Report World Zionist Parley Will Be Held in Switzerland

The full text of the manifesto follows:

“The nineteenth congress is approaching. In the period that has elapsed since the eighteenth congress in Praha, our movement has made further important steps on the road to the realization of our ideal.

IMMIGRATION GROWS

“Under the pressure of the ever-increasing tragedy of the Jewish situation in many countries, and attracted by the growing absorptive capacity of the country, the Jewish immigration into Palestine has, despite all artificial restrictions, attained hitherto unexpected dimensions, while the possibilities of its extension are still unlimited.

“Both in the consciousness of Jewry as well as in that of the entire civilized world the reconstruction of Palestine has become the central task of our present Jewish generation.

FUNDS INCOME HIGHER

“The working period that is gradually coming to a close can also record considerable progress in all other decisive spheres of our reconstructive activity. The income of the national funds has, despite the aggravated economic crisis and the attempts at disturbance on the part of irresponsible elements within the movement, substantially increased in most countries.

“The financial obligations of the Jewish Agency and of the Keren Hayesod have, thanks to a rational policy of finance, appreciably diminished. The first large external loan of £500,000 has been obtained, rendering possible the regulation of our debt service, the final consolidation of our agricultural settlements, and the resumption of national settlement work on the land of our people by settlers working themselves.

THE HULEH PURCHASE

“Through the purchase of the Huleh concession a new key position has been acquired, affording the Jewish people extensive prospects of agricultural activity.

“The Department for the Settlement of German Jews created by the eighteenth congress has, in full agreement with the Executive, contributed in an important degree towards the establishment of this new and valuable human material and especially of the German-Jewish youth in the general structure of Palestine.

“In patient and arduous labor, drawing its strength from the deep historic connection of the Jewish people with Palestine and from the growth of our economic and colonizing achievements, we have succeeded in bringing about a general improvement of the political position and at least in deferring constitutional innovations which, in our opinion, are calculated to imperil the political status of the Jewish people in Eretz Israel.

SEES “MENACING SHADOWS”

“The Zionist movement has a period of fruitful and creative work behind it; but on the other hand we dare not close our eyes to the problems and dangers which are assuming particular acuteness just at present. The gratifying and historically invaluable increase of our numerical strength in Eretz Israel is accompanied by menacing shadows, the removal of which constitutes the highest national duty. Eretz Israel as the land of Jewish mass immigration is the beginning of the realization of the most glorious Zionist dream.

“But we must not allow anything to affect the usefulness of our human material, its technical preparation for the fundamentally new life in the country, its readiness to share the fate of this country unconditionally and for all times, and its ability to yield to the inevitable dictates of economic reorganization and especially to the creation of a broad agricultural basis for a healthy Jewish life in Eretz Israel.

“It is more than ever necessary to intensify the idea of human and national pioneering—of Chaluziuth. The flight from the land, the curtailment of our agricultural basis, and the terrible visitation of unbridled land speculation—these are problems and dangers that can only be stemmed by a solidarity and idealism sustained by the loftiest national responsibility and by increased and systematic efforts of the entire people.

“To extend the national ownership of land, to strengthen the national Funds, the Keren Kayemeth and Keren Hayesod, to extend the work of settlement, to revive national enterprise anew, to further private enterprise and its systematic adjustment to the sphere of interest of national reconstruction, to safeguard Jewish labor and human conditions of work in town and country, to extend and to intensify pioneering idealism among the whole people, especially in the circles of our youth, those are the tasks of the hour.

DEMANDS DISCIPLINE

“The primary condition necessary for the fulfilment of these tasks of hitherto unprecedented scope and of truly state-building character is a strongly linked and disciplined Zionist Organization under a united leadership, which, whilst preserving the freedom of opinion, conscience and action of its individual members, must nevertheless be able to subordinate all its sections, by a free exercise of will, to the highest national interest and to represent in our own midst and to the outer world, within the framework of the Jewish Agency, the will of the Jewish people based upon democratic self-determination.

“Unfortunately, the consciousness of this interest has not yet seized all parts of our movement in the necessary degree.

UNITY VITAL

“The attempts to unify the movement and to strengthen the organization against destructive tendencies are only in an initial stage. The fight for the consolidation of the Organization and its protection against separatism in external political matters and against the internal undermining of its foundations must be continued with the utmost energy.

“The Zionist Organization, which was created by Herzl as the instrument of the new edifice and of the political self-determination of the Jewish people, must be protected with the utmost energy and determination by all responsible Zionists against every attack upon its existence, its sovereignty, the rights, and its democratic character.

APPEALS TO MASSES

“In this spirit the Zionists of all countries, without distinction of tendency or views, must prepare for the nineteenth congress. The masses must participate in the Congress to an extent surpassing all previous records. Zionism is the cause of the whole people. The Shekel must come into the hands of hundreds of thousands, nay, millions of Jewish men and women. But its distribution must not be reduced to a mere collection of small contributions or to a medium for the mere securing of votes.

The Shekel is a means whereby acknowledgment of the Zionist idea and acceptance of all the obligations entailed by adherence to the Zionist Organization are documented. The Shekel campaign must become a mobilization on a large scale of Jewish public opinion for Zionist action. The recruiting of new Shekel payers must be conducted under the watchword of increased responsibility for the education and permanent attachment of the new masses to the Zionist idea and the Zionist Organization. Only in this way can the Shekel campaign and the Congress that will follow from it be constituted into a great demonstration of the will of the Jewish people. Prepare for the Nineteenth Congress! Buy and distribute the Shekel”