Daily Digest of World Public Opinion on Jewish Matters

The “Jewish Morning Journal” of Nov. 14, welcomes the “Shomrim”, the organization of Jewish policemen of New York which was formed last week. The paper points out that

“Such organizations as the ‘Shomrim’, (the Watchmen) which devote attention to matters of the spirit and mind, are very desirable.

“Outside of his special occupation, the Jewish policeman is a wide awake, intelligent person, with an influence in certain spheres and possibilities of advancing and becoming a considerable personality. It is therefore highly important to bring him closer to Jewish life and to awaken in him an interest in Jewish ideals and movements, so that he will be prepared at all times to give an intelligent reply when confronted with questions on Jewish subjects. In this direction the ‘Shomrim’ can accomplish a great deal.”

A FRIEND OF THE JEWS

The sermon delivered last Sunday by the Catholic priest, Dr. James Gillis, at the Church of St. Paul, on the subject of the Jews, has given rise to the following editorial comment in the “Jewish Daily News” (Nov. 12):

“We do not see the Jewish future in America in such dark colors as Dr. Gillis. America is not Europe. There is a certain amount of Jew-hatred here, but it will never come to actual persecutions. We have faith in the spirit of America.

“But it is certain that Dr. Gillis is a warm friend of the Jewish people, as he showed by expressing his hope that ‘if ever the rights of the Jews in America are assailed, 850,000 Knights of Columbus will spring to their defense’.”

SECRETARY DAVIS’ RESIGNATION AND THE IMMIGRATION

Apropos of the resignation of Secretary of Labor Davis, which has been officially announced from Washington, the “Day” of Nov. 11 asks: “Will Mr. Davis’ leaving the cabinet bring about a change in the immigration policy of the Administration?” and then answers its own query thus:

“Truth to say, there is very little hope for this. Yet the fact that the man who was the proponent of the most rigorous immigration restrictions is leaving the cabinet makes the prospects for more humaneness in the immigration policy just a bit brighter.

“It is especially to be hoped that Mr. Davis’ pet idea of registering all aliens and immigrants in this country will now be shelved. We know that the Republican party backs this scheme, which would set up a bureaucratic system of passports in the United States. We know that the big corporations and the American Federation of Labor endorse this reactionary proposition. But it was Secretary Davis who championed it and agitated for it more than anyone else and we like to hope that his departure from the cabinet will mean the abandonment of this anti-American scheme.”

CONSERVATIVE POLITICS IN EUROPE AND THE JEWS

The bearing of the wave of conservation in European politics on the Jewish situation is analyzed in the “Jewish Daily Courier” of Chicago.

“Conservatism in the politics of Anglo-Saxon countries has little relation to the Jewish problem. But in Europe generally anti-Semitism is the twin of conservatism. In a conservative Germany the Jews are actually in danger of their existence, of their very lives. The same is true of Poland and Lithuania. So that, on the whole, Jews have little ground to feel pleased with the growing tendencies toward conservatism in Europe.”