Chapter XLIXD (2)

“Everywhere the rights of nations are triumphant. Let it not be said that only countries that had been stolen fifty or a hundred years ago shall be returned to their former lawful owners. Whoever says so, falsifies history, either intentionally or unintentionally. The right of the Greeks to Greece is also a right which has remained through thousands of years. The right of the Armenians to Armenia has also been suppressed by force throughout the centuries. And yet these rights will be granted. Let it not be said either, that a nation robbed of the country must have remained on its native soil, or otherwise it will have lost its rights. That is not true. More Greeks live outside Greece than in Greece, and there are still other nations, the majority of whose citizens dwell outside the frontiers of their old home. Nor let it be said that it is sufficient to grant equal rights to mankind. Were not equal rights given to the Greeks――and yet the problem was not solved till Greece redeemed herself!

“We, the orphans, the disinherited, the playthings in history’s sports, the step-children of a world founded on nationalities――we summon the world before the high court of history.

“For two thousand years past they put us off with excuses and false promises. Civilization has been progressing for thousands of years: mankind now flies loftier than the eagle and dives deeper than the _Leviathan_. Has it become better for us? Have we not remained the same scapegoats from the time of Rome to the Crusades, from these to the ‘Haidamaks,’ and from them to the Pogroms of the present day?

“We, the wandering souls, demand our rest. Enough of wanderings and being bandied about! Give us back our body, our country! We want to be equal with the rest, suffer with the rest, fight with the rest, live with the rest.”

Thus lament the dead, teaching the living. Will the world not listen to them?

“What do you wish?” the Zionists are asked. They reply: We want a home in the land of _Israel_. On the day of Judgment, when every historical right――from the smallest to the greatest――is announced, elevated, proclaimed, and demanded; when even the weakest, the most doubtful claims of half-forgotten and but recently-awakened little peoples, based on old, torn, ambiguous and now scarcely legible documents and traditions, assert themselves and demand rights of ownership; when history takes its place as judge on the throne of justice, and the national territorial idea is accepted as the world’s code, in order to resolve every doubt and to arbitrate every dispute; when the great in power penitently declare that every injustice, especially towards suffering peoples, must be righted; when these things come to pass, then (we Zionists say) the Jewish people is in duty bound to proclaim its old, holy, historical right to the heritage of its heroes, its prophets, its civilization, its religion, its language, and its labours!

It is an ancient right, but it has not lapsed. It is the ancient oath, the ancient covenant. No right has been earned more honourably. None has been paid for with more and nobler blood. None is so highly established and deeply founded.

In order not to lay itself open to a verdict of letting its claim go by default, the Jewish people will have to proclaim its immortal right to the land of _Israel_. It is the sacred duty-right of loyal children towards their parents. Not to demand the land of _Israel_ means that we tacitly waive our rights to it, and this means a waiving of our rights to everything: tradition, honour, justice, the law of _Moses_, and the general historical idea.

We don’t trust a man who denies his mother, however much of a patriot he may be in his country. He is an opportunist, but no patriot, because patriotism is idealism.

Nothing will daunt us in our resolve to proclaim solemnly our historical right and to demand it with all our energy. Do not trouble us with intimidations, on the score of a possible growth of anti-Semitism, and so on! These fears are senseless. Anti-Semitism is a consequence not of Zionism, but of the “_Galuth_.” Those who have the courage of their convictions and a sense of honour, are not to be influenced by craven fears. Our duty it is to proclaim our right, and we shall fulfil this duty. Will this bring us sufferings? Good: we are prepared for that. Martyrs from of old as we are, we have been through fire and water during thousands of years, we have been the target of every attack, the victims of every persecution, and we fear no chicanery when it is a question of fulfilling a holy duty of our conscience.

Whoever understands Zionism, knows it is not our intention to raise conflicts. We stand for a peaceful movement. We began in a time of peace and we desire to renew our work and substantially to enlarge it, in the coming time of peace. We did not wish to harm anyone, to wrong anyone, and we wish to do so still less, if possible, now than before. We wish to make our country a model of social justice and human brotherhood; the spirit of our prophets shall fill our land, and the ancient _Hebrew_ genius shall there have its dwelling-place.

We certainly, not less than all the other Jews and all just men, are strongly interested and are anxious that we, wherever we live, wherever we are, and wish to be citizens, should have our rights secured. Where the Jews are not yet emancipated, they shall be emancipated; where they are but half emancipated, their emancipation shall be completed and perfected; and where they are already emancipated, their emancipation shall be in no way checked or diminished. This question of rights we had better formulate in the following manner: Not that rights should be given us, but that our rights shall no longer be filched away, restricted and encroached upon wherever we have our domicile, wherever we fulfil our duties, and bear all burdens in order to defend the soil of the country to the death; wherever we work, live, and die together with its other inhabitants. Not that we should be emancipated, but that people should emancipate themselves from the instinct of persecution, from malice, from envy, which find expression in various forms: in pogroms, in boycott, in social ostracism, in open or masked disabilities; that we should not be shut up in cages like wild animals, whether it be in the brutal form of a _Ghetto_, a “pale of settlement,” or in the more subtle form of social exclusion and coldly polite hypocritical repulse: whether it be finally, in that cunning form not of Anti-Semitism, but of Asemitism which declares that, as in the case of poisons, the country can at best absorb only a limited quantity of Jews, while any excess is dangerous.

If the civilized world really intends to make an end of war, then, also, this war against the Jews must not be overlooked. It is a war in time of peace, a war that has not the heroic character of a struggle between two opponents equal in arms, but the character of a systematic and brutal oppression of the weak by the strong.

That is the problem of the rights of the Jews in the countries of the Diaspora!

