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- Theodor Herzl
Background
In one way, at least, the Ottoman government’s November 1900 decree, forbidding Jewish visitors to Palestine to remain there for more than three months, did Jews around the world a favor: it forced sovereign governments to effectively declare whether there was one law for their Jewish citizens, and another for their Christian ones. Here, Herzl notes that the Italian government had immediately protested, had made no distinction between its Jewish and its gentile subjects, and telling Gottheil that now “it must be our next and most important task to provoke such a position also in several other countries… particularly you in America.” “A successful action on this question,” he predicts, “will advance our movement in America better than with 100 meetings in the East End and West End.”
What Gottheil needs to do, then, is take the issue to “the Congress or the Senate on the question as to whether it is permissible to deny American citizens – be they Jews or Christians – to tread on Palestinian ground, or to make distinctions between the various American citizens… This question is enormously important and can, in my opinion, find a very effective solution from America.”
Since it concerns a generalized question, virtually one of principle, I am convinced that with your activity and skill you will succeed in arranging a meeting of personalities such as Cyrus Adler, Strauss, Sulzberger, Judge Rosenthal, at which suitable steps can be arrived at. But in case these people, or some of them, get wind of the matter under consideration and work against it, then they will be on their own. Of course, I cannot give you any detailed instructions; I can only describe the aim to you and leave it to your intelligence and proven devotion to choose the fastest and surest path. In my opinion, the moment has now arrived for you to go to Mac Kinley [McKinley] and to request from him a declaration on this special matter. It will be difficult for him to refuse, since it is not a case of taking a position on Zionism but a matter of equal rights for all American citizens. It will be up to you to obtain the President’s remarks in the form of an interview, or in any other manner deemed suitable by you, to make sure they are spread among as much of the public at large as possible. Make sure to achieve the utmost possible on this question.
Whether Gottheil did or did not do as Herzl directed is, it would seem, irrelevant. Just three days after Herzl wrote, Secretary of State John Hay protested the discrimination in the name of the United States government. These protests eventually yielded some clarification, if not true redress: the restriction, the Turkish Porte declared, applied only to Jews arriving in Palestine in great numbers, not to individual tourists. Visitors were welcomes; colonists, were not.
What Gottheil needs to do, then, is take the issue to “the Congress or the Senate on the question as to whether it is permissible to deny American citizens – be they Jews or Christians – to tread on Palestinian ground, or to make distinctions between the various American citizens… This question is enormously important and can, in my opinion, find a very effective solution from America.”
Since it concerns a generalized question, virtually one of principle, I am convinced that with your activity and skill you will succeed in arranging a meeting of personalities such as Cyrus Adler, Strauss, Sulzberger, Judge Rosenthal, at which suitable steps can be arrived at. But in case these people, or some of them, get wind of the matter under consideration and work against it, then they will be on their own. Of course, I cannot give you any detailed instructions; I can only describe the aim to you and leave it to your intelligence and proven devotion to choose the fastest and surest path. In my opinion, the moment has now arrived for you to go to Mac Kinley [McKinley] and to request from him a declaration on this special matter. It will be difficult for him to refuse, since it is not a case of taking a position on Zionism but a matter of equal rights for all American citizens. It will be up to you to obtain the President’s remarks in the form of an interview, or in any other manner deemed suitable by you, to make sure they are spread among as much of the public at large as possible. Make sure to achieve the utmost possible on this question.
Whether Gottheil did or did not do as Herzl directed is, it would seem, irrelevant. Just three days after Herzl wrote, Secretary of State John Hay protested the discrimination in the name of the United States government. These protests eventually yielded some clarification, if not true redress: the restriction, the Turkish Porte declared, applied only to Jews arriving in Palestine in great numbers, not to individual tourists. Visitors were welcomes; colonists, were not.
Typed Letter Signed (“Herzl”), in German, 2 pages, on the decorative “Erez Israel” letterhead of the Bureau of the Zionist Congress , quarto, Türkenstrasse No. 9, Vienna, February 25, 1901. To Professor Richard Gottheil in New York.
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Page 1/2
“EREZ ISRAEL”
BUREAU OF
THE ZIONIST-CONGRESS
Telephone No. 14.199.
Vienna, 25. II. 1901.
IX., Türkenstrasse No. 9.
Most Valued Friend!
By the same mail you will receive a circular of the A.C. in the matter of the recent pronouncement of the “POLITISCHEN CORRESPONDENZ”. If you will read this report from Constantinople carefully, you, like myself, will find that it is only a confirmation of the enormous progress that the Zionist movement has made. For instance, you will find in it a statement concerning the attitude – of which I have been aware for a long time – of the Grand Vizier HALIL RIFAAT PASHA, albeit also about the news of various intrigues and conspiracies, which have an adverse effect not only on our plans but on other political matters connected with Turkey. But that is not the purpose of my letter. Rather, I want to draw your attention to what is written in the note about the position of the Italian government. It must be our next and most important task to provoke such a position also in several other countries, and particularly you in America must undertake the most important mission to work with all your might to see to it that a debate will be opened in the Congress or the Senate about the irresponsible difficulties put in the way of immigration to Palestine. I am asking you, therefore, to initiate with the greatest speed a discussion in the Congress or the Senate on the question as to whether it is permissible to deny American citizens – be they Jews or Christians – to tread on Palestinian ground, or to make distinctions between the various American citizens. This question is enormously important and can, in my opinion, find a very effective solution from America. Since it concerns a generalized question, virtually one of principle, I am convinced that with your activity and skill you will succeed in arranging a meeting of personalities such as Cyrus Adler, Strauss, Sulzberger, Judge Rosenthal, at which suitable steps can be arrived at. But in case these people, or some of them, get wind of the matter under consideration and work against it, then they will be on their own. Of course, I cannot give you any detailed instructions; I can only describe the aim to you and leave it to your intelligence and proven devotion to choose the fastest and surest path. In my opinion, the moment has now arrived for you to go to Mac Kinley [sic] and to request from him a declaration on this special matter. It will be difficult for him to refuse, since it is not a case of taking a position on Zionism but a matter of equal rights for all American citizens. It will be up to you to obtain the President’s remarks in the form of an interview, or in any other manner deemed suitable by you, to make sure they are spread among as much of the public at large as possible. Make sure to achieve the utmost possible on this question.
