Comrade Borenstein had Herzl’s number in 1903.

‘As to Zionism’ by Oscar Borenstein from the Chicago Socialist. Vol. 5 No. 239. October 3, 1903.

At Bazil, Switzerland, the Zionists passed a resolution at their last convention that all Jewish Socialists be hunted down, and they pledged themselves to do all in their power to assist the Russian Government in suppressing the Socialist movement among the Jews in that country.

From letters received from Russian Jewish central bodies, we are informed that it is a fact, that Dr. Herzel, the Guiding Spirit of the Zionist movement, was denied an audience with Count Von Plehve, the Russian Minister of the Interior, better known as the Bloody Jew Bater of the East. Unless Dr. Herzel, as the head of the Zionist movement, first pledges himself to do all within his power at the Zionist convention, to discourage the growth of Socialism among the Jews. And this pledge, subsequent events shows he faithfully fulfilled.

That the Russian Government, through its ministers and spies will do all within its power to crush the aspirations for liberty and a higher life we expect and are prepared to fight even to the Inst.

But, when men who set themselves up as leaders of the Jewish people and secure International fame as self-sacrificing philanthropists and thus gain the confidence of large numbers of their persecuted brethren. When men like these consent to join hands with the bloody brutes who were the instigators of the Kishineff massacre, then we can find no language strong enough to properly denounce such men and their actions.

This whole Zionist movement from the start to the present writing, smacks of capitalism, and the personal ambition of a few would be Redeemers who when the mask is torn from off their faces, will be found to be nothing but self-glorifying Hypocrites.

Let me ask you, my brother Jew, who have honestly been led into this Zionist movement, what is left for the Jew in Russia except to rebel–to protest in every way and any way possible against the inhuman treatment of the government that was capable of instigating and executing the infamous Kishineff horror. This government the leaders of the Zionist movement are not only upholding, but assisting by their resolutions and moral support.

It is, therefore, the duty of every intelligent and liberty loving Jew, the world over, to lift his voice in earnest protest against this reactionary movement, which there is no doubt is in league with the Russian government.

The Chicago Socialist, sometimes daily sometimes weekly, was published from 1902 until 1912 as the paper of the Chicago Socialist Party. The roots of the paper lie with Workers Call, published from 1899 as a Socialist Labor Party publication, becoming a voice of the Springfield Social Democratic Party after splitting with De Leon in July, 1901. It became the Chicago Socialist Party paper with the SDP’s adherence and changed its name to the Chicago Socialist in March, 1902. In 1906 it became a daily and published until 1912 by Local Cook County of the Socialist Party and was edited by A.M. Simons if the International Socialist Review. A cornucopia of historical information on the Chicago workers movements lies within its pages.

PDF of full issues: https://www.marxists.org/history/usa/pubs/workers-call-chicago-socialist/031003-chicagosocialist-v05w239.pdf