The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-06-20
a sniritnnI state In Zion.

The plans Of the Zionist Hebrews to set
up a spiritual state in the Holy Land,
which will abolish war and establish uni
versal brotherhood" have assumed the
importance of one of the leading religious
movements OF the day. II indeed. they may
not be considered the most important and
far reaching. As with all such plans,
there are two sides to the question, and
two factions involved taking opposite
views; which fact may throw almost in
surmountabie obstacles in the way Of their
successful accom- lishment.
Rabbi H. Pereira Mendes of New York,
in a recent interview presents the ideas
of the majority of the Zionist Hebrews.
II am a Zionist" he says. because I am
a Hebrew Zionsm has, in the main,
three objects FRS, to foster Hebrew lit
erature; second to rescue our unfortu-
nate brethren from countries where they
are denied equal rights, and third, to fos-
ter Hebraic nationality" OF the first he
asserts that Hebrew is not a dead Ian
guage. OF the second, it is the object of
the Zlonists to encourage the emigration
to Palestine from Russia, Roumania, Tur-
key, Morocco and other countries, of the
Hebrews who are kept in poverty by adj
verse legislation or oppressed by the ma
tive peoples. The colonies already formed
in Palestine have been very successful,
and the Hebrews, who take naturally to
agriculture are already shipping many of
their products even 10 America. AS to
Hebrew nationality the Scriptures, he
says speak of the establishment of a He
brew state, through the fundamentally
and cooperation of the Gentle nations.
The erection of a spiritual state does
not mean at all the removal of the Hebrew
people to Palestine; they will remain citi-
zens of the lands of their adoption. Nor
will they owe political duty of any kind
to the Hebrew state in Palestine. 1t will
demand none, for the reason that it will
be spiritual and in no sense political or
with political aspirations. This 1t seems
is just where the conflict arises. 1t has
been almost clearly demonstrated that DIR.
Herzl, Max Nordau and other leading
supporters of Zionism. who do not always
enjoy the society to which their talents
entitle them have in mind the establish
ment of political state which shall draw
it's citizens from the Jews of the world.
Some OF the difficulties of this plan are
obvious, such as the objection on the one
hand to leaving comfortable and satisfac-
tory surroundings. and on the other, the
fact that the majority of the citizens of
the new state would be, orthodox Jews
from European countries who would nat
urally desire to return to the ancient
power of the priests. the rabbinical laws
and the code of Moses, to which such nom
conformists as Herzl and Nordau would
no doubt, most seriously object. Happi-
ness in Zion under such circumstances
would be confined to the majority. DR..
Mendes best expresses the plans Of the
spiritualistic Zionists when he says: LET
1t be noted that these nationalist aspira-
tions are not for the benefit of the He
brews alone. We believe in the establish
ment Of a Hebrew state only as means
to bring humanity nearer to happiness.
First, by making Jerusalem a center for
the capitalization of human life; sec
ond, by the establishment there of court
of arbitration which will render conscrip-
ton, ornaments. army and navy taxa
ton, and war alike unnecessary, and
thirdly, the promotion of the idea Of hui
man brotherhood by its standing boldly
for the fatherhood Oor have we not all
one FatherO of the last Of our prophets"
The subject will precipitate an interna-
tionally interesting discussion at the Zion
list conference in Munich next August.