Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-12-31
ZANGWILL AND OTHERS
ANSWER LORD ROTHSCHILD


NEW YORK. December 30.-The remark
able manifesto issued recently against Zion
ism and the Jewish territorial organization
by Lord Rothschild and other prominent
Jewish leaders of the Russo-JewiSh COM
mittee of London, England, has created
quite stir among the Jews the world over.
The manifesto came as a surprise to the
Jewish community of England. as well as
of this country. 1t was for the first time
that Lord Rothsehild has spoken out in
public against Zonfsm. That he should
also join in an attack on the project OF
Jewish settlement in East Africa was as
tonishing, inasmuch as on the morrow OF
the publication of this scheme his lordshlp
spoke of 1t in favorable terms. 1t is be-
lieved that the publication of the manifesto
was due to the remarkable support that is
now being obtained by the Jewish terri
torial organization which is headed by
Israel Fang will and other Jewish men of
eminence in England.
The signatories of the manifesto are the
heads of the leading Jewish organizations
in England. and their prominence natural
Fly added all the more importance to their
declara ton.
Mr.. Zangwill and his associates of the
Jewish territorial organization have answer
ed the manifesto, and Just now it is TINS
answer which is being widely discussed IN
all jewish circles III all the cues VI INC
country The answer is undoubtedly writ
ten by Mr.. Zangwiu himself, though 1T also
bears the signatures of the members OF the
council of the Jewish territorial organlza-
ton. A copy of this letter has just been
forwarded to this country. 1t is as tol-
lows:
I'm so far as that letter was an appeal
for further contributions to the fund for
the relief of Russo-Jewish sufferers, 1t has
our full and heartfelt concurrence. Indeed
at a mass meeting of some 5000 OF our sup
porters presided over by Sir Robert Reld,
the president particularly PLEADED Tor inns
very fund But the criticism which that
letter included about the Jewish territorial
ORGANIZATIONS criticism made without any
effort to obtain information from our head
quarters-entirely misconeeives our PROB
lem and our aim When we set our hands
to our scheme none of the considerat tons
urged by your correspondents was absent
from our minds. The accusation, for eX-
ample, that we desire to set up enetto
state ignores the widely published CORE
spondence between Mr. Lucien Wolf ana
the president, in which it was expressly de-
clared that in the proposed colony church
and state should not be united, ana that
the object was if under British protection,
10 produce q model British colony Ihat
colony would be no more a ghetto state TOT
Jews than New Zealand is ghetto state
for Christians. Its laws, indeed, would pc
ha sed on those of the mother country, only
modified as every British colony modihes
them TO suit it's special circumstances. AS
for the argument tD8t, D6CduSS d
lively small minority of the worlds Jews
have in a. few countries obtained equal
civil rights the Russian or other jews are,
therefore to be debarred from seeking
corporate form of freedom and security by
6avaIonine a virgin territory, its answer
may safely be left to the instinct or En-.
glishmen. We have heard sooo oeal %
late of the liberties OF FINLAND yet tne
nonulati of Finland is under three mil
lions while the Russo-Jewish population
alone numbers nearly six millions. Norway
has recently figured prominently upon the
European stage, but Norway mas olliy nv I'M
and quarter millions of inhabitants. The
prussia Jewish population is SO potent
Iife-force that Russias own excuse TOT pen
ming her Jews in the pale is that otherwise
they would dominate Russia
..,. NAV he respectfully suggested to the
nhilanthropic signatories. whose STURDY
devotion to their race surely in this IN
ata,,ca lacks the necessary imagination and
initiative, that a long and dincuit eXpe-
! rjence of emigrant beggars seems to nave
peculiarly untitled them for graspins the
Russo Jewish question in it's true and he
rojc PROPORTIONS. The Russo-Jewish peo-
ple do not consist of steerage passengers
otherwise the black hundreds couid
scarcely have found pillaging them profit
able. 1t does not consist of helpless
horde, else udu tHc uidfO ocSe1 49,
Bund never helped to forward Russian nd
| erty.
Russian Jews ask political aid from
Britain, not financial. Indeed, our scheme,
| If It benefits Jews politically, will not fall
| to benefit the British empire both finan-
cially and politically. Our offices have
| been deluged by kilograms from all classes
| and communities of Russian Jews-as from
Jews of the rest of the world-expressing
| the longing for a safe haven under the
| generous British flag and British laws.
| England's magnanimous project has, In
| deed brought fresh hope to the Jewries
| of the world. To build up this land of lib
| ssrty under her protection, Russian Jews
| pledge themselves-in the language OF one
| telegram-'to make sacrifices of great
| ness of which only people Is capable that
| has been for two thousand years a martyr
people And while a rich Russian Jew as
sures us that ten thousand well-to-do fam
4 flies will be ready to colonize with a joint
| capital of ten million pounds Ca thousand
| pounds eaeh) a hundred typical middle
| class Jews write that, possessing a joint
| capital of $4,000 rubles and their good right
| hands. they are awaiting the signal TO set
| out for the Jewish land. Bands of uniyer-
| stty students have declared their readiness
--if ever a scientific commission is sent out
| to explore a savage territory--to leave their
| studies and their prospects In life and be-
/ come porters, mere beasts of burden, for
| the scientific experts. In this burning faith