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No. 9. Vienna, 26 February 1904 — 10 Adar 5664. 8th Year.

The Convening of the Greater Actions Committee. The Greater Actions Committee has been convened in Vienna for Monday, the 12th of April.

The Politics of the Beggar's Broth.

It would in truth be a Purim farce, were there not so much of the tragic at play in it. One might even speak of an "inhuman tragicomedy" on looking more closely at the politics of Jewry in the last few decades. The earnestness of the actors, in which one is bound to believe, contributes its share to heightening the jest, and one might fairly turn away with a shrug of the shoulders, as from something unalterable — as unalterable as human folly and short-sightedness have always been and always will be.

If only we did believe that we are dealing with something unalterable, if only we knew from experience that it must be precisely the most foolish who are called to guide the destiny of the Jews. But that conviction we do not hold. Our Goluth is indeed apt to bring forth comic figures beside the tragic ones that give it its stamp; yet never before has folly as such put itself forward so conspicuously that it can no longer amuse, but only embitter.

It gradually dawned upon the Jews throughout the world that the progress which they had furthered with all their strength was to serve only to bring it about that they were oppressed not merely by the former holders of power, but also by those who had risen from their former lack of rights to some measure of power. If the middle class, so long as it stood in the fight, had not lacked lofty ideals, it had nevertheless gradually forgotten them once its power had grown and its position in the State had become an important one. In the careful calculation not to lose the fruit of its struggle, it made its peace — save for a few rigid theorists and those who had as yet attained nothing — with its former adversaries. Politically it was no very favourable peace for it, but materially a quite acceptable one. Scarcely in safety, it began to make ruthless use of its possessions and its better position. The nerve-racking type of the political parvenu is an especially agreeable fruit of this emancipation of the bourgeoisie.

But the full arrogance and the worst contempt of these parvenus fell above all upon their Jewish comrades in the struggle. Men sought to be rid again, as quickly as possible, of this acquaintance, which had all but degenerated into friendship. According to the political holdings of the moment, this was done now in a rougher, now in a milder form. The Jews, thrust aside by the bourgeoisie, turned in many cases to the rising working class. There now the same game begins, and it would take a miracle if it were not to lead to the same happy ending.

This grand performance of state — whose basis, as shall not be denied, was with many of the Jewish leaders a boundless idealism, which was united with a great inexperience in politicis and displayed an excessive confidence in the sincerity of their non-Jewish comrades in the struggle — has, as we now know, redounded to the harm of us Jews. The firm organization in the Ghetto, into which the State had forced us, was disregarded, indeed often deliberately destroyed from the ground up by the zealots of equality. The Jews, allegedly so practical and ever mindful of their advantage, had grasped with clumsy hand at the pigeons on the roof and carelessly thrown away the humble sparrow which they held securely.

Certainly, all this can be understood, perhaps even excused — at least so long as the outcome of this policy did not lie plain to view. But that it was carried on even then, that even now, precisely in the so-called leading circles, there are people who cling to it — that is shameful, not indeed for the people who would like to remain at the head, but for the others; for even if our leaders may have attained quite acceptable positions, to the masses they have served up beggar's broth, and serve it up again and again.

For this senseless policy has led to the strangest proceedings, by which the better-situated seek to ward off the less well-placed. Matters have already gone so far that distinctions of nationality, of native district, nay even of province, have been set up among the Jews. This shattering of every policy which, conceived on a large scale, might have redounded to the benefit of the whole, has consistently gone so far that people have concerned themselves only with those nearest to them. Naturally, too, only for the time nearest at hand.