The Savannah morning news., 1903-05-23
THE ZIONIST MOVEMENT.

THE ZIONIST MONEMENIs
The massacre of Jews in Bessarabia,
Russia, and the discussion Of means to
be employed to put stop to the per-
secution of these people in European
countries, turns attention to the zion
list movement.
A number of leading men of the
! Jewish race have given 1t as their opin-
ion that the only permanent solution
of the problem, especially with respect
to Russia, is for the Jews to leave the
country Sir Francis Montefiore, Max
Nordau, Israel Zangwil Theodore
Herzl and number of others have en-
phasized this opinion since the Kischi-
neff butchery. But where are the peo-
pie to go? How is the emigration to
be effected and the expense of it met?
The proposition is prodigious one and
to carry It out would require many mill
lions of dollars. 1t is to be inferred
from Russias treatment of the Jews
that she would put no stumbling blocks
in the way of their departure; indeed,
che seems to be trying to make them
leave. In this connection it is not out
of place to recall that Secretary of
State John Hay only recently protested
to the government of Roumania against
the treatment of the Jews in that
country, saying in effect that IL was
calculated to drive out of there
and into the United States a number of
persons who would not be a desirable
addition to the population because of
their inability to support themselves.
The United States are ready at all
times to welcome those who can sup
port themselves, but they do not desire
to have forced upon them immigrants
that would become charges upon the
public; and a forced movement of Jews
from Roumania or from Russia would
bring with it a great many of such
persons, inhicting a grievous burden
upon the Jews of the United States.
One of the purposes in view of the
Zionist movement is to forestall and
make improbable if not impossible any
such flood of immigration to America
by providing a place-a country of
their own-to which the oppressed
Jews of Europe could turn and where
they could live in peace and security.
THE Zionist movement" says Israel
Zangwill, lis not necessary for the
Jews that are comfortably established
in America, but it is for the great
mass of our people. Half of the Jews
in the world live in Russia. 1t is the
only permanent solution of the tragic
Jewish question" If we understand it,
it has never been proposed that Amer
lean Jews-and among the best Amer
leans are those of Jewish blood-should
give up their citizenship in this coun-
try and join the Zionists in their colon
izing scheme. The very holding of such
an idea would foredoom the whole
plan to defeat. But the idea is to es-
tablish a Jewish state, in Palestine,
Cyprus or elsewhere, into which the OPP
pressed people of the blood in Europe
could be gathered and to which any
Jew might emigrate if he felt so dis
posed. Several small colonies, indeed,
have already been established in Pal
estine, the people have takn up agri-
culture and their success in tilling the
soil gives excellent promise of the per-
manent success of the colonies.
In the synagogues of Philadelphia
the other day there were held meetings
to consider the situation in Russia. At
the same time meetings were held in
synagogues of London. In both cities
the consensus of opinion seemed to be,
In the language of one Of the Philadel-
phia speakers, that "In Zionism is the
only remedy for such prosecutions as
have fallen on our race in Kischineff."
How this proposition will be received
by the mass of American Jews will
probably be developed as the discussion
progresses.