COLONIZATION AND RESTORATION
Henry Wentworth Monk――Zionism in France――Jean Henri Dunant’s
“Le Renouvellement de l’Orient”――Napoleon III.――Bishop Stephen
Watson――“L’Orient” in Brussels.
PHILANTHROPY, not nationalism, was the basis of the “London _Hebrew_
Society for the Colonization of the Holy Land” (Appendix lxvii),
founded by Jews in 1861. This experiment, generous as it was, could
not succeed, even as a philanthropic scheme, because it lacked the
great national idea, which is the soul and essence of Zionism, and
without which no revival can possibly succeed. It is worthy of note
that an English Christian who was one of the promoters of Palestine
colonization grasped this truth; and addressed the following letter
from _Jerusalem_ to the Jewish press in England:――
November 6, 1863. _The Jewish Chronicle and Hebrew Observer_
(_p._ 3).
“Projected Agricultural Colonies in the Holy Land.”
“To the Editor of the _Jewish Chronicle_.
“SIR,
“Yesterday my attention was called to your editorial of
the 4th _ult._ by _Rabbi_ Sneersohn, who at the same time
requested me to try and explain why the poor Jews in this
country have not yet succeeded in earning an independence
by the cultivation of the soil, as poor people in other
countries generally do to some extent. He supposes that I
ought to know something about it, as I have been brought up
to farming in Canada, where poor people generally do succeed
in earning a good living by agriculture; and for about
two years (in 1854 and 1855) I also had some experience in
reference to agriculture in this country, where it must be
admitted that lately it has been far otherwise.... The cause
of the great want of success hitherto, it appears to me,
is, because people have not fairly considered the great
magnitude and importance of the object to be accomplished,
and seriously gone to work to accomplish that object with
that kind of earnestness with which men go to work to build
a railroad, or engage in any other great undertaking, which
they have decided would conduce greatly to the advantage of
the public, and for their own profit also.... When the Greeks
are making efforts to become a people again, and the Italians
or Romans trying to restore something of their former
greatness, shall _Israel_ alone be totally indifferent as
to whether they are a nation or not? The poor of Israel
have done their part――they have come here in thousands to
live or die, as God or man shall permit. Let the rich and
enterprising do their part, and then let us see whether we
shall eventually succeed even better than did the remnants
of the Greeks or Romans.
“Very truly yours,
“HENRY WENTWORTH MONK.
“_Jerusalem_, Palestine, _Oct. 1, 1863_.”
At the same time the political idea was taken up in France by Jean
Henri Dunant (1828‒1910), the author of _Un Souvenir de Solferino_.
Technically a Swiss citizen, having been born in Geneva, nevertheless
in all his ideas he was French. In 1859 he launched the idea of a
permanent organization of voluntary groups of humanitarian workers,
and also of an international treaty agreement concerning the wounded
in war. He then presented himself to Napoleon III., who became
interested in his project and immediately gave orders to his army
to cease making prisoners of the physicians and nurses of the enemy.
Soon Dunant organized an “Aid Committee” in Geneva, and shortly
afterwards published his _Souvenir de Solferino_ (1859), which was
enthusiastically received and greatly applauded. The philanthropic
ideas of his book were received with interest by many European
sovereigns, with whom he was on friendly terms, through correspondence
or conversation. He interested the Governments so much in his project
that various nations sent delegates to the International Conference,
which was held in Geneva in 1863, when it was decided to establish a
National Committee. A diplomatic International Congress on the subject
was held in 1869 at Geneva, by invitation of the Swiss Government.
The treaty there drafted accepted Dunant’s project, and the formation
of the Red Cross Societies was decided upon. Thus a single individual,
inspired by the sentiment of kindness and compassion for his
fellow-creatures, had by his own untiring efforts achieved the
realization of his ideas, and thus aided the progress of mankind.
Dunant was a statesman, and might have been a saint. His most earnest
desire was to carry the message of sympathy, faith and knowledge
to the hearts of poor men and oppressed nations. During his zealous
propaganda, in the course of which he edited pamphlets and articles in
many languages, and travelled continually through the whole of Europe,
he spent all he possessed, and for many years nothing more was heard
of this modest and good man. In 1897 he was discovered in the Swiss
village of Heiden,¹ where he was living in poverty in a “Home of Rest”
for old men. In 1901, when the A. B. Nobel (1833‒1896) Peace Prize was
awarded for the first time, it was granted to the founder of the Red
Cross Society.
¹ Died there October 31, 1910.
