The Denver Jewish news., 1919-02-05

rash-a collection of Jewish folk-lovt
tint when the Jews were exilcd from
their country and driven past Beth
lehen, Mother Rachel came out of hci
grave, weeping bitterly over the fat,
of her children. Then IL voice from
heaven came:
Weep not mother, weep thou not,
Ger thy chiidren's haplcss lot,
For |, Jehovah, do decree,
That for their sins they exiles he.
But withal promise thee,
That again thcy'll freemen he.
And with their own triumphant hand
They will redeem the Holy Land.
For nearly two thousand years the
Jews have been waiting for the fulfill
ment of this ''hcavenly promise'-the
symbol of the never-extinct yearnine
for their national regeneration.
Many dreamers arose during the long
dark period of dispersion. striving to
lead Israel into the Holy Land. but
while they possessed the spiritual
force. they lacked the triumphant
hand.'
The present world catastrophe has
taught the dreamers of the Ghetto
that il takes material force to carry
, ont the spiritual will of a nation. and
with new motto. they came to Their
brethren.-"Offer your lives. not only
your prayers; march to the battle
front. not only to the synagogs: and
when peace comes. the blood-soaked
world will have to recognize your just
demand for national and political lib
erty all over thc world. and help the
re-establishment of Israel on his OWN
land"
-Four year; ago. soon after the war
broke out in Europe. V. Ihabotinsky
IL famous journalist and Jewish ma
tionalist in Russia. issued n proclama-
tion to the Jews. pleading for the for
nation of u Jewish volunteer army Ia
cooperate with the Allied armies for
the liberation of the world. and par
ticulurly the smaller nationalities. from
oppression.
But Russia's Jcwry. suffering then
under the persecution of the auto
cratic Tar, refused to associate vol
UNFAIRLY with the despotic forces of
the Tar. altho it was for a good
cause and TO their advantage to d"
So
The end does not justify the
MEANS" they said. "and. besides, there
is not sufficient guarantee for II just
settlement after the war is over so
long as autocrats will have the decisive
power at the peace conference
Zhabotinsky succeeded. however. in
raising few regiments from the Eng
lish. French. Italian and Palcstinan
Jews.
Thus came into being the Jewish
Legion-thc first Jewish army fight NJ
under its own flag since the days oi
Bar KOchha.
The Jewish Legion was attached I"
the British army. hut. instead OF being
sent to the laleStinian front. where the
Legion was anxious to go. the Eng
lish Commander despatched them 10
European Turkey. In despair Mt the
disappointment. the first Jewish en-
pcdition proved to be without success.
The Legion was disbanied. and the
idea of a great Jewish army was TEN
porarily given up.
Their leaders were not discouraged
however. hut waited for n moro favor
able opportunity which. arrived three
years later when two important events
happened Russia rcvolted against
autocracy. and the new democratic re-
.ime emancipatcd all the oppressed ma
tionaiities within Russia: while. on
the Western continent. the United
States became aware of the danger
of prussianism. and declared war on
Germany.
At that time Jewish warrior.
pinchus Ben-Ami CRuttenbcrgl. came
over to the United States for the pur'
pose of raising another Jewish vol
unteer army that would cooperate
with the British at the Palcstinian
front only. a provisional Legion com
mittee was immediately organized ana
began to operate under the british
Canadian recruiting mission.
Ten thousand Jewish men old and
young. father and son. answered the
manifesto. Awake Israel. issued 10y
Ben Ami. urging the Importance OF a
ore,t Jewish volunteer army. fight
ing under its own banner fer the M
Grafton of Palestine for the Jews. Con
sidcring the limited class they could
recruit from tonly foreign Jews not