Characterizing the work of the Zionists in Palestine as “constructive” and denouncing the “idle talk” of the Arabs, Dr. Faik Shacker, an Arab physician, who is Director of Posts and Telegraph in Iraq, contrasts the two peoples in a book just published in Bagdad. Translated extracts from the volume were received here yesterday by Hadassah, the Women’s Zionist Organization of America, from Dr. Haim Yassky, director of the Hadassah medical work in Palestine.
Dr. Shacker recently paid a visit to Palestine and observed, as he says, “the activities of the Zionists in this Arab land.”
VISITED INSTITUTIONS
“I visited their modern orange groves, factories and banks, but nothing attracted my attention as much as their health institutions,” the author says. “After visiting these institutions I could not help feeling that the Zionist ideal is bound to be realized by the Jews while the Arab nation will make no progress if it continues to neglect the health of its people and the welfare of the race.”
The author proceeds to describe the health activities of Hadassah, stressing the devotion and proficiency of its medical and nursing personnel, and concludes:
“Such successful activities make for the progress of a nation. If the Arabs will continue their idle talk without concrete accomplishments, and if Zionists will quietly continue their constructive work, I am very much afraid that the Zionists will be victorious, Heaven forbid!”
In the section describing the Hadassah health work Dr. Shacker says in part:
“The Hadassah officials are physicians who have a staff of trained nurses chosen from among Jewish immigrants from all parts of the world. The aim of this organization is to guard the health of the Jewish race and create a strong nation, hale and hearty.
“I must admit that I found the Hadassah staff fully devoted to this aim and working untiringly towards its speedy realization. Those who wish to rebuild their nation and to serve it should emulate the commendable example of the Hadassah employees who work like bees in a hive. They know their work and do it well, without any commotion.
CHANGED POLICY
“In the past it was the function of the Hadassah Medical Organization to cure the sick, but in recent years Hadassah has changed its policy and has become an institution which, with infinite foresight, concentrates its energies on safeguarding the health of the infants. To this end Hadassah spends large sums for the care of the 34,000 children in the various Zionist schools in Palestine, providing food free for needy children. The organization employs nurses for each school. These nurses treat the eyes of the children suffering from trachoma and teach hygiene in the schools.
“Hadassah now has twenty-three infant welfare, pre-natal and postnatal service. Each station has its physician, nurse and midwife. The health welfare centers also have home visiting nurses who teach the mothers to protect the health of their children and advise expectant mothers during pregnancy. The physicians treat sick children and teach the mothers how to care for their infants in order to assure their normal development. The nurses of the centers often invite mothers for tea and arrange for talks by physicians on various health topics.
“Hadassah provides free layettes for the infants of the poor mothers. The organization has a pasteurization plant and mothers are taught to sterilize milk at home.”
Dr. Shacker closes this chapter with the prediction of Zionist success.
Four Arabs were arrested last month while trying to smuggle merchandise into Lebanon from Palestine.
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.
