OME of our readers may have
been surprised at our pro
longed silence about the Palestinian question. The reason for this is (to be frank) that we are scared to mention the word " Jew."
If a Catholic nowadays mentions the word otherwise than in terms of extravagant praise he will be considered to manifest signs of latent anti-Semitism. Actually we, for our part, are very conscious of the fact that Catholics and Jews share a good deal in common as being minorities always liable to bitter persecution. And this is an additional reason for disliking having to say about Jewry the sort of thing that others seek excuses to say about Catholicism.
Yet there is this great difference between the two cases. If Catholicism becomes Caesarian, it is wrongly so, and such Caesarism can be honestly repudiated by all honest Catholics. Jewry, however, is historically national as well as religious. and each Jew must search his heart about whatever is done in the name of his race, as well as in the name of his religion.
In Palestine to-day we have the picture of an extreme form of NcoFascism, apparently inculcated as a doctrine and carried into effect with all the insane logic of the fanatic.
This is so evil in itself and so doubly evil in that it has been made the expression of a great religious community which Christianity itself fulfilled, that it demands a form of utter repudiation from the rest of Jewry which was certainly not forthcoming from the recent Basle Zionist Conference.
Even if the Fascist argument that such evil methods will alone bring peace and security to persecuted Jewry be granted, it would still remain the case that the obtaining of an end in this immoral way is far worse than the defeat of legitimate aspirations. and such a development is indeed inexplicable except in terms of a great decline from Jewish religious ideals.
In point of fact, the world to-day has the will to help the Jews to the utmost consistent with the rights of others. and no country more so than this country.