The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-06-21
BIC IMPETUS GIVEN ZIONIST. MOVEMENT
  Notable Meeting Held At knes-
 seth lsreaI ADDRESS BY RABBI LOEB Recent Developments In Turkey Have Given Great Encouragement to Zionist Movement For Holy
 Land Convention.


 least 200 before the expiration of the pres ent week. The formal programme was as follows:
 Zionist Anthem-'Hatikvah
 Introductory remarks by the chairman.
 Trio-B. Reitman, J. Kadis and Miss Annie Shapiro.
 "Dort wo die Zeder"-Franls Abeson; aceompanist, Miss Rebecca Kapansky.
 Address-Rabbi J. T. Loeb.
 Cello Solo-B. Reitman
 Vocal Solo-Sam Pearl, baritone.
 Rabbi Loeb, speaking on the subject,
 New Turkey and the Present Outlook" said in part:
 The unexpected has occurred, as is
 usually the case in the history of na- tions, and the constitutional form of gov
 ernment now effected in Turkey is a veri-
 fcation of the old truth, "Time will &C., complish what human reasoning will fall to do.'' The bloodless revolution of one year ago, with It's happy climax of April last, is undoubtedly an epoch-making event of far-reaching consequences: an exploit des- tined to open up a new era for the his
 toric land of ancient Israel. From
 political standpoint it is a coupe d'etat
 before which all European diplomacy pales into insignificance. It is indeed the
 wisest the cleverest and most practical scheme that could be devised for the soz lution of the ever-troublesomeN and com plicated question of the near Orient, so as to preserve the integrity of the Holy Land, and with 1t the equanimity of existing nations.
 There are all the indications to the ef- feet that the new Turkish regime has come to stay in the land, and that it feels itself strong enough, politically and
 morally, to carry out the liberal and practical programme for which it had pledged itself.
 New Era Has DaWned. Much speculation has been indulged in as to the effect of this important change
 upon the Zionist movement. To the mind
 that is free from gloomy pessimism, or petty prejudices against the movement
 it is clearly evident that with the new
 era which has dawned upon the land of
 Israel the Jewish nationalists are brought nearer to their goal, and are given such
 an impetus as our wiseacres dreamed not in their philosophies. For the new order of things will surely prompt the transmit
 grafton of Jews from many lands into free Palestine, and with the increase of
 Jewish citizenship will come the advance ment of commerce and industry to Zion
 land. The state of seclusion in which
 this land was plunged for so many gen.
 erations will now give way to modern in- yention and economic improvement.
 It might well have been taken as huge joke were any one to tell us some
 years ago of so wonderful a transforma- ton in the Holy Land, and particularly
 of the happy fact that the Jewish people
 were to be officially invited to cooperate
 with the Crescent government in upbuid-
 ing and uplifting the land which Is sIs-
 rael's legal possession; yet all this is true
 today According to daily reports the new Turkey is ready to receive the Jews
 with open arms In every part of the em-
 pire, to grant them a cordial welcome and make ful-f1edged citizens of them im-
 mediately upon their arrival and to re-
 move every difficulty from the way of their progress
 Civil and Political Rights. Even though we should assume the sup
 position that no particular concessions
 were in store for the Jews above all
 other inhabitants of Turkish dominion, the fact is in itself sufficiently gratify- ing that under the new regime Jews in the
 Holy Land will be possessed of civil and political rights and liberties in equal measure with the rest of their fellow cit izens. And to the Jews this means a vast deal more than to any other section or creed. The member of another race has l home somewhere, with a nations
 strength to back him, and customs of re- ligion differing In every essential from those prevailing in the Holy Land. The sacred and precious memories that may be awakened in the heart of any living | person on his arrival in the Holy Land
 can only be those connected with the early history of the Jewish people and of none else. The mere fact of ones coming to Palestine out of curiosity, or of l seeking for material gain in any of the newer enterprises therein. that alone can- l not make one continually happy, nor suf- ficiently patriotic and desirous of the well | fare and stability of the country But | to the Jew the land of Israel means all he could bargain for. To him 1t Is the satisfaction of mind and spirit By hered- | ity and faith his soul always was knitted with Zion, the ever-cherished possession of his pious ancestors. In the Jewish people Young Turkey will thus find not
 only most potent factor for the en- l lightenment and enlivening of the new commonwealth but also a friend in time
 of need, a prop and support of the coun- try's cause under all conditions and cir
 cumstances. Even the deposed Sultan,
 Abdul Hamid, notwithstanding the mis- rule of his former absolutism, even had found the Jews amongst his most loyal
 subjects, and he declared 1t openly that
 he never was injured by Jew" CWfl- liam E. Curtis in the Washington Star
 and Chicago Record-H -Herald.)
 Most Cherished Principle. There is one peculiar and palpable req son as to why the Jew could be counted
 upon as faithful, loyal and useful cit
 izen in any commonwealth, and should be 1 especially so in the land of his forefath- CTS. Universal liberty is the Jews most cherished principle. The Jew never felt | the slightest desire to abridge the rights of others hasides himseIf TJe nevar both