BUREAU OF
THE ZIONIST-CONGRESS
Telephone No. 14.199.
Vienna, 25. II. 1901.
IX., Türkenstrasse No. 9.
Most Valued Friend!
By the same mail you will receive a circular of the A.C. in the matter of the recent pronouncement of the “POLITISCHEN CORRESPONDENZ”. If you will read this report from Constantinople carefully, you, like myself, will find that it is only a confirmation of the enormous progress that the Zionist movement has made. For instance, you will find in it a statement concerning the attitude – of which I have been aware for a long time – of the Grand Vizier HALIL RIFAAT PASHA, albeit also about the news of various intrigues and conspiracies, which have an adverse effect not only on our plans but on other political matters connected with Turkey. But that is not the purpose of my letter. Rather, I want to draw your attention to what is written in the note about the position of the Italian government. It must be our next and most important task to provoke such a position also in several other countries, and particularly you in America must undertake the most important mission to work with all your might to see to it that a debate will be opened in the Congress or the Senate about the irresponsible difficulties put in the way of immigration to Palestine. I am asking you, therefore, to initiate with the greatest speed a discussion in the Congress or the Senate on the question as to whether it is permissible to deny American citizens – be they Jews or Christians – to tread on Palestinian ground, or to make distinctions between the various American citizens. This question is enormously important and can, in my opinion, find a very effective solution from America. Since it concerns a generalized question, virtually one of principle, I am convinced that with your activity and skill you will succeed in arranging a meeting of personalities such as Cyrus Adler, Strauss, Sulzberger, Judge Rosenthal, at which suitable steps can be arrived at. But in case these people, or some of them, get wind of the matter under consideration and work against it, then they will be on their own. Of course, I cannot give you any detailed instructions; I can only describe the aim to you and leave it to your intelligence and proven devotion to choose the fastest and surest path. In my opinion, the moment has now arrived for you to go to Mac Kinley [sic] and to request from him a declaration on this special matter. It will be difficult for him to refuse, since it is not a case of taking a position on Zionism but a matter of equal rights for all American citizens. It will be up to you to obtain the President’s remarks in the form of an interview, or in any other manner deemed suitable by you, to make sure they are spread among as much of the public at large as possible. Make sure to achieve the utmost possible on this question.
Page 2/2
“EREZ ISRAEL”
BUREAU OF
THE ZIONIST-CONGRESS
Telephone No. 14.199.
Vienna, _____________
IX., Türkenstrasse No. 9.
2
Do not make do with a debate in the Congress and Senate or with a declaration by the President, but make an effort to obtain everything: representatives, government and public opinion. The moment has arrived, Friend Gottheil, when you can demonstrate what our American friends, and in particular you, their leader, are capable of doing. You will understand me when I say that with a successful action on this question you will advance our movement in America better than with 100 meetings in the East End and West End. But you will also understand me when I say to you that I will utilize quickly and energetically, at a suitable place and a suitable time, the results which you will achieve in the manner outlined here, towards obtaining our objectives. Do not waste any day and any hour, because we are in the midst of peak activity. You are hereby charged with a great task [that will have] serious consequences, and as I know you, you will not fail at this task. I await your speedy incoming news and remain
With cordial greetings to you and your worthy ladies
Your loyal devoted
HERZL
Well-born Gentleman
Professor Richard Gottheil, New- York.
BUREAU OF
THE ZIONIST-CONGRESS
Telephone No. 14.199.
Vienna, _____________
IX., Türkenstrasse No. 9.
2
Do not make do with a debate in the Congress and Senate or with a declaration by the President, but make an effort to obtain everything: representatives, government and public opinion. The moment has arrived, Friend Gottheil, when you can demonstrate what our American friends, and in particular you, their leader, are capable of doing. You will understand me when I say that with a successful action on this question you will advance our movement in America better than with 100 meetings in the East End and West End. But you will also understand me when I say to you that I will utilize quickly and energetically, at a suitable place and a suitable time, the results which you will achieve in the manner outlined here, towards obtaining our objectives. Do not waste any day and any hour, because we are in the midst of peak activity. You are hereby charged with a great task [that will have] serious consequences, and as I know you, you will not fail at this task. I await your speedy incoming news and remain
With cordial greetings to you and your worthy ladies
Your loyal devoted
HERZL
Well-born Gentleman
Professor Richard Gottheil, New- York.
