Herbert Samuel's Role as Palestine High Commissioner BY JOSEF FRAENKEL Jewish News Special London Correspondent In "Trial and Error" Chaim Weizmann recalls that P. C. Scott, editor of the Manchester Guardian and a sincere friend of Zionism, mentioned the name of Herbert Samuel to him at the end of No- vember 1914: "You know, you have a Jew in the government, Mr. Herbert Samuel." Weizmann re- plied almost rudely: "For God's sake, Mr. Scott, let's have nothing to do with this man!" Weizmann considered him "the type of Jew who by his very nature was op- posed to us." Chaim Weizmann had no idea that Herbert Samuel had spoken to Foreign Secretary Sir Edward Grey on Nov. 9, 1914, about the restoration of a Jewish state in Palestine. Grey was favorably im- pressed by Samuel's proposal. On the same day he had a talk with Lloyd George about Palestine and he. too, declared to Herbert Sam- uel, that he would advocate the establishment of a Jewish state. When Weizmann heard about it. he called it "the surprise of my life." Herbert Samuel (born, Nov. 6, 1870, in Liverpool—died, Feb. 5, 1963, in London) was known as a social legislator, Liberal MP, and as a philosopher, becoming the first Jew to attain cabinet rank (1909). He never forgot his Jewish origin—in or out of the cabinet. In 1910 it was necessary for Chaim Weizmann to obtain his "Certifi- cate of Naturalization" as a British subject. He approached Haham Gaster, at that time his best friend in Great Britain, to intervene on his behalf with Winston Churchill, home secretary, or another minis- ter. Gaster wrote about it to Her- Boris Smolar's 'Between You and Me' ... (Editor-in-Chief Emeritus, JTA) (Copyright 1970, JTA Inc.) ORT AT 90: When an organization reaches the age of 90, it usually takes a proud look at its past achievements. It naturally maps also plans for its work in the future. This is what the World ORT Union will do when it convenes in Geneva Nov. 13 to mark the 90th anniversary of the existence of the organization. Representatives of governments—as well as of the United Nations agencies—with whom ORT works very closely—will address them on the importance of ORT work not only for Jews but also for various underdeveloped countries which benefit from ORT experts. The importance of ORT in Jewish life needs no elaboration. The organization has established for itself an enviable record during its 90 years of providing vocational training, first for tens of thousands of Jews in Czarist Russia and later for hundreds of thousands of Jews all over the world. Originated by a group of prominent Jews in St. Petersburg, it aimed at freeing Jews from charity by training them to become skilled workers. This was an important development for Jews in Russia, where they lived under oppression, many of them barely able to eke out a living because of the existing anti-Jewish restriction. As the ORT program developed successfully in Russia during the years prior to World War I, it later spread to Poland, Lithuania, Romania and other countries where large masses of Jews lived in misery. In the years between the two world wars. ORT became the most popular organization among Jews in a number of European coun- tries. Impoverished and educationally deprived Jews—both youth and adults—have been given by ORT the opportunity to learn trades and become workers depending on their own earnings. This gave them a feeling of human dignity. Today, 90 years after its foundation, ORT conducts 650 trade and technical training projects in 23 countries, teaches 72 different job skills and maintains a teaching staff of about 1,700 experts. e ORT IN ISRAEL: With ORT now banned in Russia, Poland and other Communist countries, its largest program is in Israel. Of the 60,000 students now enrolled in ORT schools, more than 35,000 ara Israelis. Ten factory schools are now included in the ORT system in Israel. Junior technical colleges are now being planned by ORT there. In the Moslem countries, ORT schools are open also to Moslem youths who seek vocational training. In Israel, Druses are receiving vocational training at the ORT school on Mt. Carmel in Haifa. Arabs in Nazareth and in East Jerusalem are attending ORT schools. The ORT budget for 1970 is about $20.000,000. It is being partly covered by the Joint Distribution Committee which participates heavily in ORT projects, by the American ORT Federation and Women's American ORT, by funds raised in Jewish communities outside of the United States, by government subsidies in the countries where ORT operates, and by tuition. The organization is now facing a deficit of about $900,000 for this year. FAR-SIGHTED LEADERS: Founded in 1880, ORT—the Organization for Rehabilitation Through Training—is today one of the very few Jewish organizations in the world that can boast of such longevity. Its continuous existence for 90 years—which included two major eral, and a few days later Weiz- mann became a British citizen. In 1916, as home secretary, Her- bert Samuel encouraged Vladimir Jabotinsky to propagate the crea- tion of the Jewish Legion. A f ter the publication of "Memoirs" by Viscount Samuel (Herbert Samuel), in 1945, and of "Trial and Error" in 1949, I asked Herbert Samuel, when he had begun to be interested in Zionism, and he replied that it was after he had read "The Jewish State" by