Dr. Brodetsky on His Visit to Palestine: I Am Told by People Who Know Facts He Says That Palestine I

My visit to Palestine was in the direct line of my duties, Professor Selig Brodetsky said in speaking here last night together with Mr. Berl Looker, member of the Zionist Executive, at a public meeting arranged by the Zionist Federation of Great Britain and Ireland.

I went firstly, he said, because it was important for me to come into immediate personal contact with the problems of Palestine and the needs and desires of the Yishuv. I also went to carry out some rather important political discussions which were necessary at the time and which I hope will form the beginning of further discussions in London.

I had, of course, met the High Commissioner before I went to Palestine but he was not the High Commissioner then. Although the political departments in London and Jerusalem have been in the closest contact, and Dr. Arlossoroff and myself have been in agreement the whole time on what was done, he felt and I felt that it would be a very useful thing if for certain things we could unite forces in Jerusalem. Now, though I went to co-operate with Dr. Arlossoroff, unfortunately owing to illness he was not able to take part in the conversations I had with the High Commissioner.

Speaking of the Jewish work in Palestine, Dr. Brodetsky said that the fact was that anybody who had seen Palestine on two occasions, with any reasonable interval between them, must see that the country was advancing, that progress was being made.

There is to-day a spirit of practical optimism in Palestine, he declared, chastened by a knowledge of the unsatisfactory political situation; and by the effects of the undue optimism of six or seven years ago. We, and those people who have the privilege of building Palestine, have learnt two things, Dr. Brodetsky went on. One is that at bottom practical progress depends far more on us than on even the Government, and secondly, from the mistakes of the past, not to repeat those mistakes in the future. I think I am entitled to say that one sees in Palestine not merely the changes that have taken place in a number of years, but what is more important, one sees everywhere evidence of the continuous development which is going on now.

In a reference to unemployment in Palestine, Dr. Brodetsky said: I am told by the people who know the facts, that what Palestine is suffering from is not unemployment but a lack of people to be employed. I hope that in the near future there will be a considerable increase of immigration into Palestine.

DURING LAST FEW MONTHS THERE HAS BECOME VISIBLE A TENDENCY TOWARDS IMPROVEMENT OF OUR POLITICAL RELATIONSHIPS: I HOPE FUTURE WILL NOT CONSIST IN FIGHTING BRITISH GOVERNMENT BUT IN CONVINCING IT OF POSSIBILITY AND ADVANTAGE OF MUTUAL CO-OPERATION

Going on to speak of the political situation, Dr. Brodetsky said:

I do feel this – that during the last few months there has become visible a tendency towards an improvement of our political relationships of which we ought to be able to take advantage during the next few months. I do believe we have the opportunity during the next few months of considerable improvement in our political position. My relations with the Colonial Office and the High Commissioner have convinced me that at any rate we have the possibilities of considerable improvements.

I mention this, he explained, because I believe that our most useful and our most fruitful tactics at the present moment do not consist, and I hope in the future will not consist, in fighting the British Government, but in convincing the British Government of the possibility and the advantage of mutual co-operation.

The worst possible thing we can do in our own interests at the present moment, he declared, is to suggest that we ourselves are incapable of using those indications of increased friendliness and better relations which have been given during the last few months. It will show a shortsightedness on our part if the Jewish people, and I for one am convinced that the Jewish people have never been shortsighted, will not understand what it is the right thing to do at the right time.

Speaking of the recent Palestine debate in the House of Commons, Dr. Brodetsky said: It was a very interesting debate – a debate in which no one spoke against us, and all who spoke, did so from our point of view. And there was no mincing of words. I am not referring only to the courageous speech of Colonel Wedgwood, but to the statesmanlike speech of Colonel Buchan, and I would like to pay tribute to the excellent speech delivered by Mr. Barnett Janner, a speech that was mild and decently expressed, and gave an excellent picture to the members of the House of Commons of what the Jews were doing in Palestine, and with what idealism all this had been done.

Let us forget for a moment, he concluded, that spirit of defeatism which has unfortunately become so popular among us and let us go back once more to the spirit of hope and idealism which encouraged us in our work before the unfortunate events of the last two or three years.

Mr. Locker said that every Zionist, to whichever party he belonged, must carry out his responsibility, and should believe less in mere proclamations, but rather in practical and concrete work.