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 report that Felix Warburg, following his recent visit to Palestine and his inspection of the Jewish colonies in Russia, has worked out a 10-year plan for the promotion through one great fund of the Palestine reconstruction and the Russian colonization work, is greeted by the “Jewish Morning Journal” (May 27) as an incident pregnant with historical possibilities. Says the paper:

“Mr. Warburg has in mind a general program and a general fund for the next ten years. That meaus, one great drive will be made in America for Palestine and for Russian colonization, the pledges to be paid out over a period of ten years.

“These are only the outlines of a proposal which it is now too early to discuss in detail,” the paper continues. “But the goal and aim of the plan is big and far reaching, as befits its originator, a man under whose auspices more than sixty million dollars was raised and distributed for relief work. This is the first project offering a possibility to create a really great fund, let us say, one hundred million dollars or more, in other works, the first plan of such magnitude proposed by a man who can help to realize it. Others have spoken of large sums, even of billions, but their words had no concrete ground. A plan under the direction of Mr. Warburg has every possibility of materialization.

“The first condition of such an undertaking, which will be the greatest Jewish undertaking of all times,” we read further, “is that all ‘quarrelings and hysterics’ must cease. This attitude of the great American Jewish leader must be adopted by American Jewry as well as by the Jews in all other countries. The work in Russia should not be viewed as a competition to Palestine reconstruction, the United Palestine Appeal and the United Jewish Campaign must be merged, one great effort must be made to help the Jews wherever help is needed.

“The enlarged Jewish Agency,” the paper further observes, “will assume a new significance through this, provided, of course, that it will adjust itself to such a broad, general program and be ready for cooperation or co-leadership in the rehabilitation of the Jews in all countries where aid can be extended. Without complete unity and the abolition of all inner strifes, success is unthinkable.”

In conclusion the paper opines that “the expectation that Dr. Weizmann on his part will welcome the point of view of Mr. Warburg, is probably the reason why the London English-Jewish press has suddenly become friendly to the Zionist leader.”