The Zionist Movement
POLITICAL CONDITIONS IN PALESTINE.
Confidential communications which have just been received from trustworthy persons in Palestine and Constantinople confirm previous reports that the local political persecutions that threatened recently to put a stop to the activities of Zionist colonies and institutions in Palestine, have been checked. High praise is given to Ambassador Morgenthau for his untiring efforts in behalf of the Jewish colonists, both in checking the anti-Zionist agitation co-incidental with the entry of Turkey in the war, and in procuring support and the friendship and protection of the Turkish Government for them and their institutions.
“Mr. Morgenthau has constantly supported us with the greatest readiness,” says the communication. “He has saved the Anglo-Palestine Bank, and is helping us wherever he can. Besides he has done much to raise the Jewish prestige through his own personality and his open intervention in Jewish interests.”
The Anglo-Palestine Bank, upon the outbreak of the war in Palestine, issued checks of its own, which were accepted in Palestine, as a sort of unofficial currency. The bank was closed by the Turkish Government however, which insisted upon its furnishing a certain gold reserve as a basis for these checks. The directors in turn asked that the Turkish Government give guarantees against future interference with the funds of the bank. Meanwhile, however, Ambassador Morgenthau came to the rescue by providing $100,000 which he had in Jerusalem and which he placed at the disposal of the bank. Thereupon the Turkish Government allowed the bank to reopen, as soon as the reserve was provided.
The representatives of the Zionist organization, through the assistance of Mr. Morgenthau and the German Ambassador at Constantinople, also obtained the intervention of the Turkish Government to check the expulsion of alien Jews in Palestine (mostly Russian subjects who were therefore regarded as alien enemies). Largely through the representations of the German Ambassador, the Turkish Government recalled from office the local Governor at Jaffa, Beha Eddin, who had encouraged the anti-Zionist agitation which led to the first expulsion of 600 Jews from Jaffa to Egypt. The Turkish Government also ordered the release of seven Jews who had been arrested for Zionist activity, permitted the return of some who had been exiled to Galilee, and revoked a measure by which capital punishment had been prescribed for persons possessing Zionist National Fund stamps, on the ground that the use of such stamps symbolized a pernicious separatist political activity in Palestine, detrimental to Turkish sovereignty.
The Turkish Council of Ministers has also decided that although Russian Jews as Russian subjects are not entitled to remain in the country, no further deportations should be made. Thus, instead of the expulsion of 50,000 Russian Jews which was at first feared, only 600 were expelled, and between 7,000 and 8,000 others who were unwilling to be naturalized as Ottoman subjects, departed for Egypt, of their own volition.
The Turkish Government has also been induced to rescind the prohibition against the use of the Hebrew language in letter correspondence during the war. Furthermore, Djemal Pasha, the Turkish commander of the recent expedition against Egypt, visited the gymnasium at Tel Aviv, and after delivering a very friendly address there, issued a proclamation forbidding under threat of heavy penalties, the dissemination of reports or rumors hostile to the Jews.
CONDITIONS IN PALESTINE.
The Provisional Zionist Committee received a letter dated March 28th, from its representatives in Alexandria.
setting forth in detail conditions in Palestine. From this letter it appears that permission was obtained from the Ottoman Government to sell the wines of Rishon le-Zion in Alexandria. Over 200 barrels were exported, which has had a good effect upon Palestine. The receipts for the wine will not be remitted, however, until after the war, but it is important for the Palestine wine-growers to hold their Egyptian trade. An attempt will be made to obtain permission also for the sale of almonds under the same conditions.
All Palestine is now suffering from locusts, which are now swarming over the Judean colonies and destroying the trees and their fruit. The wine cellars are in great distress. No money is coming in from Russia. The Warsaw Carmel has been closed. The Odessa branch alone is open.
Oranges are being exported now to Egypt and England, but the season is over. The letter notes with satisfaction the fact that the American consul is very friendly to the committee at Alexandria. Relief funds have been received from Moscow, London and Paris. The letter closes with the statement that there are funds sufficient for the next two or three months for the relief of the Palestinian refugees at Alexandria.
LETTERS FROM THE VULCAN.
It will interest our readers to know that a letter has been received at the Zionist offices from Dr. S. Lewin-Epstein, written on board the “Vulcan,” when the collier was within six hundred miles from Alexandria. After telling of how he and Mr. Louis H. Levin fared on the trip, which was quite stormy, he writes:
“We stopped in Gibraltar and spent the second day of Passover there and had a wonderful time. We went into the synagogue and were agreeably surprised. It was a beautiful building, with an outer court in marble and even the Oran Kodesh was of marble. The secretary of the synagogue, took us in hand and entertained us all day, with dinner at his house and supper at a Jewish restaurant. Then he took us through the Talmud Torah and informed us of all their activities. The Jewish community consists of 1,100 people, of whom there are about 300 men (adults). As in all communities only a small percentage of these take up the burden of charities and organization. When you think of these few people supporting four synagogues and twelve institutions you get an idea of how charitable and friendly a nature these people are. Among their institutions they number: Talmud Torah, Chesed Shel Emeth. Oser Dalim. Malbish Arumim, etc. They are extremely religious, so that they look askance at the Moroccan Jew from the interior (not Tangiers) who are not very strict. They get along wonderfully with the Christians (almost all Catholics). Spanish is spoken almost exclusively there, even by government officials. Mr. Cuby, the secretary, is a very fine and wealthy man. He travels a good deal, is a personal friend of Lord Swaythling in London, and related to Ernesto Nathan of Rome on his wife’s side.
“On the Atlantic we had a very stormy voyage. We had four northwestern gales blowing at about 65 miles an hour. In one of these gales the ship ‘Denver’ foundered, so we heard. Now we are on the Mediterranean, enjoying wonderful weather. We passed very close to many interesting points in the Mediterranean, including the island Pantelaria.”
A letter dated Alexandria, April 15th, has also been received from Louis H. Levin, in which he tells of his activities in Alexandria, previous to going to Beirut and Jaffa. In the course of this letter, among other things, Mr. Levin writes: