Herzl, Theodor, 1860-1904; Zionism; Zionists -- Austria -- Biography
On the other hand, we shall not relegate the old to an almshouse. An
almshouse is one of the cruelest charities which our stupid good
nature ever invented. There our old people die out of pure shame and
mortification. There they are already buried. But we will leave even
to those who stand on the lowest grade of intelligence the consoling
illusion of their utility in the world. We will provide easy tasks for
those who are incapable of physical labor; for we must allow for
diminished vitality in the poor of an already enfeebled generation.
But future generations shall be dealt with otherwise; they shall be
brought up in liberty for a life of liberty.
We will seek to bestow the moral salvation of work on men of every age
and of every class; and thus our people will find their strength again
in the land of the seven-hour day.
PLANS OF THE TOWNS
The local groups will delegate their authorized representatives to
select sites for towns. In the distribution of land every precaution
will be taken to effect a careful transfer with due consideration for
acquired rights.
The local groups will have plans of the towns, so that our people may
know beforehand where they are to go, in which towns and in which
houses they are to live. Comprehensive drafts of the building plans
previously referred to will be distributed among the local groups.
The principle of our administration will be strict centralization of
our local groups' autonomy. In this way the transfer will be
accomplished with the minimum of pain.
I do not imagine all this to be easier than it actually is; on the
other hand, people must not imagine it to be more difficult than it is
in reality.
THE DEPARTURE OF THE MIDDLE CLASSES
The middle classes will involuntarily be drawn into the outgoing
current, for their sons will be officials of the Society or employees
of the Company "over there." Lawyers, doctors, technicians of every
description, young business people--in fact, all Jews who are in
search of opportunities, who now escape from oppression in their
native country to earn a living in foreign lands--will assemble on a
soil so full of fair promise. The daughters of the middle classes will
marry these ambitious men. One of them will send for his wife or
fiancee to come out to him, another for his parents, brothers and
sisters. Members of a new civilization marry young. This will promote
general morality and ensure sturdiness in the new generation; and thus
we shall have no delicate offspring of late marriages, children of
fathers who spent their strength in the struggle for life.
Every middle-class emigrant will draw more of his kind after him.
The bravest will naturally get the best out of the new world.
But there we seem undoubtedly to have touched on the crucial
difficulty of my plan.
Even if we succeeded in opening a world discussion on the Jewish
Question in a serious manner--
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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