Manawatu Evening Standard. MONDAY, AUGUST 28, 1933. THE ZIONIST MOVEMENT.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIII, Issue 231, 28 August 1933, Page 6

Manawatu Evening Standard. MONDAY, AUGUST 28, 1933. THE ZIONIST MOVEMENT.

The appalling’ treatment of the Jewish population of Germany by the Nazi authorities has been a subject of eager and resentful discussion at the Zionist Congress in Prague. An appeal to the world to assist in building a Jewish homeland in Palestine was clothed with phrases reflecting the bitterness of Jewry in the circumstances. “Anti-Semitism,” said the President, “has struck a deadly blow at our people. We are faced with the ruins of Jewish emancipation in Germany.” Yet, as he points out, the Jews have not been the enemies of Germany but the admirers of its culture. In that respect the genius of the race has indeed been an important contributing factor to Germany’s eminence in the arts and sciences among world nations. Put the Jews are not wanted; they have been banished, and so long as the Nazis are in power persecution to effect their removal from all national activities will continue. An economic expert told the Congress that within the next five to ten years at least 200,000 of the half million Jews in Germany must leave its shores. Their only salvation, he says, lies in migration, and he addressed an appeal to the United States to relax its immigration laws to absorb half, and to the League of Nations to place 50,000 in other countries apart from Palestine. Most faith, however, it would appear, is being placed on the absorptive powers of Palestine, but the conflict of Arabs and Jews is not a hopeful sign of success. Yet progress is being made. In the 12 years ended in 1932, it has been estimated, 125,000 Jews entered Palestine. Not all were content with their lot, but the percentage of Jews to the total population has risen to the world’s highest figure, 17.5. The country has been surprisingly changed; scientific farming has displaced haphazard methods; industries of many kinds are in operation; the camel has capitulated to the motor car, and from insignificant proportions foreign trade has grown to a value of £8,000,000 a year. Palestine’s external debts, it is stated, have been liquidated; the country emerged with a surplus, and the force of the world depression has but lightly if at all touched the people. The Secretary for the Colonies (Sir P. Cunliffe Lister) discussed Palestine’s administration in the House of Commons last month. The mandate, he said, was beingworked with absolute fairness, and both Jews and Arabs had the utmost faith in the Administrator. Palestine’s financial position enabled it to finance its own requirements. Its public works programme was of substantial value and would produce considerable revenue. The Minister announced that the cost of these works and the re-settlement of displaced Arabs would to a large extent be financed by a loan of £2,000,000, and he expressed confidence in Palestine to adequately provide for its service and afford full security to lenders. The programme embraces new water supply and drainage schemes for Jerusalem and Haifa, and a water supply for Hebron; a hydrographic survey and provision for the improvement of village water supplies; a new Post Office and telephone exchange for Jerusalem ; school buildings, and an oil export dock in Haifa harbour. The Government moreover intends to increase the facilities for long term credits for agriculturists, both Arab and Jewish, with special consideration for the Arabs who cultivate the hill districts. The balance of a previous loan will be applied to port improvements at Jaffa. Until the new loan was

raised, the Secretary for the Colonies added, the Palestine Government was in the position to use, as a temporary measure, its surplus balances. The Minister’s review was certainly hopeful, but there arc critics who assert that the foundation of the Palestine economic structure is not perfect: it has weaknesses, the essential one being the Arab and Jewish racial hatred, which several times has gravely exercised the British Government. The Palestine problem of Jewish settlement has been accentuated by the developments in Germany, but the Zionist appeal touches the sympathy of all the Powers apart from Nazi Germany. The difficulties in the way of settling in Palestine and in other countries a large number of Jews, the victims of Nazi antiSemitism, are not inconsiderable, but no doubt much will be done by co-operation for these unhappy and persecuted people.