A Tale of Two Historic Letters

lowing' declaration of sympathy

How Lord Walter Rothschild Fought Zionist
Battle and Gained Ground for Jewish State

By JOSEF FRAENKEL
forts to undermine politica I
would like to receive in writing
the views of representative Jew-
I have often held in my hand Zionism. In their appeal in
ish leaders, both Zionists and
two letters which Lord Walter the Times they even asked for
Non-Zionists, upon the form and
wording of the proposed draft
a
"spiritual
center"
in
Pales-
Rothschild presented to the
declaration that had been sub-
tine
with
"spiritual
inspiration
British Museum. They belong to
mitted to the War Cabinet for
consideration.
,
to
the
whole
of
Jewry,"
in
the most important documents
The draft declaration runs, as
in Zionist history. One letter I order to agitate all the more
follows:—
"His Majesty's Government
announced the forthcoming de- effectively against a "political
views
with favour the establish-
claration of the British gov- center." But in both cases it
ment in Palestine of a National
Home for the Jewish Race, and
ernment towards Zionism, and had the opposite effect—the
will use its best endeavours to
the second was instrumental in First Zionist Congress received
facilitate the achievement of
this • object; it being clearly
the creation of the State of good, free publicity, and Zion-
understood that nothing shall
; ism in England gained new
Israel.
be done which may prejudice
Some time ago I sent a re- enthusiastic supporters.
the civil and religious rights of
the existing non-Jewish com-
In the great fight against
quest to the British Museum
munities in Palestine, or the
for permission to have the ori- the "Protest Presidents" it
rights and political status en-
joyed in any other country by
was not Chief Rabbi Dr. J.
ginal letters photographed.
Jews who are fully contented
This matter led to a corres- H. Hertz, or Chaim Weiz-
with their existing nationality
and citizenship."
pondence with the owners of mann who played a decisive
I- should be glad if you would
role,
but
Lord
Rothschild.
the copyrights. The British
let me have a reply embodying
your views in not later than one
Without Rothschild the Zion-
Museum, although in posses-
week's time, for submission to the
sion of the letters, does not ists would probably have lost
Members of the War Cabinet.
the battle.
Copies of this letter are being
own the copyright. But first,
addressed to the following seven
something about the history of
On. May 28,, 1917, The Times
persons:-
these documents which were published letters from Roths-
1) Sir Stuart Samuel, Chairman
of the Jewish Board of Deputies;
addressed to Lord Walter child, Hertz, Haham Gaster
2) Mr. Leonard L. Cohen, Chair-
Rothschild.
man of the Jewish Board of
and Weizmann, in reply to the
Guardians;
The historic efforts of the "Protestant Presidents." Of
3) Mr. Claude Montefiore;
English Zionist Federation dur-' these four, Lord Rothschild
4) Sir Philip Magnus, M.P.;
5) Mr. N. Sokolow, Chief repre-
ing the first world war, with was the most influential per-
sentative in England of the Inter-
the support of counsel of a sonality, and his letter the
national Zionist Executive;
6) Dr. Hertz, the Chief Rabbi of
number of English politicians, most Zionist-minded.
England;
to obtain from the British
7) Dr. Weizmann, President of the
It was Rothschild who de
Gov er nm ent recognition of manded "the establishment of
English Zionist Federation,
Yours faithfUlly,
Zionist aspirations, could not an autonomous Jewish State."
(signed)
be kept a secret. The activities And it was Lord Rothschild,
M.P.A. Hankey,
Secretary, 1Var Cabinet.
of Chaim Weizmann, Nahum too, who played the most im-
The Lord Rothschild,
Sokolow and other personali- portant part in the stormy de-
148 Piccadilly
W. 1.
ties were furthered by pro- bate and fighting vote in the
Zionist articles and comments Board of Deputies on June 17,
It is interesting to compare
in the English press. This was 1917, which by 56 votes to 51,
followed by a strong attack brought about the resignation this letter with the draft of
against Zionism. On May 24, of the "Protest President," Sir the Zionist Organization which
1917, _the London Times' pub- Stuart Samuel, a brother • of Rothschild submitted to the
lished an anti-Zionist "State- Herbert Samuel, then became government. The Zionist Or-
ment of the Conjoint Commit- president of the Board of ganization speaks of "Palestine
as the National Home," while
tee of the Board of Deputies Deputies.
the letter speaks of "the estab-
of British Jews and the Anglo-
Lord Walter Rothschild had lishment in Palestine of a Na-
Jewish Association," which
threatened the destruction of learned his Zionism from Theo- tional Home." The Zionist Or-