Theodor Herz]. I presume this must have happened shortly after the pub- lication of the booklet, translated into English by Sylvie d'Avigdor, in April 1896. A few months be- fore, in November 1895, Herzl visited London and explained modern Zionism to Herbert Sam- uel's uncle, Samuel Montagu, MP (later: Lord Swaythling), and to his religious teacher, the Rev. S. Singer. Historic credit and honor is due to Sir Herbert Samuel as the first during the First World War to de- mand of the British government the creation of an "autonomous Jewish state." When Sir Mark Sykes, repre- senting the government, started the discussions and negotiations with the Zionist leaders in the home of Haham Gaster, on Feb. 7, 1917, Sir Herbert Samuel was zmong the 10 persons present, and he and other Jews, as well as non-Jews, helped Weizmann and Sokolow to obtain the Balfour Declaration on Nov. 2, 1917. The government asked Sir Herbert a short time be- fore to state his views and he re- plied—in contrast with Edwin Mon- tagu, secretary of state for India, son of Samuel Montagu, who was a bitter enemy of Zionism—that such a declaration would be "a wise step." Sir Herbert believed that a Jewish Palestine, as in the past would again "produce golden fruits — statesmen and soldiers, judges . and poets, prophets and seers." England's support of Herzlian Zionism and the granting of the Balfour Declaration was the great- est achievement in the cause of jus- tice during the First World War. Without the Balfour Declaration the restoration of the Jewish State would not have been possible. Three years later, on July 2, 1920, Sir Herbert arrived in Palestine as the first high com- missioner for Palestine. He was welcomed like a king of the Jews. Jewish papers gave him biblical names, and he became a legendary figure. Public opinion expected great progress towards a Jewish Palestine, although voices were heard to say that it would have been better, had a "Goy," a non-Jew, been appoint- ed as first high commissioner. A Jew, they said, would try to be "impartial" and "neutral," but a non-Jew would have car- ried out the intentions of Lord Balfour and Lleyd George. Under Sir Herbert Samuel as high commissioner for Palestine, the country developed by leaps and vitch and Dr. Aron Syngalowski who have earned for themselves a re- settlements were established. The Keren Kayemeth purchased the spectful place in Jewish history. It is now being carried out by men like Dr. William Haber, chairman of the World ORT Union and presi- Emek, the number of Hebrew dent of the American ORT, and Max A. Braude. the director general schools increased, and the Hebrew University in Jerusalem became of the organization. In celebrating its 90th birthyear, ORT can look a reality. proudly to its great accomplishments in the past which are deeply im- But Jewish achievements were bedded in the fabric of Jewish existence. It can also chart its course for continued constructive work in the future—as the ORT Congress in often overshadowed by anti- Geneva will now do. — THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS SIR HERBERT SAMUEL Photo taken when he was Palestine High Commissioner. arrival in Palestine, the military administration under General Al- lenby was openly opposed to the Balfour Declaration, among whom was a group of influential anti-Jewish officials who encour- aged the anti-Zionist activities of the Arabs. These officials fos- tered Arab nationalism and its hostility to the establishment of the Jewish national home. Sir Herbert Samuel did not dismiss these anti-Semites and anti-Zi- onist officials and, whenever he took important decisions, he tried to "placate" the Arabs. Zionist hopes changed to Zionist criticism of Sir Herbert Samuel. One of his first acts was to give amnesty to Arab killers together with Jabotinsky and others who had defended Jewish lives. The anti-Zionist leader Haj Amin el Hasseini fled the country alter he had organized the riots in Jeru- salem (1920), and was sentenced in absentia to 10 years' imprison- ment. Soon, with the blessing of the administration, he became Mufti of Jerusalem. Sir Herbert gave away about 400,000 dunams (100,000 acres) of state land to Arabs, but not one dunam was given to the members of the Jew- ish Legion. He drafted the White Paper cf 1922, known as the Churchill White Paper, separat- ing Transjordan from Palestine and breaking the pledge of the British government given in the Balfour Declaration, and cutting it off from Jewish immigration. The British government gave large sums of money as subven- tions to Transjordan, for Arab schools and education in Pales- tine, but nothing for the Jewish Jewish events and the negative attitude of the Palestine admini- stration. Until Herbert Samuel's , . . Nevertheless, Jews and Zionists honor his name as the first high commissioner for Palestine, who helped to lay the foundation of -a Jewish national home. The 14th Zionist Congress in Vienna (Aug- ust 1925) passed a resolution, stating that Sir Herbert Samuel, who was high commissioner for five years, brought the country the blessings of peace, order and a good government and took the first step towards the establishment of the Jewish national home. All the delegates voted for the resolu- tion. To the severe critics of Sir Herbert Samuel