American Jewish Leaders Applaud Robinson for Attack on Hitlerite Reign of Terror

Leaders of American Jewry yesterday united in expressing their gratification to Senator Robinson of Arkansas, majority leader, for his anti-Hitler speech in the Senate last Saturday. Prominent Jews expressed the opinion that Senator Robinson’s strong criticism of the Nazi regime, coming as it did from the majority leader of the floor, would have an important bearing on the future relations of the United States with the present German government.

According to Dr. Cyrus Adler, president of the American Jewish Committee, Senator Robinson’s speech was full of meaning for Hitlerites here and abroad.

“I think that Senator Robinson’s address to the Senate was of high significance,” Dr. Adler said, “especially when coming from the majority leader, one of the most important figures in the Democratic party.

“His speech put into vocal form before the people of the United States and the world what those of us who were informed knew all the while to be the attitude of the administration at Washington.

“It may have some significance that the debate took place on the day when the nomination of William E. Dodd of Illinois as Ambassador to Germany was confirmed.”

CONGRESS JOINS IN PRAISE

From the American Jewish Congress came the statement that Senator Robinson’s speech “throws the clearest light upon the so-called silence of the administration, which can speak in many ways and make itself felt.” A telegram to this effect was sent to Senator Robinson in Washington.

The telegram, signed by Dr. Stephen S. Wise and Bernard S. Deutsch, respectively honorary president and president of the American Jewish Congress, stated in part:

“At last, a word has been spoken aloud in a branch of the American Government. True to its great tradition, the United States Senate, led by one of its most distinguished leaders, has spoken in no uncertain voice concerning the ruthless crimes of the Hitler regime in the German Reich against the Jewish people.

“The unanimity of the Senate in response to your appeal is deeply gratifying, more especially since the Hitler press of Germany has been taunting Jews with the fact of senatorial silence concerning the Hitler outrages. Nor will the German Government be so lacking in understanding as not to recognize that the leader of the dominant party in the Senate, even though technically he declared that our Government must refrain from direct intervention in Germany, could not have spoken as he did in contravention to the wishes of the President.”