all hopes. This statement ap- dor Herzl. Herzl's conversa- ganization uses the words "the
peared under the headline tions with Lord Rothschild's Jewish people," while the let-
"The Future of the Jews — father, Lord Nathaniel Mayer, ter speaks of the "Jewish
Palestine and Zionism—Views now bore fruit. In January Race."
There is no doubt that the
of Anglo-Jewry," and was 1904 he said to Herzl: "No, no,
signed by David L. Alexander, you, Dr. Herzl stand at the top. draft of the letter by the War
Cabinet
have been more
president of the Board of I only wish to work together favorable would
towards the Zionists,
Deputies, and Claude G. Mon- with you. I am happy if I am had the voices
of the Jewish
tefiore, president of the Anglo- able to help vou." And Herzl
Jewish Association. The state- added in his diary: "His son anti-Zionists not reached the
ment in the Times created the Charles, a fine, clever and vig- members of the government
impression of two persons orous young man, was 'au fait,' with such clamor and insist-
speaking in the name of Eng- too. . . . The Lord's two sons ence.
Of the eight persons, the
lish Jewry to the British gov- listened respectfully to the
ernment, and their attitude plans for a State. . . ." Wal- following agreed in principle
was, clearly and unequivocally, ter—the elder son, and second to the draft: Rothschild, Sam-
Lord Rothschild — was a pro- uel, Hertz, Sokolow and Weiz-
against a Jewish Palestine.
The action of the two "Pro- tagonist of the Jewish State mann. Against it were: Cohen,
test-Presidents" can be com- idea, and in the fateful year Montefiore and Magnus.
The provisional voting was,
pared with that of the "Protest of 1917 he recalled that his
Rabbis." In 1897, five anxious father had often told him that therefore, 5 to 3—a result of
which the Jews in England
rabbis, by their statement in he was "in principle in favor
the Berliner Tageblatt, tried of the establishment of a Jew- must have been proud. If, in
1917, such a Gallup Poll had
to prevent the convocation of ish National Home in Pales-
been taken, for example, in
the First Zionist Congress and tine."
20 years later two presidents
On July 18, 1917, Lord America, France or even in
Germany, it could certainly
were trying, in the same way, Rothschild, in the name of the
not have been better than in
to suppress the Balfour Declar- Zionist Organization, sent the
ation. The arguments of the d r a f t of a Declaration to London, and the majority of
the replies would probably
"Protest Rabbis" were purely Arthur James Balfour in which
have been against a "Na-
assimilationist. The "Protest it was requested that the
Presidents," however, made use British government recognize tional Home." The majority
of Ahad Haamism in their ef- "Palestine as the National of the "Leaders of Jewry" at
Home of the Jewish people that time was against Zion-
and the right of the Jewish ism, in almost all countries.
people to build up its National
It is difficult to say what the
life in Palestine." While the War Cabinet would have de-
British government was . cided, had the result been 3 to
swamped with pro-Zionist and 5 against a "National Home."
anti-Zionist memoranda, Chaim It is certain, however, that
Weizmann and Lord Rothschild much blood and sweat would
had another conversation with have been spared had all eight
Protect Your
Balfour. The result of this persons concerned given an
meeting was the following let- unanimous pro-Zionist reply to
Investment
ter, adressed to "The Rt. Hon. the War Cabinet.
The Lord Rothschild, 148 Pic-
There followed days of anxi-
Profession& Cleaning Is Qual-
cadilly, W. 1," with the im- ety and excitement. Weizmann,
print on the envelope "Secret who was in contact with Jus-
ity Cleaning. Remember . . .
and Personal."
tice Louis D. Brandeis, ob-
cheap cleaning is more expen-
tained America's assistance at
18/OA/5
sive in the long run.
the right moment. President
OFFICES OF THE
WAR CABINET
Wilson sent a personal mes-
2 Whitehall Gardens,
sage to the British government
Leader beauty-cleans your car-
London, S.W.I.
and finally the memorable day
PERSONAL AND STRICTLY
peting with Karpet Kore—your
CONFIDENTIAL
of Nov. 2, 1917, dawned. A
Dear Sir,
carpets stay cleaner longer. last
I am directed by the Prime messenger was handed a sealed
Minister to inform you that at envelope, addressed to "The
longer too!
the instance of the Secretary of Lord Rothschild, etc., etc., 148
State for Foreign Affairs, the
question of drawing up a formula Piccadilly, W. 1," in the left
setting forth the attitude of His hand top corner was written
Majesty's Government towards
the Zionist Movement in general "by hand" and underneath the
and to the future of Palestine in sender: A. J. Balfour.

