The Doctrine of Beitar

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Someone said of "statistics" that it is "stolen," that it lies, that you can prove whatever you want with it—a thing and its opposite. And to our regret, this maxim can be attributed to any sociological science: lying hands can turn any sharp, valuable science, etc., into all sorts of lies. Such is the "sportism" and "scouting"—"de-luxe" is the most important form of the settlement enterprise, because "the thing uses increased purchasing power." It is indeed increased purchasing power, but there is no value in it: for the whole doctrine—that the way of a hunger camp can be built up relatively, and at the same time remain the "way" because during the period of conquering the land one can forgo the great sacrifice—this whole doctrine is a lie, and everyone feels it, both the Jews and the gentiles. Laughter will fill the mouths of the gentiles when they are first shown the Valley, and the coffee houses in Tel-Aviv and Haifa, and the entire national economy (indeed, valued at 5 million LI)—and afterward, one has to speak to their hearts, to prove that Zionism is a humanistic movement to save masses of hungry people from besieged Salonica. It is the very same impression as when a lady from a philanthropic society comes to you to collect money for the poor, while she herself is adorned in velvet, wearing pearl bracelets. The impression says: "It's not possible." Although I have not had private conversations with members of the Royal Commission, I can say with confidence: this is what they thought when the Jewish notables pleaded before them about the suffering of the wretched race.

But the text does not speak of moral impressions and conclusions at all... (Although this too is very important—all the political pressure and power of Zionism are based on it not losing the ability to represent the distress of the Jews). Also in the economic sense, for this purpose the building of the new settlement is needed, and it is necessary that not only "professional workers" participate here, but also "volunteer workers": people for whom labor service is in their eyes like voluntary military service, a service whose foundation is sacrifice. In the settlement process in general, two appendages, two economic zones, always volunteer: the zone of established enterprises, which have already successfully passed their childhood illness—and the zones of economic dependents, who still require special treatment.