Some sophists have, in their speculative, casuistical way, evolved a strange doctrine. They assert, that when the Jews surrender their claims to the land of _Israel_, when they deny their own nationality, then they will “receive rights.” Pedants and arm-chair theorists as they are, they paint in their luxurious imagination a picture that recalls the classical example of Paris with the apple: in one hand, Palestine; in the other, rights in the Diaspora. And as they point to this picture, they cry out to the Jews: Choose! One or the other!

Such pictures may please children, but not grown-up men――since children are innocent and do not understand the laws of logic. There are no two kinds of truth, nor of justice, only _one_. If justice is done to us, then our right to Palestine will be recognized, and we shall also be left in peace in the Diaspora.

Be assured the Land of _Israel_ will not injure our situation in the Diaspora. Only Zionism, not self-betrayal, is calculated to lend us authority and prestige in the world. Avoid the old error, avoid renunciation, stand true to your flag, to righteousness, like men!

We are asked, What are your politics? Others say that politics should be indeed excluded. Zionism must be only either colonization or a spiritual movement. We must be Zionists in colonization, in the spirit, and in religion. In what each says, there is some truth. The error lies only in the fact that in each of these assertions, a partial truth claims to represent the whole truth. Zionism is not a part; it is the totality, the sum, the synthesis of these efforts.

However little Zionists wish to enter into politics they cannot close their eyes to the fact that Zionism is――at least, in part――a political problem. However spiritual its arguments, its origins and its motives may be, however metaphysical its aims may be, and however much its methods may accordingly strive to remain pure, ♦nevertheless, it is concerned with the problem of people desiring to settle in a particular country, under a particular form of social life. They, consequently, have to strive for a certain degree of political self-government, whether it be high or low, and thus they must come into relations with other groups and states already in existence, already formed, already in possession and having rights. The boundaries of rights will have to be drawn up, and these will soon become frontiers of existing spheres of influences, and these again, later on, will need to grow to new forms. Even if Zionism should devote itself entirely and with absolute exclusiveness to spiritual matters, its centre of colonization will have a political aspect, which must be developed as such. It is a good thing that the war has thrust political temptations upon Zionism. Nothing can become of greater advantage to it, than that it should always grow more clearly conscious of being something practical, the creator of life, of being conditioned and limited by frontiers, and not that it should simply fill the rôle of redressing grievances from a single point.

♦ “neverthless” replaced with “nevertheless”

The Zionist policy must always be controlled by the national idea. Great changes will arise in the political situation in the world, the extent of which cannot as yet be surveyed in detail. But one thing is already certain; the national, the historical idea will be victorious. The people that suffer most, the small and weak people, must weigh on the scales of the coming changes in proportion not only to their physical strength, but also to their moral strength, and in proportion to the intensity of their will-power and self-determination――and this will-power and this self-determination, although at all times needing and capable of development, develops most rapidly under the influence of such moments as the present. The first preliminary condition for political success, therefore, is self-determination and will-power. The first and most important political task is the awakening of will-power. Only then commences the policy of finding support in the outer world. And under this head we know of one policy only, namely, truth――absolute and unconditional truth. Out of love for it Zionists desire to be just to all men, even to their opponents. This may be disagreeable to short-sighted people, but it does not trouble Zionists. Should truth beckon in one direction and the greatest successes in the other, Zionists should without a moment’s hesitation choose rather the former and exclaim, “Away with falsehood.” Only truth can be of service to us; wherever any shadow whatsoever falls upon that, there can be no place for us.

No cause that is unjust, even if at the first glance it appears to bring immediate help, and is advanced by people who wish us well, is worthy of Zionist support, and, likewise, every righteous cause, even though it appears to be against us, and is put forward by people who are indifferent and even opposed to us, is deserving of our support. For high above the plans dictated by benevolence or malice, stands the loftiest cause which so rules it that injustice cannot help Zionism, and that justice, on the contrary, must help it.

It is sometimes pointed out that certain among those who profess sympathy for Zionism do not exactly belong to the most trusty friends of the Jews, while, on the contrary, many so-called Liberals seem to be opposed to Zionism. Truly, we say to you: this is of no concern to us. Personal motives have no interest for us; we do not sit in judgment upon individuals. We are neither flattered by friends nor deterred by the envious. The Zionist’s only concern is the righteous cause.

The Zionist policy is one of principles, and not an opportunist policy. A policy founded on principles can only base itself on truth. The assistance of strangers can be of service to us only when it sees in us the truth, sees us as we really are, as we are in the continuity of our history, in our numbers, in our distress and in our hopes. Not the plans of any individual, whether personal or general, only fidelity to the axioms of international morality can help us. And if it be possible to obtain such assistance, then it can be attained only through a leading policy of true equality, but never through assimilation, which is opposed to the truth.

Truly, to be on an equality with others means the solving of our problem on national lines. That in the highest sense is equality of opportunity. If the principle of self-determination is applied to all, then it must be applied to us too. If historical rights are recognized, then ours must also be recognized. It is right and fair that Armenia should become Armenian; it is just as right and fair that the Land of _Israel_ should become _Israelitish_. Grant equal rights and compensatory justice; all else is hatred, cowardice, hypocrisy, ambiguity.

The error of Jewish policy since the beginning of the last century lay in the fact that it was an opportunist policy. We tried to please different parties, to utilize political situations. Perhaps this was formerly an opportunity――we have now outgrown this standpoint. Human progress, like every development, advances ever further and further. Every new advance leads to a new stage that could be reached only through the earlier stages, and every new stage when reached has been reached only to be left behind in its turn. As soon as a stage has been reached, the time has once more arrived for leaving it. That is the essential reason why the Jewish problem has now become a national problem. Hence it is the purest childishness to wish to solve the problem by the means adopted by the _Sanhedrin_ in Paris, in 1806.

