[The purpose of the Digest is informative: Preference is given to papers not generally accessible to on### readers. Quotation does not indicate approval — Editor.]
Vladimir Jabotinsky’s presence for some weeks now in American Jewry and his presentation of the program of the Zionists-Revisionists, whose leader he is, has called forth comment in the Jewish press of the United States and Canada.
Writing in the “Yiddishe Folk” (March 5), organ of the Zionist Organization of America, Ab. Goldberg, one of the leaders of the American Zionists, expresses a favorable attitude to Jabotinsky and his group. Mr. Goldberg declares that the World Zionist leadership has not put forth any program and lacks vision, both of which, according to him, the Revisionists have furnished.
“The Revisionists have put up a program,” Mr. Goldberg writes. “We may be displeased with this or not, but one thing is certain: they see clearly the duty of Zionism — to create in a short time, say in twenty years, a Jewish majority in Palestine.
“I sympathize with the Revisionism because it has vision, because it has a program and because it is not afraid to criticize sharply and openly.”
The “Hebrew Journal” of Toronto, stating its own position as non-partisan, declares that it sees in Jabotinsky both his virtues and his faults and nevertheless feels that “he is one of the small group of outstanding figures which Jewry possesses, and he deserves to be heard with all due respect.”
The “Jewish Daily Eagle” of Montreal finds that there is much in Jabotinsky’s criticism that is “salutary and necessary.” Before his arrival in American Jabotinsky was misunderstood, the paper points out, observing: “His present tour of America will have two good results: first, we will learn to understand Jabotinsky better, and secondly, Jewish public opinion in America will become familiarized with that side of the situation in Zionism which has hitherto (owing to reasons which are hardly understandable) not been brought out into the light.”
To the “Canadian Jewish Chronicle” Jabotinsky’s value as a critic of the Zionist leadership lies in the fact that he reminds us of our “duty to think, and think independently. Whether we accept his arguments or not, is not the matter of supreme importance. But it is of the utmost importance that we should re-study the many important issues that the Revisionists have raised and decide for ourselves whether our present policy is the best one, the one most likely to succeed.”
The “Rassviet” of Paris, the organ of the Zionists-Revisionists, in its issue of Feb. 21, expresses satisfaction at the reception Mr. Jabotinsky has received at the hands of American Jewry. This friendly reception signifies, in the opinion of the “Rassviet,” that the ground in American Jewry is ripe for the acceptance of the idea of a revival of political Zionism.
“The Zionists are beginning to understand,” writes the paper, “that to forget the political phase means to forget the healthy economic phase, as well. As reasoning, logical people the Americans understand the plain justice and too the other more concrete points of the Revisionist program: the defense of the young Palestine settlement, land reform, etc.”
A suggestion that the League of Nations should make Bernard M. Baruch’s plan for taking the profits out of war the basis of the proposed disarmament conference is put forward in a letter to the British press by David Boyle.
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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.
