The Maccabaean

Turkey and the War

Among the bewildering floods of "war publications" that are issuing from the presses of all lands, we venture to say that there are few more engrossing, more altogether delightful than "Turkey and the War," by Vladimir Jabotinsky. London, F. Fisher Unwin. It is not given to "war literature" to be airy and colorful, but these interesting papers are a happy exception.

Vladimir Jabotinsky must be a healthy man, for he braves the whirlpools of world politics with refreshing exuberance. His book might be called an oratorical survey of the world in conflict—with one eye ever on Palestine. His illustrations are apt, he has a delightful clarity of style, his impressionist sketches have lively dashes of realistic color. The style is dogmatic, but that is its charm, for it is a dogmatism that commands instant conviction in its minor conclusions at least. Jabotinsky mar- shals his facts with masterly ease. He waves his arm grandly, as it were, and settles the destinies of the great powers.

His point of view is that of wholesome common-sense. The ethnical cuts more ice with him than the ethical. He assumes the righteousness, or rather the expediency, of the objects of the Allies, and protests his adherence to the English policy with an insistence that savors of what Zangwill calls "protective coloring." With this background, the author easily disposes of the aims of the war. There can be no doubt that the war is one of conflicting interests in general, that it is a war for Asia Minor in particular, and this to the exclusion of everything else. Once Jabotinsky has made sure that we believe in his loyalty, he has no scruples in ridiculing the idea that ideals or historic traditions play an important part in the decisions of any of the statesmen, friend or foe. Self-preservation, markets, ports, imperial expansion—these are the realities that make up the motives of those men of big business whom we call statesmen.

The pen sketches of Turkey are altogether absorbing, and seem to throw not a little light on that enigmatical country. His observations force him to the conclusion that the welfare of Europe, and of the Turks themselves depend on the partition of the Turkish Empire among the great powers, including even a finger in the pie for Germany. It is all settled so easily that we might have thought of it ourselves. He pronounces the death sentence of the unfortunate country with relish. But whether the world will be the obedient hangman is another matter.

The third part of the book is devoted entirely to details of the quarrels that must be aroused over the division of the spoils. It is all explored with the boldness and ingenuousness of a child, and with the bias, too. But children often blurt out truths that are very disconcerting. There can be no doubt that Jabotinsky gives a good bird's-eye view of the tactics of modern diplomacy, however blurred may be the detail.

The book makes delightful reading, and it is illuminating. Perhaps the author overestimates the importance of Turkey in the struggle. Perhaps he under-estimates the significance of other fields of clashing interests. Jabotinsky would be horrified at the suggestion. He knows everything. S. J. C.

Literature on Jewish Rights

_ Delegates to the American Jewish Congress and others interested in Jewish and national rights, have recently written to this Department asking for information as to available literature on the condition of the Jews in the different countries and the questions with which the Congress has to deal. There is, of course, a considerably large literature pertaining to Jewish disabilities and to the long struggle for Jewish emancipation, but popular works in the English language which touch upon these questions are few in number and not so easily obtained. Though a number of published bibliographies give long lists of books, it is usually found upon investigation that many of these are out of print, and still others have never been issued in this country. Below, however, are mentioned a number of volumes which are bound to be of immediate interest and help. The new American Jewish Year Book for the year 5678 contains a valuable paper, “Jewish Rights at International Congresses,” by Max J. Kohler (Jewish Pub. Society, 75c). Mr. Kohler in collaboration with Mr. Simon Wolf also wrote “Jewish Disabilities in the Balkan States,” which contains a great deal of historical data of importance (Bloch Pub. Co., $1.50). The Jewish situation, in Rumania specifically, is dealt with ably and at considerable length by Dr. Samuel Joseph in “A History of Jewish Emigration” (Bloch Pub. Co., $1.50). Referring to Russia and Poland, there are the new books of S. Dubnow (The Jewish Pub. Society, $1.25), and Professor Israel Friedlander (Putnam’s Sons, $1.25). A scholarly book on “Palestine: The Rebirth of an Ancient People,” by Albert M. Hyamson, has just been published by Alfred A. Knopf ($1.50). Other works, some having only remote reference to the problem, which may cursorily be mentioned, are: “The Jews of Today,” by Arthur Ruppin (Henry Holt & Co., N. Y., $1.75), “The Shield,” Collection of Essays on the Russo-Jewish Question by Famous Russian Authors (Alfred A. Knopf, $1.25), “Jews and the War,” Memorandum of the Poale-Zion to the International Socialist Bureau (Poale-Zion Bureau, 35c), “Principle of Nationalities,” by Israel Zangwill (Macmillan Co., 50c), “History of Jews,” by Paul Goodman (E. P.. Dutton & Co., 50c), “Jewish Life in Modern Times,” by Israel Cohen (Dodd, Mead & Co., $3).

"Socialism and Internationalism"

"Socialism and Internationalism," an article in the September issue of the Atlantic Monthly, is a sane and thoughtful attempt, on the part of John Spargo, the well-known Socialist writer, to define the fundamentals of Socialism. The article should be of special interest to Zionists, inasmuch as Mr. Spargo, in his definition of internationalism, expounds the same doctrine as the basis of Socialism that has long been felt to be the basis of the Zionist philosophy. The seeming antagonism between the Socialist and Zionist points of view has been due to a confusion of the idea of internationalism with the ideas of anti-nationalism and a nationalism.