The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-10-06
WORLD OF
RELIGION.
The, Zionist Congress
In London.
OLDEST KNOWN LETTERS
Interesting Finds in Baby|onia--
Protestants Oppose the Passion
Play of 0berammergau.

From several points of view besides its
religious element. the Zionist Congress
which met in London last month has
claims upon public interest. The move
ment, inaugurated three or four years
ago by DIR. Theodor Herzl, has among it's
leaders such well-known men as DR.. Max
Nordau Mr.. Israel Zangwill, Sir Francis
Mcntefore, DR.. Moses Caster chief rabbi
OF the Spanish and Portuguese congrega-
tions of Great Britain, Herr Wolfsohn,
Professor Mandelstamm, of the Universi-
ty of Kieff, DIR. Alexander Marmorek, CT
the Pasteur Institute. and Prof. Richard
Gottheil, of Columbia University. The
opening address, delivered by the presi-
dent DIR. Herzl, dealt with the tolerance
shown toward the Jews in Great Britain,
where there is perhaps less prejudice
against the race than in any country In
t the world. Dr. Nordau, on the other
hand, drew attention to the many disabil-
tiles Of Jews upon the Continent. The
arti-Semitic movement. in his opinion, IS
steadily growing, and he referred to the
numerous accusations OF ritual murder
lately made against the Jews in Austria,
Germany and Italy. The recent Rouman-
ian outrages, of course, consulate anoth-
ie. argument for the Zionist ideal of an
asylum for rhe race in Palestine.
! Mr.. Zangwilrs speech attracted much
attention and applause. Although not a
Zionist, he was present to welcome the
delegates to the Congress. He took
share, he remarked, in the first meeting
OF the kind in England. At that time,
four or FIVE years ago, Or. Herzl address
ed only about thirty persons. ''Since then
the CONGRESS gatherings he said, had
shown that race accused of money
grs. bling could rise to an heroic measure.
They had been told that the Jewish prob
lem which the Congress strove to solve
was to help the poor, but 1t was as much
+ q problem Of giving an ideal to the rich:
and in Jewry the rich needed an ideal
even more than the poor needed bread
In dreaming OF model state, they dreamt
Of liberty and Justice, which they hoped
would be established, and not a system
of sWeatinF;. T7en there was the problem
&C orthodoxy and reform to solve. Jews
could not Continue on the cid lines. Once
they became emancipated they could not
keep the Sabbath living amidst Chris
tar environment. In order that the old
Jewish religion might continue, Jews
must be gathered in a large mass, having
their own laws They were told that it
I
Palestine. Let gold be discovered there In
sly months, and they could get a large
population in Palestine, sufficient, at
least, to force a franchise from the
Turks
The Congress naturally attracted much
attention from the English press. The
Westminster Gazette august 1D says:
There is curious mixture of the
sternly practical and dreamily visionary
about the proceedings of the Zionist Con-
~ - Go
topening speech by DR.. Herzl, the presi-
dc MT, who combines practical survey OF
the position of Jews in England, the on
ly place earth where there is freedom
fro m hatred of the jews with an exquiS-
tie little prose poem concerning the land
!. of their forefathers, provided for them
by Holy Writ, sung by their poets, and
lloEged for by the tears of their nation
Il appears in DIR. Max Nofdau's impas-
; ,slcned address concerning the growth OF
Ianti-Semitism, and this morning we find
lit embodied in the interesting organ oil
, the Congress, which, printed in Russian
, under the somewhat formidable title OF
? ,Eshednevnik. or Daily News, opens with
a poetic Cali to the Congress, gives ex-
,cellent portraits of some of the leaders OF
the movement, contains reports of the
, proceedings, and win be published for one
week only. 1t is the first Russian daily
lnews-sheet published in England, and
: does the greatest credit to its promoters
. Put energetic action and eloquent enthu
siasm Notwithstanding, it is difficult fol
the non-Zionist to see how the object o.
; leading the Jewish race back to dwell II
the promised land can be accomplished
stree the ruler of the purple East seems
to be determined to act, with regard t
Palestine, on the principle of J'y suis, j.
: reste There 1 am, here I remain1.''
, The Spectator august 1S) does not fine
In the gatherings any evidence of prog
ress toward success, nor of chat spiri
which would lead to O new exodus t
Palestine:
I THE main arguments of the speaker
are the horrible position of the Jews il
corntries where, as in Rumania, they
are actively prosecuted, and the benefi
trey may be to Europe as the vanguard
2 of an army of intelligence for penetrating
: Asia. Both are sound arguments, bu
/, some hotter impulse than either would
seem to be required before the majorit,
of Jews Will quit countries to which the,
r are accustomed for a country which ha
! for ages been represented to them as des
olate beyond experience. The Englisl
Jews in particular are too comfort able 4
e move. the jews in professions on the Con
: tnent fear to be declared foreigners, AM
n the poor majority have no means of in
.fluencing the Turkish Government, wnicl
: is not favorable to the movement Som
e day or other. when the Seraglio is il
: laCute want of money, great cxperimen
Will be tried. but meanwhile Zionism i
, rather the highly interesting aspiration
: Iof great race than a practical desigl
, for the restoration of the Jews to thei
: own land. AS to the Jews being able t
!, live on the land in Palestine, there can
: however, be no doubt Those who hav
seen Jewish colony in Syria will testif
!, to the excellent physical and moral an
: Horticultural results achieved Merely (
see the children in Jewish colony 4
:, Palestine Is ample warrant of what
J, done for the Jew by release from tn
? tGhettoH
The Weekly Register 0iberal Roma
> Catholic, August 20) says:
= "A return to Palestine is purely a ro
!, mantle solution of Jewish misfortune:
= (which can be remedied only by the fulle
EXERCISE by Christian governments g
:, these very counsels of perfection they ar
=, so ready to inculcate upon others. TIL
= = difficulties which beset the carrying ou
or the Zionist program have not bee
: fully realized by its supporters, who ar.
!, perhaps, too prone to trust to their inbre
: l1hteiiigence and business aptitude to car
= ry their sentiment into practical execr
- ten. Moreover. Mr.. Arnold White favor
:. Armenia in preference to Zion, and tn
Iconhict between Jew and Armenian. VIII