The disappointing post-war experiences must be borne in mind by those fighting for reconstitution of Jewish rights, Prof. Simeon Dubnow, famous Jewish historian, told newspapermen in an interview today.
Discussing the problem of future reconstruction of European Jewry, Prof. Dubnow asserted that the Jews must be given back their civil rights as well as their special rights as a national and cultural minority in all those countries where they have been deprived of them. Prof. Dubnow, who recently came here from Riga to make his home, urged that the experiences obtained in 1919 during the Paris and Versailles Peace conferences be utilized.
“What became of the principle of minorities rights as laid down at that time is well known,” Prof. Dubnow said. “The Polish Foreign Minister (Josef Beck) was the first to declare later on that Poland was not recognizing minorities rights at all. This bad example influenced certain other states, leading to an anarchic state of affairs as far as protection of minorities was concerned.
The historian explained that almost 90 per cent of Polish Jewry was hopelessly impoverished and must be considered emigrants in the psychological sense.
“It may be assumed that the migration problem will constitute an important world question after the world war,” Prof. Dubnow said. “Thus, coordination between the states and interested associations must be effected which will make an end of the present disregard of minorities rights. This problem must be on the working schedule of Jewish representatives to the ultimate peace conference.”
Referring to Palestine, Prof. Dubnow said that the Jews “have built Palestine, they are building it and they shall continue to build it and no white books will be able to change anything in this state of affairs.” He urged, however, that the efforts to obtain maximum Palestine immigration and colonization should be coupled with continued efforts, in view of the desperate Jewish position in Europe, for migration to other countries.
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