The Maccabaean

peoples which strive for regeneration. The scattered Jewish people also has a right to demand for themselves a place among the other peoples, when the liberation and regeneration of peoples is discussed.

“We have shown in Palestine an unexampled talent, an unusual creative force. We did not have either legal rights or means, nor the human material, nor the knowledge, but we did have something that recreates a people: indomitable faith in and a boundless love for our people. We have proved that the Jewish people is not impotent; that the source of its power is not exhausted, and if given the necessary means under changed conditions, will show wonders to the world. ‘We must in a very short time become the owners of the land.’ This is demanded by the current of world- events. Seas of blood have not been shed that humanity should return to the old regime. A new world will be born upon the ruins of war.”

"When we will have men in Palestine, we will also have a culture there. Real culture is not created in deserts and not by mere words. The Jewish population in Palestine will be the bearer of Jewish culture. There will be put an end to the different languages and to the different cultures with which our people is afflicted.

“The world is tending towards universalism. Humanity will be unified on the basis of real mutual love and mutual respect of peoples. One flag will wave over all peoples —the flag of humanity. Upon that flag many stars will shine. Will we, the oldest people in the world, permit on that flag, our stars should be absent? That must not be. On that starred flag of the peoples, our stars will glitter with transcendent brilliancy and beauty.”

The greeting to the convention from the Zionist International Actions Committee declared that the liberation of Russia is a guarantee of the triumph of Zionism.

The convention adopted a number of important resolutions bearing on colonization work in Palestine, which is to be resumed at the end of the war. These resolutions provide for a great national loan, and the mobilization of Jewish capital for this purpose, and especially to enable the Jews of the devastated parts of Europe to migrate to Palestine and quickly establish themselves agriculturally and on a self-supporting basis. With this in view, the Zionist organization is to take a census of Jewish agricultural and industrial labor; establish co-operative organizations and open a special bureau for the co-ordination of all available resources.

Bearing on the political attitude of the Zionists, the convention adopted resolutions authorizing the organization to enter into agreements and form blocs with general political organizations, but only as an independent party. In case the situation should require it, the Zionist organization shall enter the political arena independently. It must strive, also, to organize a general Jewish bloc. Local societies are forbidden to join other Jewish political parties, and may join hands with general political parties only with the consent of the central organization.

A referendum of the Jews of Russia regarding Palestine was decided upon. The convention adopted a resolution to present the question of Palestine at the Jewish Congress, and also to endeavor to secure Jewish representation at the Peace Conference.

A unique historic document, worthy of a conspicuous place in both Russian and Jewish history, was placed before the Convention when the chairman, Dr. Yechiel Tchlenow, read the full text of the military Order of the Day issued and signed by General Aleixeff, Commander-in-Chief of the Western Front, permitting the Jewish soldiers to elect from their number dele-

gates to the convention, and furnishing passes and transportation to the delegates to facilitate their presence at the gathering.

The spokesman of the soldier-delegates, read the following resolution which had been adopted by his colleagues:

"We—Jewish soldier-delegates from the army—who participate in this convention, avow to the convention and to the Jewish people:

"Hundreds and thousands of Jews are in battle in the Russian army. In a time of outlawry and terrible persecution, under the burden of false accusation, the Jewish soldiers fulfilled their full military duty. In the ocean of blood poured out by the heroic Russian Army there is no little of Jewish blood.

“Now, having become free citizens of Russia, and fully privileged members of the Army, the Jewish soldiers will continue their efforts in a new spirit of enthusiasm. Believing that the strengthening of the revolution, and the strengthening of the peoples in Russia can be accomplished only through the union of all the peoples and by a strong discipline in the free army the Jewish soldiers declare triumphantly that they are prepared to follow the call of the revolutionary democracy to defend Russia against her enemies.

"Jewish soldiers, true to this declaration, will support the Provisional Government and with the greatest devotion and faith, will follow the beloved leader of the people, the War Minister Kerensky. We strongly protest against those who are attempting to bring confusion and disorder into the army.

"We believe that the Russian democracy which has assumed the task of freeing all the peoples of the world, will understand the strivings of our people, and will port Jewry in its effort to create a national center for the Jewish people, on its historic soil, Palestine."

The tribute of this hour is uncommon, but indeed no more uncommon than was the life of him we commemorate. The distinction of this hour lies not in the fact that multitudes gather to mourn the tragedy of his passing but that the cause of our poignant grief was the preciousness of his life. Who was this man? What was his character? What was the nature of his achievements that a great community should be at one in grief,

There was something of distinction about this man from his earliest years. I had known him for nearly twenty years, since first, as a youth under twenty, he insisted that I come to Boston, the home of his youth, in order to rouse its Jewry to an understanding of the supreme values of Zionism. I recall his high enthusiasm, his grave earnestness, his self-forgetting devotion to the Jewish cause. This distinction of his early manhood remained his own,— conferring upon him a veritable knighthood of honor which he bore with ever-renewed

eagerness to serve the needs and magnify the honor of his people.

His honor from the beginning to the end of his days was the honor of his people, even as his life was throughout at his people’s command. That life was nothing less than a sanctifying of the thrice-holy name in the sight of Israel and all the peoples. If, however, his life enhanced the dignity and confirmed the self-reverence of his people, it was in large part because he came out of a Jewish home that gave of its best to this Samuel that he in turn might give, himself for the sake of his people’s good.

What was the chief inspiration of the life of Rabbi Margolies? A deep, flaming passion for his people, its faith, its life, its future. He was a Jew without adjective. I think he cared as little for orthodoxy as for reform. Judaism was precious to his soul whether orthodox or liberal. Therefore it was that he became a Zionist, a Zionist worker, a Zionist leader. He was

the strength of our cause in this city and state upon whom all of us from the greatest among us, Justice Brandeis, even to the least of us leaned, as sure and dependable, of unweariable service, of unhesitating sacrifice.

He willed to have the Jewish people live. He knew that neither orthodoxy or reform sufficed as the whole of Judaism, that while Israel without Judaism was not to be thought of, Judaism without Israel could not be. He was enough of a statesman and a religious leader to understand that Israel: must again root itself in its own traditions, that, instead of drifting hither and thither with every wind that blows, it must find and fix itself in the deep and changeless things of its own history, that the gravest disease of his people lay in its failure to be itself. More dangerous than any invasion of its rights from without, was, he saw, the wrong of his people losing the consciousness of community with a mighty past.