It is not, however, to be supposed that because Zionists hold to a policy of principles they are on this account incapable of profiting from favourable opportunities, of utilizing a fortunate moment, that may come and bring more with it than many years of hard toil. “Whoever wants to sail to the new-discovered isles must use the winds as they blow.” The centre of gravity lies in the Jews alone, in their will-power, in the independence of their spirit.

The Jewish people have seen the dominion of Egypt, Assyria, Babylon and Rome, and still survive. Under the standards of _Zion_ the Jewish people will rise to new life.

What ought Jews to do? To this question we answer: In these serious times all Jews should be united, all Jewish organizations, parties and communities should set to work, by all lawful means, through the press, literature, propaganda and personal connections, to attain the recognition of a national home for our people in the Land of _Israel_; and at the same time to carry through the abolition of all injustice against the Jews in the countries of the Diaspora.

And in view of the enormous importance of the already existing Jewish colonization in Palestine for our future, and, also, of the salvation of the Jewish people from want and misery accentuated by the war, the greatest possible assistance must be given to Palestine and to the suffering masses of Jews in the Diaspora. For the sake of these causes, and especially for the first, the Zionist Organization all over the world should not only be maintained, but also placed in a position to develop and enlarge its activities.

ZIONIST PROPAGANDA IN WARTIME

In the above the Zionist policy has been sketched. Experience has by this time shown that in spite of the incredible difficulties of all kinds, Zionism has not only not lost its power, but has also actively developed its work.

The present war has not affected the unity of the Zionist idea nor has it affected the unity of the Zionist Organization. As the Organization was established on the federative principle, it was found possible to continue the essential work of the movement by utilising the separate organizations of the different countries. The work of propaganda and the collection of funds, so far from diminishing, actually made great progress. The societies already in existence continued their work very effectively, and a considerable number of new societies came into being. _Die Welt_, the central organ of the movement, had, however, to be suspended; but a series of new Zionist publications made their appearance. The Zionist press――in Russia particularly――made great headway. The Zionist weekly, _Razswiet_, which is published in the Russian language, increased its circulation threefold. Three new dailies, _Ha’am_ in _Hebrew_, _Das Togblatt_ and _Der Telegraf_ in _Yiddish_, were established, and rapidly attained a circulation comparable to the great European daily papers. A crowd of new journalists and publicists accepting the Zionist platform, joined the old guard of writers and workers in the cause. The _Yiddish_ Press in Poland, which numbers its readers by the hundred thousand, put themselves at the disposal of the Zionist movement. One in particular, which had hitherto been territorialist, and only lukewarm towards Zionism, declared openly its acceptance of the Zionist programme. In England Zionist activity in press and literature made remarkable progress, such as had scarcely been imagined possible in this country. It is worthy of note that, quite apart from the Zionist Press proper, the Jewish non-Zionist Press evinced a much keener interest in the movement. The world’s general Press, in all languages, devoted to Zionism an amount of space second only to the events of the war. The mere fact that at a time such as the present, when the world is in the throes of a universal struggle, and every nation is concerned for its own safety, and even existence, so much interest was directed to our movement throws a dazzling light upon the naïve absurdity of the anti-Zionist assertion, that the whole movement is nothing more than an Utopia.

The Zionists have long realized the need of public meetings and discussions. The Zionist movement is the only Jewish national and democratic movement to attach great importance to the free exchange of opinions and to break down the somewhat autocratic method of conducting Jewish affairs in favour with the _Kehillah_ leaders. It was the first movement to replace the dry bones of bureaucracy by the introduction of universal Jewish suffrage as a means of dealing with Jewish public affairs. As the Zionist movement in pre-war times found full expression in conferences and public meetings, it was to be feared that the War, by reducing greatly the facilities of communication and intercourse, would seriously affect this form of activity. But this was not the case. The long record of the meetings and conferences held since the outbreak of the war, and which by no means exhausts the total number, gives some notion of the vast scope of this form of propaganda.

We will make a short survey of the most important dates in Zionist activity during the course of the war, in chronological order.

CONFERENCES.

_September, 1915._

Zionist Conference――Dordrecht――Holland.

_Roumania._ Annual Meeting of the Roumanian Zionist Federation,
November 7th and 8th, held in Galatz. Country divided into four
districts for Zionist work: Galatz, Bucharest, Jassy, Foscani.

_Canada._ General Jewish Conference held in Montreal, November
14th and 15th, together with the Annual Meeting of the Canadian
Zionist Federation, presided over by Clarence _de_ Sola.

_December 5th, 1915._

West Austrian――Galician――and Bukowina Zionist Conferences (Adolf
Stand in the chair). Resolutions:――

“The Assembly expects to see the Jewish problem discussed at
the peace conference, and trusts that the Actions Committee
will find suitable means and ways to create a united
manifestation of the Jews of all countries for the demand
of securing for the Jews their civil and political equality
of rights all over the world, and in the nationality states
also recognition of their national existence.

“The Actions Committee is asked to prepare everything in a
suitable manner, in order that the interests of political
Zionism may be secured before the Forum of the future Peace
Congress.”

_December 26th and 27th, 1915._

_Holland._ At Nymegen one hundred and twenty delegates attended.

_December, 1915._

_Manchester._ Conference of English “_Poalei Zion_.” Delegates
from all parts of the country attended.

_January 1st, 1916._

_England._ Conference convened by E.Z.F. attended by _Rabbis_,
delegates of Synagogues, Friendly Societies and Trade Unions.

_January 5th, 1916._

_America._ Annual Conference of the Federation of “Knights
of _Zion_,” at Chicago. The Federation has fifty-three active
branches and three thousand members.

_January, 1916._

_Australia._ Annual Conference of the Sydney Zionist Society.

_February 6th, 1916._

_America._ Annual Convention of the Zionist Council of Greater
New York.

_February 13th, 1916._

_England._ Annual Conference of the English Zionist Federation
at Manchester.

