Show Midnight Is Zero Hour in Palestine The long-awaited long critical day in Palestine Palestine Palestine Pal Pal- estine is here At sundown today Friday Friday Friday Fri Fri- day May 14 the e British Union British Union Jack was to be lowered for lor the last time at Government Government Government Gov Gov- House just outside of J Jeru ru salem At midnight civilian administration tion under the British comes t to an end marked by the departure of General Sir Alan Cunningham Cunningha Palestine high commissioner commissioner com corn missioner from Haifa Some British military force will ill ill rei main in Palestine for a brief period as the process of cOI complete ey evacuation ya o goes on on But ut from midnight t tonight night on the oJ British are concerned only with the maintenance of order their in m military ar areas as as they withdraw their for forces s all aU of which h are to be evacuated by August 1 Civilian law and order as far as s the British are concern concerned d ceases cease tonight What takes its place in Palestine is at this writing very uncertain Perhaps the Jews in their newly proclaimed Jewish state will succeed in maintaining law and order and establishing lishing ing some kind of stable govern government ent Perhaps the Arabs in their part of Palestine Palestine Palestine Pal Pal- estine will do the same But that sounds like a pretty vain hope It seems far more likely that Palestine is in for a serious civil war wat 1 in which the only government will be bethe bethe bethe the government of force the only law the law of the he sword the only order the order of military command It is not a pleasing prospect If the Arab states of the middle east go through with their announced plans for invading Palestine they can an put into the field a rather formidable and fairly well equipped force including some air units Some Soine of th these e Arab states are poor but at least two Iraq and Saudi Arabia have rich oil rich treasuries On th the other hand the Jews are far from being helpless They have a well well- trained army and are mobilizing mobilizing mobilizing ing other forces They have have strong in international international international in- in financial support Civil war in Palestine could be a bloody and out long-drawn-out business Itis It ItIs Itis is certain to be very upsetting to world peace to international relationships to the effectiveness of the United Nations as a peace-maintaining peace and settling dispute organization Any way you look at it Palestine as of midnight tonight is a mess |