David Ben-Gurion and Vladimir Jabotinsky:
Recollections About Two Zionist Leaders
By JOSEF FRAENKEL
Jewish News Correspondent
in London, England
After the VI Zionist Congress in
1903, the Poale Zion in London
published a number of Zionist
brochures. The first of the series
was a booklet by Vladimir Jabo-
tinsky. Even after an interval of
60 years one cannot help butt ask
why the Poale Zion chose Jabo-
tinsky, of all people, to be the
author .of its brochure.
Jabotinsky had been one of the
foremost speakers and writers of
the Jewish people. He addressed
innumerable meetings and every
Zionist party was indebted to him
for fresh supporter s. In his
speeches against the anti-Zionist
"Bund" he endeavored to enlist
the sympathies of Jewish workers
for the cause of Zionism and this
may well have made him persona
grata in Poale Zion circles — 60
years ago.
When two people — in this case
David Ben-Guriai and Vladimir
Jabotinsky — adopt the same pol-
icies, the results may nevertheless
be different. Yet, it is possible to
discern certain similarites in • the
two men's outlook and actions.
They had in common an abundance
of original ideas, independent de-
cisions, and aversion to compro-
mise. Both were usually to be
found in opposition to official
Zionist policy and both were am-
bitious to be leaders. Though they
were on opposite sides, one on the
right, the other on the left, and
were involved in bitter contro-
versies, they showed a striking
resemblance and affinity as far
as the main objectives of Zionism
were concerned. There is even
some justification for considering
that the younger Ben-Gurion was
a disciple of Jabotinsky, though
they were involved in a fratricidal
struggle.
Ben-Gurion gradually drew
closer to Jabotinsky's ideological
point of view, while Jabotinsky
himself went ahead with new
ideas. Usually Jabotinsky formu-
lated a demand, after which
Ben-Gurion would appear and
claim the exact opoosite. To
begin with they would fight
each other tooth and nail, but
eventually Ben-Gurion would re-
vert to Jabotinsky's original pro-
posal presenting it in another
form. Despite the different
guise, the actual contents were
the same.
Here are some examples:
During the First World War,
Jabotinsky campaigned for a Jew-
ish Legion, within the British
Army, designed to liberate Pales-
tine. He believed in England and
was convinced that the collapse of
the Turkish Empire would pave
the way for a Jewish Palestine.
Ben-Gurion, too, was in favor
of a Jewish L e g i o n, but he
wanted to fight on the side of
Turkey against the British in
Palestine. In his youth, one of
his dreams had been to sit in
the Turkish Parliament as repre-
sentative of the Y i s h u v. It
would have been a shocking
tragedy for Zionism if two Jew-
ish Legions — one under Field
Marshal Allenby, the other un-
der the Turkish Generalissimo,
Djemal Pasha — had confronted
and fought each other in Pales-
tine. But Djemal Pasha, an op-
ponent of Jewish colonisation,
revoked Turkey's original agree-
ment to the plan, and the ad-
vocates of a Turko-Jewish Le-
gion — Ben-Gurion among them
— were deported. Ben-Gurion
went to America and in due
course joined the Jewish Legion
created by Jabotinsky.
Ben-Gurion was a member of the
Zionist Executive for 15 years.
During this period White Papers,
Reports of Royal Commissions, and
anti-Zionist declarations were pub-
lished in Britain. Ben-Gurion was
unable to stop the publication of
any one of them and was just as
helpless as Jabotinsky had been
in 1922. Comparing the speeches
and articles of Ben-Gurion which
he has now published with those
of Jabotinsky, one could assume
that both men drafted their anti-
British statements in unison.
Jabotinsky, the leader of the
Zionist opposition against Weiz-
mann, was a passionate and com-
pelling orator. The two men had
once been close friends — Weiz-
mann was one of the few Zionist
leaders in favor of the Jewish
Legion. But later their ways part-
ed and Jabotinsky bitterly fought
Weizmann's policies. In July, 1920,
he became a member of the Zion-
ist Executive, but resigned in Jan-
uary, 1923, due to his disagree-
ment with Zionist policy.
Ben-Gurion's introduction to
the Zionist public took place in
London, in July, 1920, when, at
the Zionist World Conference,
he made a speech criticizing
Weizmann. He described Weiz-
man's political report as a
"Feuilleton," alleging that the
Jewish Legion had not been
justly treated by the Zionist
Organization and expressing the
view that conditions in Palestine
had been better under Turkish
rule. To which Weizmann re-
torted; "All one could ask for
under the Turkish was to remain
alive. The British, by contrast,
were presented with an I.O.U.
and all sorts of demands."
