The Bridgeport times and evening farmer. (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1918-1924, 1918-01-19
HUYSMANS LEADS
SOCIALISTS FOR
ZION MOVEMENT
Says international Charac
ter of Jewish Question is
So Obvious Needs No
Proof.

Camille Huysmans, secretary of e
! Socialist 'Internationale" and the rec
| ognized world-leader of the move
ment, has given to the Jewish Press
Bureau of Copenhagen, an extensive
interview on the coming peace and
the Jewish Question. 1t is a remark
| able statement, coming from the head
of the party that has in the past
stood for the obligation of all lines of
| nationality and nations. The follow
ing are tho more significant para
| graphs of his utterance:
Il share fully the viewpoint &C
cepted by the Neutral Delegations to
the Stockholm Conference in their
| Peace Manifesto towards the Jewish
| question. The international charac-
! ter of the Jewish question is so OBJ
vious that no proof is needed.
1T cannot be denied that there ex-
lists Jewish question in many lands.
When some Jews deny the existence
of Jewish question it only proves
that they are assimilated and remov-
ed from Judaism and its problems.
Assimilation is not an exclusively
Jewish phenomenon. Russians,
Poles and other nationalities are af-
fected by it. I am not at all aston
ished at the process of assimilation
attacking the Jewish people, but on
the contrary that the Jewish race as
whole has been able to withstand the
| influence of assimilation.
The peaceful cohabitation in a
country of two peoples endowed with
equal rights and mutually influencing
each other is undoubtedly of cultural
advantage, but what is commonly
called assimilation is not conducive of
| a higher culture; on the contrary, it
| is more apt to reduce and to narrow
| it. The assimilation limiting the
rights of one of the partners hinders
| the development of that partner and
| is bound to turn into a force of cor
ruption. The assimilators have no
feeling for the need of their peo-
pie.
II am positively for the recognition
| of the Jews as a nationality in every
| country where they live in masses,
and for regulating the international
Jewish question. The war has suf-
| ficiently proved that the national
question of each country affects all
| other countries. The treatme nt of
nationalities in the various states must
now be settled in order that the pres
ent world catastrophe is not repeated
| in the future. The fate of small ma
| tionalities must not henceforth de-
pend on the good will of individual
states. I have no trust in the states.
1 have no faith, for instance, that
Roumania, in spite Of the great trag-
| edy it is now passing through, will,
if left to act independently, treat its
Jews better in the future than it had
| done in the past.
CAS- regards Palestine, the manifes-
to of the neutral delegation demands
protection of Jewish colonization.
| Opinions may differ as to Zionist
prospects, but the Jewish people must
at any rate have the right of self
definition in order to work out its
| own Salvation in accordance with its
| own wishes and ideals. When the
Jewish masses in the Eastern coun-
tries, in Russia, Poland, Gaicia and
| Roumania are guaranteed their rights
then the foundation of their dissatis-
faction will be removed, also the ne
cessity of emigrating and Of coloniz-
ing their countries. This, however,
implies not only legal rights, but also
social equalization. There is, how
ever, no doubt, that Zionism will
have no lack of material fit for col
oniZation.
"Balfour's declaration that Eng
land is prepared to facilitate the
achievement of Zionism, to create a
national home for the Jewish in Pales-
tine, lifts Zionism to a factor OF
world politics. The declaration is a
recognition of the power and influ-
ence of the Zionist Movement. In
ternationale" can no longer remain
Indifferent to the Zionist Movement
While it was considered as a private
affair yesterday, it must be taken into
consideration that today it played ar
important role in the politics of the
world.
Turkey will also have to reckon
with the English Declaration, l base
this on the words of the Turkish
statesman Mr. Nissim Mazliach. Mr.
Mazliach who visited me last year
expressed himself with reference tt
Zionism, that Jews of Turkey EMO!
full rights but that Turkey has moth
ing to offer to Jews from other coun
tries. This time, however, when ask
ed him about his opinion on Balfour
Declaration, he said that he is unde
the impression that the Turkish gov
eminent will go to the Peace Confer
, ence without luminosity towards any
| one, and will also listen to argument
concerning the Jewish Question il
, Palestine, that there is only one ques
. ton in which Turkey is unyieldine
t and that is the question of capitula
Y tons. Be as it may, Turkey who
3 before the war, was hindering Jewisl
colonization in Palestine, will have t.