The Detroit times., 1908-11-26
BY CHARLES FERGUSON.

The Zionist movement SO diligently
promoted by Mr.. /. Zangwill Is briI-
liant adventure OF the creative mag
nation. And like all spiendid new
things IL is dangerous To Old Things.
Our shabby old ways OF building cities
by haphazard and the how OF blind
forces are threatened and imperiled
by this vision OF city built by In
telligent design. That men should
set out with deliberate will and pur-
pose TO redeem whole historic
country to n new type OF civilization
IA tremendous presumption Ana
the success OF the Zionists--even A
hallway success-would disturb ami
subject To scrutiny and revision every
inveterate humdrum and consecraeed
stupidity in the Whole round world.
II the great capitalists OF the jew
fish race were really To unite To build
city OF refuge for their people
playing fair and doing their bona
fide best TO create IN Palestine the
highest attainable conditions OF ex-
istence--they would break the uni
yersal spell OF plutocracy. For the
power OF Mammon rests upon moth
practicability OF ideals
To suppose that things are inevi-
tably what they happen to be, that
ideals are dreams and the VIII an
Illusion, that the earth can be sub
dued only by hunger. and cities built
only by the fcrtuitous meeting or
aimless cyclists following the lines
OF appetite and the lure OF gold
this is the true cultus and gospel of
the money power. On the other hand.
there is nothing so subversive OF the
reign OF the dollar as a successful
act of constructive intelligence.
Every magnificent enterprise-such
as boring a tunnel under the East
river or building railroad To Mexico
raises up more rebels against the
alhightiness of the dollar than can be
kept down by the rake-off OF the pro-
molers. For men who live In an at
mosphere OF earth conquest Will no.
forever submit TO work for their board
and clothes.
The one thing especially needed just
now. for the heartening OF the race
is a successful civilizing enterprise
that refuses To stop at puttering de-
NdllS lht pdNNA vi Vi iNACt ~ .
that seizes the whole compass OF hui
man interest in a single grasp OF the
imagination-and dedicates a definite
territorial space OF decent living. liz
the Zionists can do this they will
turn the hinge OF the new century.
And II the Zionists can't there are
others who can. There are single mil
lionaires among us who could do 1t.
What they lack-if they lack anything
for the purpose Is a touch OF the
intellectual audacity OF Cecil Rhodes.
plus some common-sensc views on the
rudiments OF political economy.
The Utopias have failed because OF
their sentimentality. They have APP
pealed to exceptional or exaggerated
emotions OF the human heart-not to
its everyday motives. Since the mid
lie ages nobody has undertaken TO
build a free city as commercial
proposition and on artistic and scien-
! tifc principles, though. as matter
of history. such undertakings have
always had n considerable measure OF
success. The free cities were the
light spots in the dark ages.
We have had wonderful World s
Fair cities. built of lath and plaster
and calculated to tumble down at the
end OF the show. II would be stupid
OF us not TO understand that the right
use OF these fine ieeting models was
II announce the practicability OF more
permanent and more livable es'
tablishments-real expositions to tn
world of the best that art and science
can accomplish in our age, cities that
can pay their own freight. end that
may stand, fair as Damascus, with It's
palm gardens and flashing streams
when most that Is now called Ameri'
can shall have passed TO its day OF
judgment.
Nobody knows what are the best
attainable conditions OF civic exist
ence-how high our modern crganiza
ton and our Titan tools can drive
wages or how low they can drive
prices. BECAUSE NO CITY HAS
EVER TRIED.
!, Nowhere on earth today is there a
Territory cleared of the encumbrancea