Daily Digest of Public Opinion on Jewish Matters

Relating, in an article in the “Jewish Daily Eagle” of Montreal, a conversation which he had recently with a high official of the Labor Department at Washington, Kretchmar-Israeli says:

“I was told the Labor Department feels certain that the registration-of-aliens bill will be adopted by Congress. On the other hand, the official told me, it is believed that any measures in favor of immigrants, such as Congressman Perlman’s bill to permit the entrance of wives and children of residents in the United States, have no chance of adoption, especially if these measures are proposed by Jews.

“The Jewish congressmen may be all right in every other respect, but when it comes to Jewish matters, their ‘judgement’ cannot be accepted, I was told, because ‘aliens’ are always trying to make capital out of their defense of the interests of their nationalities.

“This leads us to reflect,” continues Mr. Kretchmar-Israeli, “that we Jews should have some sort of committee or organization at Washington to fight for our rights. In Poland, in former Austria and other east and central-European countries the Jews used to unite, and still do in some lands, in order to defend their interests in the parliamentary bodies. It was considered no disgrace to do this. But here in America we are afraid lest someone lose his good opinion of us.

“Louis Brandeis withdraws from the bench when a Jewish case is brought before the Supreme Court, because he knows the judgement of a Jew on a Jewish question is not taken in good faith. But why then should we not be outspoken about this and fight for our rights openly instead of retreating behind the bush?”

THE VATICAN, PALESTINE AND THE ARABS

The Arabs in Palestine had no feeling of animosity toward the Jews until the Vatican began to propogate its anti-Jewish policy among the Christian Arabs, says an article in a recent issue of the “Wiener Morgenzeitung”.

“The Arabs realized the great value of the work done by the Jewish colonists in bringing new life and activity into the much neglected land of Palestine”, says this paper.

“They took no political attitude to the statements made in the Balfour Declaration. Protests began to appear only when the San Remo Decision was published, placing the Jewish aspirations in the sphere of active politics, and the Vatican, which had never protested against the Turks and Mohammedans who had previously ruled over Palestine and the holy Christian sites, suddenly inaugurated an anti-Jewish campaign among the Christian Arabs. That the holy sites are protected by the stipulations of the Palestine Mandate, that the Jews had never done anything to inspire suspicion as to their motives in regard to the rights of Christians and Mohammedans in the Holy Land-all this does not concern the Vatican. The Roman Patriarch, Cardinal Barlassina, says the Jews are branded, and that seems to explain everything.”

VATICAN’S NEW DREAM

“The Vatican”, says the “Joodsche Wachter” of Rotterdam, the organ of the Dutch Zionists, “wished Italy to assume the role of France as protector of the Christian interests in the near East. It is clear that the Pope feels offended by the anti-clerical tendencies in the French Government and Italy tries to make use of this temporary trouble, but it is to be hoped that this new intrigue of Rome will meet with no better success than its predecessors.”

THE CONFLICT OF TWO IDEAS

The “Juedische Rundschau” of Berlin has been publishing numerous articles relative to the propaganda of Abraham Goldberg, member of the Zionist Executive Committee of America, who is in Germany now engaged in organizing German Zionists into an opposition to the World Zionist Executive. In a recent issue the “Juedische Rundschau” carries an article by Robert Sternau, who criticizes Mr. Goldberg, especially for his contention that through the activities of private initiative and capital he could guarantee a Jewish majority of half a million in Palestine within the coming decade.

“On what grounds,” asks Herr Sternau, “does Mr. Goldberg base his opinions? Certainly not on the known facts pertaining to the present limited possibilities of industry and private enterprise in Palestine.

“Such statements are dangerous. They can, but too easily, create a false picture of the possibilities of private enterprise and of the present colonization work of the Zionist Organization, which still believes that the strengthening of the Jewish position in Palestine lies chiefly in the reclamation of the land. They can, but too easily, arouse a feeling of animosity toward the Chalutzim who are the builders of Palestine. Let us not forget, after all, that it is only through lofty idealism that we can recreate out of the present disintegrating process in Jewry a new, vigorous, cultural, self-reliant national body in Palestine.”

