The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-07-04
WHAT IS ZIONISM2
BY JULIUS T. LOEB Knesseth israel Congregation

not man who hath not his time nor
Is there a thing that hath not its place.
ethics of the Fathers ", 81
1t must be somewhat of a pleasing
satisfaction for a suffering humanity to
note that the scoffer. the sseptic or
disconsolate critic, is not always taken
so seriously, aud things ONE into being
despite the failure of many to precon-
ceive the realization OF any plausible
scheme or IDEAL and history records
its pages without regard to the likes or
dislikes, figurings or findings of those in
dividuals who set too mucll of a high
value on their own wisdom, and in their
naughty pride are so apt to serutinize
the efforts of others, to scorn all things
In existence and despise the humble
ones of the earth" who have neither
power nor wealth on their side. save
only the God-sent intelligence wherewith
they were endowed to work the destiny
of man and strive for the accomplish
ment of every important object, in
whose behalf the Talmud enjoins BE
We careful about the children of the poor,
as from them will issue forth learning"
When the Decalogue, the noble Con-
stituton of Sinai, first made its appear
once amidst benighted world, for the
equalization of human right, well
the enlightment of mind and reason, it
was the class known as plebians-not
the pompous patricans rioting in the
present-that FASTENED to receive the new
doctrines In every struggle for liberty
and right 1t is the proletarian element
that came to the forefront and led in the
fight. So in the spread of civilization,
as in the revolutions of nations and the
political and economic Improvements of
all states, the earliest risers to necessity
were the poor. Little wonder. therefore,
that what is known as political Zionism.
the effort to create for the Jewish peo-
pie a 'publically-secured and legally as
sured home in Palestine was conceived
and born in the bosom of those known
as :" children of the Ghetto" the poor
est among the victims Of persecution.
For a long time theirs was indeed a
struggle against odds, and they met with
bitter opposition on all sides; and they
were made a target to the sings of the
jester. the arrows of the arrogant, and
the taunts of the incredulous Yet they
forged ahead with indefatigable energy,
retraced not their steps, covered before
no difficulty or mtschance, covered before
that the time has come and the oppor-
tunity Is rife for the ever-martyred
race to cease in matyrdom. Few as
they were in numbers at the beginning
they now have gathered in the best
forces in Jewry, and as Zangwill puts
it, all intelligent Jews of the world
have decided that Jewish state must
and shall be-
'NOt6ln2 that Is necessary Is 11HpOS-
sibler said William Jennings Bryan in
his address before the governors con-
ference at the White House last winter,
and this truth is demonstrated by the
transpiring events of everyday life.
The seemingly insurmountable barriers
that present themselves at our first at
tempt to bring about a certain end will
eventually dwindle down to a minimum,
and every difficulty will disappear in the
sight of patient labor and earnestness
of purpose. Moreover, the realization
of certain plan or ideal will sometimes
come to US even sooner than we had
anticipated 1t, and we are often made
to gaze in wonderment as to how this
thing or that has sprung into being,
while everything around US pronounced
it an impossibility
Everybody today knows of Wilbur and
Orvlle Wright of heavier than air fly
ing machine fame; but how many knew,
how many did care to know, about the
pitiful plight and meager resources of
the two poor Woodworking brothers
some few months back on their leaving
the American shores for the old world
in an attempt to find a pathway for their
wonderful invention? If the scoffer had
his way, what chance would there be
for the brothers Wright to attain their
aim and come to public view, excepting
for the cheap jests and gibes that were
ncdptQ On lllClll ny lllc WOAlo -WisCf
with that air of supreme indifferentism
which Is accorded to nearly all the bene-
factors of the human race in all history?
II the scoffer had his way "F'ultons
Folly would not now be the center of
public interest, and no preparations were
to be made for the celebration of its one
hundreth anniversary in New York City.
And what hath God wrought would
not have been the message flashed by
the wire in 1874; nor wouIu Marconi be
enabled to produce the great marvel OF
communication by the intangible, hither-
to regarded a Scientific impossibility;"
nor would anything worth while have
ever met with the desired success. All
human advancement, idealsm and per-
lection would necessarily cease-if the
scoffer had his way.
Happily the more earnest and honest
labors Of the stronger minds are destined
to rule, and what once might have been
styled a 'delusive dream" is today TAX
ing solid shape and entering the worlds
scene as a perfectly natural manifesto
ton.
So the much-ridiculed and misunder-
stood idea of a Jewish state is now
silently and imperceptibly, yet none the
less surely passing into reality The
Zionist movement Is now become
worldwide movement, and is gaining
ground with every succeeding day.
There is practically no class among Jews
in any part of the globe today but which
is identified with the cause of Zionism.
So there is no section or sphere amidst
civilized mankind but where there can
be found staunch friends and sympa-
thizers who feel with Robert n. Casson
that they would like to see the long
tragedy Of Jewish history have happy
ending before the curtain falls"
A time there was when the so-called
aristocratic Jews of the reform school"
had kept aloof. and would not permit
their names to be connected with
movement which according to some
crude notion of the uniformed might
cast a shadow of suspicion upon the
patriotic nature Of the Jew In lands of
liberty where he enjoys his civil and
political rights in fullest measure. But
this misconcepdon is gradually wearing
off, while the people as a whole are COM
issue, and they no longer hesitate to
Join the Zionist ranks. Since it was
proven sufficiently that Zionism does not
propose to create a wholesale and force
full emigration from all parts Of the
world: since It was made clear to all
that no disloyalty to country is sug
gested in the agitation, which aims sole
ly and entirely to provide home and
country for those millions Of unfortunate
Jews who are mere slaves in the lands
of their oppression, since then the classes
as well as the masses are gradually
falling into line, forming one united
Israel, and aiding in the one grand eff
fort for the only peaceful solution of the
Jewish problem.
That zionism suggests disloyalty to
state is undoubtedly the most sour
rilous absurdity. We all know to what
extent the Irishmen in this country have
L.