_1916._

_Mizrachi._ The Annual Conference of the “_Mizrachi_” was held
at Chicago, May 26th‒30th. The “_Mizrachi_” of America comprises
one hundred and three associate-societies and twenty-four
synagogues. The membership is six thousand.

Some of the principal American _Rabbis_ attended the Conference.

A special Palestine Bureau was created. A new union, called
“_Achi Samach_,” was formed, for the encouragement of the sale
of Palestinian products.

_1916._

_Bombay._ A Meeting of the _Magen David_ Congregation was held
at Bombay. The proceedings were all in _Hebrew_. Sir Jacob Elias
Sassoon, Bart. (1844‒1916), was re-elected president.

_May 28th and 29th, 1916._

_Scandinavia._ The Twelfth Annual Conference of Scandinavian
Zionists was held at Copenhagen. Thirty-one delegates from all
parts of the country were present. Various resolutions were
passed, expressing confidence in the work of the Central
Executive.

_1916._

_Switzerland._ A Conference of the Swiss Zionist Federation was
held at Berne on June 1st.

_1916._

_South Africa._ The Annual Conference of the South African
Zionist Federation was held at Johannesburg on April 30th. Over
one hundred delegates were present.

_1916._

_Canada._ “_Poalei Zion_” of Montreal had a series of
Conferences on June 2nd‒4th.

_America._ Conference of American Zionist Federation held at
Philadelphia on July 2nd. Over five hundred delegates present.

_July 8th, 1916._

Conference at New York of the “Young Judea.” The membership is
three thousand five hundred.

_September 13th‒15th, 1916._

_Poland._ A Zionist Conference was held in Warsaw, attended by
one hundred and twenty-five delegates from Warsaw and the Polish
provincial cities.

The following resolution was passed:――

“1. That the Central Committee establish a special Palestine
Office, to gather information and material with respect to
the present situation in Palestine and with respect to the
possibilities for work after the war.

“2. That it elaborate this material and spread it within
wide circles. Further, it has to organize pioneer groups,
who are willing to go to Palestine, as well as to work out a
scheme for the preparation of these pioneers.”

_September, 1916._

_Russia._ “_Poalei Zion_” Conference――the first since the
outbreak of the war. Resolution passed:――

“That we agitate among the Jewish masses instructing them
the only solution for the Jewish problem is the creation of
a Jewish Home in Palestine.”

_September 18th, 1916._

Conference of Zionist speakers, held at New York.

_Bohemia._ The Annual Conference of Bohemian Zionists was held
at Prague on November 1st.

_America._ Zionist Students’ Organization of America held its
Second Annual Conference, November, 1916.

_November 14th‒19th._

_America._ “_Poalei Zion_” Conference at Boston. Attended by one
hundred and nine delegates from the United States and Canada.

(During the year two thousand new members had been enrolled.
Juvenile Societies, with eighteen branches and over one thousand
members, had been formed.)

_1916._

_England._ On December 24th and 25th the Order of Ancient
_Maccabeans_ held their Annual Grand Beacon Meeting in
Manchester. Resolution:――

“That this Grand Beacon Meeting reiterates its loyalty to
the Zionist programme, as endorsed from Congress to Congress,
and expresses the hope that the time may not be far distant
when our brethren will be accorded full civil and political
rights all over the world, and that the order co-operate
with bodies that strive for the above objects.”

_1916._

_Holland._ The Seventeenth Annual Conference of the Dutch
Zionist Federation was held at the Hague on December 24th and
25th, 1916.

About one hundred and twenty delegates were present, including
representatives of the “_Poalei Zion_” and the Belgian Zionist
Federation.

The Dutch Federation comprises twenty-six societies, with a
total membership of one thousand six hundred and sixty.

Collections: Palestine Fund, 11,453 _fl._; Central Fund, 913
_fl._; National Fund, 10,709 _fl._

_1917._

_Poland._ The Annual Meeting of the Warsaw Zionists, held on
January 11th, attended by a thousand _shekel_ payers.

_1917._

_America._ In March, a Conference of Jewish Socialist Workers
was held in New York, and attended by four hundred delegates.
The Basle programme was adopted.

_1917._

_Mizrachi._ Over two hundred delegates attended the “_Mizrachi_”
Convention at Pittsburg, where the deliberations extended for
over five days. Fifty of the most prominent orthodox _Rabbis_
of the country attended. The “_Mizrachi_” has a hundred and
nineteen branches in ninety-five cities spread over twenty-eight
States.

_1917._

_America._ “Knights of _Zion_” held their Twentieth Annual
Convention at Minneapolis and St. Paul. The “Knights of _Zion_”
had seventy-six societies with a membership of four thousand two
hundred.

_America._ _Hebraists_ Convention took place in New York on
February 10th, 11th and 12th. Many _Hebrew_ scholars from all
parts of the country were present.

_America._ The Eleventh Annual Meeting of the Zionist Council
of New York was held on February 16th, attended by eighty-eight
delegates, representing thirty societies.

_1917._

_England._ The Annual Conference of the E.Z.F. was held in
February in London. About sixty delegates were present.

_1917._

_Switzerland._ The Swiss Zionist Federation held a Conference at
Berne on February 18th. Thirty-five delegates attended.

_1917._

_Russia._ On March 28th‒30th there was held a Conference of the
Central Institutions of the Zionist Organization. About fifty
delegates attended.

Conference of all Russian Zionist Organizations, held in Moscow,
April 3rd. Dr. E. W. Tschlenow presided.

_1917._

_Greece._ On April 9th a Mass Meeting, attended by over
three thousand persons, was held at Salonica. After addresses
delivered by several speakers, a resolution was passed urging
the restoration of the oldest nation and its regeneration in
Palestine.

_1917._

_Belgian Zionists._ On April 29th the Belgian Zionist Federation
held a Conference at Scheveningen, Holland.

