'V,
Vol. IX.
TORONTO, ONT., OCTOBER 12, 1928
No. 51
Editorials
THUS SPAKE LORD MELCHETT
YOU MUST RAISE YOUR SUBSCRIPTION
The Jewish newspaper, the "Day," of New York, last week published an authorized interview with Lord Melchett on the Zionist situation which exploded like a bombshell among his lordship's Jewish friends in America, and particularly in the circles of Zionist leadership.
Lord Melchett (Sir Alfred Mond) is an avowed Zionist. He is president of the English Federation of Zionists, During the past few years he has been closely associated with Dr. Weizmann in shaping Zionist policy. Latterly when the Jewish Agency scheme was brought forward by Dr. Weizmann on behalf of the Zionists and Mr. Louis Marshall on behalf of the so-called American Jewish "notables," Lord Melchett was more or less active in furthering the development of the proposition. The recent conference of the Agency Commission held in England was housed in Lord Melchett's palace. Lord Melchett presided over it. His name was at the top of the list of signatories to the Commission's report. The present visit to America of Lord Melchett was supposed to have been motivated mainly by his desire to attend the next conference of the Agency Commission which is shortly to be held. It was expected that Lord Melchett would assume a leading role in the deliberations at this conference.
Now in his interview with the "Day," Lord Melchett expressed opinions which seem to contradict those formerly ascribed to him. The gist may be summarized as follows:
(a) Let the premise be established that he has not ceased to be a Zionist.  He is vitally interested in the upbuilding of Palestine.
lb) Palestine cannot be built up by public funds and national subsidies.
c) The Palestine venture can be successfully achieved only on the oasis of accepted capitalistic economics, that isr by private initiative and private investment. Palestine is a promising field for prof table investment by capitalists and industrialists, and can be deal; with on its own economic,merits.
1) It follows that the financial activities of the Zionist organization and Hadassah, being of a public nature, might well be cur-taik 1, and eventually dispensed with altogether.
j It follows further that the proposed activities of the Agency in r u direction of augmenting Zionist income would be producing a use.oss addition to what is already superfluous, and hence entirely unnecessary.
�.) The proposed activities of the Agency in the sphere of diploma^, would be useless and vicious. Interference by a handful of Arri'-.-ican Jewish capitalists with the political problems of Palestine *ou';d be resented both by the Palestine Jews and by the extra-Jewish Po\uts, and would be apt to do damage to the political status of the Palestine venture.
sr) The Jewish Agency rather than uniting the forces of Jewdom for Palestine would be a source of discord, and misunderstandings, Differences of opinion between the Zionists and the so-called non-Zionists would be bound to crop up, and eventually the partnership
Continued on Page 24
Rabbi Ferdinand M. Isserman One hundred and thirty-five thousand dollars is the goal of the campaign for funds of the Federation of Jewish Philanthropies. Ten thousand dollars more than last year is required. This increase in need is a healthful sign. It is indicative that the scope of Federation's work is being increased, and that the standard of its work is being raised. The Toronto Jewish community is young and growing. Its institutions are still in the process of development. Their needs must increase, if they are to meet the larger demands which inevitably will be placed upon them. The fact, therefore, that Federation needs more funds this year should be regarded as an encouraging sign, indicative that its officials are meeting the needs of a growing � community.
To the individual members of Federation, it means that they ' should attempt to raise their last year's contribution by about ten per cent.   If you have community spirit, and heed the age-old injunction of Judaism, you will make   that increase without being urged.
Federation this year must attain its quota. The fair name of -the Jew is at stake. Nothing we Jews have done in Toronto has redounded so much to our credit in the larger community as the big-visioned way in which we have maintained our charities. Our Christian neighbours admire and respect the high standards of our philanthropic work. Do you not want to retain that respect and admiration? Do you want to maintain that high standard? You can by increasing your subscriptions.
THE BLOOD MURDER ACCUSATION IN THE
UNITED STATES
The pernicious effect of the anti-Semitic propaganda sponsored by the Dearborn Independent and others, as well as the universal jingoistic re-action following the world war, was evinced last Yom Kippur, when in a small New York village the disappearance of a little girl led the authorities to suspect that she had been immured in the synagogue to meet the ritual demands of the Day of Atonement. No baser myth has ever been circulated. None has appeared so frequently and in so many localities. None has so often been refuted �but periodically it has raised its head. The first record of an official blood murder accusation goes back to H40 in Norwich, England. Thence like a plague it spread over Europe and even appeared in Asia Minor. No one can estimate the harm it has done to. Jews. Popes have denounced it. Even Jewish converts to Christianity have proclaimed it outrageously false. But despite it all, the myth has lived. In the last year of the tottering Russian autocracy, it seized upon Mendel Beiliss, who was at first convicted but subsequently liberated when the civilized world thundered its protest. When it occurred in Russia, the most reactionary of world powers, one was horrified, but not amazed�anything was possible in the land of the Czar.   But that it should occur in the United
Continued on page 20
v
� \