Digest of Public Opinion on Jewish Matters

[The purpose of the Digest is informative. Preference is given to papers not generally accessible to our readers. Quotation does not indicate approval.–Editor.]

The reports coming here regarding the attitude of Zionist leaders abroad toward the Weizmann-Marshall agreement on the Jewish Agency are discussed by the “Jewish Daily News.” In its January 27 issue the paper writes editorially:

“It is a good sign that most of the reports which come from various countries regarding the impression made abroad by the Marshall-Weizmann agreement speak of the satisfaction with which the agreement was received. However, from time to time reports arrive which declare that some Zionist leaders are dissatisfied with the peace resulting from Dr. Weizmann’s work. One of these leaders is the well-known Hillel Zlatopolski. He has no faith in the leaders of the J. D. C. and to prove his contention that it is hard to rely on their word he cites the fact that the J. D. C. does not give adequate support to the Tarbuth schools in Poland. Zlatopolski considers this an indication that the J. D. C. cannot work together with the Zionists, since the Tarbuth schools are under the auspices of the Zionists in Poland.

“We do not wish to enter into a dispute here on the question of confidence in the J. D. C. We believe that it is a very responsible body whose word can be relied upon. We do wish, however, to say that the fact that the J. D. C. does not give sufficient support to the Tarbuth schools in Poland by no means proves that this organization cannot cooperate with the Zionists in the field of the economic reconstruction of Palestine. We are surprised that a man like Zlatopolski does not unders and that a definite division must be made between the Zionist work in the reconstruction of Palestine and the Zionists in the economic and political rebuiding of the homeland while at the same time being an opponent of the Zionist schools.

“It should be remembered, and no doubt Zlatopolski is aware of it, that in the Zionist Organization proper there are opponents to the type of schools represented by the Tarbuth in Poland. As an instance we can cite the Mizrachi, which certainly works hand in hand with the general Zionists in all problems concerning Zionism in Palestine, except in the matter of cultural work, whether in Palestine or elsewhere. This organization, which is a part of the Zionist World Organization, is categorically opposed to the kind of education which is given by the Zionist Organization in the Tarbuth schools of Poland and that is why the Mizrachi has its own schools in Palestine.

“We submit,” the paper observes in conclusion, “that it is a very narrow point of view to lump together the great functions of reconstructing Palestine with a school system which radical Zionists favor and orthodox Zionists oppose. These things should be regarded separately in the interest of Palestine. As regards the leaders of the J. D. C., they designate themselves as non-Zionists; hence we should not drag them into an inner difference of opinion on cultural questions which have nothing to do with colonization, industry and the increasing of the Jewish population in Palestne.”