Almost to the very end, until
May, 1948, Ben-Gurion had politi-
cal differences with Weizmann.
Several times he announced his
resignation from the Zionist Execu-
tive — but he remained on. He
never actually resigned and thus
became the first Prime Minister
symbol, and symbols do not die.
of the State of Israel. Who can say
what position Jabotinsky would
have occupied had he not resigned
in 1923?
Jabotinsky ad persomam consti-
tuted 51 per cent, if not more, of
his movement. After the split oc-
curred, the "Union of Zionist Re-
visionists" had 45 delegates at the
XVIII Zionist Congress in 1933,
and the "Jewish State Party" only
7. One year later, due to the in-
tervention of Pinhas Rutenberg,
Ben-Gurion and Jabotinsky came
together and tried to find some
means of collaboration. An agree-
ment was in fact reached and Ben-
Gurion signed two documents, one
on behalf of the Zionist Organiza-
tion and the other on behalf of
the Histadrut ("Labor Agree-
ment"). Among other things, these
treaties stiplated that all parties,
including the Revisionists, were to
be represented on the Zionist Ex-
ecutive, and that there should be
only one trade union (Histadrut)
in Palestine. The Revisionists rati-
fied these agreements, but the
Histadrut disapproved of Ben-
Gurion's signature by a two-third
majority, with the result that the
treaties came to nothing and all
prospect of collaboration with,Tabo-
tinsky was buried with them. One
year later Jabotinsky left the
Zionist Organization and founded
the "New Zionist Organization."
This was his greatest mistake. He
realized this himself soon after-
wards when he told Robert Strick-
er, of the "Jewish State Party,"
that he intended to return to the
fold. But meanwhile war broke
out and Jabotinsky died in 1940.
Five years later his movement re-
turned to the Zionist Organization.
Jabotinsky reminded the Zion-
ists that Theodor Herzl's object
in creating the Zionist Organiza-
tion had been the establishment of
a Jewish State. A memorable de-
bate on the ultimate aim of Zion-
ism took place at the XVIII Zion-
ist Congress in 1931 and the
Revisionists submitted a resolu-
tion demanding the transformation
of Palestine into a "Jewish State,
i.e., into a Commonwealth with a
Jewish majority." But the Con-
gress, by a majority of 121 to 57
refused to put it to the vote. It
is noteworthy that the resoluion
used the English term, Jewish
Commonwealth. At this Congress
Ben-Gurion was not prepared to
accept the expression "Jewish
State." "Neither at present nor in
the future," he added. He was in
favor of "parity" and he believed
that Jews and Arabs "should have
equal shares in the government
of the country." But during the
Second World War, when address-
ing the American Zionist Confer-
ence in May, 1942, Ben-Gurion de-
fined as the aim of Zionist policy,
that the Land of Israel should
become a "Jewish Commonwealth"
(Biltmore Program).
Jabotinsky gave the Zionist
Organization no rest. Almost
every one of his demands
aroused storms of protest. He
was called traitor, a follower of
"easy Zionism," a demagogue, a
Fascist and a terrorist. In 1933,
Ben-Gurion referred publicly to
"Vladimir Hitler," though Jabo-
tinsky would not let his follow-
ers retaliate, "because Ben-
Gurion had wall the uniform
of the Jewish Legion." Much was
said on both sides before the
Second World War that today
seems undignified and absurd.
The anti-Jabotinsky bias reach-
ed its climax in 1936. Jabotinsky
was in Warsaw and spoke of volun-
tary "evacuation." He started nego-
tiations with the Polish govern-
ment, hoping that they would in-
tervene in London to keep open
the gates of Palestine. He called
for Jewish mass immigration into
Palestine, legally or illegally. His
aim was twofold: to save the Jews
from imminent danger in Europe
and to achieve a Jewish majority
in Palestine with the least possible
delay.
Ben-Gurion was critical of the
"evacuation" plan and called Jabo-
tinsky an "irresponsible, reckless
fool." Poland, he thought, had
neither the "power to force Eng-
land's hand" nor "the keys to
Palestine." Years later he was to
speak differently. Evacuation, exo-
dus, liquidation — whatever the
expression used — Ben-Gurion
pleaded for it. Ben-Gurion in the
Forties and Fifties echoed Jabo-
tinsky during the Twenties and
Thirties.
Many more instances could be
given to prove that, though ap-
parently hostile, Ben-Gurion and
Jabotinsky shared some ideological
kinship.
