The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-03-03
TOPEKA STATE JOURNAL
INFORM ALTON
BUREAU
FREDERIC ,. HAsKIN. Director.
washington. .. C.
THE JEWISH NATION.
washington. D. C.

Paris indorse the Zionist movement
and support the Palestine plans for
the creation of q Jewish nation may
be taken as a sign. that the long
cherished ambition of the Jews for a
Homeland is about to be fulfilled.
DR.. Stephen s. Wise, member of the
Americana ewish- Congress delegation
to the peace conference, who has
recently returned from Paris. where
he has been in conference with leaders
of the allied governments, states that
Zionist prospects at the peace con-
ference are very bright.
Jews and non-JewS turnout the al
lied lands confidently expect" he said.
that a Jewish Palestine will be
established by the league of nations
and committed by it to the trustee
Palestine, L mean the laying of the
foundation of Jewish common
wealth in the Jewish homeland"
One striking bit of evidence of the
growth of the movement is seen in
the drive being made by the Zionist
organization Of America to raise a
three million dollar restoration fund.
This fund will be used in f919-under
the supervision of the Zionist admins
trative commission. A carefully pre-
pared budget shows that the money
Will be used partly for the mainten-
ance OF administrative offices in Jeru-
salem, Jaffa and Galilee for support
of town councils and public informa-
tlon departments Nearly nine num-
dred thousand dollars is allotted for
the public health and education de-
partments. The largest item on the
budget is that of one million dollars
to be used for construction and recon.
Struction work.
This million dollars will be placed
with the Anglo-Palestine company, the
bank thru which the Jewish Colonial
Trust operates in Palestine. Thru it
money is loaned to the Jewish farm
ers. merchants and manufacturers to
enable them to get a footing in the old
country. 1t will now be empowered
to make larger and more extensive
loans, to repair the ravages of war,
construct roads, and develop the in
dustrial and commercial resources of
the country.
The 100000 Palestine restoration
fund in this country is only a part of
a worldwide campaign by the Zionist
orSanizat ton, but it is a very significant
one. Their slogan. Build the Jewish
| Homeland Now" is being called to
Jews in every country. The biggest
| response is coming from Great Britain.
| the United States and Russia, altho
money is coming steadily in from the
remotest corners of the earth. In spite
| of the chaotic conditions of Russia,
| great deal of enthusiasm as well as
| money is shown by reports from the
| Zionist organization of that country.
Recently an individual gave one mil
| lion rubles for the establishment of
sanitarian in Palestine. Individual
| contributions are also running high in
| this country. 1t is not improba BILE that
the present fund will be increased to
four or five million dollars.
| Following the liberation of Jeru-
salem under the leadership of General
| Allenby, the British government in
| vited the Zionist organization to send
! a fn
| charge of the Jewish colonies and to
begin the actual rebuilding of the Jew
| ish commonwealth. Since this declara-
| ton of approval by the British govern
| ment. practically every nation of i'm
| portance has signified it's sympathy
| and approval. The list was completed
| when, last August, President Wilson
expressed his satisfaction with the
Zionist plans. Not that the Jews con-
| sidered this approval all-irnportant.
but they realized that until their plans
were officially recognized and legally
| esta blisned they would have to work
in the dark. Now that they have their
| Jewish magma charta they will work
| in the open.
The Zionist organization imm ediately
| sent commission to Palestine to take
control of all Jewish interests in the
| Holy land. The first work of the
Jewish administrative commission was
the repatriation of the exiles driven
from Palestine by the Turks, and the
reservation of the Jewish colonies.
| Thus for the first time in two thou
| sand years a real Jewish administra-
ton is located in the land of Isra ell.
Its headquarters are at Jerusalem.
| which is the intended seat of govern
ment of the Jewish commonwealth.
A complete medical unit with forty
physicians and nurses was organized
and sent to Palestine by the Zionists.
This unit has established a hospital
and is successfully fighting the mos
quito plague as well as Caring for the
lcivilian population. A Jewish military
police has been established for the
whole country. and the foundation of
4 Jewish government laid.
But this is not the first step towards
actual settlement. At least ten years
before the first Zionist congress was
held at Basel Switzerland, 1897. the
pioneers of the movement were slowly
getting a foothold in Palestine. by es-
tablishing agricultural colonies. The
agrarian instinct is dormant in the
Jewish race, and the Jewish farmers
have performed miracles in that east
! ern land. Most Americans picture the
land of Judea as desert 1t is really a
mountainous country. The rivers are
. not large nor navigable, but there is
much underground water. As a whole
the country resembles California in
climate and fertility. Irrigation would
make it into a granary and orchard
The Industrial and commercial pros.
. poets are also promising. Since the
! Jews first began to imuigrate the for
eign trade has been multiplied by five
, The United States department OF
agriculture aided in the esta blishment
of an experiment station which has
perfected a species of dry wheat.
: When the war broke out there were
; sixty Jewish colonies in Palestine
| a of a
The country is a little larger thar
: Belgium. In 1914 the inhabitant.
numbered 100000, of whom 100, 00f
were Jews. With the introduction Of
Imodern agricultural methods and
sanitation and the foundation of q
/ stable government. the land could cas-
lily support a population of 100000
Zionist leaders estimate that more