_1917. _

_Australia._ Annual Meeting held at Sydney, March 18th.

_1917._

_England._ Special Conference E.Z.F. in London, May 20th.

_1917._

_Russia-Turkestan._ Early in May a Conference of Turkestan
Zionists was held at Samarcand. The delegates were both
_Ashkenazi_ and _Sephardi_. Thirty delegates attended, besides
delegates for the Bokhara Jews, and two hundred guests.

A Zionist Central Committee was formed for Turkestan.

_1917._

_Poland._ June 3rd‒5th. Conference of Zionist Central Committee
for Poland, held in Warsaw.

_1917._

_Russia._ On May 24th (O.S.) the Seventh Conference of Russian
Zionists was held at Petrograd, and was attended by five hundred
and fifty-two delegates, representing one hundred and forty
thousand _shekel_ payers, from six hundred and forty towns
and villages. Eleven delegates came from Siberia. Bokhara and
Mountain Jews were represented. Twenty-four delegates were
soldiers coming by special permission of the Commander-in-Chief,
who got free passes. Five hundred guests came from the country
and one thousand guests from Petrograd were present. Ninety
representatives of Russian papers were present. The Foreign
Secretary, Teretschenko, sent greetings and best wishes for
complete success.

Dr. E. W. Tschlenow’s speech was reprinted in half a million
copies for the soldiers.

A meeting of Zionist Women was held in the hall of Kiew
University in May. More than one thousand five hundred Jewish
women attended.

_1917._

In 1913 there were only twenty-six thousand _shekel_ payers in
Russia――now one hundred and forty thousand. Resolution passed:――

“The Seventh Zionist Russian Conference proclaims its firm
conviction that the nations, in settling the bases of the
new national and political life, shall be conscious of the
clearly manifested will of the Jewish people to colonize
Palestine again as their national centre, and that they
shall create conditions enabling the unhindered evolutions
and concentration of all Jewish forces, for the purpose of
bringing about a regeneration of Palestine.”

A representative body of the Jewish people should be admitted to
the approaching Peace Conference, which shall obtain attention
for the historic and national rights of the Jewish people.

_1917._

_America._ Independent Order “_Brith Shalom_” held their
Thirteenth Annual Conference in Atlantic City on June 13th. Over
six hundred delegates were present. The resolution passed
commenced thus:――

“Whereas the Independent Order has adopted the Zionist
platform in spirit and in fact, and has pledged itself to
the furtherance of all principles it stands for, _etc._,
_etc._”

_1917._

_America._ The Twentieth Conference of American Zionists opened
at Baltimore on June 24th. Over a thousand delegates were
present.

_1917._

_America._ Twentieth Annual Convention of Progressive Order of
the West was held at Detroit, Michigan. The Order has a
membership of twenty thousand, and declared its allegiance to
the Zionist cause.

_1917._

_America._ Conference of “Young Judeans.” One hundred and twenty-
five delegates present, representing five thousand members. The
“Young Judeans” collected 3500 dollars for the Jewish National
Fund.

_1917._

_England._ Union of Jewish Friendly Societies, comprising fifty
thousand members, adopt the Basle programme.

Conference of the Order of Ancient _Maccabeans_, held at
Manchester, July 17th. Membership of the Order 2200.

_1917._

_Canada._ The Fifteenth Annual Conference of Canadian Zionists
took place at Winnipeg in July. Delegates from seventy-seven
towns, of three hundred and fourteen Jewish organizations,
attended.

The Governor of Manitoba came to the Conference, and expressed
his sympathy with Zionism.

_1917._

_Russia._ _Poalei Zion._ Conference in Kiew――September 8th. More
than one hundred and sixty delegates attended.

_1917._

_Greece._ _Salonica._ Great Meeting, attended by three thousand
persons at Salonica, on 9th of _Ab_.

_1917._

_America._ The “_Mizrachi_” in America celebrated in August the
Six-hundred-and-fiftieth Anniversary of the First Settlement
in Palestine by _R’_ Moses _ben_ Nachman (_Ramban_). The
“_Mizrachi_” started a Fund of 100,000 dollars, to aid
Colonization and Industrial Development in Palestine.

_1917._

_Poland._ The Third Delegates’ Conference of the Zionist
Organization in Poland was opened in Warsaw on October 28th,
1917. More than three hundred and sixty delegates attended,
representing forty thousand shekel payers.

_1917._

_Poland._ Fifth Conference of the “_Poalei Zion_” of Poland,
was held in Warsaw. Over forty-four delegates, representing
twenty-six towns, participated in the Conference. The
Organization had forty-six district groups, with a membership
of eight thousand.

_1917._

_America._ September 5th. Conference of _Rabbis_ resolved
to appeal to various powers, particularly President Wilson,
asking them to give their consideration to the question of the
Restoration of Palestine to the Jewish people.

_1917._

_England._ In October, Zionist Demonstrations took place all
over the country. In seventy-one synagogues, one hundred and
twenty-three lodges and associations, and in fifty-four Zionist
societies, resolutions were passed requesting the British
Government to use its best endeavours to bring about a
Restoration of Palestine as a National Home for the Jewish
people.

_1917._

_Holland._ Congress of Jews resident in the Netherlands, held in
Amsterdam on November 18th, for considering emancipation of Jews,
recognition of national rights in national States, and national
concentration of the Jewish people in Palestine.

One of the most popular of Zionist funds is the Jewish National Fund. This Fund is outside the realm of discussion, and deals exclusively with hard facts, i.e., financial contributions from all parts of the world. The Jewish National Fund is in a very real sense an index of the people’s will. It would seem that the terrible misery of the Jewish masses occasioned by so many expulsions, evacuations, and loss of life and property would have had the effect of, if not entirely cutting off this source of revenue, at least, seriously reducing it. In point of fact, the reverse is shown by the figures.

