When nations wandered in historic times, they let chance carry them,
draw them, fling them hither and thither, and like swarms of locusts
they settled down indifferently anywhere. For in historic times the
earth was not known to man. But this modern Jewish migration must
proceed in accordance with scientific principles.
Not more than forty years ago gold-digging was carried on in an
extraordinarily primitive fashion. What adventurous days were those in
California! A report brought desperados together from every quarter of
the earth; they stole pieces of land, robbed each other of gold, and
finally gambled it away, as robbers do.
But today! What is gold-digging like in the Transvaal today?
Adventurous vagabonds are not there; sedate geologists and engineers
alone are on the spot to regulate its gold industry, and to employ
ingenious machinery in separating the ore from surrounding rock.
Little is left to chance now.
Thus we must investigate and take possession of the new Jewish country
by means of every modern expedient.
As soon as we have secured the land, we shall send over a ship, having
on board the representatives of the Society, of the Company, and of
the local groups, who will enter into possession at once.
These men will have three tasks to perform: (1) An accurate,
scientific investigation of all natural resources of the country; (2)
the organization of a strictly centralized administration; (3) the
distribution of land. These tasks intersect one another, and will all
be carried out in conformity with the now familiar object in view.
One thing remains to be explained--namely, how the occupation of land
according to local groups is to take place.
In America the occupation of newly opened territory is set about in
naive fashion. The settlers assemble on the frontier, and at the
appointed time make a simultaneous and violent rush for their
portions.
We shall not proceed thus to the new land of the Jews. The lots in
provinces and towns will be sold by auction, and paid for, not in
money, but in work. The general plan will have settled on streets,
bridges, waterworks, etc., necessary for traffic. These will be united
into provinces. Within these provinces sites for towns will be
similarly sold by auction. The local groups will pledge themselves to
carry the business property through, and will cover the cost by means
of self-imposed assessments. The Society will be in a position to
judge whether the local groups are not venturing on sacrifices too
great for their means. The large communities will receive large sites
for their activity. Great sacrifices will thus be rewarded by the
establishment of universities, technical schools, academies, research
institutes, etc., and these Government institutes, which do not have
to be concentrated in the capital, will be distributed over the
country.
The personal interest of the buyers, and, if necessary, the local
assessment, will guarantee the proper working of what has been taken
over. In the same way, as we cannot, and indeed do not wish to
obliterate distinctions between single individuals, so the differences
between local groups will also continue. Everything will shape itself
quite naturally. All acquired rights will be protected, and every new
development will be given sufficient scope.
Our people will be made thoroughly acquainted with all these matters.
We shall not take others unawares or mislead them, any more than we
shall deceive ourselves.
Everything must be systematically settled beforehand. I merely
indicate this scheme: our keenest thinkers will combine in elaborating
it. Every social and technical achievement of our age and of the more
advanced age which will be reached before the slow execution of my
plan is accomplished must be employed for this object. Every valuable
invention which exists now, or lies in the future, must be used. By
these means a country can be occupied and a State founded in a manner
as yet unknown to history, and with possibilities of success such, as
never occurred before.