Evening star., 1938-12-19
Political Zionism Is
Not Peace Menace
Hitler and MussoIini Are
Held Mainly Responsible
For Palestine Trouble

Held Mainly Responsible
For Palestine Trouble
To the Editor Of The Star:
The letter of Mr.. George 8. Duncan
Of the Graduate School, American Uni
versity, which appeared in The Evening
Star on Friday, December 2, 1888, merits
a full reply.
The burden of Mr.. Duncan's thesis is
that political Zionism is menace to
the peace of Palestine; that the Jewish
people should disavow political Zionism;
that Palestine Is an impoverished coun-
try, unattractive to settlers; and that
the civilized countries, according to their
ability, should consider it a privilege to
welcome exiled Jews.
Moslems live in large numbers in Egypt,
Syria, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Trans-Jordan,
Yemen, India and in other countries in
the Near and Far East. Whereas the
Jews, for the first time in 1900 years,
are endeavoring to colonize an area not
larger than Vermont.
The reign of terror now prevailing in
Palestine is primarily due to the agita-
ton of Moslems from countries beyond
the borders of Palestine and to the sim
lister and subtle hands of Messrs. Hitler
and Mussolini, and not to political
ZioniSm.
AS to the right of the Jewish people
to settle Palestine, they have. Of course,
long historic connection with the coun-
trHy %hn law ytcIl IL to
Palestine by virtue of the Balfour Decla-
ration, which reads:
His majesty's government view with
favor the establishment in Palestine of
a national home for the Jewish people
and will use their best endeavors to
facilitate the achievement of this object,
it being clearly understood that nothing
shall be done which may prejudice the
civil and religious rights and political
status enjoyed by the Jews in any other
country"
The terms of the Balfour Declaration
are clear. The Jews were to establish
national home for the Jewish People"
The Zionist organization submitted to the
peace conference its program for car
rying out the Balfour Declaration. Emir
Feisal approved the program when he
said:
Our deputation here in Paris is fully
acquainted with the proposals submitted
yesterday by the Zionist organization to
the peace conference, and we regard
them as moderate and proper. We will
do our best, in so far as We are con-
cerned, to help them through; we will
wish the Jews most hearty welcome
home We are working together for
reformed and revived Near East, and
our two movements complete one an
other. The Jewish movement is ma
tional and not imperialist. Our move
ment is national and not imperialst, and
there is room in Syria for us both. In
deed, think that neither can be real
success without the other"
Further, a mandate Incorporating the
Balfour Declaration was entrusted to
Great Britain, as mandatory by the con-
ference at San Reno, on April Is, 1920.
The Council of the League of Nations
gave approval to the mandate on June
"a, 1922. And the United States, by
the Palestine Convention of December 3,
1924, formally recognized the Palestine
Mandate.
Obviously, the Balfour Declaration was
made part of the law of nations
Therefore, the establishment of the
Jewish national homeland became an
international obligation. Thus, regard
less of whether the Jews or Moslems
lived longer in Palestine. the Jewish
people are In Palestine as matter of
right.
Why should Jews drop either the idea
or ideal of political Zionism? The out
standing authorities are of the opinion
that the so-called Jewish problem;;"
and believe every one admits to the
existence of such problem, is primarily
caused by the homelessness of the Jew
ish people. In these civilized days, when
Jews are being expelled and exiled from
countries faster than I can write this
letter, it would appear to be consistent
with international justice and conscience
that the Jews be permitted to settle,
colonize and develop small country as
national homeland, where the weary and
eternal wanderer may come to rest for
ever.
Mr.. Duncan relies upon Prof Morris
Jastrow of the University of Pennsyl-
vania, who wrote book in 1919 on
"Zionism, and the Future of Palestine"
pointing out the fallacies and dangers of
political Zionism; Mr.. Duncan is also
of the opinion that most Jews are opposed
to political Zionism. I think that an au-
thority which carries much more weight
in the matter of political Zionism is JUS
tice Louis D. Brandeis, who sees in polit-
ical Zionism the hope of the Jewish
people to make their contribution to the
civilization of the world. Jews, through
out the world and in America, are
political Zionists. If referendum could
be TAKEN an overwhelming majority
would favor it.
Mr.. Duncan is very kind in stating
that, Palestine is very far from being
an inviting country to lure settlers" The
Jewish people who have settled in Pales-
tine since the Balfour Declaration and