Evening star., 1938-10-24
SUGGESTS BIG BEND
AS HOME FOR JEWS
Believes Refugees Could
Farm Small Plots
Successfully.


the weight Of his influence toward the
establishment Of a permanent home in
Palestine for us Jewish people. The in
tolerance Of some nations, their pogroms
and determinations have always been q
pathetic and distressing spectacle, scar
ing our hearts, for some of US have rela-
tives In those benighted lands.
Now our Jewish colony in Palestine
may be swamped by race hatred and
the undercover activities Of meddlers.
1t now seems that one or more South
American states are flirting with the
idea Of inviting Jewry to form semi
autonomous centers within their borders,
provided they willingly accept training
as agriculturists; for we admit we have
no traditional orientation toward the
land.
I have personally had the experience
Of land ownership, and after managing
1t as an absentee landlord, sadly ac-
knowledge that 1t was q disastrous ad-
venture into q terra incognita. It con.
vinced me that the vocation Of success
ful farming requires years Of practical
education. Nevertheless I would be in
favor OF such q wholesale move in this
emergency, but being a layman 1 pre-
sent the proposition for what 1t is
worth. Namely, this:
That we Israelite citizens OF the
United States sponsor wholesale emf
grafton of our people to a brand-new
country, let us say. to the Big Bend
country OF Washington. which is about
TO become productive under the Grande
Coulee Dam.
That to these people small plots Of
land be assigned. say, 10 acres to =
family on this condition: That they as
sumo q special commitment or respon-
sibilty to farm it under individual own
ership. but on community basis or pat
tern, freely accepting the authority of
competent advisers.
In this connection We point out that
the reclaimed Pontine marshes in the
Roman Campagna do not present the
diffculties which have sprouted like
mushrooms in the Matanuska colony,
and have even been noticeable in ada
cent Greenbelt on a small scale. Indi-
vidual stubbornnesS often hampers prog
ress and makes democracy a very ex-
pensive luxury.
The land in question is in the dry belt
1t has not been leached and still retains
its mineral salts. Irrigation trebles its
yield and quadruples its value. In the
State of Oregon 10 tons Of irrigated al
falfa have been grown on one acre.
Let us assume that the immense dill
culties in the way OF such a project
have been overcome. That through the
well-known sympathy OF the admins
tration an acquiescent Congress has
been won over, and that the bars have
been let down for the emergency. AND
surely the homeless and destitute condi-
tion Of our people. stripped Of their pos
sessions and turned adrift upon the
charity Of neighboring countries by a
tiger in human form constitute an emer-
gency) What are the promising fac
tors in the case?
First: Our acknowledged industry.
Second: The gratitude and docility Of
families who know dictatorial terror
and have bled from the contact with this
prehistoric beast.
Third, and not least, our ignorance
Of the new surroundings.
In contrast to the mountain people
of the Appalachians who forcibly re-
sisted moving day, although they were
immeasurably benefited by it, We Is
raelites would submit with Joy to 4
pattern mapped out by benevolent au-
thority. Parenthetically, irrigation in a
slightly rolling terrain such as the Big
Bend Of the Columbia is exceedingly
difficult. 1t can prove costly trial and
error experience even to veteran farm
ers from the humid farming region. Ex-
pert oversight can save lot Of grief.
Fourth: The fact that the mineral
salts have not been leached from the
land by rains. Vegetables and fruits
for the market would prove rich in
vitamins. and the brands would soon
become well known.
Forty years ago (and the same prob
ably holds good today Hood River ap-
pies sold on their merits In the London
market. The commission men did not
open or inspect the boxes. Which, by
the way, is a demonstration Of what
honest cooperation will do.
Fifth: In a time like this when bandit
nations are openly challenging the Mon
roe Doctrine, and our archives are full
Of their meddlesome undercover activi-
ties, the Palestine experiment is jeop-
ardized. Our first line Of defense, the
British Navy has been undermined. The
British Lion is arrogantly told to lie
still by q Thing wagging the jawbone of
an ass. II We have any sense Of timing,
the similarity Of problems in both North
and South America would make for the
solidarity of the New World.
Sixth: The example Of large COM
munity voluntarily committed In ad-
vance to a rigid system Of cooperation
and Notwithstanding flngerprinting,
would be q magnificent illustration of
the power and beauty of discipline in a
land where the daily papers reek with
endless examples Of juvenile lawlesmess
October IS, 1888. JOSEPHUS.