countries on account of existing persecutions, and is sunk
in most distant foreign undertakings, it will flow back again in
consequence of this peaceable solution, and will contribute to the
further progress of the countries which the Jews have left.

FOOTNOTES:

[B] Dr. Herzl addressed a meeting of the Maccabean Club, at which
Israel Zangwill presided, on November 24th, 1895.

_VI. Conclusion_

How much has been left unexplained, how many defects, how many harmful
superficialities, and how many useless repetitions in this pamphlet,
which I have thought over so long and so often revised!

But a fair-minded reader, who has sufficient understanding to grasp
the spirit of my words, will not be repelled by these defects. He will
rather be roused thereby to cooperate with his intelligence and energy
in a work which is not one man's task alone, and to improve it.

Have I not explained obvious things and overlooked important
objections?

I have tried to meet certain objections; but I know that many more
will be made, based on high grounds and low.

To the first class of objections belongs the remark that the Jews are
not the only people in the world who are in a condition of distress.
Here I would reply that we may as well begin by removing a little of
this misery, even if it should at first be no more than our own.

It might further be said that we ought not to create new distinctions
between people; we ought not to raise fresh barriers, we should rather
make the old disappear. But men who think in this way are amiable
visionaries; and the idea of a native land will still flourish when
the dust of their bones will have vanished tracelessly in the winds.
Universal brotherhood is not even a beautiful dream. Antagonism is
essential to man's greatest efforts.

But the Jews, once settled in their own State, would probably have no
more enemies. As for those who remain behind, since prosperity
enfeebles and causes them to diminish, they would soon disappear
altogether. I think the Jews will always have sufficient enemies, such
as every nation has. But once fixed in their own land, it will no
longer be possible for them to scatter all over the world. The
diaspora cannot be reborn, unless the civilization of the whole earth
should collapse; and such a consummation could be feared by none but
foolish men. Our present civilization possesses weapons powerful
enough for its self-defence.

Innumerable objections wi