These biographical details are interesting in so far as they enhance
our appreciation of the activity of this great man, who advocated
also the idea of the regeneration of the East, and the resurrection
of Palestine by the Jewish people. Dunant was inspired more by
political convictions than by religious emotion. He was a champion
of humanitarian ideas in the political life of Europe, and he dealt
with the problem of the East and the Jews from this point of view. He
addressed to the public an “Open Letter,” which, far from repeating
the older ideas and suggestions which had been put forth on several
occasions in England and France, gave the impression of a fascinating
spontaneity and originality (Appendix lxviii).
A peculiar feature of so many Zionist writings is the writer’s
unfamiliarity with what has been written repeatedly before. There
is no reference to earlier suggestions and attempts, no allusion or
reminiscence whatever. Every writer begins _ab ovo_; everyone makes
new discoveries. Is this due to the fact that there was no literary
concentration, no history of Zionist literature, no bibliography?
Partly so: but the true reason was, in our opinion, the independence
of the idea in all these writings. Every writer was impressed
not by what he had read――most of them had not read anything about
Zionism――but by the appearance of the problem as it presented itself
to him. Everybody discovered the truth in his own way, and all came
to the same conclusion quite independently. Henri Dunant planned out
and calculated for himself all the details of his great scheme. He had,
as we see, a clear political conception of Zionism; his style, too,
was lucid and pleasant. He had a wonderful faculty for disposing of
difficulties. Moreover, he started political activity, and was in this
respect a forerunner of Herzl.
He started his work in France. Different rumours were current at
that time (1866) in England about a great Zionist propaganda in
France. “A curious and interesting movement has been in progress for a
considerable time affecting the state and prospects of the Jewish race
in all quarters of the world,” we read in an editorial in _The Morning
Herald_, London (6th Feb., 1866). “It is of national rather than of
a religious character. As is well known, the generous exertions of
Sir Moses Montefiore in Morocco, Persia and elsewhere have greatly
tended to ameliorate the conditions of the Jews locally, although
they are still in many regions persecuted and oppressed: but the most
remarkable fact of all, has been the interview between the French
Emperor and the leading members of the community in Paris. The object
of this informal proceeding was, on the part of Napoleon III., to
ascertain how far there yet lingered in the Jewish mind a belief and
desire, that they might become repossessed of their native country;
and certainly no idea, since that of the Crusaders, could be more
romantic or bold, than one which should promise them through any means
the fulfilment of this ancient wish....” The author of this article
concludes: “Whatever our creeds, we cannot forget the good words of
Bishop Weston¹ when he said that, upon seeing a Jew, his best thoughts
were always carried back to the beginning and earliest blessing of
the world. Therefore it is with more than a mere antiquarian spirit
that we observe with sympathy the refusal of this race to raise,
whenever challenged to resume their lost position in the world, the
cry _Hierosolyma est perdita...._” This rumour concerning an interview
which the French Emperor had granted to the leading members of the
community in Paris was undoubtedly due to the propaganda of Henri
Dunant, who was a _persona gratissima_ at the French Court.
¹ Stephen Weston (1665‒1742), Bishop of Exeter, 1724.
The appeal was afterwards re-echoed in a political paper started in
Brussels under the title of _L’Orient_, which devoted much attention
to Eastern affairs.
“Palestine,” we read in one of the articles, “situated at the point
of junction of the three continents, is the key of Asia: it occupies
a central position in reference to the East as well as the West: its
situation is the same between the countries of the North and South: no
other on earth can in this respect be compared with it. What European
power could take possession of it without bringing upon itself, on the
part of the others, the most protracted and sanguinary wars? However,
one solution would still be possible for which, despite the rivalries
and revolutions which keep the people of Europe on the alert, the
way might be paved. The final solution of the Eastern question might
be accomplished if Palestine were reopened to the _Israelitish_
people. We have, further, to take into consideration the principles
of nationality which in our days play such a prominent part: to bear
in mind the isolated position of the Jewish people in the world,
which has been dispersed among the nations of the earth for thousands
of years without being absorbed by them; and to study the condition
of the Israelites within the last seventy years, their wealth, the
influence acquired by them in the commercial world, in industrial
pursuits and on Governments. The inference from all this will be that
something grand is in store for the Jewish people. The return of the
Jewish people to the Holy Land may be considered from two different
points of view: the religious and the political. There exist several
Scriptural passages which predict the return of the Jews.... The
_Israelitish_ people and the Arabic or Ishmaelitic tribes, which
with justice may be called the oldest nations on the earth, have been
preserved by Providence, while the others among which they lived in
captivity have disappeared from the stage of the world. We may depend
upon it, the destinies of the Israelites, so unique and mysterious in
their kind, will in the future be still grander than they were in the
past: and they must be counted upon if we wish eventually to arrive at
the solution of the Eastern question, which appears so complicated.”