The income of the Fund during the last few months of the year 1914 and during the year 1915, was about two-thirds of the previous years. But in the year 1916 the National Fund received about 1,000, 000 francs, which equals the amount in 1913. During the first half of 1917 the average monthly contributions were doubled. The latest date up to which exact figures for the various countries are available is September 1st, 1917. During the eight months from January to September, 1917, more than 1,300,000 francs had been recorded. During the last four months of the year approximately the same amount was received, that is, the contributions were doubled once more in relation to the immediately preceding rate. At the present moment the contributions to the National Fund amount to about 150,000 francs per month.

The results attained by the National Fund must be attributed to the general growth of the Zionist movement as well as to the effective organization of its propaganda, to the popularity of its fundamental idea――the acquisition of land as National property――and the importance attached by Jewry at large to the rôle that the National Fund will have to discharge in the forthcoming colonization of Palestine.

Contributions to the Jewish National Fund from the different countries in the year 1917 were as follows: Russia, Rbl. 475,312; United States, $73,502; Holland, Fl. 28,767; England, £1396 1s. 10d.; Argentina, Pesos 13,378; Canada, $4056; South Africa, £639 8s. 4d.; Switzerland, Frs. 11,572; Belgium, Frs. 8,329; France (including Tunis), Frs. 6,978; Egypt, £255 11s. 4d.; Greece, Frs. 6,425; Sweden, Kr. 2,542; Denmark, Kr. 2,447. Various countries, about Frs. 600,000. The total amounts to Frs. 1,747,278. At the rate of exchange before the war it would be Frs. 2,730,011.

THE JEWISH NATIONAL FUND

STATISTICAL TABLE OF ANNUAL INCOME IN FRANCS

Country. │ 1914. │ 1915. │ 1916.
────────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼────────
United States │ 197,311 │ 291,604 │ 268,317
Russia │ 184,334 │ 30,120 │ 81,336
Holland │ 10,662 │ 13,972 │ 35,921
────────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼────────
Argentine │ 4,196 │ 4,334 │ 22,807
England │ 24,655 │ 12,061 │ 20,766
Roumania │ 15,532 │ 23,997 │ 19,021
────────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼────────
South Africa │ 27,511 │ 21,905 │ 15,001
Scandinavia │ 807 │ 1,715 │ 4,886
Canada │ 21,951 │ 23,129 │ 10,296
────────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼────────
Switzerland │ 3,854 │ 3,748 │ 7,296
Greece │ 5,755 │ 4,545 │ 4,410
Belgium │ 10,472 │ ―― │ 4,161
────────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼────────
Egypt │ 2,845 │ 832 │ 3,382
France │ 2,115 │ 1,862 │ 2,992
Far East │ 1,377 │ 280 │ 2,562
────────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼────────
Australia and │ │ │
New Zealand │ 3,305 │ 1,080 │ 1,915
Italy │ 1,630 │ 2,641 │ 1,312
Portugal │ ―― │ 280 │ 937
────────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼────────
Brazil │ 1,430 │ 1,082 │ 125
New Zealand │ ―― │ ―― │ 522
Other countries │ 224,962 │ 197,597 │ 425,110
────────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼────────
│ 744,704 │ 636,784 │ 933,075

With regard to the Zionist Organization, it must be stated that some of its functions, particularly those which were centralized in the headquarters, such as the periodical meetings of the Greater Actions Committee and the permanent contact and co-operation between the members of the Inner Actions Committee, had to be suspended. The Zionist Congress, the chief organ of the movement, which elects the executive of all the officers of the movement, to decide all questions of policy, could not be held owing to the war, and as a result the position had to remain as settled by the Congress of 1913. As, however, the events of the war threw upon the Organization not less but very much more responsibility than previously, and confronted the existing executive with problems of the greatest urgency and importance, new instruments had necessarily to be created to meet the new situation and to carry on the work of the movement.

In America, where the movement began to spread with great rapidity, the American Provisional Committee for General Zionist Affairs was formed in 1914, very soon after the outbreak of the war, and conducted the affairs of the movement with great skill. Their efforts in connection with Palestine relief were beyond all praise, and constitute one of the brightest pages in the history of the movement.

In Copenhagen, also, a Bureau was opened, which rendered invaluable services to the cause.

ZIONISM AND JEWISH RELIEF WORK

The greater part of the practical work of the Zionist Organization consisted of Relief Work for Jewish sufferers from the war. The terrible catastrophe which fell upon Russian Poland, Galicia, Bukovina, Lithuania, Zamut and Courland, affected the Jews in a unique way. Hundreds of towns and villages, in which Jewish inhabitants had dwelt and woven into their lives the threads of their own characteristic customs for many generations, in which they had faithfully preserved their ancient spiritual treasures in spite of misery and poverty, which had been a perennial source of inspiration and a rich storehouse for the Judaism of the whole world, which had nourished and sustained almost the whole House of _Israel_ in the Diaspora, suddenly became a field of slaughter and the arena of the grimmest struggle in the world’s history. Troops in numbers never seen before, with weapons of destruction, threatening to reduce the world to ashes, passed like angels of destruction to and fro over the battlefields, leaving not a stone intact, not a blade of grass, or a living man or beast. Thus far the wounds and misfortunes which befell the Jews were no different from the wounds and misfortunes of the other inhabitants. But there must be added the special Jewish affliction in these countries, the persecution and the fierce anti-Jewish feeling which were the special characteristics of the ancient regime in Russia, which was wont to take advantage of every opportunity of avenging itself on the Jews, attacking them and holding them up to scorn on every kind of pretext and false accusation. This made the war a specially terrible phenomenon for the Jews: it produced a war within a war.

