscience hitherto evolved
by humanity. No man (as Aristotle wrote), deliberates
about that which cannot be otherwise. The Mandate
stands; but if the facts I have endeavoured to record
have any significance, they may point to the possibility,
without heroic measures (which no one has yet been able
to suggest), of easing its application.
A solution that has been discussed, and of which the
logical reasons and advantages have of late been ingeniously
elaborated, is that of Cantonization, Partition
or Division, whereby the Jews in the Maritime Plains
and the Arabs in the Hill Country would form two more
or less self-governing communities or cantons, with
certain matters reserved, and a general supervision
exercised by a High Commissioner in a neutralized
and directly administered Jerusalem. The theory,
though apparently unassailable when taken point by
point, seems unlikely of adoption ; as contravening the
spirit of the Mandate, as tending to erect two potentially
hostile camps within a very small area and—perhaps the
strongest objection—as being wholly unacceptable to
the feelings and aspirations of the parties concerned.
Nevertheless, Cantonization shines through the fog of
mutual criticism and abuse as an attempt to deal constructively
with a rarely difficult problem : and economic
or territorial, as apart from political or administrative
Cantonization may yet have to be considered. I can
pretend to no such drastic remedy. Indeed, some of
the following observations with the inferences therefrom
may be criticized as unimportant or inessential—
as very small beer. If so, I would remind these critics
of their constant employment of the useful term
imponderabilia. The smaller and the more obvious,
the easier considered; as was proved by Naaman, the
Captain of the Host.
One would have supposed for instance that some at
least of the Jewish youth of both sexes would be given