New-York tribune., 1918-03-03

In Many Lands
This was Theodore Herzl. He was
a Journalist and playwrter Of Vienna.
who at first addressed himself to the
subject from the purely political side
In the elections of 1895 in Austria the
Anti-Scmites, or "Jew Baitcrs." were
SO overwhelmingly successful that he
despalred of ever securing fair play
for his. people while they remained in
that despotic empire. 1t seemed to him
probable that they would soon suffer
the imposition of additional civil dis
abilities. 10 his mind, then, the only
escape was through a new Exodus:
whittier, he did not at first greatly care,
so long as it was to place where Jews
might dwell in peace and under their
own government. He recalled. how
ever, various former projects of Jewish
colonization which we're not Zionist.
Among these were those of Don Joseph
Nasi, at Tiberias; of the Dutch West
India Company in Curacao, of Oliver
Cromwell in Surinam, of the French
West India Company at Cayenne, of
the famous Marshal SAKE somewhere
IN South America with himself as
King Of the Jews" and of Major Nor
decai M. Noah, of New York, who pur-
chased Grand Island in the Niagara
River for the purpose Consideration
OF these examples convinced him that
they failed largely because they did
not mean a return to Jerusalem, and he
accordingly became Zionist
DR.. Herzl in the early part of 1896
published in English, French and Ger
man pamphlet entitled "Thc Jewish
State" which may be regarded as the
original gospel of Zionism 1t called
for the establishment of a Jewish re-
public in Palestine, under the suze-
rainty of the Sultan of Turkey, to
whom it would pay tribute Entire
freedom of religion was to prevail, and
the holy. places were to be extra
tterrltorialized. Israel Zangwill, Max
Nordau, and other eminent men in all
parts of the world promptly approved
the plan and extensive popular sup
port was given to it. Even the Sultan.
Abdul the Damned, was favorable to
it. The reason of this was that his
atrocities in Armenia had so incensed
the world that he deemed his tenure
OF the throne to be in danger, and he
thought that by giving the Jews free
charter IN Palestine he would partly
appease the wrath that had been kim
died against him and secure powerful
trends. He went SO far as to offer
the Jews free charter for most of
Palestine if they would use their in
fluence in his behalf in Armenia. This
offer was made to the English Jews,
who indignantly rejected it.
The Steps That
Led to Zion
The first international Zionist Con-
gress, held at Basle, in 1897, adopted
TINS declaration of purposes:
zlonlsm aims at establishing for
the Jewish people a publicly and lc-
Eally assured home in Palestine. For
the attainment of this purpose the
congress considers the following means
serviccable:
The promotion Of the settlement of
Jewish agriculturists, artisans and
tradesmcn in Palestine.
he federation Of all Jews into
locai or general groups, according to
the laws OF the various countries.
The strengthening of the Jewish
1ecllng and consciousness;
"Preparatory steps for the attain
ment of those governmental grants
which are necessary for the achieve
mcnt of the Zionist purpose"
feople's Bank was formed, a Ma
tional Fund was started, and a Palcs-
tine Commission was organized Dr.
ltcrzl then, In 1901 and 1902, had CON
icrcnces with Abdul Hamid, which
=" hVCH'bS, VIC DUmnCU One rn-
|. iusing to do anything unl.ss the Jews
would aid him in some of his dcspotic
infamies. Thcrcupon DR.. Herzl turned
TO the British government in quest of
some other territory, as near to Palcs.
tine as possible, which could be used
temporarily as n refuge and political
training ground. Mr.. Chamberlain,
then Colonial Secretary, vas most sym,
pathetic, and offered the Snaitic Pen
insula for the purpose, but the desert
character Of that country rendered il
unsn'table; i J ooo Then he Offered a splendid
,rncb OF ''ooo square miles in the salu-
brlous and fertile highlands Of Ena,
Africa, most admirable site. Yhis
oher was laid before the sixth inter.
national Zionist congress at Baqlo.
IN 1903, and provoked bitter con.
tfoveray, many rcBcntlng 1t as an
abandonment Of the Hiooiat idea A
commission was appointed to iuva.ti-