NOTE TO USERS Page(s) not included in the original manuscript are unavailable from the author or university. The manuscript was microfilmed as received. This reproduction is the best copy available. UMI The Labour Party, the Labour Movement, Zionism and Jewish Identity during the 1920's and 1930's Deborah M. Osmond Submitted in partial fulfdlmerit of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts Dalhousie University Halifax, Nova Scotia August 1999 O Copyright by Deborah M. Osmond, 1999 National Library Bibliothèque nationale 1*1 of Canada du Canada Acquisitions and Acquisitions et Bibliographie Services services bibliographiques 395 Wellington Street 395, nie Wellington ottawaON KlAW OctawaON K1A üN4 Canada Canada The author has granted a non- L'auteur a accordé une licence non exclusive Licence aiiowing the exclusive permettant à la National Library of Canada to Bibliothèque nationale du Canada de reproduce, loan, distribute or sel reproduire, prêter, distribuer ou copies of this thesis in microform, vendre des copies de cette thèse sous paper or electronic formats. la forme de microfiche/fïlm, de reproduction sur papier ou sur format électronique. The author retains ownership of the L'auteur conserve la propriété du copyright in this thesis. Neither the droit d'auteur qui protège cette thèse. thesis nor substantial extracts fiom it Ni la thèse ni des extraits substantiels may be printed or otherwise de celle-ci ne doivent être imprimés reproduced without the author's ou autrement reproduits sans son permission. autorisation. This thesis is dedicated to Sarah Eugenia OstrovsS, 1 908- 1998 Contents Abstract ........................................... vi Glossary .......................................... vii Introduction ....................................... 1 Chapter One ...................................... 20 British Jewrv and Labour Politics: Labour. Jewish Identitv and Zionism. 191 8-1939 Chapter Two.................................... 52 Dr. Cevenbere. Poale Zion and Socialist Zianism htween the Wars. Chapter Three ................................... -84 Zionism. Jewish Identi tv. Local Labour Pol- and East End Jewish Writers Conclusion ......................................... f 1 1 Bibliography ....................................... 1 19 Abstract This thesis examines the development and articulation of ideas about modem political Zionism and the Palestine question by the Labour Party and the wider Labour ~Movernentin Britain during the 1920's and 1930's. This study also explores the Party and the Movement's understanding of Jewish labour, socialist Zionism and perceptions of 'Jewishness' in public life, particularly in the British context. In doing so, this thesis reveals how the attitudes of Labour's leaders and intellectuds toward Zionism and Jewish rights to a national homeland were ofien based on the pairing of an intellectual afinity toward Zionism, and personal impressions of Jewish identity in both Britain and abroad. Furthemore, in this, an attempt is made to acknowledge the various tensions between the Party's parliamentary policies, and the opinions of its memben in the wider Labour Movernent surrounding the Zionist issue. Approaching the issue of Zionism from a variety of angles within British Labour shows that opinions were both mercunal and contradictory. The Introduction and Chapter One address Labour's interwar policies on Zionism and the Palestine Question, including a brief explanation of Labour's War Aims Memorandum of 19 17 and the Passfield White Paper of 1930. Chapter One also addresses public perceptions of 'Jewishness' in Britain which influenced Labour's intellectuals and leaders. Chapter Two addresses the issue of Zionism in BRtain from the perspective of Zionist leadership. including socialist Zionist organisations such as Poule Zion which had a strong affiliation with British Labour. Chapter Three examines the opinions and consensus about Zionism from the perspective of Jewish workers and writers in the wider Labour ~Movement.As well, Chapter Three acknowledges the varying degrees of extemal socialist and Communist influences, from both Britain and abroad, on Zionist opinion in Jewish communities such as the East End of London. Glossary of Abbreviations and Terms BUF-Bntish Union of Fascists BUND-The General Jewish Worken' Bund of Poland and Lithuania CPGB-Cornmunist Party of Great Bntain FZY-Federation of Zionist Youth ICOS-Yiddish Organisation for Colonisation in Soviet Russia ILP-Independent Labour Party JF'C-Joint Foreign Cornmittee of British kws LLP-London Labour Party NEBGLP-Noah East Bethnal Green Labour Party NEC-National Executive Comrnittee of the British Labour Party NUTGW-National Union of Trade Garment Workers PLP-Parliamen tary Labour Party WZO-World