Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-11-06
CONGRESS- on HEBREWS.
BY JEWS FROM MANY COUNTRIES


,orfprpnCe OF Jews were nelu Ut l'uAel'
e,.i,zerland, for the purpose of dis
.,gaing the question OF a national or
-orizntlon among that scattered peo-
',,o and the colonization of Palestine.
Itebrew journals in this country We're,
l.or, The time the invitation to the
..,,cress was sent out, disposed to
treat the matter as a utopian dream
not worthy of serious consideration.
r,bore was only one representative from
,ba United States, DIR. Schaffer of Bal
,,,,ore. but Russia, Austria and other
r,,ropean countries We're well represen-
,e1. there being in all 2Oi delegates
present
,,5inrs of this most important gath
o,inr IL the first detailed Information
an the subject brought to this country.
M n representative of the New York
sun he said;
1T is, perhaps, easier to explain the
,nisct of the congress in the words of
our vice president, DR.. Max Nordau,
thaln in any other way. Addressing
~, congress on the first day he said:
world q specific condition of Jewish
Giaster. In the countries of Europe
tbe Jews, in great part, are suffering
rom the oppression of pptentates.
In other countries they suffer from the
rockery and ridicule of the anti
semites. There is no friend TO the
I6ws to rise UP and protest against
Inc cruelty and ridioule to which our
race Is subjected. We are friendless
among the races of the world, and
that fact leaves us but one course
I'VE must stand together and help each
other by all legal and loyal means
If Is the prevailing sentiment of the
race l believe, that the pest course
TO be pursued is TO COLOMBO Palestine
60 that those who have been driven
rom their homes by the cruelty and
persecution of tyrannical rulers can
And there the land to build houses on
and the implements with which TO I'LL
the soil. 1t is to start this work well ON
lis way that you delegates have been
called from every corner of the globe
10 assemble here in convention"
"The colonization OF Palestine Is no
new thing. as you probably know, but
tha present advanced condition of the
work Is not appreciated at all IN
America or England. Recent events,
continued prosecutions IN countries
Ike Russia where millions OF Jews
are forced to lead lives like dogs In a
gutter. have made II wise to push the
work as fast as possible. II cannot
be accomplished in one year probably
not In two, for there are Tremendous
premdices and obstacles that seem al
most insurmountable to be overcome.
But the Zionists came to one conclu-
sion. the effect of which will he felt all
over the civilized world. That was to
70 ahead steadily from now on never
stopping until Palestine Is colonlzed
with millions Of Jews or 1t becomes
apparent that the cosummation of the
work IS impossible.
"There were 204 delegates from all
narts of the world at the congress.
Russia had the largest representation,
sixty delegates being present from
that country. There We're thirty from
Austria, and ten or fifteen from each
OF the other European countries.
The Russian delegates came to Basel
very quietly and as tourists. They
could not come as representatives
from Jewish organizations in Russia,
because our race IL not allowed to
organize In that country. II would be
scarcely wise for them to publish their
Intentions of going to switzerland,
so they came as ordinary travellers to
Basel and took their seats in the con-
gress without any announcement,
There were three delegates from Eng
land and myself from America. The
Rev. Adam Rosenberg, formerly
rabbi in this city, but for the last two
years worker in Palestine, was also
a delegate and n representative of
America, hut I was the only delegate
to go direct from this country TO the
congress.
q must say that rarely has a body
Of men so distinguished in letters and
the sciences been brought together in
Europe. Tho delegates were men
high up in the various walks of life.
men OF Intelligence and courage, who
can scarcely fail in the work they
have undertaken. There were pro-
fessors. doctors of medicine, lawyers,
engineers. clergymen and men of lit
eraturH. all met together for one pur-
pose the rescuing Of the race from
the oppression It has suffered for so
many years.
THE reason for the small represen-
taton from England and America Ia
the satisfaction of the Jews in these
countries with their present condition
They are in sympathy with the Zionist
movement. however, as the sending of
their delegates indicate.
"Of course the money necessary for
The colonigatlon Of Palestine. how to
get II, and the best means Of using 1t
after II Ia raised, were among the i'm
portunt Questions taken up by the con-
gross. II will take nearly 100000 600
10 carry out the work, and the money
is TO be raised from the Jews them
selves, Every jew in the world is
asked to contribute twenty-five cents
a year at least. or course others Will
give more, but with that as a minimum
u Will not take a great while to raise
NE fund necessary for the work.
This vast sum may seem n deal more
than necessary for the carrying out Of
our scheme, but II Is not. It must be
remembered that there may be 5000
wv people thrown into Palestine If
We ara successful. Each family has
10 he supplied with land, horse. u
COW and indictments with which to tin
the soil. The colonists Will all have
to be started In life, and the expense
OF doing this will be enormous.
a committee of twenty-onc dele
gates was appointed TO lay ont the
Worl; and to take charge oof It for the
PRESENT Tho committee win have it's
n7nclpal Headquarters In Vienna.
Neither BnGlnnd nor America Is rep
resented In this committee.
sixty thousand petitions pledglng
support We're presented to the con-
Eiess, and $50 kilograms indorslug the
WORK were received on the first day.
lrobahly the most interesting thing
uoout the congress-, however. was the
reading ~ papers nv the various dele
EHtes on the condition OF the race In
Ihelr respective countries. The worst
Stports came, Of course. from Russia.
10 papers on the subject of the Jews
~ RUSSIA We're read. 1t would not be
sal, sait prdcee'1lrg. hut the rpptter
,IaS discussed, and II can be said thgt
.ue Jews are worse of there today
NAN they have been IN Years Up Ia
ne time OF his death tho late car,
sl'Nhnder III, grew h0rsher every