Schwartzbard Defense Committee Takes Exception to American Jewish Committee’s View on Case

Exception to the opinion of Louis Marshall, president of the American Jewish Committee, expressed in his report submitted to the twentieth annual meeting of the committee, concerning the Schwartzbard case, was taken in a statement issued yesterday by the American Committee for Schwartzbard’s Defense.

The statement was signed by Joseph Barondess, chairman, Dr. A. Koralnik, vice-chairman, Dr. S. Margoshes, honorary secretary, Gedaliah Bublick, Jacob Fishman and Benjamin Saphir. The statement read as follows:

“The American Jewish Committee, in its last report of November 14, 1926 has deemed it necessary to issue a statement with regard to the Schwartzbard trial now pending in Paris. This statement volunteers information concerning the sentiment prevailing in the ranks of the Ukrainians living in Soviet Ukrainia; and furthermore, gives advice to the Schwartzbard defense in France as to the lines on which the trial is to be conducted.

“Without entering into a discussion as to the validity of this information. we of the Schwartzbard defense committee, acting as an auxiliary branch of the Committee in Paris, protest against the unprecedented prejudicial and tactless statement of the American Jewish Committee.

“The legally-minded gentlemen who signed the statement of the American Jewish Committee should have known that it is not only a violation of the basic ethical principles to injure the interests of the defendant while he is on trial for his life, but that it is also inadmissible to interfere with the legal procedure of a foreign court. Furthermore, the representatives of the American Jewish Committee should have been aware of the fact that the question of the mental sanity of Schwartzbard has already been raised and that it has definitely been seuled by the unanimous opinion of a board of alienists agreeing that there can be no doubt of Schwartzbard’s mental responsibility.

“We most emphatically protest against the implication of the American Jewish Committee insinuating that American Jewry has made of Schwartzbard a saint and a national hero. This reproach which is made for the first time by the American Jewish Committee should have been directed rather against certain Ukrainian elements that are now engaged in a campaign of calumny against all Jews and in an attempt to glorify the name of Petlura.

“We declare that our only interest in the Schwartzbard affair is to further the ends of justice, to elucidate the truth regarding the motives that prompted Schwartzbard to commit his act and to unveil before the world the horrible tragedy of the pogroms in the Ukrainia. We are sure that all right thinking Ukrainians will unite with us in our effort to dispel the clouds of misunderstanding and to render possible a durable and lasting peace between Jews and Ukrainians.”

Sidney Loewenstein was re-elected president of the Congregation Adath Jeshurun. Philadelphia, at the 68th Annual Meeting and Dinner of the congregation.

The dinner, which was attended by four hundred men and women, took place in the newly erected auditorium of the Congregation.

Reviewing the financial standing of the Congregation, Sidney Loewenstein, its president, pointed to the fact that the present buildings and land owned by the congregation are valued at $650,000, against which there is an indebtedness of approximately $150,000.

The Yearbook, including a history of the congregation and a record of all the activities of the past year, was distributed to the members of the congregation.

Beside, the president, the following officers were elected: Vice-President, Solomon Bacharach: Treasurer, William Stem: Secretary, Stanley A. Wise; Directors, William Alkus. J. Jacob Baylson. Benjamin Berg. Robert M. Bernstein, Gustav L. Bloch, Morton E. Block, Benjamin H. Buchsbaum. Joseph Caplan, Louis Cohen. Victor H. Frank, Henry A. Kauffmann, Paul M. Myers, Henry M. Obermayer, Harry S. Platowsky and Emanuel Weil. Rev. Jacob Beimal was re-elected as Cantor of the congregation.