Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-05-31
HOPE FOR AN ACTUAL JEWISH
STATE IN PALESTINE REMOTE
American Zionist Optimism
Not Shared by Those on
the Ground.
interpretations of Balfour
Declaration Differ, Re-
ports Show.
BY MARION wEINsTEIN.

NEW YORK, May 29.-When l left
America last November for the near
east the prevailing impression here
was that the Balfour declaration. then
just a year old. made a Jewish state
in Palestine politically an assured
fact.
Gen Allenby had swept the Holy
Land of the Turk beyond its north
ernmost borders. The armistice had
sealed his success. A Jewish govern
religious rights for the non-Jewish,
as well as the Jewish. population,
seemed only a question of months. In
fact, the Zionist commission. already
functtoning there, was widely regard
ed as the nucleus Of that Jewish gov
eminent busily laying the foundations
of the newborn Jewish state, politi-
cal. social, economic.
1 shared chat general American i'm
preston. l went to get the story of
those foundations, the story Of a
twentieth century state in the max
ing. with traditions as old as human
history.
] had heard speculation as to the
hrst governor of that state and as
to the number of Jews in free Amer
tea who would choose to be "repa-
triated." The American Zionists had
al Couy OOtlluCU OIlCldlv inc AQHlN.
istration OF the model state in Pal
estine. There was q persistent rumor
that the new state would even have
delegate at tho peace conference.
Received First Shock.
When 1 reached England ten days
later 1 received my first shock. DR..
Chain Weizmann, the head of the
zionist commission at work in the
Holy Land, who had returned to
Europe-the Jewish leader who. is
credited with securing the historic
to more than 5000 London Jews at
= public meeting that it was "un-
wise and unjust to ask the peace
conference for . Jewish state"
He gave as the reason for his
seeming conservatism the overwhelm-
ing majority of the Arabs in Pales-
limit their demands to the recosni-
ton Of their claim to the Holy Land
as a future Jewish state when i'm
migration had increased Jewish num-
bers to three or four millions.
1 remember with what feeling Israel
Zangwtll denounced the new Weix-
mann program to me At his home
in East Preston as "a timid worth
less compromise" His white head
erect. his dark eyes glowing, as he
paced his peaceful study in that quiet
English village. he demanded:
Els the Balfour declaration q farce,
further entangling the Jewish prob
lem and juggling Jewish misery for
political purposes? Are we to crawl
into q corner OF our own land like a
leper colony and repeat on our own
soil the humiliations and subservience
of 1900 years Of agony and ignominy?
If this Is what the Balfour declaration
meant, then 1t was an illusion and an
insult"
1t was Mr.. Zapgwilrs opinion that
the declaration meant q real Jewish
state. He was preparing = manifesto,
subsequently published. demanding
nothing less than . real Jewish state,
with q Jewish governor. suggesting
for this post the Australian. Gen. Sir
John Monash. He even urged Jerusa-
lem as the only fitting seat for the
league of nations. The 100000 Arabs
in Palestine were to be induced,
peacefully. probably. and with their
full consent. Of course, to trek" to
Mesopotamia and Arabia In one heroic
measure Of race redistribution.
Statement at Jaf9a.
Once in Palestine. found the pros
pect of a Jewish state there still more
remote. i learned that as far back as
June II OF last year the Honorable w.
Ormsby-Gore, M. P, political officer
attached to the Zionist commission,
speaking at Jaffa at the first confer.
ence of Jews in the liberated area of
Palestine. while the British front was
still at PetAh Tikwah. q Jewish col.
ony near by. had declared in the pres
ence Of DR.. Weizmann. in the only Of
ficial Interpretation of the Balfour
declaration have ever seen or heard :.
MY government has said that il
wishes to see the people of Palestine
among others freed from the rule Of
the Turks, but 1t has as yet said
nothing as to what government should
take its place. That Is q matter for
the peace conference.
But Mr.. Balfour has made the his.
toric declaration with regard to the
Zionists that he Wishes to see created
and built up in Palestine a national
home for the Jewish people
What do we understand by this?
I'VE mean that those Jews who VOL
unfairly come to live in Palestine
should live in Palestine as Jewish ma
tionalists. That is. that they should
be regarded as Jews and as nothing
else, and that they should be free to
develop Hebrew education, to develop
the country and live their own life in
their own way in Palestine freely, but
only submitting equally with ali 9TH
ers to the laws Of the land"
Palestine's influential circles. Brit
ish and Zionist. soon discovered. had
the Jewish future In the Holy Land
nj Ava riN faH