"Which country do you believe is most suitable for Jews to colonize at present in the event that America closes its doors to immigrants?"

This was one of the many questions I asked the great Jewish author who is now visiting in Chicago.

The serious philosophic face of the tall, slender, grey Mr. Zangwill became even more serious for a moment.

"It is a very interesting question," he said, sitting himself calmly in a soft revolving chair. "I could name you many territories where Jews could emigrate, settle, and get complete autonomy, but the trouble is that at the present moment the world Judaism possesses no interest to supply a Jewish territory. From Europe every Jew strives to come to America, and here in America, every Jew thinks, that so long as he sends money to help the suffering Jews in Europe, his duty is completely fulfilled.

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They are afraid to take up the question of a rest place for Jews on a large scale, a question which must be taken up."

"What territories would you recommend for Jewish immigrants, in case the question of migration on a large scale, which you have in mind, is taken up?"

"Well, there is a country, Siberia, where Jews can settle and fortify themselves and establish full national and autonomy rights. In South America, there are plenty of opportunities and places for Jewish immigration and colonization. In Brazil, there are strips of land that are suitable for Jewish country. There are many more places on the globe where Jews could settle, and in a short time feel no different than in America.

"What would you give as a reason, for the leaders and Jewish welfare workers in Europe not taking up the question of the territories you mentioned?"

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"The reason, my friend," he told me, "is because our Jewish welfare workers fear open discussion of the problem that no nation can exist if it has no country to rule independently; this does not necessarily mean that Palestine alone must be the country able to maintain the existence of the Jews as a nation. Every territory can turn out the same. The only thing necessary is to face the truth and work up courage enough to say to yourself, 'The Jews must have their own territory,' and then the question as to whether or not America will admit immigrants is not so important."

"Do you say that because in a country like America there are no special territories where the future existence of the Jews would be assured?"

"When you ask me about the future of the Jews in America, I will say that my opinion always was that America is a melting-pot.

"All immigrants entering America must assimilate either partially or completely. I held this opinion before I came to America and I am still in the same frame of mind."

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And Zangwill is of the conviction that all Jews living in America will in time assimilate with the Americans in the general melting-pot.

"It is just a question of how long it will take before America will completely bar immigrants, and bring the process of assimilation to an end," he added.

Zangwill is under the impression that in New York the process of assimilation will last somewhat longer, in smaller cities where there are less Jews than in New York, the same process of assimilation will take place much sooner, but it must take place. "It is already taking place; take the young Jewish generation, you will see that they are not only far from comprehending Jewish problems but they cannot even speak Jewish," he pointed out.

"But do you know of the movement that certain Jewish organizations in America have organized, for the building of Jewish schools in which the young Jewish children can learn Jewish?" I asked Zangwill.

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He replied that he knows, and that he does not believe that it will keep the young American Jewish generation from assimilating.

Such special schools, Zangwill claims, will certainly be able to do something for Jewish education and training; but to our sorrow, they exist in an abnormal condition and in subnormal circumstances.

In order that a school may give the child a correct education and training, the child must spend at least four or five hours a day in school. "But what," says Zangwill, "do we see in the American Jewish schools? When do they teach the children there? Not until they come home from the American public schools, and then for only an hour or two. It is evident that the influence of Jewish schools on the child, cannot exceed the influence of the public schools.

"Particularly when one class of people tries to live in the same neighborhood and atmosphere of another class, the people of the first class cannot help but assimilate. This is my opinion, and it will surely work out that way with American Judaism in the near future."

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"Have you anything to say in reference to the Jewish Congress in America?"

"The Jewish Congress in America was not a Jewish Congress - but a Zionist Congress. The Zionists have instilled real Zionistic propaganda into it; therefore it cannot be called a Jewish Congress."

Zangwill came to Chicago in connection with his new comedy "We, Moderns," which is being presented this week for the first time in Chicago, at the Blackstone theatre.

"You understand," he added, "this comedy is not Jewish and yet it is Jewish. It is a production without Jews, but with specific 'critical spirit' that only we Jews possess."