“Palestine is the most prosperous place in the world outside of France,” declared Judge Julian W. Mack of the U. S. District Court, before a group of about one hundred leading Zionists who tendered him a testimonial dinner at the Anshe Chesed Temple Monday night, and listened to his impressions of his recent trip to Palestine, and of the present Zionist political crisis.
“There is less unemployment evident in Palestine than anywhere else. There isn’t the black and blue and yellow feeling prevalent throughout the world. There is that amazing forward spirit that thrills every visitor, Jew or non-Jew. Of course I left just before the White Paper was issued. But I am certain it could not have destroyed that spirit.”
In discussing the political situation, as he saw it while in London, he said, “the immense Jewish protest is having its effect. The English people are aroused. Even the authors of the Paper have given some recognition that they made a mistake.”
“In Palestine,” said Judge Mack, “the Arabs know that they can have no greater blessing than the coming of Jews in large numbers. The Jewish colonies are offering opportunities for the Arabs to get educated, they are bringing capital and consumers into the land. The talk about making the Arab landless is perfect nonsense.
ARABS AND JEWS AKIN
“The Jewish workman, if only for selfish reasons, doesn’t want competition at non-living wages. Through trade unionism, the workmen are teaching the Arabs the way to make themselves fit to earn the same as the Jews. There is no reason for trouble between Arabs and Jews. They are a kindred race. There has been no trouble between them in all history, except during the last few years when agitators brought it about by playing upon religious passions.”
Judge Mack told of his visit to the old settlement of Petach Tikvah, where he met with Jewish and Arab leaders. “I was informed that during the riots of 1929 the Jewish people of Petach Tikvah were calmly attending the wedding of the Arab sheikh’s daughter, in the Arab village. If England learned to put proper officials in Palestine, and not the kind she has been giving us, there would be a cessation of difficulty. If officials don’t believe in the Mandate, if even beyond that they are anti-Jewish, of course they are not fit. But they are there.
“Palestine is not the greatest of England’s troubles. It is a mere speck against India with her millions. We can’t expect even the administration to take a vigorous interest in Palestine unless we keep the problem before it by constant education. Thirteen years ago, Mr. de Haas and I got 540,000 actual signatures on a document asking that the Palestine Mandate be given to Great Britain. That impressed Great Britain. It impressed the world. It is such universal manifestation of Jewish interest in Eretz Yisroel that makes them realize the extent of their promise.
JEWRY NEVER MORE UNITED
“The united Jewish cry after the White Paper had an equal effect. Some statesmen thought the White Paper would divide the Jews. They thought the non-Zionists would acquiesce, while the political Zionists wasted their power in trying. But they were wrong. Never has there been a more universally united Jewry.
“We must keep on working, but not with the spirit of sacrifice or defeatism. In Palestine there is none of that. No one has sacrificed his life in coming there. They’ve done what they wanted to do. Their attitude is we’re here, we’re going to stay here, we’ll fight it out, we’ll work it out, but we’ll win. We waited 2,000 years; the world said we’d have this opportunity now, and the world won’t back out. England announced it, the other nations endorsed it, America included—and they’ll stand behind it.”
Judge Mack told in a thrilling, boyishly happy way of how he danced in the streets of Tel Aviv on Simchas Torah. Then he described another joyous holiday—in the farm commune Digania, where he witnessed the ceremony by which the settlers admitted into full membership their 18-year old children, who had been born in the settlement.
“So, you see, there is a second generation, and they stay there, they want to lead no other kind of life!” he said.
SEES HAIFA GREAT PORT
He described the vast possibilities of the Haifa port; told in detail of the success of such communities as Dilb, which had planted orchards in bare rock, and raised fine fruit; spoke of the thriving orange and grape-fruit plantations that are rapidly spreading over Jewish Palestine; and detailed the vast possibilities for chemical industry as a result of the Dead Sea enterprise. “Perhaps thousands of workmen will be employed. A great industrial center may be built right there at the Dead Sea, for the company has proven that Jewish workmen can thrive there. Or, the plant may be in Haifa. But the industry will be a Jewish industry!”
Prof. Richard Gottheil presided over the after-dinner meeting. Jacob de Haas, co-author with Rabbi Stephen Wise of The Great Betrayal, a book on the political Zionist situation which is just off the press, introduced Judge Mack.
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.
