The New Student's Reference Work/Zionism and the Zionist Movement

Zi'onism and the Zi'onist Movement. Of recent years there has been much discussion over the project, embodying the Jewish nationalistic ideal, to acquire and settle in Palestine, on an autonomous basis, a home for the Jewish race. The more notable men interested in this Zionist project include, among others, Dr. Max Nordau, Israel Zangwill, the English novelist, Dr. Marmorek, head of the Pasteur Institute in France, and Prof. Richard Gottheil in this country. With this object in view congresses have met and leagues have of late been formed whose object, as it has been said, is to secure "the provision of a territory upon an autonomous basis for those Jews who are unable or unwilling to remain in their present lands, and [the movement] pledges itself to promote the acquisition of a legally assured place for Jewish settlement." When the scheme is ripe, a Jewish loan is promised to be raised for their extradition and otherwise to help them. In aid of the contemplated project a congress has of late been held at Basle, but it came to no immediate practical result, on account of a split in the assembled body, one section adhering to the idea of settlement only in the Holy Land, while another considered the offer of the British Government of a large territorial area in East Africa. Favoring the movement is also that of Zangwill, entitled The Jewish Territorial Organization and intended, if at all practicable, to settle in Palestine. Another and similar scheme has, moreover, been set on foot, entitled The London Zionist League, whose object is, if practicable, legally to secure and publicly to recognize a home in Palestine for national regeneration, preliminary to other definite and practical efforts.