The war called upon the Jews to make sacrifices in equal measure with all the other inhabitants of these countries; their youth and their strength were laid on the altar of the land of their birth; they also bore the burden of all the taxes and payments which the other inhabitants had to bear; they put forward tremendous efforts as tradesmen and workers, as doctors and nurses; they were active workers in all departments directly and indirectly connected with the war. Yet side by side with this they had to face an insufferable hatred, they had to wage a separate war with the powerful, who strove to reduce to nothingness the little remnant which the war itself could not utterly destroy.

That this impression became current among the Jews was inevitable, in consequence of an old phenomenon which appeared before them in a new guise. We refer to the curious mixture of expulsion and evacuation, of pogroms and slaughters, of which they were the victims. They were accustomed, from long and bitter experience, to expulsions from without the pale of settlement into the regions of the pale, from villages to towns, and to the suffering occasioned by the Russo-Turkish and Russo-Japanese wars; but these expulsions occurred when conditions in Russia itself were almost normal, and when the Jews who were left untouched by the decree of expulsion were able to render assistance to their unfortunate brethren. The combination of the two forms of trials, of war and of persecution by their fellow-citizens, was more than even a nation inured to suffering could bear. It was as though this nation, which had been a wanderer from time immemorial, had only just begun its wanderings. They were no ordinary wanderers――not merely expelled and outlawed; but they were taken and hurled as out of the middle of a sling from province to province and from district to district. Railway carriages were not enough to hold them, so they were transported in cattle-trucks, the doors of which were locked to prevent escape on the way. The cattle-trucks were not sufficient to cope with the numbers and horse-vans were impressed, and as the horse-vans were not sufficient, even though the Jews paid their last kopecks for places in them, they were sent on foot. Bands of wanderers――consisting of women, children, aged, weak, sick and infirm――were accordingly dragged, driven, knouted along every kind of road and over every kind of obstacle, not like cattle beneath the watchful eye of the herdsman, not even like animals led to the slaughter, on whom some mercy is taken because they can be used, but simply like wild beasts pursued by huntsmen; whoever fell by the way fell without attention, whoever fell sick was ruthlessly left behind. Families were split up, and that iron bond which unites parents and children was snapped; infants died of starvation pressed against their mothers’ shrivelled breasts; weary old greybeards grew faint and stumbled on the way and died without the last consolation of old age, without seeing around them their offspring whose souls were bound up with their own; tender infants were deserted without anyone to take pity on them, and the clamour went forth from one end of the earth to the other, “Where is my father?” “Where is my child?”

This tragedy was not included among the necessary tragedies of the war: it was a Jewish tragedy. When Belgium was ruined, her Jews too were ruined. Had the catastrophe to the Jews in Poland and Lithuania been of such a kind it would have found a place in the general history and not in the separate history of the Jews. When, however, bands of thousands of Jewish fugitives came to Warsaw from the inland towns, in rags and tatters, footsore, hungry and despairing, it was impossible to regard them simply as victims of the war, because it was only the Jews who came. They were not victims of the war, they were victims of the _Galuth_, these thousands and tens of thousands of Jews who were suddenly transplanted from the midst of their old homes in Lithuania. When whole congregations, including inmates of their Homes for the Aged, of their hospitals, and even of the asylums were evacuated, it was impossible to believe that this was military tactics or a measure of precaution, for it was only the Jewish congregations who were forcibly and suddenly removed in this extraordinarily cruel manner. In many places it happened that the expelled Jews before they left were able to see with their own eyes other people entering and taking possession of the shops which they had left behind them. There was no connection between these sufferings and the events of the universal war. These were incidents in the special campaign which had been waged against the Jews before the war. For centuries the Jews had been living in these places. Brest-Litovsk and Grodno were not only cities in which there were fortresses for the Czar’s army and his _Tchinovniks_. They were also centres of Jewish life, wherein the _Torah_ dwelt, cities of the Jewish “Council of the Four Provinces,” cities which emanated intellectual light over all the Diaspora, cities with institutions of Jewish congregations, with _Yeshiboth_, with schools, with synagogues and houses of learning, with old cemeteries, whose tombstones recorded the happenings to Jews for many generations. All that was destroyed and all the Jews who lived and thrived in them have been uprooted and scattered, and that which they left behind them wiped out, and no one knows if these towns will ever be rebuilt, and even if they are rebuilt will the Jews and their communities, with their learning and their traditions, ever be restored?

Accordingly there was but one cry, one intense and bitter cry, which was heard from one end of the world of Jews to the other, a cry for help. “Save all who can yet be saved.”

The Jewish people had realized that it was unwise to depend upon governments or to rely on philanthropic effort in general. The needs of the Jews were great and peculiar, so that only Jews themselves could help their brethren. This help appeared to be necessary in two directions: immediate pressing help and permanent prevention. Immediate pressing assistance consisted in sending money, provisions and clothes to save Jewish lives from hunger, disease and want, to help them to find work and means of livelihood in the places to which they have been driven, as well as in the places in which they have remained. But at the same time, people began to realize more and more that the real help for the Jews would be to rescue them from the unnatural conditions which cause them to be the scapegoat for whatever punishment comes upon the world. A people which dwells in its own land is also wont to be smitten by the sword and the fortunes of war, but it is not accustomed to complete destruction. When a nation has its own land and its own soil beneath its feet, to which it is attached, all the winds of Heaven cannot move it from its place, no weapon can permanently destroy it. A whole nation cannot be driven by oppressors from its country, and even though for generations the hand of the oppressor lie heavy upon it, the day is sure to come in which its fetters fall away, and once again it can breathe freely. Not so with a nation which floats in the air: it cannot rise in time of trouble, for every passing wind carries it away like chaff and makes it turn like the wheel of a windmill. Every page of Jewish history teaches this lesson, and the present war has served but to emphasize it. Therefore if we wish to prevent this evil and to obviate such convulsions in the future, we must establish for the remnant of this people a firm foundation and a safe shelter in the land of their fathers. Thus once again the flame of war and the terrible sufferings of our brethren have revealed the truth of the Zionist idea in all its strength and clarity as being the only true solution of the Jewish problem, that problem whose consequences are written in the blood of myriads of our brethren.

