waving the blue and white flag of Zion. Now is not the opportune moment for an avowal or disavowal of Zionism.
Let it be so. Dr. Wise will not speak. But he doubtless knows that silence is also eloquent; that when a man is called upon to speak, when honor and clear thinking require a clear utterance, a refusal to accept the opportunity justifies whatever inferences the circumstances warrant. For our part, a Marrano Zionist is of little value to our movement.
Mr. Allen's Report on the Congress
A meeting under the auspices of the Zionist Council of Greater New York was held during the month at the Educational Alliance, to welcome the American delegates to the Ninth Zionist Congress. One of the speakers was Isaac Allen, who gave a resume of the work of the Congress and expressed, in a way, the official American attitude toward its results. Mr. Allen said, in part:
“The Basle platform was reafhirmed at the last Zionist Congress in unmistakable terms in all its essential features. Zionism to-day, as in the days of our lamented leader, Dr. Herzl, stands firmly upon a national basis. It strives to cre- "ate a Jewish center in Palestine for the moral, intelligent and physical upliftment of,our people. But in one essential matter does it differ from the plans formerly contemplated, and which the Ninth Zionist Congress considered to be no longer necessary. We abandoned our demand for a charter; a charter of rights from the Turkis: government guarantying the security of our life, liberty and property. The recent Congress considered this to be no longer necessary because of the new progressive political order of things now prevailing in the Ottoman Empire,
“There have always been in the Zionist ranks, a certain faction of Zionists, especially the remnants of the old “Chovevei Zion,” who have merged in the present Zionist movement, who demanded and in-
sisted upon centering all of our efforts upon work in Palestine. This class of Zionists coming as they do from lands where the yoke of the "goluth" is heaviest, entertained no fear of the unsafe, political conditions as they existed in Turkey. To them, political uncertainty had no terrors. They have been accustomed to exist under conditions more unbearable than those that prevailed in Turkey, and they were ready to risk everything in order to create an activity in Palestine.
"On the other hand, there were the Zionists of Western Europe, politically better educated, and particularly because their "goluth" yoke was not so heavy, who opposed the investment of any capital in Palestine unless charter assurances be given that our rights in Palestine would be protected and not subject to the caprice of a government official, who usually interpreted laws according to the amount of backheesh paid.
"It is necessary to bear in mind this difference of opinion that existed in our movement to understand the vehement nature of the hostile attitude taken by the Russian Zionist toward the administration, when after the Turkish revolution and the convening of the Parliament, the Actions Comite still hesitated to direct all its activities in Palestine.
"As long as the old order of things prevailed all our leaders could excuse their inactivity, on the ground that they feared to invest our Zionist Funds in a land not protected by modern progressive laws. But when the young Turks so successfully displaced the old regime, and created a safe and modern form of government, there was no longer any reason for the continued delay on the part of our leaders in undertaking the real practical work in Palestine.
"It was expected that all the Zionist Funds would at once be transferred to Palestine, and every effort made to take possession of the land. That an outbreak of one kind or another would find expression at the Congress was to be expected.
"The Russian Zionists, anxious to do some