Intermountain Jewish news., 1925-12-10


OF fl5 per head and relieved Of taxa.
tion for three years. similar facilities
are given in Australia, Kenya Colony
and other lands under the British flag.
No bonus is given to the Jewish settler
In Palestine, the land Is sold at Its
artificial market value, and the colonist
commences paying taxes from the mo-
ment he arrives. Little has been done
SO far In the way of granting crown
lands TO the settlers and II Is pity that
II has not been found possible to in
troduce n series OF agrarlan reforms
for the breakup of the estates of the
great landowners as has been done
by national Governments in such coun-
tries as Roumania, Poland Hungary
and Esthonla.
Again, take the question Of immi
grants Only about one-third of the
applications received have been grant
ed and an all too careful selection has
been made. II similar policy had
been adopted by the United States Gov
ernment during the years Of great prog
ress in America Of last century, what
would be the population Of the United
States today?
1t is mistake in a country that
is being developed and settled to put
unnecessary difficulties in the way OF
intending settlers. Political opinion
should not be allowed to prevent a man
and his family from going to Palestine
If they are otherwise suitable. II the
mans political opinions are obnoxious
to the Powers-that-be they should have
sufficient faith in the justice and ex-
cellence Of their own administration to
feel that his opinions will change after
brief sojourn in the enjoyment Of the
blessings Of British rule.
Now, compare these methods Of ad-
ministration with the methods adopted
by the Government of the Union Of
Soviet Socialist Republics in their bid
for Jewish colonists in the Crimea.
The greatest encouragement is given
to Jewish land settlers to proceed TO
the Crlmea. They are freed from taxes
for period of years and 10000 desia-
tines Of former Crown lands have al
ready been allocated to Jewish agricul-
tural settlers in the Crimia.
II will he n curious state of affairs
IL the greater generosity of the Rus
| sian government to Jewish settlers in
the Crimea cuts the ground from un-
/ der the feet of the British government
as mandatory power in Palestine and
the Zionist Organization itself.
The prophets of woe foretold all sorts
of troubles If the great project of the
establishment of the Jewish National
Home were proceeded with. We were
told that there would be continual
friction and difficulty with the Arabs.
That there would be risings and revolu-
| tions. riots and civil war. What are
the facts? There has been complete
peace in Palestine, with the exception
! of quite minor disturbances, for years.
| A few miles to the northwards is the
| French inundated territory of Syria,
also inhabited by Arabs and, incidental
| ly, Arabs of higher state of advance
ment and civilization than the Arabs
/ of Palestine, and therefore supposedly
of a more peaceable and iaw-abiding
character. In Syria there have been
disturbances Of the gravest nature. The
/ French authorities are faced with n
formidable uprising of the people. And
there is no Jewish question in Syria
and no attempt is being made to en-
courage the immigration of Jewish col
onists The ancient, famed and beau
| tiful city of Damascus has been sub
| jected to n bombardment reminding us
! of the German action at Louvain. Bad
ly needed troops have had TO be sent
from Morocco to Syria TO strengthen
the hands of the French authorities.
And. most curious of all, the Arabs
of Syria are pointing TO the better lot
of their brothers in Palestine and de-
manding similar treatment!
! These facts, which cannot be denied,
should remove the last vestiges of tim.
| idity and doubt from the minds of the
statesmen of the Mandatory Power. In
an Eastern country Palestine, the Zion
| ist Organization is spending money on
scientific research in agriculture, in
fighting disease, in providing medical
services, in stamping out malaria,
destroying plant parasites, draining and
rcclaiming swamps, replanting the
mountains with trees The Zionist Or
ganizatiou has given "A preliminary
! training TO intending land workers and
farm workers in Palestine of SUI
perior kind to that given to intending
British emigrants TO Australia and
Canada
Surely government in its senses
should welcome such efforts and should