England is concerned every influence shall be exerted towards releasing this fund from the winding sheets which now enfo'd it, releasing it for the great work that lies at our very hands. Let Zionists then continue to devote to our cause the constant toil, the endless work, the ceaseless labor for which I pleaded last year. Above all, let them possess themselves with patience.
I have said that theEnglish people are slow- minded. Let us not forget that Anglo-Jewry has largely assimilated. Jews will be drawn into our movement by patient argument far more easily than they can be driven into it by even the keenest set invective. We Zionists are often sorely tried, no one knows it better than I do. But, after awhile, men tire and resent measureless insult and hurricanes of abuse, such as too
often are directed against us. Our cause is too strong to need such adventitious aids in its defence. Gradually men will come to see and to understand for what we are striving. They will come to see that we are striving on behalf not of the rich and the great, but rather of the lowly and the poor. For as those words go to-day amongst the nations of the world, Israel, as Dr. Nordau has well shown in this Congress, is poorest and lowliest of them all. They will come to see that we are striving not for place or dignities or wealth, but that we are engaged in a service which we believe will yield that which is of far higher and more lasting value—that we are laboring for the redemption of Jewry, to promote and secure the happiness of our people.
Things Seen and Heard At the Fifth Zionist Congress
[We give below the notes taken by Mr. J. de Haas, of London, specially for The Maccabæan. Mr. de Haas has seen fit to put to paper his impressions while in the midst of the activity of the Congress, thus giving to his account a vividness otherwise impossible. In another article we give a resume of the work accomplished, stripped of all but practical value.]
I.
WE have once again arrived in Basle. An historic consciousness is aroused in this central junction of European traffic wherein Zionism was born. There is a gable-roofed Basle which knows nothing of Zionism, but to us this is but a diversified cradle in which our hopes sprang into life—a strong child. And we are here, some of us, especially the young element, that force unknown to American Jewry, the student-youth with his hair a la brush, its high cheek bones, sober dress and intense enthusiasm. These students to the number of 59 have been debating now for over four days, in their conference room and out on the steps of a hill side passage. Last night the town hall clock had struck 12 and still I heard gospoda called in the streets, and hot talk from under Swiss hats or Russian fur bonnets. Round the delegates are 200 Russo-Jewish students from all the universities in Germany and Switzerland,
young people who only yesterday were, or desired to be, foreign to all things Jewish. At one end of the crowd is a Zionist who travelled 18 days from Trans-Balkiama in Siberia, at the other—a grim faced, bullet headed Russian who has spent 20 years in the Palestinean colonies.
Two hundred and fifty nervous temperaments,exuberantly voluble; enthusiastic and electrifiedby their surroundings. There is the academicnote about all they say, there is an earnest ringin their voices. If they grow strong in faith andcapacity, they may have Jewry as a ball at theirfeet. Just now they are wavering between theorganisation of a league of workers and agitatorson the main issue, and the creation of a YoungZion party, the "forwards" in the game. Fromthe point of view of association they are perhapstoo new to the work to do either just yet, butthe seed is sown, it will bear fruit. I rememberas I proceeded to the first Congress the rumor ofmiracles was in the air. As I sat in the students'room and saw the glow on many faces, the in-