“We should so conduct our affairs in Palestine that what we do will inure to the interest of all of the inhabitants of Palestine, Moslem and Christian as well as Jew,” declared Justice Louis D. Brandeis in the course of a speech at the executive conference held in Washington, November 24, to organize a corporation to further the economic development of Palestine, and which has just been made public through the Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Expressing his complete confidence in the English government he pointed out that the desire to carry on the work in Palestine for the benefit of all people was common among Jews.
The Jewish Telegraphic Agency has been able to secure the complete text of the speech made by Justice Brandeis during the course of a debate on the proposed economic corporation. This is a second speech, made at the conclusion of the debate. The following is the full text.
“As Mr. Warburg knows from our conference. I have entire confidence in the British government. I have confidence both in their administration of justice in Palestine and in the integrity of the inquiry of the Commission. It would be contrary to British tradition if the government did not examine the situation fearlessly and frankly, recognize responsibility for errors committed, pronounce the appropriate judgment, and take such action as may be required to preserve order in the future. The local administration has been the subject of very grave criticism. What happened in August evidences, at least, lack of understanding. But the shortcomings furnish no reason for questioning the intentions of the British Government. I believe, with Mr. Warburg, that the British intend to discharge fully the obligation assumed. That, as I view it, is demanded by the fine traditions of Great Britain and her leaders recognize that her standing before the world is involved. The British are even more interested in the preservation of order in the Near East than we are. So I have no doubt (Continued on Page 8)
“As to what we should do, I agree with Mr. Samuel Fels. We should so conduct our affairs in Palestine that what we do shall inure to the interest of all the inhabitants of Palestine, Moslem and Christian as well as Jew. And, I believe, that this is the prevailing opinion among Jews. Individuals there, like individuals elsewhere, may not agree. But those who feel themselves responsible for affairs recognize that prosperity for Palestine must mean prosperity for all classes of its inhabitants. No one who has been in Palestine can doubt that the Arabs of Palestine, the Christian Arabs of whom there are relatively few, the Moslems who live there, have been greatly benefited by what the Jews have done there. I do not refer only to those Arabs who have benefited by selling their lands at very high prices. I refer also to the Arab laborer and the Arab shop keeper. Until the agitation conducted under the cover of religious fanaticism misled the Arabs a vast majority of them realized this.
“Last summer, before there was any suggestion of an uprising, I had the opportunity of discussing with some of our people active in the conduct of our affairs in Palestine, and who live there what our relations with the Arabs should be in enterprises started or planned. While we were reviewing the work of the cooperatives we discussed the advisability of opening the cooperatives to the Arabs, of opening our labor unions to Arabs, of inviting Arabs to participate in our industrial enterprises; and of thus becoming more closely allied to them. We discussed the advisability of learning their language, so that we might familiarly visit them in their homes, as some Jews have been doing. When the recent disorders shall have been overcome the work which has been done by Jews for Arabs will be appreciated. Through our medical organizations, through the elimination of malaria and other disease, we have done, for the amelioration of the condition of the Arabs, an extraordinary amount, considering the shortness of time. Arabs, unlike some other peoples, have no inherent dislike of the Jew-certainly they did not have it. Jews lived among them in perfect amity before and during the war. I have confidence they will again do so.
“The recent difficulties are, in my opinion, due largely to persons who do not live in Palestine; to persons who own land in Palestine but lived elsewhere and who objected to the improvement in the condition of the fellaheen through the Jewish settlements-the emancipation of the previously subservient fellaheen.
“It is important not to mistake stimulated excitement for something deep-seated in the Arab nature; and it is also important not to forget, as I indicated this morning, that there are a very large number of Bedouins, constantly coming into Palestine, who are not Palestinians and who, in these troublous times, were led to serve as the militant force. Ever since anything has been known about Palestine, Bedouins have attempted to come in, and often as robber bands. Such in cursions are not limited to Palestine proper. A delegation of Circassians from the neighborhood of Lake Huleh came to me while I was in Galilee, eager to have me lay before Mr. Balfour their desire to be included within the new Palestine. They, a peace loving community, were constantly being subjected to the incursions of the Bedouins. They wanted to come under the British dominion because they felt that the British would protect them from Bedouin incursions. The inhabitants of these fertile lands, whether they be Jews or Circassians, must protect themselves against inroads.
“The situation reminds me of that in America, when the settlers who founded the Massachusetts Bay Colony had to protect themselves against the Indians. Only a few weeks ago I was reading an address on Petersham, where I once had a summer home. The orator described Colonial life there. Every man, as he went to church, stacked his gun at the church door, prepared for an incursion of the Redskin. There was danger in that settlement. But it is a great thing for the world, for business and industry, that the danger was incurred. Those hard-headed Puritans who laid the foundations for the wealth of Massachusetts laid, in the midst of such dangers, also the foundations for Harvard University.
“Applying, as well as I can, not sentimental tests, but the servere test that I have to apply in dealing with business questions throughout my life, it seems to me that the risks of Palestine development are small as compared with the possible gains. That there is risk is undoubted. That there is greater risk for the Jewish people as a whole if we do not go forward than if we do, is to my mind clear.
“As I indicated this morning, to take risks is the very essence of Jewish life. Take necessary risks, the wise man seeks not to avoid, but to minimize, risks. He minimizes them by using judgment. By knowledge and thinking. These are fortunately pre-eminently Jewish attributes. Let us take counsel of our hopes, not of our fears. Let us inspire confidence in others by showing that we ourselves have courage to act. Confidence begets confidence; and achievement-follows.
“I am convinced, Mr. Chairman that this confidence should be exhibited through an American corporation. America has great prestige in the world. There is a distinct asset in making the corporation wholly American. American in organization, in control and in management. I know of no better protection, no better insurance of the investments, than by making it so. Let us have an American corporation, manned by able American Jews; and enter promptly upon this enterprise.”
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