History will relate that the present generation of Jews rose to the height of its responsibility in comprehending both these duties equally. Once again there was revealed the strength of the Jewish quality of mercy. The Jews of Russia and Poland did their duty. With their young ones and their elders they threw themselves into the work of relief: in many places it was the Zionists who were the most ardent in this work. The Zionist Organization had during the last generation become a school of discipline and communal work, from which came forth initiators and leaders. It is not our wish, however, to make in this respect any distinction between Zionists and non-Zionists. Many who stood far removed from the camp returned to their brethren: all sections of Jews united: the icy cloak of indifferentism was melted, the divisions between the observant and the Liberals were obliterated. The shadow of sectarian faction disappeared, and on the scene appeared one people. History will relate that American Jewry, that vigorous young branch of the Jewish tree, made a mighty superhuman effort and performed wonders surpassing the imagination. It was not charity, but greatness. Voluntary effort went as far as self-imposed taxation. The history of Jewish unity has never had a chapter more beautiful, more sublime, more uplifting. America was not alone――a similar spirit rested upon the Jews of every country, and not only with regard to relief work, but also in the more permanent work of prevention, which was Jewry’s second duty. The second duty was to watch over and safeguard the Jewish colonies in Palestine, the colonies from which will spring the National Home. It was necessary to provide the Palestinian Jews with food, and to support the colonization――this small heritage of ours, this child of our sorrow, conceived in anguish and in holiness. The difficulties were enormous. Palestine was cut off from the whole world, by the sea on the West and the desert on the East, without a government able or willing to help; the New colonization is a young plant needing tender care――the Old communities are poor and helpless. If in such circumstances Palestinian Jewry was not entirely wiped out, we must thank the Jewish nationalist heart, which was awakened in our brethren in every country, and especially in America.

THE RUSSIAN REVOLUTION

The downfall of the Czardom in Russia was undoubtedly one of the greatest events in the world’s history. Russia entered into a period of revolution which seemed to bring with it all the blessings of right and liberty. The restrictions affecting nationalities and creeds were removed. But far from destroying Zionism, the new liberty gave it an immense stimulus.

In Moscow a Zionist District Committee was formed, comprising many Provinces: Astrakhan, Vladimir, Vologda, Voronesh, Kazan, Kaluga, Kostrooma, Kursk, Moscow, Nijni-Novgorod, Simbirsk, Smolensk, Tambov, Tula, Ufa, Jaroslav, and the Don District.

At Odessa, a Zionist demonstration took place. Entire battalions of Zionist soldiers bore through the town blue and white banners, with the motto:――

“Liberty in Russia, Land and Liberty in Palestine.”

A hundred and fifty thousand men followed these banners, to which the Military Governor of Odessa insisted on showing honour publicly.

Zionist meetings were also held at Minsk, Saratov, Juriev, Kharkov, Nijni-Novgorod, Ekaterinburg, Homel, Proskurov, Baku Dubrovno, Riazan, Ekaterinoslav, Moscow, etc.

At Kieff, when the procession approached the Town Hall, the Zionist flag was hoisted on the balcony, where the “_Hatikvah_” was played by the municipal orchestra.

At Berdicheff fifteen thousand Jews marched through the principal streets carrying Zionist banners. The Municipality, the Administration Executive of the town, and the chiefs of Ukraine National Organizations, greeted the Zionist demonstrators.

In Turkestan and Bokhara the Zionist movement made remarkable progress. The entire _Sephardi_ element has adhered to the movement. The _Ashkenazim_ and _Sephardim_ worked together peacefully at the great Zionist Conference held at Samarcand. A meeting of five thousand Jews was held there, and a resolution adopted in favour of a Jewish Palestine.

In Moscow, in the Great Hall, a Jewish Mass Meeting took place. Dr. E. W. Tschlenow was elected president. The following resolution was adopted:――

“The Jewish Mass Meeting in Moscow salutes freedom with great
joy. We are firmly convinced that the Constituent Assembly,
which is to be elected by universal suffrage, will establish
in Russia a thoroughly democratic administration, and that
not only civil rights, but also national rights, national
autonomy, and a free national evolution, will be secured to
the Jewish as well as to all other peoples of Russia. The
Meeting resolves to convoke a general Jewish Congress in
Russia.”

The Conference at Petrograd on May 24th, 1917, received official recognition. The Minister for Foreign Affairs, M. Teretschenko, wished the Conference success in its deliberations.

Dr. Tschlenow delivered an Address, in the course of which he said, among other things:――

“We beg the Provisional Government to believe that it may fully depend upon our forces and our support in its heroic efforts directed toward the strengthening of the freedom and greatness of Russia.

“What is necessary, and what we strive for, is to create a national territorial centre for our scattered people. The construction of that centre is already begun, and it will continue. The centre will gradually be filled by the forces and means of the Diaspora.

“Who of you has not keenly followed for the last year and a half the life of the youngest branch of the Jewish people: the American? Hundreds of thousands of working men are unified in their demand for national rights in the Diaspora and an autonomous centre in Palestine. The New York _Kehillah_, representing a million and a quarter Jews, comes forward with the same slogan. Finally, the powerful Congress movement, embracing the entire three million Jewry, is to close the coming autumn with most important decisions. Weigh all the facts, and you will agree that the harmony of which we dream is already coming to pass. With hope and with love we follow the work of our Trans-oceanic champions, and send to them our brotherly greetings.

“But what could not have been prophesied and what fills our hearts with untold joy and pride, is the attitude towards our ideal on the part of the broad stratas of Jewry, which has revealed itself since the time of the Great Revolution.