Evening star., 1938-12-02
Holds Peace Menuced
By Political Zionism
Separation Of Church and
Stote Would Leod to
Palestine Peuce
TO the Editor Of The Star:


Palestine Peuce
TO the Editor Of The Star: t.
The world owes q great debt to
Hebrews and Moslems. The former
have given us the Bible, the latter con-
served and advanced learning especially
from the ninth to tho twelfth centuries.
The Hebrews captured Palestine after
200 years of fighting. 1900 BIC. to 1000
BE-, and held 1t in part until 586 BE-,
period Of about 400 years. The Mos
lens by the same methods conquered
Palestine and governed 1t from $50 AID.
to 1917 A.D., period of about 1900
years. The Hebrew claim to Palestine
based on occupation in the past thus
falls to the ground
Political Zionism Is the main cause OF
the present trouble in Palestine. Some
Jews desire, In time, to establish q
Jewish state in Palestine politically con-
trolled by them. 1t must not be for
gotten, however, that modern nations,
especially democracies, are not built
upon similarity Of sentiment, religion or
race, but upon religious, civil and politi-
cal liberty for all people composing those
nations. Political Zionism is a union of
church and state which is q reactionary
movement contrary to modern ideas of
government. One Of the most learned
American. Jews was the late Prof. Morris
Jastrow Of the University of Pennsyl-
vania. He wrote book in 1919, entitled
"Zionism and the Future of Palestine,
the Fallacies and Dangers of Political
zionism." Many leading Jews are against
political Zionism but are in the deepest
sympathy with spiritual, cultural and
ameliorative Zionism. The religious
leader of the Moslems in the Near East
Is the Grand Mufti with headquarters in
Jerusalem. He has said: The Jews in
Palestine should have the same political
rights as Moslems or Christians. Citizen
ship should be independent of religion
as 1t is in the United States"
There has been and still is consider
able discussion as to the meaning of the
words: "A national home for the Jewish
people" found in the Balfour declara.
ton Of November 2, 1917. The British
foreign Office in 1922 and 1888 issued
statements affirming that "a national
home does not imply political control
but rather q home where the Jewish
people can enjoy cultural, spiritual,
economic and ameliorative conditions
such as can be enjoyed by any non-
Jewish Inhabitants of Palestine" This
jYHtn fa{t 81
should settle its meaning for all time.
What now can be done to bring about
better relations between Jews and Mos
lens in Palestine so that all will live
happily together under their own vines
and fig trees? The following are sug-
gestions toward a solution of the prob
lem:
!. The Jews must forever drop all
ideas of political Zionism which is wholly
unjustif1able and intolerable to the Mos
lens who have governed Palestine some
1900 years while the Jews only about
400 years.
2. Jewish immigration to Palestine
should be reduced to a minimum since
the saturation point is probably not
much over 2,5000O0, which will be
reached in generation by the natural
growth Of the present population, now
1005, 900.
3. Palestine is, very far from being an
inviting country to lure settlers. The
land Is barren, rocky, hilly and noun
famous. The water supply is very scanty.
Six months are dry and six are rainy.
Only onehalf of the land can be culti-
vated. The promised land for the Jews
is the land which offers them the most
promise. This is certainly not Palestine.
4. Jews and Moslems should cultivate
close friendship for they are of the same
Semitic race. They are blood brothers
who have made great contributions to
the worlds culture and religion.
5. The religion Of Jews and Moslems
has good deal in common. Much in the
Koran was taken from the Old Testa-
ment. The saints in both calendars are
much the same. This religious affinity
should help to bind them closely.
6. Civilized nations, according to their
ability and opportunity, should consider
1t an honor and a privilege to welcome
these exiled Jews 50 inhumanly treated
in certain European lands. The number
of these exiles is probably about 5000, 600.
Not more than third of these could be
accommodated in Palestine.
7. 1t is to be hoped that the approach
ing conference of Britons, Jews and
MoSlems in London will formulate some
practical plan which will commend itself
to all parties concerned.
GEORGE s. DUNCAN.
The Graduate School, American
IIrivorcitv