Text of Felix Warburg’s Speech at Smuts Luncheon

“I know that you are all here to hear what Gen. Smuts will have to say, and you do not want me to take any more of your time than has been allotted to me. It is a tremendous privilege for us to be here in the presence of this most Christian Christian. Talking to him as I had the privilege, and to hear, without sentimentality, for the sake of justice, his speaking of those hopes for which we ardently pray. From the standpoint of the Jewish Agency I would like Gen. Smuts to feel that we want to do everything in our power to help the cause of Palestine. We are not looking backward. We are looking forward. We have not been frightened by the horrible outbreaks which have taken place in Palestine.

“We have gone on with the work, as we planned it in Zurich in August. It is not a question here of whining or complaining. We have made our statements before the Prime Minister, who was most sympathetic and understanding. And we have a right to expect that safety for life and property will be safeguarded in Palestine.

“We have nothing to gain; we want to contribute. We have, since August. continued to furnish the wherewithal. to try to heal the wounds which have been inflicted, and funds are now being gathered to keep the people in Palestine occupied at things which will be of lasting value to Palestine. In addition to that we have, through an organization which has been working in Palestine for a long time appropriated further funds to build housing, to safeguard colonies, and labor coming to Palestine through immigration. Through the loan of Rutenberg, we have managed to see that the electric works in Palestine will be finished in April. We are now in a position that preparations are being made to collect from the American public the budget which we accepted in Zurich for the present year.

“All these things are said simply to show you that we are in earnest, that we want nothing but fair play. How that can be achieved we must await. As I told you in private, patience is a quality that we have in certain things but we have been tried a good deal by the long hours of waiting. Around the council tables in London, or Geneva with such minds as yours, with such fairness, it would not take long to work out the simple problems which await us in Palestine. They are only human beings there and we want to treat them as such.

“We hope that you will bring our esteemed chief, Dr. Weizmann, our love and affections. Times have been most trying for him, and even if there are some things which we cannot decide by cable, he must know that Palestine’s future is in our hearts, and that we hope that without much delay peace, security, necessary immigration, and the same favors for the both elements of the population will be established.”