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 individual opinions, let us examine the material means, the pure capital possessed by the nation of Israel. ’

“‘But against the three and a half million Jews with their money there are 265 million enemies in Europe, or rather 500 million fists,’ remarked one of these present.

“‘The head will protect us against the fists, as in the past. Labor is the slave of speculation, and violence is the slave of wisdom. Who will deny that cunning is the distinctive trait of our nation?

“Our nation is ostentatious and greedy, arrogant and pleasure-loving.

“‘Where there is light there is also shadow. It is not in vain that Adonai our God gave his chosen people the tenacity of a snake, the cunning of a fox, the look of a falcon, the memory of a dog, the diligence of an ant, and the sociability of a beaver. We were in captivity on the rivers of Babylon, and have become powerful! Our temple was destroyed, but we have built a thousand new temples! For eighteen hundreds years we were slaves; now we have grown head and shoulders above all other nations.’

“All the twelve pronounced the concluding words—

“‘Brethren,’ said the Levite, ‘the time has come when, in accordance with the laws of the founder of our union, we must determine ways and means by which the Jews shall attain their goal as soon as possible; our experience of a hundred years will help us in this. We who know must direct and guide the masses which are blind. We, the builders, will combine the dead stones into a pillar which must reach the sky.’

“‘The Tower of Babel was destroyed by the hand of Him whose name I dare not pronounce,’ said the sceptic.

“‘Our structure rests upon the foundation of the promise made to Abraham. It is your turn to speak, representative of the tribe of Reuben! By what means will the Jewish nation achieve power and supremacy over all other nations on earth?’

“A shrill, unpleasant voice then spoke:

“‘All the princes and the lands of Europe are at present in debt. The stock exchange regulates these debts, But such things are done only by movable capital; therefore all the movable capital must go over to the hands of the Jews. The foundation for this is already laid, judging from what we have heard here. If we will be supreme in the stock exchange, we will attain the