The Denver Jewish news., 1918-11-07
New Declaration of In
dependence Bell Rung
HISTORIC CONFERENCE GUAR.
ANTEES RIGHTS.

the War. lttamar Ben-.Avi, Zionist
Spokesman, Makes Profound impress
sion.
Minority peoples, wherever they may
exist, will enjoy full cultural and
political liberty in all of the new
states that are to he set in Europe
at the conclusion of the war. That
is the explicit pledge contained in the
new Declaration of Independence that
was written, and signed. in historic
Independence hall. last Friday and
Saturday. at the Conference of the
Democratic MidEuropean Union.
With a stroke on the Liberty Bell
accompanying each, representatives of
Czeko-Slovakia. Jugo-Slovakia. Alban-
ia. Poland, Greece, Croatia. Ukraina.
Finland, Roumania. Albania. Trident
ist-Italy, Lithuania and Juden. signed
the new Declaration of Independence
for the smaller nationalities which con.
tains the following clause:
THE national minorities will he
guaranteed in all states. full liberty
and equal rights. The Union is in
favor of an international law protect
ing the rights of national lninorities
The desire for league of Nations will
lie attained if natinonal minorities are
protected against the curse of dena-
tionaliZation''
Of special interest was the presence
at the conference of Mr. Ittamar Ben
Avi. who was seated by virtue of his
being the representative in tliis coun.
try of the vaad Hachinoch Hamach
shoboth THE National Council of Tho
Jewish COlOnies) the sovereign or
sanization of the Jewish People in Pal
estine. Mr.. Ittamar Bcn-Avi created II
genuine sensation. and during the en-
tire conference his personality and his
utterant,es elected most comment
Never was he so eloquent as on this
| occasion. and his passionate advocacy
of the cause OF Zion, and of the rights
of Jewish minorities. aroused the great.
est enthusiasm. The secular press OF
| Philadelphia liOnized him and quoted
his speeches almost verbatim.
Welcomed hs Prof, Thomas &, Ma.
7 zaryk, who was one of the intiniatcs.
of Theodore Herzl. and tried friend
of Zionism and the Jewish people
| Mr.. Bcn-.Avi said:
1T is certainly the first time in
the history Of all peoples in the las,
centuries that Jew comes to the
representatives of other peoples not ~
u citizen of other nations but aS Il
citizen of his own land. of his own
homeland Because indeed since
Great Britain. France. Italy. the Uni.
ted States. Greece. Scrvia. CZccho.
Slovakia have declared themselves Of.
| ficially for the Zionist hopes there
| is such thing as Judcn, and il
| is as Jud"anS that | talk to you to.
day.
What pride it is for me to tell
| You that the land that has once been
ours will again belong to its rightful
| owners. the national Jews. Jerusalem
will he our capital Hebrew our ton.
que the Hebrew law our law, but at
the same time l am happy to be able
to proclaim. that Jerusalem which is
as dear to Christian and MOhamcdan
alike will he II spiritual centre of all
invigorated religions and democratic
thoughts. The Hnglish hy having
conquered the land and having handed
il to the Jews who have just shed
their blood again with the British
in crossing the Jordon. have accom-
pliShcd the most admirable thing in
their common history and this will
shine forever in the history Of the
world. We thank Christcndom FOL
that and shall never forget it. Hay
ing said all this no one will be aston
ishcd if | speak also for the Jews Of
all other lands. Not that | ask foI
them the rights of state within II
state. On the contrary Zionists WHO
have always Striven for the establish
mcnt of the Jewish National Home
land proclaim that Jews desire II Ma
tional Commonwealth only in Talcs
tine and nowhere else. Nevertheless
having the same blood as those Mid
European Jews. the same spirit the
same past we ask for them what Prof.
Masaryk has so cloqucntiy formulated
in his response to the letter from the
Zionist organiza ton of Amcrica. name.
ly. equal rights for our minoritics.
As Il people that has given to YOU the
claim our right everywhere to our
schools. courts and temples. Can the
oppressed nationalitics deny TO the
Jews what they ask for themselves: