The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-09-12
TO BUY JERUSALEM
OBJECT OF TIE HEBREWS TOWARD
THEIR ANCIENT CAPITAL.

Basic, Switzerland. Which Looks &C
the Colonization OF the Race In Paies.
tine and the Escape OF Thousands
From the Prosecutions of the Nations
of Europe-Origin of the Movement
and the Poss .biIities of It's Growth Into
Practicability.
New York, Sept. 11.-Rev. Gustav Got
theil writes 10 the Herald: The Zionist
Congress at Basic has come and gone,
The reports Of its doings which have ap-
peared in the daily press are meagre
and We shall have 10 wait for fuller in
formation before We can pass judgment
upon the work il has accomplished. But
even these meagre reports are sufficient
TO bring Joy into the hearts Of those who
looked foreward TO the Congress with
sympathy and hope. The success OF the
Congress in regard TO the numbers pres
ent and the enthusiasm with when its
DELIBERATIONS nave DSel NdlllSA DAi Ai~A~
swept into a corner the dust heap or
d5uot and the predictions Of failure with
which il has been greeted. The wonder
ful and almost spontaneous response
Zionism has called forth in nearly every
part of the globe in which Jews live mas
re-echoed in Basic, and has received an
impetus which Will go far to the red!iz-
alton Of those hopes and ideas for which
* stands.
But what is Zionism? The name itself
tells very little Of the real purport Of the
movement il designates. The most 40
suro notions are current ana fixed ex-
preston in various phrases which show
how little il is understood even by many
Jews themselves. Perhaps we can get
a clearer IDEA OF what Zionism is by re-
moving some OF these misrepresenta-
tons. First and foremost, Il should be
clearly understood that there is no inten-
ton of asking the Jews all the world
over TO return to the land Of their faith
ers. 1t is a total misconceptiOn of the
whole movement 10 suppose that its
leaders for one moment wish for such a
wholesale return or even desire its con-
summation. Such would be the height
Of folly and Chauvinism run mad. No
great idea can be carried out unless
heart and soul drive 10 lis consumma-
ton. Zionism does not seek To make
converts. l, speaks only 10 those whose
lot is not cast in pleasant places, who
are denied the free exercise Of their nat
ural powers. 1t speaks 70 those who
look with undying love 10 the land of
their forefathers, who bemoan its present
abject state, and who seek the realiZa-
ton Of those hopes which have lit up the
path OF the Jew during the last two thou
sand years. Surely. not all the Germans
live in the Fatherland, nor all the Irish
in the Emerald Isle. The greater Eng
land. one might say, is outside Of the
British Isles Palestine and the country
can easily support several mill
ion people. Let those who live and work
in other countries. VINO are free 10 devel-
op and 10 take part in the life around,
quietly remain where they are. Zionism
does not demand the breaking up of
homes or the loosening OF those bonds
which have already been formed
Another popular mis- inception sees in
Zionism a danger 10 the loyalty Of the
Jews toward the various countries in
which they live. But here again our
own America is ready with numerous IL
lustrations OF the answer 20 such objec-
tons. No one has ever doubted the 10y
atty 10 the American flag and the fidelity
20 American insttutidas Of tnr great
tierman-American section of our people.
They even cultivate a language different
- that of the nation in which they dwell.
and from time to time send deputa atoms
TO join in celebra tons in the Fatherllnd
America is full of such examples. Our
Catholic fellow citizens owe allegiance
also - the head OF their church, in Rome
and look forward with hope to his re-
gaining those temporal possessions that
were taken from him when Italy was
unified. The Irish collect money 10 fur
Their the political well sing of the coun-
try OF their birth. Itasans and Span
ardS are not less American because they
have not cut themselves off from all con-
nection with the countries from which
then. blame he Jew for giving his moral
3r his financial support to the upbuilding
" his original home. or tax him with
want Of patriotism because he has the
raising up Of his brethren there az
neary?
The third popular misconcepiion looks
IpOn me Zionist movement as wholly a
religious one. Il is said that it means
he rebuilding Of the Temple in lis old
style. the reinsiitutiOn Of sacrifice and a
,2mple;s return 10 Biblical institutions.
of the kind, The whole sigma
ure of the present form of the Zionis;
movement is economic and political, not
For nearly two thousand years
he attempt has been made 10 solve the
,o-called Jewish question from reiiE-
Gus point Of view. Success has certain
V not attended the effort, l. has become
lear that The question is not in the fist
place religious. bu, rather an economic
me. This has beer the key no,e OF the
Sasle congress I; has formed a platform
lpon which men of the most divergent
eligiouS views have found il posi- Ole
0 stand and 10 work in harmony
Ierzl and Nordau. who have never been
with religious organizations,
md the representatives Of the ul,rs-o--
hodoxy Of Russia. Galicla. Hungary ana
4oumania. The ready response which !
his call - the Jewish conscience has re.
eived is due 10 the very fact ;ha; Il
inks all those religious differences watch |
ave divided the Jews INFO orthodox, con /
ervative and reform or whatever o:hs- /
anne they may choose TO take. No. cA8t /
7 ignores the national side u the ques- /
ion-not that il places the national |
iea above the religious one-bug i, 1