A Statement to Zionists on the Congress
CREDIT for the success of the Philadelphia Preliminary Conference is due the Zionist ideal and the Zionist organization. It was the Zionist faith in the inherent possibilities of the Jewish people for self-government that won over a large majority of our people to the cause of democracy in Jewish life. It was the devotion and self-sacrifice of the Zionists, individually and as a group, that made possible unity and accord in the deliberations of the Conference.
The Philadelphia Conference showed that we Zionists have acquired an esprit de corps, a feeling of common relationship and desire for common action, that enabled our delegates to agree with remarkable unanimity on the chief issues involved in the Congress movement. We have been the militant, forceful element in Jewish life, pervading all avenues of Jewish activities, but only now, tested by actual experience, do we find ourselves in the position of a strong, disciplined, capable party in Israel, working in every direction for the upliftment of our people through democracy and self-help.
The way is open. It has been forced open by the strength of our ideals. The Congress is the vessel in which a sturdy, self-dependent Jewish life is to be created. We should see to it that when the Congress expresses itself, it shall voice the ideals for which we have been struggling these many years. With due respect to all other groups and parties, we want the Congress to be consciously Zionistic. We want the men and women who are to form that Congress to understand our aims and aspirations, to know what we are doing and what we are striving for. This means thorough-going propaganda on our part, and the exercise of ability in organization and propaganda during the months before the Congress is convened.
The way is open, but it will require efficient work for us to make it lead to Zionism.
The delegates to the Congress are to be elected by individual electors on a democratic basis through existing local organizations. In order to educate the electors and to have the Congressmen elected in sympathy with our views, it becomes necessary for every Zionist to be an individual missionarv to the electorate. The
electorate should understand Zionism and be organized to elect Congressmen who will actually represent their views.
The Congress will be the test of our strength, the strength of our organization as well as the strength of our ideals.
At Philadelphia we felt that every delegate free from prejudice was stirred at every mention of Zionist ideals. Every reference to Palestine evoked applause that came from the heart. It could be seen that those who had not been with us were being agitated by feelings they had not suspected themselves of possessing. It was the national aspirations, the national longing, the inherent Jewish desire for national rebirth that expressed itself in every resolution adopted, in every discussion held.
It is this feeling that we must capture and hold. We must drive home the Zionist program. We must continue probing the Jewish heart until it beats in unison with the aspirations of the Zionist organization.
Concretely expressed:
Everywhere there must be organized new Zionist groups. Wherever there are ten Jews, they should form a Zionist society. We must increase the number of afhliated Zionists. New elements must be enlisted and for them new societies must be formed. Ifa city has only one society, and another society is necessary to enlist other elements, the organized Zionists on the spot should endeavor to organize a second society. The Zionist organization must become the all-pervasive. the strongest Tew-
Our shekel-payers must be increased. Before Rosh Hashonah we should have not less than 200,000 shekel-payers. It is absolutely necessary that this be done at once if we are to maintain our position in the Congress situation and to be able to fully awaken our people to their national obligations.
We must spread Zionist literature. There must be a substantial increase in the number of readers of our periodicals. You should circulate literature at every Jewish meeting. New literature is being printed, which will be available for immediate use.
You must organize propaganda mass-meetings. Speak Zionism at all times. The voice of Zionism