Digest of Public Opinion on Jewish Matters

[The purpose of the Digest is informative. Preference is given to papers not generally accessible to our readers. Quotation does not indicate approval.-Editor.]

The results of the inquiry conducted by the “Jewish Daily Bulletin,” regarding alleged discrimination against Jews in American universities, showing that the charges are not substantiated by the facts, are widely commented on is the Jewish press.

The “Day” of October 25th writes: “The ‘Jewish Daily Bulletin’ has performed a worthy and a useful service through its inquiry to Jewish students in the American universities to ascertain whether anti-Semitism prevails, and to what extent, in our institutions of higher learning. The replies show that there is no official anti-Semitism. The Jewish students do not feel that there is any discrimination against them on the part of the university administrations, nor on the part of professors. If there is any anti-Semitism in the universities, it is not strong enough to make itself felt.

“This is a comforting and cheering report. Of course, no one deserves any credit for the absence of anti-Semitism. It should be so. It would be indeed a sad condition were it otherwise.

“On the other hand, it is also clear from the replies that there is no particular affection between Jewish and non-Jewish students. The academic Jewish youth is compelled to organize in separate fraternities. This shows that the attitude toward the Jewish student body is essentially one of correctness, but not a really friendly one. It also indicates that a certain form of social anti-Semitism does exist in the universities and colleges.”

A similar opinion is voiced by the “Jewish World” of Philadelphia. Writing in its October 24th issue, the paper remarks: “The inquiry of the ‘Jewish Daily Bulletin’ is encouraging because it shows that there is no ground for the Jewish students to complain against discimination. The attitude of the administrators and professors is generally a correct one to all students, whether Jews or non-Jews. The number of Jewish students is not decreasing. On the contrary, their number has increased proportionately in the course of the last three years. The report does not reveal the exact number but it does indicate that there is no basis to assume that universities are refusing to accept Jews.

“The publication of this report by the ‘Jewish Daily Bulletin’ will bring good results. In the first place, it will influence Jews not to draw conclusions from any individual cases which may occur where a Jewish student is discriminated against, or where the attitude of a professor is unfriendly. Secondly, which is even more important, the publication of this report will have the necessary effect across the ocean. Let those countries where the Numerus Clausus still exists be disgraced. Let them see what the conditions are in a country where all men are equal, regardless of what their racial or national origin may be.”

The “Jewish Daily News,” of same date, declares:

“We have always held to the opinion that there is no general discrimination against Jewish students in American universities. Those who seek anti-Semitism everywhere or who favor the establishment of a Jewish college or a Jewish university in this country took us severely to task. That our view is correct is now borne out by the ‘Jewish Daily Bulletin,’ which conducted an inquiry into the matter and found that ‘the charge that discimination is practiced against Jewish students in American universities is not based on facts.’ The inquiry extended to all the universities and colleges and up to the present replies have been received from 45 colleges in 17 states.

“There was never any doubt in our mind as to the falsity of the cry that there is anti-Semitism in the universities. It were about time that Jews here and elsewhere ceased looking for anti-Jewish bias. Very often the prejudice is created because it is imagined and sought.”