WHAT ABOUT PALESTINE?

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 15900, 24 April 1915, Page 1 (Supplement)

WHAT ABOUT PALESTINE?

BY FRANK MORTON.

Wb are a Christian people, and this (they tell me) is a Christian world. That being so, it is surprising that the matter of Palestine's connection with this present great war arouses so little interest. As to the Holy Land some things may be said without hesitation. As, for instance* that it is a thing discreditable to Christendom that Palestine should so long havebeen permitted to remain a Turkish pro. vince. We talk a. tremendous lot about our reverence- for sacred and historic associations; but the talk doesn't really amount to much. We are, for the most part, as reverent as it suits our purpose or convenience to be—just so much and no more. We have abandoned Christ's tomb to the Moslems merely because we do not as a rule give much thought to religion. But the war once again brings Palestine into the foreground. Turkey's final downfall seems assured. There is no reason why she should bo permitted to retain her hold of Palestine. There is every reason why she should not. Her occupation if the province is a constant menace to Egypt: not a serious menace, but a menace none the less. Palestine should be a buffer state. Now how is that to bo arranged 1 ? It seems that there are ways in which it could be done. I was talking the other day to a Jewess of distinguished intelligence, with great personal charm, and sme told me a lot of things about the Zionist movement. She said: "It is a movement backed by all the enthusiasm and fervour of our rate. It has persisted and grown even in the teeth of the damning discouragement of Turkey's occupation of the ivneient homo of our people. If thoPowsre would give Palestine back to tho Jews, recognising us as a neutral nn| ion, as Denmark and Holland are recognised, it would be a wonderful thing for us, and surely not an ill thing for the world." I don't think it would bo an ill thin*' for the world. I think it -would be, a vastly good thing. Palestine is a com/try that has been permitted to go to wrack*; hut possessed and developed by an ajdent iind loyal people, it might, once again blossom like tho rose. Such a Jewish experiment in nationality would be -wonderful to watch. I have long been a humble admirer of the Jewish people" in all its complexions and degrees. I have over, md over again been staggered "by evidences' I have seen of the amazing 'Hebrew racepersistency. As makers, or re-makers of their own land, they would doubtless do marvellous things. Thjey would become a united nation again. The old ideals would possess and inspire them. They would cease to dilute their blood by marriage with aliens. They would quit* possibly produce poets and philosophers without equal in this world. They would be the new star in the east. As a people jittered through a million cities they a.nnot do very much; but as a people gathered in their own land, building anew Jerusalem— what could they not do?' But there is a difficulty. Would the Jews generally bo willing to go back to Palestine? Honestly, I doubt it. What they are we know. We see them more English than the English, more German ;han the German; whatever country tneysettle in they do most passionately adopt. They are infinitely adaptable. Many of ,hem will quite easily pass as Englishmen, if you merely hear them talking in tho lark. They are splendid mimics. They love the cosmopolitan w'.irl, the •xotic glow, the new sensation. They are intimately familiar with our cities. Their cleverness iB astounding. Tlicy have adopted our dress, oar customs, Dur national ideals—everything but, our mode of thought. I cannot imagirt their consenting to another exodus. I cannot see them deserting the asphalt ol "London »nd Paris, the adventures <v : the whole earth, to become ea»or pioneers of new life in a land long deviate. Palestine may be all very well after a time, but first of all it has to be redeemed from the arid waste it now is. It cannot be civilised and made habitable by opening a picture show in Jerusalem, or setting up a distillery in tho vale of Hebron. As a first step we must have a, complete reawakening and .restoration, of a country that has lain largely desolate for two thousand years— country lacking such industries and resources as might equip it for a place among the nations. Not. money alone, but tin/* is needed, and the pioneers must be content to work for j posterity. The Jews, in fact, and more especially ' the young Jews, are. in no mood to go out of the world and away from it, were it even to tend citron-groves on Lebanon, And I feel that the percentage of Jews qualified to tend citron-groves anywhere must bo very small. The Jews, as thev have now developed, are not suited to agriculture or the ruder sorts of labour. 1 defy yon to imagine them as pioneers of auy country. They are schemers or operatives. Thtf,- toil in sweat-shops, or 101 lin opulent offices. In an undeveloped country they would be pathetically out of place. Ti»ey can only wrest their livelihood from huge and various communities of men. They shine as bookmakers, financiers, small lawyers, exploiters of labour and politics. Put them to herd ■cattle or clear timber from a rough hill side, and you shall sec them very helpless. and without hope. If they occupy Palestine they willnecd an army of Irish labourers and Knglish, mechanics to carry on the good - work <$ development. For Palestine must. be occupied, in the first place, by thft I'ichejc Jews. The poorer sorts will not abandon.'! he precarious certainty of existence in London or New York for the vaguely problematical benefits of life in a long forsaken land. It will take many years to make Palestine a habitrblo country for men accustomed to life in I'hirope and America. How and hy whom will this preliminary work be done'' Thai, is the chief secondary problem of the Zionist movement. And it is useless to ask tho average .lew bow it is to be dcjne, because your Jew is a visionary afflicted by a poetic imagination. He. sees all things, not' as they are, but as he would have them be Once arranged and settled, the new Palestine would be a deb'ghtJnl country, I make 110 doubt. Great irrigation works would makj the country exquisitely fertile. ( There would be casinos for the tempting and satisfaction of visiting Pontiles. Wealthy and world-famous Jews would come over from London and Paris quite frequently. Tho opera at Jerusalem would jbe really rather fine. And after that— I well, what? Can a country mice burnt out and abandoned be rejuvenated and restored' Can a nation lone scattered, a nation variously naturalised in all the I countries of the earth, be of a sudden I ported and sifted out and brought together jas a homogeneous whole' I doubt it. i Countries and nations grow : they cannot i be arbitrarily and deliberately established !or arranged. The Jewish occupation of I Jerusalem must at best be little bv Little. 1 I would not for the world throw cold i water on the scheme. T love the Jews well enough to find delight in the idea of their migration to and settlement in a country of their own, I should love to think of'them as moving sedately and in full content beside the pools of Hes'hbon, wearing trailing robes in place, of the tan shoes and oddly nefarious waistcoats of their present civilisation. How delicious it would bo to see Jew trailing with Jew daily and hourly and all the year through'. I should love to see it; but, being a mere Gentile and very poor fellow, I know that I shall never b«.va money lor the trip, Am |