of our heart's desire, in Palestine, whence I expect to send you greetings. I have now been your Secretary for two years, and no one knows better than I how little has been done for our movement in that time. I therefore earnestly appeal to the Convention to do what it can toward placing the Federation upon a basis that will enable it to carry out its noble mission. Let us in the next year show greater results than in the previous decade. Our movement can become the dominating Jewish force in America. The time is now ripe for it—if we but will.
With Zion's greetings,J. L. MAGNES, Secretary.
THE PALESTINE COMMITTEE.
- Three meetings of the Palestine Committee were held during the past year. The work of the Committee was greatly hampered because of the impossibility of obtaining the services of a secretary capable of keeping the accounts, and conducting the correspondence in Yiddish and in English. A beginning has, nevertheless, been made for active work for the support of the Palestinian institutions of the movement. The Committee has introduced the celebration of the fifteenth day of Shebat as a Jewish Arbor Day in the United States. On this day, meetings are held and funds collected in the interests of the Olive Groves. Judging from the initial results, the Committee believes that the institution of a Jewish Arbor Day will become a very successful means of propaganda.
Arrangements have been made for tours by Mr. David Schub throughout the country under the auspices of the Palestine Committee for special propaganda for Palestinian activities. These arrangements have been made with the approval of Prof. O. Warburg, Chairman of the Palestine Commission. If the organized Zionists of this country lend Mr. Schub a fair measure of co-operation, there need be no difliculty in raising $10,000, at the least, in one year. Funds for. these purposes need not be collected from Zionists only, but from all Jews who are sympathetic towards the development of Palestine along such lines.
The Committee would suggest that at the coming Convention, a committee of delegates
be appointed to interview all other delegates, with a view to interesting them in the work of Mr. Schub; and thus induce them to arrange meetings for Mr. Schub upon him return to their homes; and to assist him in every possible manner during his visits to their respective cities.
We would also suggest that when a Chairman of the Palestine Committee is elected by the Convention, a capable secretary be also elected at the same time.
REPORT OF PROPAGANDA AND ORGANIZATION COMMITTEE.
That the Committee on Propaganda and Organization did not meet expectations is not due to any unwillingness on the part of its Chairman, but entirely to personal circumstances which rendered it absolutely impossible for him to give to this most important branch of our work the attention it demands and deserves. And yet it might, with propriety, claim that it did accomplish 'something of moment, and point to the successful tour of Dr. Shmaryahu Lewin, whose lectures and whose personality did so much for our cause in this country. Your Chairman had this project in mind last year, and immediately after the Convention conferred privately concerning it with several members of the Executive; and upon his suggestion, the invitation was sent to our distinguished guest. The immense value of Dr. Lewin’s visit is conceded, and there will doubtless be no dissent from the proposition that tours of so dignified a character cannot but gain new sympathy and new adherents to our movement. It is of the utmost urgency that the Convention devise ways and means for similar tours during the course of the next few years—devise ways and means that shall assure their financial as well as moral success. It is conceded that Dr. Lewin’s tour was loosely managed.. The plan originally conceived 'was not adhered to for a number of reasons, which it is preferable should be relegated to the unwritten history of the Fed-