The dual action of the American Jewish Committee and the American Jewish Congress in the Massena incident disclosed a deplorable lack of harmony in American Jewry, is the comment of “The Day,” New York Yiddish daily.
Urgin that the Massena incident now be considered closed, an editorial in its issue of Saturday, October 6, includes the following remarks:
“At the same time we find the honorable Dr. Wise taking a hand as the president of the American Jewish Congress. He proceeds to Albany, turns the matter over into official hands, a hearing is held and after that the Mayor of Massena issues a statement of regret and apology, but… this letter is addressed to Dr. Wise (not to Louis Marshall) as the representative of American Jewry.
“The fact that the story begins with Marshall and ends with Wise makes and must make an unpleasant impression. After all, we do not know whether Mr. Marshall will be satisfied with the Mayor’s apology or, perhaps, Mr. Marshall will find that a new form of apology is necessary.”
The Day continues: “We do believe that Mr. Marshall will be satisfied with what has occurred in Albany and will not take any further steps in this sad event, although in the last act of the Massena performance the star role was played by Dr. Wise. It certainly is an abnormal state of affairs that American Jewry is doomed to a double representation. It is not only abnormal but also unhealthy for the entire body of American Jewry. The symptoms of this unhealthy state of affairs come to the fore at various occasions when community problems have to be solved, in various degrees of irritation. This was the case this time. However, the performance is finished, the curtain is down, and the entire Massena incident should be declared closed as soon as possible,” the paper writes.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
