New-York tribune., 1918-01-08

estne, with short interlude Of the Cru
saders, for nearly 1900 years. Palestine has
remained as desolate as it was when it was
wrested from the Byzantine emperors, and
has gone from bad to worse. IL is, therefore,
not likely that the Moslems can do now what
they have not been able to do during twelve
centuries. But then the conditions under
which the Jewish element settle and
flourish in Palestine must be such to at
tract Jew and to give him all the possibili
ties for physical and spiritual emancipation.
The Jew must be able to lead his own life,
free and independent, and not be a pawn
the political chessboard of the powers.
We must guard against political wire pull
ing, where the Jew is to be used as the cats
paw to pull the chestnuts out of the fire.
He must know that the land belongs to him,
though it must be understood that he is not
to encroach any ones private property.
There are vast tracts Of Ottoman crown
lands and great possibilities of developing
the country. The lands in question must fall
within the sphere Of the Jewish influence.
The picture Of the return Of old in the time
of Cyrus recurs to me when l think of the
future organization Of the Jews in Palestine.
They were given absolute autonomy, and they
founded the Jewish commonwealth, ruled by
Jewish governor, and were subject to their
own laws quite independent of those Of the
nOm1nal
allegiance to the great king, living somewhere
in Susa. That is the way think Of the Jew
ish commonwealth in Palestine to-day. Other
nationa)ities dwelt there in olden times, but
they did not interfere with one another.
Even if the Jewish commonwealth expands,
as we hope, with the greater influx of inm
grafton from Eastern Europe, and also from
the United States, shall remain mindful
of our old law wherein it says: Thou shalt
not oppress the stranger" Zone law for the
stranger and for him who is Unborn in the
land" No fear of alien immigration regula-
tions like those in the Western countries
self-could ever be.
The Citadel of David
ton has grown up in Palestine Subtracting
the death of old people. one may reckon that
there are 10000 Jews in the Holy Land, Of
whom $4,000 are, or were, in Jerusalem.
1t would have been the proper recognition
of the Jewish claim to Palestine for the Brit
ish to have hoisted the Jewish flag over the
citadel of David. and it is what ought to have
been done Whatever the claims of other
powers NAV be, they are shadowy compared
with claims. The short lived occupation
Of Jerusalem by the Crusaders fades into
nsg nlficancc, compared with the permanent
occupation of the Jews. There is not period
Of history when the Jews have not been liv-
ing in the Holy Land. Their number is i'm
material, either in the past or in the pres
crt. For those who are there are merely like
sentries Of the great host who are living
throughout the world, and if we now claim
Palestine the land Of Israel it is not in
virtue of the number Of Jews at present resi-
dent there. 1t is in the name Of 1000 OO0
Jews throughout the universe, who will be
deeply affected by the reestablishment Of the
Jewish commonwealth in the Holy Land.
They will become row in way patriots and
superpatriots; they will owe allegiance to
the countries in which they live as citizens.
and they will owe spiritual allegiance to the
new centre OF the Jewish spirit in the land
Of their fathers A fresh direction will be
given to the spiritual life Of the Jew every
where. He viii realize now more than before
that he is not sitting guest at other
peoples tables but will bring his own share
to the spiritual repast Of the nations He
will stand for something unique, being the