WILL ARGUMENTS CONVINCE THEM?

It is questionable whether proofs of Jewish talent and Jewish patriotism will convince the anti-Semites and anti-aliens, says the “Jewish Daily News,” in a recent issue, discussing Lord Rothschild’s letter in the London “Times” defending the aliens in England.

“Lord Rothschild’s defense of the aliens is surely very noble”, says the “Jewish Daily News”. “His arguments against the anti-aliens and anti-immigrationists are approximately the same as those that were presented at Washington at the hearings on the immigration question. He points out the achievements of the immigrants in the fields of business and industry and their loyalty to England. We trust these arguments will have better results in London than they had in America.”

RABBI JACOB MAZE

The death of Rabbi Jacob Maze, Russian Jewry’s greatest leader, is commented on editorially by the Jewish press. The “Jewish Morning Journal” says:

“The most fitting eulogy on the late Rabbi Maze is that he understood thoroughly his role as representative of Russian Jewry. Few were able to orientate themselves as well as he did in the transformations that occurred in the last ten years, from Moscow of Nicholas II to Moscow of the Soviets. That was why he was the only Jew who had an influence on the Russian governments of 1914 as well as of 1924.”

BRISBANE SEES RACIAL FACTOR IN MOSCOW DISSENSION

In his daily column in yesterday’s N. Y. “American”, Arthur Brisbane has the following to say about the disagreement between Trotzky and the other Soviet leaders:

“Russia seems on the verge of a revolution AGAINST the revolution. That probably was bound to come in Russia, as it came in France.

“The conflict in the Communist forces develops partly along racial lines. The Moscovite leaders are engaged in a desperate effort to destroy Trotzky Jewish leader and head of the Russian army.”

TAKES AMERICAN ZIONISTS TO TASK

The “Juedische Rundschau.” official organ of the Zionist Organization of Germany, in commenting on an editorial which appeared in the “New Palestine” on November 14th, declares that the statement made by the “New Palestine” that American Zionists should be consulted before appointments are made by the Executive of the Zionist World Organization, is unjustified.

“The Executive,” says the “Rundschau,” has been elected by the Congress, and the last Executive was elected under a strong American influence. It is no exaggeration to say that almost all the members of the Executive are in closer relations with the American than with the European Zionists. If there is anyone who has the right to complain of neglect, it is the European Zionists. Until now Weizmann has always spent half of each year in America. Mr. Lipsky, who heads the Organization Department of the Executive, has not even begun to occupy himself with European affairs, and also spends the greater part of the year in America. As far as we know, the Executive of the Zionist Federation in Germany has never been consulted by the World Executive before making its decisions, but it is well known that the American Federation has often been asked for its opinion. Besides, the Americans have always expressed the viewpoint that the Executive should have the largest powers in order to enable it to work and should enjoy freedom of action, the use of which is to be accounted for to the Congress at the expiration of its term.

“The entire policy of Zionism was greatly influenced, during the past few years, by America, and there is not the slightest foundation for the supposition that the European Zionists underrate the judgment of the Americans. It is an absolutely inadmissible demand that in the appointment of an official to the Central Executive any Federation, be it of Germany, Poland or America, should be consulted by the Executive. Such a demand is new in the entire constitutional history of Zionism, and the spirit which would inevitably follow such a practice would lead to complete anarchy, and to the detriment of the Central Organization.

“We wish to affirm once more that European Zionists have no intention of offending the rights and feelings of the American Zionists. But we must express the hope that the American Zionists will also assume the common Zionist work without prejudice; we are convinced that Zionist interests cannot be divided by geographical borders; there is but one common Zionist interest, to work shoulder to shoulder for the Jewish people and its renaissance in Palestine.”