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No. 46. Vienna, 13 November 1903 — 23 Marcheshvan 5664. 7th Year.

The Way and the Goal.

Since the last Basle Congress great agitation has reigned in the Zionist camp. It was called forth by the proposal of the English Government, which offered the Zionist Congress a tract of land in East Africa together with the assurance of certain autonomous rights. The proposal, which unfortunately became known only at the very last moment — the official document in question was delivered to the Zionist negotiator only a few days before the Congress — this proposal had an almost stunning effect upon the delegates. It is to this surprise above all that we must ascribe the passionate, often downright dramatic scenes which took place.

Some months have now passed since then. It would be time to regard the matter more calmly. Above all, however, let us establish what immediate consequences this proposal of England's has had in the Zionist camp and in that of its opponents.

The Congress answered England's magnanimous offer by adopting, with a considerable majority, the proposal of Sir Clement Hill to send out an expedition to explore the land offered. The minority of the Congress — it too was by no means inconsiderable — would not consent even to this. But all the delegates were agreed that England's offer was not only of the greatest political import, but signified a signal success for political Zionism in particular. Whatever the resolution of the next Congress may be, only the malicious, or those incapable of any positive work, can wish to deny this fact itself. That was also the reason why the resolution was passed. It was meant to express not only the thanks of the Congress to England, but also the confidence of the majority in the leadership of our movement.

Thus even delegates who had serious objections of principle to the proposal could vote for the motion to send out an expedition to explore the land offered: the express stipulation that no funds whatever which had been collected for Zionist purposes were to be used for this expedition proved that the Sixth Congress did not arrogate to itself the right to make a decision of principle before the most thorough deliberation within the Zionist Organisation.

The discussion of the question whether the offer of the English Government should be accepted accordingly began with all liveliness soon after the Congress, in the Zionist societies and in the Zionist press. And on this occasion let it be pointed out with what high moral earnestness, with what heartfelt enthusiasm for the welfare of our people, these deliberations were almost everywhere sustained. Truly, on this very occasion it has once more been shown in the most brilliant manner what a wealth of earnest purpose and devoted love of the people exists in the Zionist Organisation.

Naturally, as was only to be expected in an agitated time, there has been no lack of some offences as well. So long as it was a matter of very isolated cases of such persons as believed themselves free of all responsibility, there was not much to be said against such lapses. That could and had to be ignored. It is otherwise, however, when an attempt is now being made deliberately to drive a wedge into our Organisation. That is a proceeding which must be firmly opposed from the very outset. I do not speak here of the attempts of outsiders, to whom the opportunity seems favourable for posing as friends of Palestine of the most genuine colour. Those are antics which have always appeared whenever these people scented discord. No wonder that now too, when the East Africa controversy is stirring men's minds, they wish to seize the opportunity to lure a few simpletons onto their very thick bird-lime. Nor has it either surprised or much disturbed us that people of the most various tendencies have joined together to rescue the Palestine work which has allegedly been abandoned, and that the founding of new Palestine societies is being undertaken. This endeavour, very gratifying in itself, will, it is to be hoped, in spite of the discredit brought upon it by its present initiators, win for this work some hitherto indifferent persons, who will gradually find the right way of their own accord.

Far more severely, however, must we judge the attacks which proceed from excited fellow Zionists themselves. I personally may censure these offences all the more readily because I have never made any secret of my misgivings about the East Africa project, even though, for the above