with Jewish Zionist aspirations
which has been submitted to, and
approved by, the Cabinet.
"His Majesty's Gov ernment
view with favour the establish-
ment in Palestine of a national
home for the Jewish people, and
will use , their best endeavours to
facilitate the achievement of this
object, it being clearly under-
stood that nothing shall be done
which may prejudice the civil
and religious rights of existing
non-Jewish communities in Pales-
tine, or the rights and political
status enjoyed by Jews in any
other country."
I should be grateful if you
could bring this declaration to
the knowledge of the Zionist
Federation.
Yours sincerely,
(signed)
Arthur James Balfour."

O

One week later, on Nov. 9,
this - letter, which became
known as the "Balfour Declar-
ation," was published in The
Times under the headline,
"Palestine for the Jews--Gov-
ernment Pledge." The type-

written Declaration, bearin an
inkspot in front of Balfour's

signature—in the shape of a
geographical map of present-
day Israel—after hard and diffi-
cult years eventully led to the
Jewish State.
I sent an application to the
British Museum, -asking for
permission to photograph these
original letters. The reply was
that I could only obtain per-
mission if I could produce the
consent of the holders of the
copyrights of these two docu-
ments, but who was the holder
of the copyrights? The Mu-
seum, according to its rules, !
was not in position • to disclose
this.
Lord Hankey (formerly Sir
Maurice P. A. Hankey, Secre-
tary of the War Cabinet) re-

plied that he had completely 0A
forgotten the contents of this W
letter. He therefore asked the
I
British Museum to let him ► -3
have a copy of his letter of t11
Oct. 6, 1917. He maintained
that he had written this letter,
not as a private person but in
his capacity of Secretary of
the War Cabinet. He therefore
did not hold the copyright, but 5.1
this belonged to the Crown.
Lord Hankey was good enough
to assist me, and finally Sir CI)
(
Norman Brook, Secretary of
the Cabinet, granted me the
necessary permission.
The copyright of the Balfour
Declaration is a completely dif-
ferent matter. This copyright
does not belong to the Crown
but _to the family of . Balfour.
Michael Dugdale, son of the re
late Blanche E. G. Dugdale,
Arthur Balfour's niece, for- go
warded my letter to the Earl • 5
of Balfour who granted me the
written permission. It often I
happens that presents of his-
torieal documents are made by I
one country to another, or by ce,
one government to another or I -a
by one museum to another. It
would be a noble gesture if
the British Museum would pre-
sent these two letters to the
State of Israel, as a token of
friendship.

I

,

'

Israel Biblical Institute
Gets WJ Congress Post

JERUSALEM, (JTA)—An In-
stitute for Biblical Studies for
American Protestant students
and . religious lecturers will be
held in Israel next summer, the
Ministry for Religious Affairs
announced •

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particular, has been under pre-
liminary discussion by the War
Cabinet.
In view of the apparent diver-
gence of opinion expressed on the
subject by Jews themselves, the

War Cabinet decided that they

FOREIGN OFFICE
November 2nd, 1917
"Dear Lord Rothschild,
I have much pleasure in con-
veying to you, on behalf of His

Majesty's Government, the fol-

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