The local groups will appoint small committees of representative men
under the Rabbi's presidency, for discussion and settlement of local
affairs.
Philanthropic institutions will be transferred by their local groups,
each institution remaining "over there" the property of the same set
of people for whom it was originally founded. I think the old
buildings should not be sold, but rather devoted to the assistance of
indigent Christians in the forsaken towns. The local groups will
receive compensation by obtaining free building sites and every
facility for reconstruction in the new country.
This transfer of philanthropic institutions will give another of those
opportunities, which occur at different points of my scheme, for
making an experiment in the service of humanity. Our present
unsystematic private philanthropy does little good in proportion to
the great expenditure it involves. But these institutions can and must
form part of a system by which they will eventually supplement one
another. In a new society these organizations can be evolved out of
our modern consciousness, and may be based on all previous social
experiments. This matter is of great importance to us, on account of
our large number of paupers. The weaker characters among us,
discouraged by external pressure, spoilt by the soft-hearted charity
of our rich men, easily sink until they take to begging.
The Society, supported by the local groups, will give greatest
attention to popular education with regard to this particular. It will
create a fruitful soil for many powers which now wither uselessly
away. Whoever shows a genuine desire to work will be suitably
employed. Beggars will not be endured. Whoever refuses to do anything
as a free man will be sent to the workhouse.
On the other hand, we shall not relegate the old to an almshouse. An
almshouse is one of the cruelest charities which our stupid good
nature ever invented. There our old people die out of pure shame and
mortification. There they are already buried. But we will leave even
to those who stand on the lowest grade of intelligence the consoling
illusion of their utility in the world. We will provide easy tasks for
those who are incapable of physical labor; for we must allow for
diminished vitality in the poor of an already enfeebled generation.
But future generations shall be dealt with otherwise; they shall be
brought up in liberty for a life of liberty.
We will seek to bestow the moral salvation of work on men of every age
and of every class; and thus our people will find their strength again
in the land of the seven-hour day.