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Despite the antagonism between the two races, the Arabs have profited more from Zionism than have the Jews in Palestine, Dr. William F. Albright, newly appointed professor of Semitic languages at the Johns Hopkins University, declared here. Prof. Albright returned recently after ten years in Palestine as director of the American School of Oriental Research.
Dr. Albright was born in Chile. He is an alumnus of the Hopkins and spent six years here as student and instructor before going to Palestine in 1918. He is a Christian.
The relative importance of the recent troubles in Palestine is frequently lost sight of by those who entertain violent antagonism toward one side or the other, he said.
“We should realize that Palestine is a typical Near East country, where religious differences stir passions that are equally excited by other causes elsewhere. When I left the United States the last time race riots were in progress in East St. Louis and, as I recall, they were rather more serious than the recent outbreak in Palestine.”
Dr. Albright said he believed the troubles in Palestine would stir the Jews to renewed efforts and would in no sense tend to hamper the progress or Zionism.
“Zionism has unquestionably aided the Jews culturally and spiritually throughout the world, but the Arabs have been the material gainers from the influx of Jews into Palestine,” he said. “They sell their products at heretofore unheard-of prices. The Jews have brought money and modern methods of agriculture and industry to the country and the Arab peasants are the most prosperous in the Near East.
“But it is never pleasant to be jolted out of a happy rut and the Moslems realize that they are no longer in the saddle. This seems to me to be at the root of the trouble.”
Dr. Albright expressed the belief that the recent outbreaks never would have occurred if the British Government had not reduced its military establishment in Palestine. Now that it has been increased again, no trouble is anticipated until there is another withdrawal of troops or the British authorities make a serious blunder, he said.
“My belief is that the British administration has been the best that could have been carried on under the circumstances, but there have been poor administrators among many good ones. It may be recalled that the Druse outbreak in Syria followed a very serious blunder by a newly appointed French High Commissioner.”
Dr. Albright left Palestine July 15. At that time nobody expected the re- (Continued on Page 4)
cent outbreaks except those in the councils of some Arab leaders, he said.
“I speak the tongues of both races and because I have kept out of politics have been able to keep warm friends among both Arabs and Jews,” Dr. Albright said. “The propaganda of both sides embroiders the truth to suit its own case, but the Arabs have suffered at the hands of too ardent friends who have frequently exaggerated to such an extent that they have caused outsiders to lose faith in the cause they would help.”
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