belonged Jabotin- sky and his party, the Zionist Re- visionists, but it is most remarkable that a sentence from Sir Herbert Samuel's speech at a meeting on the Balfour Declaration day in London, 1919, was taken as the principle basis of the Zionist Re- visionist program: "The aim of Zionism is the gradual transforma- tion of Palestine (including Trans- jordan) into a Jewish common- wealth), that is, into a self-govern- ing Jewish Commonwealth --under the auspices of an established Jewish majority." Later, Sir Herbert Samuel par- ticipated in Jewish and Zionist af- fairs. He was usually prepared to join a Jewish delegation to inter- vene in order to save Jews from Nazi extermination or to address a Zionist meeting. From time to time he spoke in the House of Lords and at meetings of the Friends of the Hebrew University. His wife, Viscountess Beatrice Mir- iam Samuel, was honorary presi- dent and later, together with Vera Weizmann, joint president of WIZO. Sir Herbert Samuel attended the first conference of the Council of the Jewish Agency in Zurich (Aug- ust 1929) and declared that "in olden times the land united the Ten Tribes of Israel and this will also happen in the future." He praised the work of the Zionist Organiza- tion stating that it would become stronger because of the offerings of the Jewish masses to the Keren Hayesod. He was optimistic about the Jewish future of Palestine and he concluded his address: "King Solomon built a - Temple. Nehemiah built a Temple. Herod built a Temple, But we too are today building a Temple of living people, which may be even greater." Dead Sea Area Has Desolate Beauty, History — and Booming Tourist Town The giant fissure at 1,200 feet be- low sea level—the lowest point on the face of the earth—stirs with signs of human activity. Hotels, bathing beaches, sulphur baths, museums and other amenities sprout in the landscape that has been desolate since the destruction of Sodom and Gomorra. It is a landscape of grandeur, historical sites such as Masada, EM Gedi and Kumran, a hot, dry climate perfect in winter, a drown- proof lake, curative hot springs and mineral waters. At EM Bokek health resorts, suf- ferers wallow in mineral-rich mud as a cure for arthritic and rheuma- tic afflictions. A few miles away are the mineral springs of Zohar, bounds. Railway lines and new roads were constructed and Jew- ish workers were employed in the building trade. Hebrew was recog- nized as one of the three official languages. During 1920-1925 the Jewish population increased from about 70,000 to 140.000. The Yishuv elected ifs Vaad Leumi (Jewish National Council) which was recognized by the gov- ernment as representative of the whose therapeutic waters reputed- Jewish community in Palestine. ly hold various healing properties. world wars, revolutions in some of the countries where ORT operated. Nazi extermination of millions of Jews, camps filled after the last war with many thousands of homeless and displaced Jews for whom ORT organized vocational training to return them to a life of work and dignity—proves best that the ORT is a much-needed instrument in Jewish life. The vision of the founders of ORT 90 years ago—among whom were such prominent Jewish figures as Baron Horace Gunzburg, Samuel Poliakov and other great personalities of Russian Jewry—has been car- ried out and fulfilled generation after generation. In the critical years for Jewry during and after the period of the Holocaust, the ORT mis- Thousands of halutzim arrived sion was tirelessly carried out by Dr. Leon Bramson, Dr. David Lvo- each year, and new colonies and SR Friday, November 13, 1970 community or for Jewish settle- ment. Sir Herbert Samuel was pres- ent at the opening ceremony of the Hebrew University on April 1, 1925, and a few weeks later, on June 17, 1925, he left Pales- tine, almost unnoticed. bert Samuel, the postmaster gen- But the thermal springs are not reserved exclusively for the con- valescent and the ailing; the beauty and the feeling of adven- ture appeals especially to young people. A hotel, youth hostels and a camping site with bunga- lows as well as the usual facili- ties, all cater to these visitors. Salt formations of brown, Mar- ren rock tower over the bleak length of shoreline and over the mineral-rich but lifeless waters. Salt-encrusted branches emerge grotesquely out of the shallows. The past is never far away in the Dead Sea area. Near the peaceful, rich fields of EM Gedi, archeologists discovered—in the Judean Caves—the clothes, coins, weapons and remnants of Jewish resistance fighters who held out for years in many caves against the Romans who tracked them down mercilessly for daring to re- bel against their mighty Empire. Midwinter is not only the best time for soaking in the Dead Sea but the ideal time for excursions into the landscape of the desert along its western shore. Not to be missed is a trip to Masada, the most impressive of all mountain fortresses on the shores of the Dead Sea. Located on the route of all ma- jor sightseeing tour busses, the Dead Sea area is still relatively remote and can best be reached by private car. The drive to Ein Bokek (which has the best hotel in the area), takes about four hours from Tel Aviv along the well-marked high- ways, with a stopover for lunch at biblical Beersheba recommended.