PATRIOTIC JEW.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16494, 3 August 1921, Page 11

PATRIOTIC JEW.

FORCED 'TO FIGHT AGAINST BRITISH. NOW HELPING TO MAKE NEW PALESTINE. Jerusalem, March 27.-—ln the upbuilding of Palestine under the British mandat© as a homelajid for the Jewish people much interest is displayed in the type of young man that is helping to make the country a land one© again • “flowing: with milk and honey.” I'h© record of Ehud Ben-Yehudah is characteristic of those of the young Palestinians who are now giving of their best energies and talents in regenerating the soil under th© security of a stable government. A native of Palestine, son of a famous Hebraist, EliazcV Ben-Yehudah, whose fearless nationalism on behalf oi' the Jewish homeland, caused him twice to he imprisoned under the Turkish regime, young Ben-Yehudah was studying agriculture in Germany when the war broke out. In 1915 his father was compelled to start for America with the rest of hi..- family, and for several yearß was in in 3 Semitics Department of the New \ork Public Library, where he became known for his work on the Lexicon of the Hebrew language. When in 1917 young Ben-Yehudah learned that he would be liable for service in the Turkish army he enlisted in the German army in the hope that h© would be captured by the English and was sent to the front in Belgium and France. After several months without succeeding in being captured Ben-Yehu-dah announced that he was a Turkish subject and asked to be sent back to fight with his so-called hoping meanwhile that ho might fall into the hands of the British who were advancing into [Mesopotamia. CAUGHT BY MILITARY POLICE. On his way to Constantinople he managed to miss his train at Belgrade, and, after observing for three days th© plight of the oppressed Serbians, similar to that of his fellow Jew’s in Palestine, he was captured by the military police. He was released, however, by posing as a German and assuming the name of Jordan. ' His knowledge of German, French, English, Turkish, Arabic and Hebrew gained for him the position of interpreter and confidential clerk attached to Turkish headquarters. Ben-Yeliudah’s fluency in German and Turkish enabled him amoffg Germans to pose as a Turk, and among the Turkish soldiery he was regarded as on© of the much feared Germans. It also gave him the freedom of Constantinople and he gained much valuable information which he was able to transmit to his Jewish friends who were acting as British spies. Through the aid of General von P alkenheyn, on wlios© farm he had worked in Hanover, he was made stationmaster at Amman, a few miles across the Jordan from Jericho. He was thrown into prison on the charge of having smuggled 700 rifles over to the Arab tribes, who were allied with the British. Knowing there was no chance of escape from the German prison, he again asserted himself as a Turkish subject, and was transferred to the Turkish prison. Word came that the British were advancing, and rather than be 'killed like a rat in a bole he pleaded that- Iie r might be released to shoulder a rifle in defence of the Star As soon as he was out be threw awav the rifle and made for the camp of a ±>edouiu friend, who, in all probability, conld be induced to turn him over to the British, especially as there was a reward offered for every German brought in. But the Turkish Circassians with whom they met suspicious and Ben Ycbudah remained uncaptured. BY THE BRITISH. At last th©' British, came. With a . bayonet against his breast ho tried to make known his identity. “You’r© a Circassian,” insisted the English Tommy. “ I am not,” he answered. “ I’m a Palestinian and a Jew. Take me to headquarters and you can find out all about me.” Headquarters telephoned to Rischon-le-Zion, the nearest Jewish colony, where everybody knew of tho Ben-Yehudah family. He was set free and because of his linguistic ability g°t an interpreter’s post and accompanied the Anzacs and the Jewish Battalion as far as Damascus. Ben Yehudah is now an agriculturist, serving the Government as snb-inpector of Palestine in the entire southern district of Palestine, riding from farm to farm, giving advice as to the breeding of* cattle, teaching the Jewish farmer how’ to get more crops each year, and assisting the veterinary surgeons. His ideas as to the needs and future of the New Palestine are definite. He says : “ What we want is a sound and economic basis for the homeland. We are done with having the Holy Land a place pauperised by unintelligent charity. The land is rich, the country can he made productive of great tilings; what is needed is investment on a large scale that, -without doubt, will yield splendid returns. “ Specialists in various fields and skilled workers are constantlv coming here, and we need even more of this type of immigration. WiTh the finances to back the high type of labour that we have here the future is very bright for a New Palestine.”