13. ISRAELI PRODUCTS FOR THE DIASPORA

The first convention of Betar (Vienna 1928) resolved that the Betar uniforms especially the brown shirts (which, by the way, were worn before one had heard of the German Nazi movement) should be made by Jewish weavers in Eretz Yisrael. To our regret, this has not been realized in actuality; but this will be a duty of Betar in all the countries, to develop great and systematized work on behalf of the products of the Yishuv.

As regard Betar, the principle of "Israel Products for the Diaspora" is not merely one of a hundred proper ways to aid our colonization: it is the most important, almost a synonym, for the settlement of the land. A man is not "held" in Israel by the fact that he settles in Eretz Yisrael and establishes a factory or plants an orchard, this is not enough, he is still just a "tourist" for tomorrow he may lose his livelihood and be forced to leave. Only at that moment that he sells his products it is possible to consider him a settler more or less permanent - a settler and not a tourist. The success of colonization is not measured by the amount of land bought and not in the number of buildings set up, not even in the total of money invested; the success is dependent on whether it is possible to find a market for the products - either in Israel or in the Diaspora. In this sense we may say that the colonization is assured, not where settlers settle, but where possibilities open to see their products. To spread "totzeret ha-aretz" (Israeli products), that is to say, to participate in the colonization of Eretz Yisrael actively and directly to help those who work in Israel and need buyers abroad for the fruit of their toil. When Betar will be able to approach this task, we might call the people engaged in this work - "Pioneers of Israeli Produce", for he who aids in the selling of an article made by a chalutz in Israel is not inferior but as important as the producer.

And this is a job especially for Betar, for the youth. Commerce in our days is dependent on advertisement. For in the big and prosperous cities live the Jews. Not in every corner can a store selling Israeli merchandise establish itself and not every housewife, will all her good will, can always travel a great distance for the sake of such a bargain. Also notices published in strange newspapers, read by rich classes is much too expensive especially in the beginning. Therefore, it is important to spread "totzeret ha-aretz", that the public relations and the bringing of the merchandise to the buyer's house, with price lists and samples in hand, and to collect signatures for this and that, once a week, once a month, and afterwards, to bring the buyers the product on the appointed day. No work is harder or more proper and worthwhile. No other undertaking for the financial good of a Zionist institution can be compared with the tremendous colonizatory importance of the creation of absorptive markets for the Yishuv products, work that a Betar group can aid in to base in Israel plantations, factories and workers, and especially not in the aspect of contributions, but in the form of healthy and commercial profit.