tion operated by Jews in behalf of Jews, an institution that would gain the confidence of the masses of our people, that could act as a trustee for widows and orphans who at the present time are often in doubt as to where they should turn, and that could act also as the adjudicator of financial disputes which now so often are carried into the courts. Our banks could, in short, become one of the most important institutions in the life of the Jewish community of America.
NATIONAL FUND COMMITTEE.
It gives me pleasure to report as follows for the National Fund in America for the past year. Since the Tannersville convention 3,950 National Fund boxes were received from the National Fund Commission. Of there 3,012 have been distributed and 938 are on hand in the ofhice of the Federation. Of the number distributed 1,700 have been placed in New York City and 1,3312 outside of New York. The boxes ought to become a source of great revenue to the National Fund, if the societies and individuals holding boxes realize the necessity and the duty of making regular reports to the National Fund Committee. The laxity on the part of such individuals and societies has hampered the work of the committee during the past year. The sum of $2,783.69 was realized from the sale of National Fund Stamps and $1,529.72 from donations and National Fund collections.. The box collections amounted to $404.52 and the golden book entries to $1,931.61, making a grand total of National Fund income for the year of $6,649.54 as against $4,725 for the past year, a gain of almost $2,000 in:a year of so-called financial depression.
National Fund post cards have been sold out of the Federation Office, and the sum of $45.00 has been realized on their sale. Telegram blanks have also been sold for the nomi- inal sum of 10 cents, but not very many have been sold.
Despite the comparatively good showing made by the N. F. in America, we must perforce admit that the National Fund Commission’s criticism of the work done or rather
not done in this country for the N. F. is well based. America ought to send at least $25,- 000 a year to the National Fund. If every individual Zionist world make use of his or her. share of N. F. stamps, telegram blanks, and grasp every opportunity of making N. F. collections at every festive occasion in their homes or the homes of their friends; if every Zionist would possess a N. F. box and make prompt returns on collections without the necessity of reminders from the ofhice; if the societies of the country through their respective local N. F. committees would keep in close and constant touch with the N. F. committee, the sum of $25,000 per annum would he easılv oathered.
Respectfully submitted,ELIAS MARGOLIS,Chairman.
PROPAGANDA AND ORGANIZATION COMMITTEE.
This report must necessarily be confined to my observations and experiences during the tour which I have had the honor of making in behalf of the Zionist movement through the South and Middle West from March 4 to June ı8. During that period, I visited the following cities: Newport News, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Savannah, Jacksonville, Atlanta, Meridian, New Orleans, Beaumont, Houston, Galveston, San Antonio, Austin, Dallas, Ft. Worth, Waco, Louisville, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Pittsburg, McKeesport and Greensburg, and addressed forty-five meetings.. The result, expressed in a financial way, was the obtaining of $1,638.00, and one hundred and ninety-two federation members. This tour was undertaken by me at the instance of our president, Dr. Harry Friedenwald, and would have covered a much longer period had I not been overtaken by illness. It must be borne in mind that the undertaking was handicapped, first, by the state of my health, and, second, by the unusual economic conditions prevailing throughout the country.
The work undertaken is, perhaps, the most important that has been done for the Zionist movement since its organization in this country, and what has been done is nothing more than a survey of the field and an investigation of the possibilities for propaganda and or-