The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1909-03-30
'Cdn t16 Jaws ;
! Establish a
!: Nation OF
/ TheiT0Wn?'
PHlStory OF a Worldwide Movement
TO Regain Palestine.

Ten years ago the word Zionist"
was coined to denote those Jews who
were actively working to restore their
race to the Holy Land. 1t is new WORD
for very old movement. The great
philosopher Spinoza was a Zionist
So was Napoleon Bonaparte to such
an extent that he once offered to
protect the Jews of Asia and Africa
If they would emigrate to Palestine.
So was Emma Lazarus. that Ameri-
can Jewess who was one of our most
brilliant poets. Rider Haggard and
Hall Game and Gorky and Bjornson
and Edward Everett Hale have all
written in favor of Zionism, says
Herbert n. Casson, writing on Zion
ism" in Hampton's Broadway Maya
zine.
The first American Zionist. find,
was noted Jew named Mordecai NJ.
Noah. who was a power in New York
State in the early days. At the time
that the Erie Canal was opened, in
1928, he sent out call to all Ameri-
can Jews to gather together on
Grand Island, near Buffalo, and prom
ised that he would provide ships so
they could set sail for the land of
Jordan. When the appointed day ar
rived, Noah was there with a ship
his ark" as the scoffing newspapers
called it, But all the other Jews
stayed home.
Today Zionism is powerful
movement. 1t is worldwide 1t has
more than 1000 societies and 100000
members. It supports fifty publica-
tons of its own. And out of the
twelve million Jews in all parts OF
the world. there are fully ten mill
ions whose feelings and good wishes
are on the side of the Zionists.
In the United States. where there
are 100000 Jews probably ten per
cent of these are in active sympathy
with the Zionists, and even those
who do not help It, regard it as a
pleasant dream. Among the young
Jews. especially. Zionism is growing
like a new religion.
The aim of Zionism. in a sentence.
is to get "a legally secured and pub
licly recognized home for the Jews
I'm Palestine. This they are now
trying to accomplish in four ways:
% BY starting Jewish colonies in
Palestine.
co BY establishing schools, banks,
etc. in Palestine.
90 BY developing a stronger Jew
ish national spirit.
(D BY getting the approval OF
foreign governments.
Considering that It is only an
eleven-year-old infant, Zionism has al
ready worked wonders. 1t has act
ually created an organization which
will be able to handle the crowd
when the rush to Palestine begins It
has established thirty colonies and
various factories so that there are
now more than 100000 Jews on the
spot Every sixth man in Palestine
today is a Jew, and OF course a zion
ist
These 100000 Jews are the ad-
vance guard. They have actually be-
gun to restore the beauty and pros
perity OF their ancient home. They
have planted one magnificent grove OF
10000 olive trees I'm memory Of Herzl
And they have backed their ideas
with money to such an extent that
there IS now i'm one OF the narrow
streets OF Jerusalem a branch Of the
Jewish Colonial Trust OF London.
with very nearly $4,000. 900 behind
its barred windows.
Slowly but surely the Zionists are
welding together the scattered frag-
ments Of the Jewish race They have
actually established a Congress. which
meets every other year generally. at
the city OF Basic. I'm Switzerland (also
I'm London and at the Hague). and
which Will continue TO convene there
until Il moves back to- its rightful
place at Jerusalem The first Of
| these remarkable Congresses was held
in 1897 Il was first the Jewish Par
lament for two thousand years and
| Il was also the most picturesque
assemblage that could be imagined
There were 2O4 members Of this
hrst Jewish Congress They were
from fifty countries There we're
Rabbis from Bulgaria and freethlnk.
ers from Paris: bearded merchants
from Algiers and clean-shavon stu
/ dents from New York; bankers from
| Berlin and shabby outcaets from Rus
| sia But they were all Jews. and
! there was one unanimous feeling that
| burned fin their hearts like fire. the
| desire 20 restore the fallen glory Of
| the House OF Isreal