The Maccabaean

THREE events have occurred during the last three weeks which possess a peculiar interest for the student of the Jewish Question. One was the presidential address of Mr. Claude Montefiore at the annual meeting of the Anglo-Jewish-Association in London; another was the convention of the Federation of Jewish farmers in New York; and the third was an article on "Commercial Development in Palestine" which appeared in the important English journal, The Economist. The address of Mr. Montefiore consisted of a review of the educational activity of the Anglo-Jewish Association during the past year among the Jewish communities of the Orient and of a confession of its impotence to improve the political conditions of the Jews in Eastern Europe. The convention of Jewish farmers in New York, which lasted three days and was attended by fifty delegates from various parts of the United States, brought to light the benefit conferred upon that country by Jewish immigrants and discussed the methods for rendering the work of Jewish farmers even more successful in the future. The article in The Economist is an impartial and well-informed review of recent commercial developments in Palestine, in which special testimony is borne to the valuable part performed by Jewish settlers in this work. Each of these events occurred quite independently of the others, and there does not seem to be the least connection between them. A few moments' reflection, however, will reveal that although they occurred in strict isolation they have an intimate bearing upon each other and a direct relation to the problem which has occupied and is occupying so many minds—what is to become of the Jewish people?

The address of Mr. Claude Montefiore was remarkable for the pessimistic strain in which it was delivered. He spoke in depressing terms of the situation in Russia and Roumania, and deplored the fact that although we lived in such an age of civilization it was impossible to affect any im-

provement of the lot of our brethren in those countries by invoking the aid of the great powers. He criticised the present tread of international politics, which while aiming at preserving the balance of power and preventing the outbreak of war, ignored the sufferings of so many millions of Jews. He admitted that "the solution of the Russo-Jewish problem in Russia itself seems as remote as, or even more remote than, ever". This is, indeed, an important admission, for other leading members of the Anglo-Jewish Association have repeatedly declared peculiar optimism that the Russo-Jewish problem will be solved in Russia itself. But what hope did Mr. Montefiore hold out that the present misery would pass away, what method did he suggest of diminishing it? He offered neither comfort nor counsel. He simply contented himself with declaring that the Association over which he presides is "as necessary as ever, and is likely to be necessary for many years to come". But his review of its achievements in the past, so far as the great bulk of persecuted Jewry is concerned, can hardly inspire one with any hope that it will be more successful in the future. Has Mr. Montefiore not yet profited by experience? Does he not see that the work of his organization, like that of similar organizations, can at the most merely give temporary relief to a community here and a community there, but that it cannot exert any enduring or continuous influence for reducing the mass of Jewish misery? It is time that he and the administrators of similar bodies realized that their philanthropic activity, however extensive or generous it might be, leaves untouched the real Jewish problem. Their endeavors are merely concentrated upon the healing of wounds; they never think of devising a plan apart from emigration to Western countries which shall render a repetition of such wounds impossible. Prevention is better than cure, and the best preventive method is to provide them with a home of their own.