Zionist Organisation Aliyah- 'Going-up' or retuming to Zion (Palestine) Chaluztim-Jewish pioneers Farvortsekeit- 'rootedness'; something that limited migratory patterns and movements. Poale Zion- 'Workers of Zion', the Jewish Socidist Labour Party Haskalah- the Jewish Enlightenment Histadruth-General Jewish Federation of Labour in Palestine Kibbutzim-Jewish communal settiements in Palestine Yishuv-Jewish natives of Palestine vii Ac know ledrrernen ts 1 would like to express my thanks to the Faculty of Graduate Studies at Dalhousie University, the Research and Development Fund (RDF) and the Peter Fraser Fund for financiai assistance. The Dalhousie Killam Memorial Library Document Delivery services were patient and understanding with al1 my requests. 1 would dso like to thank Dr. Jacob Vander Meulen for providing comrnents on this thesis in its early stages; as well as Dr. Cynthia Neville, Dr. Dorota Glowacka and Dr. Lawrence Stokes for their helpful comments and suggestions. My supervisor, Dr. Stephen J- Brooke, was both encouraging and generous with his time and support. farnily and sorne very special friends, including Paul Baskett, Amy Black, Lucy Curzon, Katie d'Anjou, Kelly Hand, Lora Hutchison and Rebecca Pitt. Introduction On 3 January 1930, London's Jewish Guardian declared that "[slince the Labour Party is plainIy destined to be one of the leading Parties in British politics during the coming years, it may succeed in attracting to its banner Englishmen of the Jewish religion."' The Jewish Guardian also praised the Party for its participation in the British Zionist movement. More particularly , it honoured Labour MPs and intellectuals who showed support for Zionist organisations in Britain between the wars.' During the 'twenties and 'thirties, Labour MPs and Executive Committee members openiy discussed the ideological ties between Labour and political Zionism. Zionist groups were featured at Labour talks and meetings, and the Party's cornmitment to pursuing Jewish political interests in Palestine were acknowledged with gratitude by Jewish Britons across the country. London's Jewish Chronicle also featured regular articles about Labour leaders, such as Ramsay MacDonald, and Susan Lawrence, a member of the National Executive Committee (NEC); both agreed chat Zionism and Jewish settlements in Palestine put into practice the utopian dreams of the celebrated English Socialist writers, John Ruskin and William Morris.' Despite al1 the obvious political and economic gains made in the British 'mandates' and 'protectorates' in the Middle East, Palestine and Zionism still occupied a special place for the Party and the Movement. Labour's enthusiasrn for Zionism in the 'twenties and 'thirties, and the support of Party leaders, intellectuals and the Labour Movement for Jewish national rights, has received very Iittle scholarly attention. Moreover, the interwar years illustrate the wide range and scope in Labour's attitudes toward Jewish issues and Zionism. The Party's ideological shifts regarding these matters can be illustrated most effectively in the wake of two major events that affected its policy making. The first was Labour's 'War Aims Thc Jcwish Guardian, "Jews and Politics", 3 January 1930. p. 6. %c Jewish Guardian. "Poale Zionists at Dinner", Fnday March 1930; "Labour and Palestine". 1 1 April 1930. 3 Thc Jewish Chronicle, "Labour Party and the Disorders", 16 Octobcr 1936. p. 20. Memorandum' in 1917, which called for the same elementary rights for Jews in every nation and support for a Jewish national home in Palestine. Known more commonly as the 'Henderson Webb Declaration', this memorandum was announced only two months before the Palestine Mandate initiated by the Conservative coalition in early August 1917 and has been the subject of some study.' Written by Arthur Henderson and Sidney Webb, the War Aims Memorandum constituted the "first public expression of Labour's attitude to Zionism", and was later attributed to the growing influence and controversial propaganda efforts made by the Jewish Socialist Labour Party, Poule Ziod The second event was the White Paper of 1930: Labour's most ill-fated attempt to reverse its policy and bridle Jewish immigration to Palestine and deny Jews the rights to a homeland. Most scholars who have rtttempted to address the place of Zionism in Labour history, however, tend to focus on Labour's mercurial policies and its fatal blunders after World War TwoP During the pst-War govemment, the Party conceded in 1948 to the House of Commons that in regard to the Palestine Question "[ilt is now time for others to find and implement the solution which has eluded us".' Understandably, such a period of controversy has captured the most attention, and eclipsed curiosity and inquiry into Labour's