THE JEWS AND PALESTINE.

Waipawa Mail, Volume XXXVII, Issue 7920, 18 August 1917, Page 4 (Supplement)

THE JEWS AND PALESTINE.

With many of New Zealand’s own .sons now fighting in Palestine, we cannot but be interested in the future of that historic land. In an article in the “Contemporary Review,” Mr Joseph Cowen, of the English Zionist for the tion, makes a strong claim tor the handing over of this country to the Jews. Tlie Jew who has never lenoun - ed his dream of reviving hi, nationality in Palestine; a continuous chain oF aspiration and prayer, and even of political activity, binds- him to the soil from which he was driven early in the Christian era. Up till 1878. when the first agricultural Jewish colony was founded there, efforts by Jews in Palestine had been confined to such objects as homes for aged people, built by philanthropists like Sir Moses Montcfiore. Tn Rill, the last year for which figures are available, the Jewish poptilalou was estimated at 100,000, out of i total of 700,000, and it is abundant*’* evident Lint Palestine eon support a

•inicli larger population than it holds at present. “Gi**e the land without a people to the people without a land,” says Mr Ccwen, quoting the words of Zangwill. There are thirteen millions of Jews in the world, and they are th * only people in the world without ; home of their own. There must he, he adds, more than half a million Jews

fighting ii thic war the vast majority on the side of the Allies. “Jews the world over look to Britain as the foremost fighter for justice and freedom to he their deliverer.”

Tt does not appear to ho generally understood that every application for an auctioneer’s license must, he unproved by the police before it is granted. Such, however, is the ease, so that when one reads that “Mr. So-and-So's application for a license was granted, subject to approval bv the nolice.” it cIAos not mean that the applicant is a suspected person, hut merely that the license has been duly granted, subject to the usual conditions.