September 1926
T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
534
The Chosen People, the Land and the Book Jewish News Notes Compiled from Various Sources by David L. Cooper
policy have been tranquillity, in creased Jewish immigration, the pro gress of Jewish agricultural settlement and expansion of industry. Replying; to the question concerning the reali zation of the Jewish Agency, the gov ernment report states that it has no thing to add" to its reply of 1923. The Palestine Zionist Executive and the head office of the Zionist Organi zation were given special opportunity for expressing its views on the ques tion of immigration ordinances and on the question of organization of the communities. Concerning the cooper ation of the Jewish Agency with the Palestine administration, the govern ment report declares that the 1924 re ply “ holds good.” The Jçwish Agency controls in Palestine 132 schools with expenditure of £63,000. The Jewish Agency advises the immigrants, grants loans to industrial enterprises, to pub lic works, and has contributed sub stantially to the Rutenberg Concession works. With regard to the extension of the Jewish Agency to include non-Zionists, the report of the Palestine govern ment quotes the resolution of the 14th Zionist Congress in Vienna, constitut ing the final action of the Zionist body on that question. Replying to the question concern ing the safeguarding of the rise of Other sections of the population in Pal estine, the government report replies that “ The new immigration ordinance is framed on the basis of the principle that immigration must be regulated by the economic capacity of the coun try to absorb the settlers and to safe guard the portion of the existing popu lation.” Seven hundred and thirty- one immigrants, including 534 Jews, were rejected by the Palestine board authorities during the year 1924, the report states. With regard to the cooperation of the Palestine gov-ernm'ent with the Jewish Agency, who encouraged close settlement of Jews on the land, the government report replies that 32,500 acres were purchased by Jews during the year. The area of land in Jewish ownership now amounts to two hun dred thousand acres. The report also observes that little change has occurred during the year in the relative distri bution of the Jewish population in ur ban and rural centers. The Mandates Commission began its examination of the annual report of the Palestine government for the year 1925-1926, on Tuesday, June 22, ac cording to a Jewish Telegraphic Agency report. The examination oc cupied several days. Col. George 8. Symes, civil secretary of the Palestine government, appeared before the Commission as the repre sentative of Lord Plumer, at the re quest of the Commission for explana-
REPORT ON PALESTINE TO LEAGUE OP NATIONS % To all who are Interested in the rapid development o f Palestine and who wish an accurate report o f the conditions as they really exist today the follow ing is o f especial interest. The report of Great Britain, Man datory Power over Palestine, on the development of the country, and the conditions of the Jewish National Home, submitted to the last session Permanent Mandate Commission of the League of Nations, in reply to an annual questionnaire of the League, was made public in Geneva on July 2. According to a dispatch to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, the report states: The past year in Palestine has been one of tranquility, of administrative consolidation and increased prosperity. Public security has been maintained, despite the disturbed conditions on the northern frontier and the entry of thousands of refugees from Syria. Public health conditions were good throughout the year. The Anti-Malar ial Commission of the League of Na tions, which visited Palestine during the year, was favorably impressed, tne report states. Because of the problem of public security and the pre-occupation of the government due to the Syrian efforts, the political organisation of the coun try did not advance. The legislative council cannot be revived as long as the Arab leaders are maintaining an opposition to the fundamental prin ciples of the Palestine mandate. The committee ordinances will open an avenue for discharging many cultural functions of the local government and enable the Moslems, Christians and Jews to conduct separately their own communal affairs, leaving to the muni cipalities those enterprises where Arabs and Jews can profitably com bine on the basis of common interests. On the extension of this principle po litically and economically, the realisa tion of the peaceful, prosperous Pales tinian state depends, the report de clares. The improved finances of the coun try, as a consequence of greater pros perity of the inhabitants, was shown by the increased receipts of the rev enue department. The surplus of the year totalled £1,069,576 which were used to finance works of a capital na ture in anticipation of the raising of the Palestine government loan, the re port continues. Commercial activity has been in creased, particularly in the building industry, which is a new industry. This was due almost entirely to Jewish capital and entry of immigrant classes with money. 33,801 immigrants en tered the country during the year, a number nearly three times as great as the number which entered during
Every Christian who is animated by the hope and expectation of the Lord’s appearing—and cer tainly every child of God should be—will be folloxving with **•- tense interest the present effort o f the Jews to reestablish them selves in their land o f promise. Mr. Cooper is alert to secure the latest and most interesting news concerning the Chosen People, and has succeeded admirably. Will you not send us the names o f friends whom you have rea son to believe would be glad to receive sample copies of The King’s Business, that they too may enjoy these monthly offer ings which you yourself have learned to value ?
1924. While this immigration un questionably confers benefit on the country, it introduced new problems. The ready absorption into the eco nomic life of a small and unproduc tive country, of men and women of various types and capacities, is a dif ficult matter, which required all the energy and resources of the Zionist Organization to deal with satisfactor ily. Many immigrants are desirous of becoming farmers, but agricultural settlement is a slow and costly pro cess. Although Jewish Agencies and individuals have acquired during the year of 1924, 129,366 dunanis of land, the government has been unable to put state and waste lands at the disposal of new settlement and consequently a large proportion of immigrants gravi tate to the towns. Most of the new in dustries find development retarded by the high cost of living and costly pro duction. The government has granted custom facilities on raw materials and is assisting the development of ex port trade, utilizing local products. In connection with the industrial de velopment, labor questions are becom ing important. The Jewish workmen are well organized and are demand ing conditions similar to those in other situations, the report declares. The steady reaction from the trade depression which prevailed in 1923, continued during the year. Many im migrants brought in considerable sums of money and the cost of living rose by 4.4 per cent. Answering the question in the League of Nations’ questionnaire, what measures have been taken to secure the establishment of the Jew ish National Home as provided for in the Mandate, the government reply states that “ The policy has remained unchanged.” The visible results of this
Made with FlippingBook flipbook maker