Thirty-three year s ago Ben-
Gurion regarded Jabotinsky as a
"pretender." He praised the "re-
sponsible" Neville Chamberlain as
compared with Winston Churchill:
"There lives in England a certain
statesman — he too is a 'pretend-
er'; his name is W i n s t o n
Churchill . .. "
The "pretender" Churchill be-
came Prime Minister — and so did
Ben-Gurion in Israel, while Jabo-
tinsky, the Zionist Gaon, died at
the age of 59 without achieving his
aims. In his last will he expresses
one wish only: to find his last
resting-place in the Jewish State.
Yet that, too, was regarded as
"pretentious" by Ben-Gurion who
declared: "Israel needs live Jews
and not dead ones." But Jabotin-
sky is not just a dead Jew; he is a
symbol, and symbols do not die.
Custom of Standing
at Circumcision
It is customary for all in at-
tendance to stand during cir-
cumcision rites.
Basically speaking, all com-
mandments are performed while
standing wherever practical.
This is a sign of reverence for
the presence of the Almighty
whom we acknowledge upon the
performance of a command-
ment. Rabbi Meir of Ruttenberg
(MaliaRaM) made a special
point of requiring all those in
attendance at a circumcision to
stand, on the basis of the com-
ments of Rabbinic sources
which quote the passage in the
Book of Kings which states:
And all the people stood
to the covenant." (II Kings
23:3). Since the circumsion of
a Jewish boy is considered to be
a sign of the covenant, as can
be seen by the Almighty's dec-
laration to Abraham when he
said: "And my covenant shall
be in your flesh . . ." (Genesis
17:13), one is obligated to stand
when witnessing the covenant
which is the case during the
circumcision.
.
.
Israel - Rassco Offers $2.7 Million Stock Issue
A new issue of 60,000 shares of
common stock at $45 per share for
a total of $2,700,000 is being of-
fered by "Isras" Israel-Rassco In-
vestment Co., under a registration
statement cleared with the Securi-
ties and Exchange Commission,
Washington, D.C.
The company is registered in Is-
rael, and the par value of the stock
offered is 100 Israel pounds. The
underwriter for the issue is Rassco
of Delaware, Inc., with offices at
250 W. 57th, New York City.
According to the prospectus, the
proceeds will be used in Israel for
land development, building and
housing projects, commercial cen-
ters, hotel and office buildings and
supermarkets.
FINEST PAINT IN 100 YEAR4
MAC•0•1AC
Levine's Unique Services
Joseph E. Levine, in Holly-
wood for negotiations with
Paramount, says that "Where
Love Has Gone," his current
production with Bette Davis,
Susan Hayward and Mike Con-
nors, utilizes the services of a
battle-scarred B-17 Bomber
plane (which made countless
missions of Europe during
World War II under Edward
Dmytryk's direction.
MIRACLE
PLASTIC
Laytex Wall Paint
.
READY
MIXED •
COLORS
8 -WHITE
•
• True Plastic
Serubbable
• Won't Blister or Peel
• Brash It or Roll It
• Clean lip with Water
• Dries In 30 Minutes
• Absolutely Odorless
Reg, $6.99
S le
a
.499
MAC-0-LAC PORCELAIN FINISH ,r
e.. ._ --
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
Friday, June 26, 1964
9
Matching Colors to Laytex
New alkyd formula!
Now Only
Dries to hard
porcelain semi-910a $695
Covers in one coati
Absolutely serubbabrei
„ •` . ,..
Gal •..,,,,....,-.:,
cli.iratWa).* ,"
,_,
You Can Do Better at
EARL ORR'S
HODGES DODGE, INC.
Oakland County's Largest Dodge Dealer
See
IRV KATZ
Sales Manager
23000 WOODWARD AVE., FERNDALE
2 Blks. No.
LI 1-3032
of 9 Mile
RESERVE NOW FOR THE
Hadassah Round-Trip Cruise* Tour
TO ISRAEL and EUROPE
46 DAYS-Only $1395
Departs October 9th
Land portion includes 2 full weeks in Israel with extensive sight-
seeing also, 16 exciting days in Europe - London, Rome, Athens and
Paris.
*Accomodations tourist class aboard the S.S. SHALOM. 1st class hotels
and most meals on land. Air transportation in Europe.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION & RESERVATIONS
CALL BEE KALT
Detroit Phone:
JO 6-1490
Birmingham Phone:
MI 6-2170
BEE KALT TRAVEL SERVICE
Fly Back
If You Prefer
SEE
BORENSTEIN'S
SAVE!
SAVE!
SAYE !
S LE of BOOKS
and RECORDS
Regularly Up to '5"
BORENSTEIN'S
BOOK AND MUSIC STORE
13535 W. 7 Mile at Schaefer DI 1-0569 — DI 1-3268
Open Saturday Night and All Day Sunday Until 9
1111.111116