Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1917-12-15
United States Ship Terrorizes
10 The Jews Turkish OppressOrs
(By Herman Bernstein, Editor of
The American HebrcW.)
1917. by the Newspaper

Copyright. 1917. by the Newspaper
Enterprise Association.)
Djemal Pasha. Enver Bey and
ing the destinies of the Ottoman en-
pire in II hollow of their hands.'
Adroit, corrupt and INSCRIPTIONS,
their blood-stained hands are dipping
deep into the wealth Of the realm.
Taalet Bey is reputed the richest
nan in Turkey, and his millions are
safely stored away in Europe against
that inevitable hour When he must flee
from Constantinople.
Enver Bey, being more in the lime
light, is somewhat more circumspect.
His ambitions are rather imperial
than private.
Djemal Pasha ranks Taalat second
in wealth amassed through the
myriad opportunities for graft that
The political understanding with his
associates makes possible. Hence, in
stead Of being degraded for his de-
feat at the hands of the British in
1914, Djefnal Pasha was made mill
tary governor of Palestine. One of
Americas diplomatic representatives
in the Ottoman empire is authority
for the statement that upon assum-
ing this office, Djemal Pasha entered
into an agreement with Enver and
Taalat that they were to have a free
hand in Constantinople n Anatolia.
in return for his unbridled authority
in Palestine.
When Djemal assumed control of
Palestine, that country had a Jewish
population of over 10000, with fine
vineyards, orange. almond, olive and
other groves, w~aterworks, n irriga-
ton plants valued at $40, 600. 600.
The 'Iionists and their institutions
became victims Of DiemaFs cruelty
from the beginning of his regime.
Accusing them of treason to the Otto
maj empire, he instituted raids in
order to unearth evidences of his
Suspicious. The emblem of the Zion
ists--the six-cornered star of David
was to him as sinister as the flags of
Gerlnany's opponents. He swooped
down upon the Bezallel school Of arts
and crafts, established by the Zionists
in Jerusalem, hoping to find the
pupils engaged in making badges
with the hated insignia From this
angle alone the situation became so
dangerous for the Jews of Palestine
that they were compelled, in order
to escape execution. to strip the six
cornered star from the ark-curtains in
their synaEoEues.
The war had cut Palestine off from
all communication with the world.
and its inhabitants were threatened
with starvation. The American Zion
list organization Immediately under
took the financing and maintenance Of
it's institutions in the Holy Land, and
at my request, in behalf of the Ameri-
can Jewish relief committee, Presi-
dent Wilson placed at the disposal
Of the committee the U. S. collier
Vulcan, to carry food and clothing to
the suffering population.
Arrival of the American argosy
brought not only relief from famine,
but struck terror into the heart of
Djemal Pasha, who blandly an
nounced his welcome Of the naval
vessel and approved appointment of
Zionists on the committee to handle
the relief. !
But his benevolence vanished when
the last trail of smoke from the
Vulcan disappeared beyond the Med
iteEranean horizon.
Early in 1915, Djemal issued a de-
cree commanding all Jews OF Pales-
tine, nationals of allied countries, to
become" Ottoman subjects, and the
Turkish army. Failure to obey was
to be punished by expulsion.
Ten thousand Jews who nae come
to Palestine from Russia and Ru-
mania refused to obey Djemal. Again
the United States came to the rescue,
and the American cruiser Tennessee,
rushed to Jaffa from, Egyptian waters,
served as a ferry for the refugees.
They were carried to Alexandria,
where the aged, the children and the
sick were cared for in a camp pro-
vided by the British army and oper-
ated by Miss Kaplan with such re-