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No. 25.

Vienna, 21 June 1901.

Fifth Year

Our Readiness.

With a suspense that goes without saying, Zionists and non-Zionists have awaited Dr. Herzl's first public utterances concerning his journey to Constantinople. That which was to be said has now been said by Dr. Herzl in London. They were not declarations meant for the small circle of the "Maccabaean Club," as whose guest Dr. Herzl spoke. They were words "spoken out of the window," which the press and the wire were to carry to the Jews of every land.

"Jewish people, we bring thee a historic help — do thou procure for us the two millions of pounds which we need in the time immediately before us."

Thus, quite briefly and plainly, runs what Dr. Herzl has at this moment to say to the Jews. A purely business matter, evidently, since money is in question. Let it be taken so! It may fill us with satisfaction that a success which we may look for in the future is bound to nothing further than to matter, to money. An incomparably harder labour had assuredly to be performed beforehand, before the question narrowed itself down to the mere point of money.

And if it be a business, it becomes a noble bargain, because Jewish leaders of the people and the Jewish people are the contracting parties, and because a precious thing is at stake: with this money we are building the road along which the people shall one day journey into its homeland.

Already we have seen how money can be ennobled under our hands. How much of hope, how much of love do we lay into the shekel, which in the eyes of others is a smooth piece of silver, but for us a precious symbol. And the Shekel Day — which might be nothing but a pay-day, since we are laying our silver pieces together — has become a festive day full of exaltation and of fair rejoicings. The gratitude of far-off grandchildren will faithfully preserve the memory of this national day. And not without emotion will men tell upon that day of the shekel of the poor and of the workers, who saved upon their daily bread in order to purchase freedom with their savings.

Of such pure money, which flows not out of the pockets, which flows out of the hearts of the community, which belongs to the community and shall serve the community, the leader now needs millions. Scarcely the fourth part of what is needful has the strength of the people hitherto brought together. And now it is demanded of the people that it shall multiply its achievements, if it desires a success.

It is no slight exertion to which the faithful are summoned. Israel Zangwill called the sum ridiculously small and wondered at the modesty of the Zionist leader. "If every Jew in the world contributed one dollar," he said, "this sum would be reached." If! How many there are who have not even the strength for that; how many who as single men could give a million of such dollars and yet devote not a cent to the welfare of the people!

Upon us Zionists falls back the task of bringing the raising of the money to pass.

May we now, at a moment so full of meaning, when the directors of the movement stand before a success, be feeble or remiss? The leaders have happily opened for themselves the way to that Power with which the fulfilment of our wishes in the first place rests. Therein the following has helped the leaders much. Perhaps without rightly knowing it. But that for many a year it has with diligence and fidelity upheld the movement and made it great; that each single man has helped according to his strength to win for Zionism a standing before the public; that the number and the strength of conviction of the adherents have increased in so gratifying a measure — this it is that has given the leaders the right and the courage to speak, and has lent them a stately fulness of power and a strong support behind them. Let us rejoice that we were able to give such support to the vigorous initiative of the leadership; let us rejoice that it was able to make so happy a use of it.

But let us not halt half-way, and let us not leave the leadership in the lurch where, in a great moment, it is seeking the great generation.

We must become conscious of this — if we would not lose faith in ourselves — that