Political report of the Executive of the Jewish Agency submitted to the ... Zionist Congress and the ... session of the Council of the Jewish Agency · 1937-08-01 · 8.1937 · p. Seite 38

38 High Commissioner to the Emek on August 6th, when the insecurity of agricultural property resulting from this limitation was vividly brought home to him, the rule was slightly relaxed and supernumerary policemen were allowed in specific cases — each subject to the approval of the local police authorities — to stand guard at night at certain points outside the perimeter of the settlements. Authority for the supernumerary police force to operate throughout the area of Jewish lands and even beyond it when in' hot pursuit was only granted at the end of March 1937 — i.e., long after the major phase of the troubles—when there was a notable recrudescence of lawlessness in various parts of the country. At the same time authority was given, in response to the representations made by the Jewish Agency in view of the approaching harvesting season, for Jewish supernumeraries to patrol the fields on horseback and in motor vehicles. These patrols effectively linked up the neighbouring settlements into compact security units. The horses and cars were provided by the settlements with the assistance of the Jewish Agency. Security arrangements in general were perfected during ( the ^period by the erection of fortifications, provision of searchlights and the organisation of signalling. 49. The question of the cost of maintenance of the force was also the subject of prolonged negotiations. Originally, the Government assumed that it would be called upon to provide only the capital cost involved, in the form of arms, ammunition and uniforms, but that the maintenance expenses would be borne entirely by the Jewish community. The Jewish Agency contended that as this special defence force had been made necessary by the inadequacy of the general security measures to afford the necessary protection, its maintenance should be a charge on the Revenue. The Government at first agreed to cover one third of the cost of maintenance of the supernumeraries recruited centrally. Subsequently, its contribution was raised to one half, an arrangement which was , finally, extended to the entire force of 3,000. Following the termination of disorders, in January 1937, the force was divided into three lines. The first line, amounting to one quarter of the total and corresponding roughly to the normal number of watchmen in the settlements, was retained under arms and continued to receive one half of its pay from the Government. The second and third line,