Blumenfeld, Bernhard Cable Views on Nazi Crisis

Adventurers and criminals who seized power in Germany are not so easy in their minds as they’d like us to believe they are. They are particularly anxious to give the impression abroad they’re noble, selfless patriots scorning to do an unkind or dishonorable act. They know, of course, what the world thinks of them. And they are most anxious to conciliate the English-speaking world.

I am informed that orders have been issued to emphasize the deep admiration that the Nazi leaders have for Englishmen and Americans. It is hardly necessary for me to suggest that such a spirit really is wholly lacking. They only give lip service to Englishmen and Americans, whom in their hearts they dislike and fear as much as they do the Jews. But they must be polite to the people whom they hope to ###in as customers.

###tioned the other day that it would ### interesting to see the results of Jewish abstention from the passenger lists of German shipping lines. The answer came quickly and unexpectedly from the Hamburg American Line, whose directorate had been Hitlerized by the dismissal of the chairman of the board and other uncongenial persons. The company’s report was most unsatisfactory. This evidence of bad business in Germany is almost wholly due to the action of these unappreciative Jews in refusing to repay injustice and cruelty with money for steamship tickets and goods.

NOT A PENNY IN GERMANY

That is the way to argue with the perverse Hun. There are many ways of reaching Europe without putting a single penny into the hands of the Germans. The more money put into Germany the farther away will be the time of eventual meting out of justice to the Jews.

Calling of an international conference to coordinate the boycott movement is a serious step toward lifting the embargo. Sir Robert Mond, the eminent chemist, who will preside at the London meeting, is a man of great energy and force of character. Samuel Untermyer and he are in full agreement. Mr. Untermyer, as world president of the boycott conference, is unlikely to be present at the London conference, but he will appoint delegates to the conference from the United States. H. Salomons, former Dutch Consul in Zurich, has been appointed international secretary, with temporary headquarters at 96 Zeestraat, The Hague. The preliminaries of the task involve much work, for they cover every form of business activity and involve the production of alternative sources of supply for goods hitherto purchased in Germany. This answer to Hitlerism becomes daily more and more costly to the would-be oppressors of the Jews.

FAVOR IT AS INDIVIDUALS

It is encouraging to know that while official leaders of Jewry in this country bound themselves not to adopt the boycott movement at present for reasons of policy, they nearly all favor it as individuals, and I presume they are putting their personal views into effect. That is good enough for me.

The development of Palestine has not been lost sight of. Pincus Rutenberg, the engineer who dammed the Jordan and who is largely responsible for the wonderful birth of that country, is still in London, greatly encouraged at the results of his efforts and laying out plans for wider work. Several great projects have been launched this week and will no doubt coalesce in due course. Many thousands of victims of Hitlerism will, I hope, find happiness in Palestine. At the same time, do not delude yourself with the belief there can be much hope for the hundreds of thousands of Jews who must perforce remain in Germany unless the retributory effect of the boycott eases their lot. It can if we all do our duty.

Remember that if we must buy foreign goods, if there is no other way to get them, there are many countries which do not practice inhumanity toward minorities and yet are able to produce goods as good as those hitherto eagerly bought from Germany.