The "Dearborn Independent", of Dec. 27, writing about the late Samuel Gompers, finds itself in a predicament. Gompers seems to be one Jew whom Ford’s mouthpiece cannot find fault with, but it finds itself hard put to it to discover the proper words for praising a Jew, the result being a number of incoherent statements. In its attempt to eulogize Gompers the "Dearborn Independent" tries to distinguish him from other Jews by calling all other Jews "half-breeds", the meaning of which is known to Mr. Ford alone.
"Samuel Gompers was a Jew who did not seem to have inherited certain traits which the influx of Asiatic Jews have given the public to consider as characteristically Jewish", says Ford’s paper. "He was English born and was probably a purer type than the half-breed hordes which swarm this country. His ethical strain was strong and enduring. He mingled a strong idealism with a very practical ability. He maintained his leadership, not by strong-arm methods, but by the steadfastness of his character.
"Mr. Gompers’ influence prevented in large degree the American trades union movement being deceived or outwitted by the Russian Jewish faction. It is to be hoped that his successors will be as wise. In Russia, at the Red International of Labor Unions, held last November, one of the streamers across the convention hall read-"THE TRADES UNIONS ARE THE SCHOOLS FOR COMMUNISM." It reads like the statement of a fact, but it is not a fact; it is the expression of the Red Russian Jewish program. Directly it becomes a fact, American trades unionism is dead. Samuel Gompers saw this most clearly, and doubtless he has left disciples who will keep the vision alive."
CALLS DR. ELIOT’S THEORY BRASH
Contrary to the general approval given Dr. Charles Eliot by the Jewish press, some of the non-Jewish papers have taken him to task for opposing inter-marriage and saying that this country needs "a number of races, with various gifts, etc". Thus, the "Fall River (Mass.) News" of Dec. 16, taking an attitude similar to that of Rabbi Schulman, calls Dr. Eliot’s theory "brash and altogether wrong". This paper says:
"What this country needs, we maintain, is one people, with common ideals, a common background, a common tradition. If this country does produce at last, not one people but many intensely racially conscious groups, this country will fail to achieve its destiny.
"This country cannot exist, one-twentieth American and nineteen-twentieths foreign, or one percent American and ninety-nine per cent foreign.
"You cannot be a good American and still devote any large part of your thought to the land of your ancestors. ‘No man can serve two masters’, was said two thousand years ago. It is as true today as then. ‘A house divided against itself cannot stand’, is another wise saying.
"Dr. Eliot has given aid and comfort to a good many who will grab at his sayings. In the interests of true Americanism, in the best interests of our fellow citizens of foreign ancestry, it had better been left unsaid."
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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.
