stitution, and I trust that it may ever remain the best, greatest and most honorable of our institutions, which we will transplant into the fair land of our fathers, the land which we need not explore to love. (Loud and enthusiastic cheers.) I repeat our thanks to the City of Basle, which we intend to convey in an appropriate manner later on, and I declare the Sixth Congress closed.
The Sixth Congress as Seen
LET us say I begin the Congress here. It began to me some time during the day on which I left New York, and has been the topic ever since. Last night Mr. Zolotkoff, Zangwill and others addressed five thousand East London Jews and received their enthusiastic support. Two of us—Zolotkoff and myself—braved the Channel “chops”—mightily disturbing to the stomach—and here we are in Paris, rainy, sad and tired. We had picked up a Jew and talked Zionism en route; and here is a note from Dr. Nordau, bidding us welcome and to call sans ceremony.
August 17.The Zionistic atmosphere grew distinctly to-day. We ferreted out Jewish life in Paris,looked into where Parisian Zionism meets, and spent the evening with Dr. Nordau and Dr.Marmorek. Their tone was cheerful, their conversation brilliant. One thing we could not do,that is, convince Dr. Nordau of the absolute necessity of coming to the United States. For therest, we gleaned the material that may provide sensational newspaper copy next week. We aretired, and we have forsworn Zionism until we get to Basle. We presume that we are in Parisfor the sake of “doing Paris.”
Good resolutions are in vain! We tried to talk “Humbert” to-day, but our hostess is a Zionist, and so is her future son-in-law. We made a “five-minute” call this evening, which lasted three hours, for we came into contact with three Jews, one of whom had been a Zionist and was now indifferent; the second was too religious, and the third flung as us because, as a Russian Parisian socialist, he regretted the hold Zionism was taking on the Russian Jewish students. It was no use arguing that the Russian student knew better what he wanted than this onlooker, who was only chewing the cud of past memories. Some men are so obstinate, even in Paris, when they read the Yiddish answer of the London socialists to the Paoli Zion of New York.
We could not escape it. Our host threw us into the arms of the president of the B'nei Zion, and we had to hear all about the Parisian delegation which leaves to-morrow night, and, moreover, we are now on the train that will carry us straight to Basle. I am going to sleep.
I woke at 2 a. m. and found Maurice Leon on the train, also bound for Basle. I resumed my couch. At Delle the inconsiderate customs officers woke us. Like good travelers we scrambled out into the raw morning for coffee—a dish of it, not a cup. Just as I was putting it to my cold lips, Zolotkoff drew me to one side. “You know,” he said, “we must force the international Shekel Day and the American branch of the Jewish Colonial Trust.” I sipped the coffee contemptuously. “I think we can make the Shekel Day and the National Fund Day all in one,” I objected. “Too many holidays are demoralizing for the people.” He continued till I shouted “skip!” for the train was in motion.
At 7 we landed in Basle, raised our hats to the Zionist flags waving in front of the Stadt Casino, and sought our hotel. We had entered the land of Zionism.
The Congress building was pasted with dozens of notices. The delegates were there, debonnair; the Russians were at their second conference; the Germans were holding their an-