Zion,” two radical Zionist organizations in Russia of recent date, disagree entirely with the economic theories in Zionism of the former. The “Hatehiya,” recognising Socialistic theories, relegate, at the same time, the class-struggle of the Jewish proletariat to the time when the Jewish state will become a matter of fact. The Zeirey Zion have no provision in their program for and they also oppose the principle of class interest within Zionism. Yet they base their hopes of the realisation of Zionism upon the Jewish masses. Otherwise, both the Zeirey Zion and the Hatehiya go out from the point of view of nationalism, pure and simple.
There remains for me now only to say a few words as regards the Galician and the American Poaley Zion. The Galician P. Z. are known to be a great factor in the life of the Jewish masses in Galicia and take the lead in the contest for national life for the Jews there. As their Zionist theories are, however, similar to those of the latter is much clearer than that of the former, let me give here the most characteristic features of the program of the American P. Z.
What the Minsk Poaley Zion Territorialists are to the S. S., the American P. Z. are to the Russian P. Z. The very fact that the American P. Z. have officially not adopted any dogmatic Socialistic platform, shows the gap that there is between the two. In fact, the American P. Z. are not orthodox Marxists. There are among them all shades of Socialistic theories, and as a party they do not make historical materialism the starting point for Zionism. To
Thine the heritage of ages, Yet so poor art thou to-day, That the earth itself doth spurn thee, Gives no resting place to turn thee, Canst but helpless bow and pray, “Lord, my sin asks heavy wages!”
But as thou hast known the sorrow, And as thou hast felt the pain, So shall God Himself repay thee, Punish those that would dismay thee, So shall greater be thy gain, So shall brighter be thy morrow.
R. F. ISAACS.
them, nationalism and Socialism are two distinctly different currents running in parallel lines through history, each having its own function and its own reason for existence. And the Jewish proletariat, at the same time that it carries on its Classenkampf and strives towards the realisation of the future social state, has also to carry on its Nationalkampf and strive towards the realisation of the Jewish national ideal, in the shape of a Jewish state in Palestine. Zionism is, therefore, for the Jewish proletariat, not the minimum of its demands, but stands out as a thing in itself—as the maximum of its national demands.
These are he various theories current in this movement among the ranks of the Jewish radicals, and there are the different parties created accordingly. And when one reviews all these theories, as well as the other national movements among the Jewish people, Jewish history appears to one as a great artist working at a masterpiece not yet completed. He stands at the canvass, pencil in hand, touching and retouching the picture, sometimes retreating a step or two, bending the head on one side or the other, and reflecting over it perhaps with one eye closed: will a shade deeper here serve the purpose? Will a brighter color there make it truer to life? It is the uncertainty of incompleteness. But the master is a great one and the picture at which he has been working for years will soon be completed and will prove to be a great masterpiece.
קַבָּק אַקְבָּק שְׁאֵרִית יִשְׂרָאֵל.
("I will surely gather the remnant of Israel.")