The Maccabaean

OWING to a constant reiteration of emphasis in the Jewish and general press upon the purely agricultural aspects of the new Jewish Palestine, its industrial potentialities have been enormously underrated. There comes now Prof. N. Wilbuschewitsch, well known to the readers of THE MACCABAEAN as a Palestinian expert, to open the eyes of investors and of the general public to the vast industrial resources, hitherto undeveloped, of Eretz Israel. The instrument serving as an eye-opener is a neatly printed pamphlet of his, translated into English by Eden and Cedar Paul, published by the Trade and Industry Department of the Central (London) Bureau of the Zionist Organization, and entitled "The Industrial Development of Palestine." Its contents are so vastly important that we deem it our duty to submit to the readers of THE MACCABAEAN a rather extensive summary of this new key to Palestinian treasure-trove.

In the Introductory, the author summarizes the devastating effects of Turkish stupidity and barbarity upon the development of Syrian, and more particularly Palestinian industries. We learn that such industries as existed were chiefly home industries and small handicrafts, with only a few factories on a European scale of production. Before the war the total products of Syrian industry and handicraft (including those of Palestine) were estimated at approximately one hundred million francs annually, this sum representing about eleven per cent. of the total income from all sources. It embraced, broadly speaking, four main items: Mining, 10,000,000 francs, and large-scale manufactures, home industries and communications, 30,000,000 francs each. As against this total, covering, among others, such heavy items as quarrying, fisheries, tanneries, viticulture, railways, post and telegraphs, looks insignificant when held against the 700,000,000 francs representing the total annual value of agricultural products and by-products.

The reason for this dwarfed industrial state of affairs is briefly set forth by Prof. Wilbuschewitsch thus:

Both under the Old Turks and under the Young Turks Syrian industry and commerce had no chance of sound development because of restrictions imposed by the capitulations, defective legislation and inadequate transportation facilities. The main source of trouble, however, was the venality and arbitrariness of the officials, in conjunction with the widespread poverty, lack of education and low standard of living of a population mainly agricultural and making little demand for the products of manufacturing industry. Additional causes were the paucity of available mineral wealth, lack of capital and deficient spirit of enterprise. The total imports of Syria and Palestine, with a population of nearly three and a half millions, amounted to about 150,000,000 francs yearly, viz.: Textiles, 70,000,000 francs; other manufactured articles, 60,000,000 francs; flour and other agricultural products, 20,000,000 francs.

It is an interesting fact, significant for the Palestinian future, that the imports by way of Jaffa for southern Palestine amounted to nearly a quarter of the total imports. It follows, according to Prof. Wilbuschewitsch, that for Pales-

tine the annual imports amounted to seventy francs per head of population, whereas for the rest of Syria the figure was only forty francs per head. The reason for this difference is to be found partly in the more extensive requirements of the urban population of Palestine, consisting largely of Jews and foreigners. An additional reason is that manufacturing industry is less developed in Palestine than in northern Syria, where textiles and other branches of industry flourish, so that the needs of the population are to a large extent supplied by local products and imports are superfluous. Now that the war is over, the change in political conditions will doubtless bring about increased well-being, and, as a result of this, commerce and industry will thrive. It is impossible as yet to foretell how and with what speed manufacturing industry will develop in Palestine; it is impossible to foresee which branches of industry will flourish most abundantly. We must first know how the various Syrian provinces are to be grouped; we must know how Palestine is to be linked with Egypt and her other neighbors; we must be definitely informed regarding the future status of these adjacent countries and their mutual relationships.

This much is certain. The first essential to the growth of every manufacturing industry in that there should be a market for the wares; the next requisite is the technical capacity for the production of goods which can challenge competition with those imported from other lands. Now, as far as most branches of industry are concerned, the market of Palestine is too small to justify the installation in that country of modern large-scale factories. On the other hand, the standard of life of the Jewish working class is too high for the persistence of home industry as hitherto carried on in this region, with low wages and primitive working conditions. If manufactures are to be established in Palestine, a wider market must be found for the commodities thus produced, and this market will, for the most part, be confined to the East. Advantage must be taken of the position of the country as one of the nodal points of the Old World. The example of the ancient Phenicians must be followed. During their prolonged exile the Jews have taken over the heritage of Phenicia and have played a leading part in world-commerce. It may be hoped that the new Jewish immigration may bring to all the eastern countries adjoining Palestine fresh Jewish settlements containing traders, technicians and craftsmen. We may further anticipate that these will maintain communications with Palestine as a metropolitan center, and that the newcomers will induce the earlier Jewish settlers in the East to open up relations with their brethren in Palestine. The Jewish settlers in the East can play the part of the Pheenician colonists of old. Through their activities the manufactures of Palestine may be diffused throughout the Orient and, indeed, throughout the world; by thus opening access to the world market, they can contribute greatly to the growth of industrv in Palestine.

It may here be pointed out that one of the most important prerequisites for the development of manufacturing