Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1921-04-21
MAKE PALESTINE
A GARDEN AGAIN
Economic Council C..iet FCracees
Holy Land as Great Ag:i-
cultural Nation.
IS PLEASED WITH Pa0o7.ESS
Country Soon Will Be an important
Factor in Near East Economic Life
will Not Support Larss
Cities,

Lond"n.-"Rapid progress already
has been made in developin. the
economic resources of Palestine, but
we cannot hope for any tve-ye;r mir
acles In the country" said Sir Alfred
MOnd, chairman of the Economic cOun-
Gil for Palestine.
''The few months that have l.assed
since Sir Heberl Samnels organized
the new civil government have done
much to put things on II sound foot
ing" he continued. "rhcre have been
10000 Jewish immigrants in the past
year coming from all parts If the
world, and they are already al work
building roads layin! out farms and
organizing the groundwork for Ieve-
Opment schemes.
III find, however. that there are in
the public mind many misapprehen
siOns both In regard to the eco lomic
conditions In Palestine and as to what
the Jewish people hope to do there.
| have heard persons talk Of the
Palestine of the future as If the Jews
hoped to make II into another Eng.
land, densely populated state full of
factories, industries. Of large cities
| do not see how this can ever be- |
have just returned from tour of
Palestine and know that 1t Is not
a country that will support cities such
as Manchester or Sheffield. Further
more, the Jews do not want such
cities.
An Agricultural Country.
Palestine is an agricultural cOun-
try. It resembles in topography such
Mediterranean lands as Spain or
Southern Italy. There is no coal, no
that must be reclaimed by irrigation.
There are now 100000 persons in
Palestine. OF this number only lO0,.
QUO are Jews. The country is In n
pn1r condition politically and econO-
mically. No one can realize, without
going there, what the centuries of
Turkish rule have meant. The Turk
iSh regime prevented the development
of any worthwhile industry.
"F'urlhermore, Palestine suffered
heavily IN the war. The Turks stripped
the country, cut down the orchards
destroyed the vineyards and burned
the factories. Excessive taxation pre-
vented Industry of any kind. Now.
after the war, Palestine Is suffering
with the rest of the world hi the
present economic depression. Palestine
IL Il beautiful country; II Gun and VIII
be rich country. But that wealth.
Will come from agriculture. With irri.
gntiOn-nnd there Is both irrigation fl.
cility and water power in the Jordan
i believe that Palestine can he made
another California. Palestine now eX.
ports barley. oranges, olives, olive oil
and wines There are two growing
seasons in the year. and the soil when
irrigated Is most productive. Near
.Jaffa ! saw 1000 acres Of vineyards.
Almonds are grown there and w0;,drr
ful oranges and grapefruit. The
c0lonisls are just beginning to devel-
op the fruit growing possibilities to-
day. but throughout Palestine one can
see the terrared hillsdes that made
the whole country u garden two thou
sand years ago. IT will not he difficult
to make the country garden again.
Cotton Can Be Grown There.
"Cott0n can be grown In Palestine,
and tobacco Is already being grown.
Furthermore there Is a big field for
cigarette manufacture In the importa.
tion of nearby Macedonian tobacco.
country with such natural assets can
become economically self-Sufticient
and support large population. There
were once 6OO00OO In Palestine; | be-
lieve that she soon will he able to
support mt least 3.0OO0OO.
"Today Jews all over the world are
Manning to emigrate to Palestine.
Hundreds of thousands want to 90.
The Zionist organization Is not hav-
Ing any difficulty in finding co'onists;
Its difficulty is to check and control
the food Of applicants so that the de
velopment will he sound and normal
| believe that 1t Is fair to say that al
most all the Jews in parts OF Russia
and middle Europe would like to 60
TO Palestine.
palestine has big future, but 1t