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 indicate approval–Editor.]

Will some Jewish millionaire, suggests the “Day” of April 20, endow a special fund for Jewish culture similar to the Guggenheim $3,000,000 Foundation.

Commenting editorially on the awards of the Guggenheim Foundation, the paper points out that the Jews are especially interested in the Fellowships announced not only because they are concerned about the cultural progress of America generally and because Mr. Guggenheim is a Jew, but also because the studies to be conducted by some of the scholars who received fellowships have a bearing on Jewish matters. Referring to Dr. David Blondheim, who will study the use of Romance languages among the Jews of the Middle Ages, and Isaac Fisher, who will study the subject of racial relations, the paper concludes: “The Guggenheim Foundation should serve as an example to other Jews who possess great wealth. When Jews will begin to distinguish themselves in supporting cultural institutions as well as they are supporting charitable causes, the Jewish name will be elevated along with the cultural level of America.

“And perhaps, in time, a Jewish millionaire will endow a fund for Jewish research, for those men who spend their lives suffering poverty and want in the cause of Jewish learning, which has so few admirers and friends?”

THE ENCYCLOPEDIA BRITANNICA AND THE JEWS

The appointment of James L. Garvin, of the London “Observer” as editor of the Encyclopedia Britannica, should be welcomed by the Jews, declares Jacob Fishman in the “Jewish Morning Journal” (April 20), in view of the charges of an unfriendly policy to the Jews that have been made recently against this publications.

“Those in charge of the Britannica,” Mr. Fishman writes, “have denied any bias against the Jews, and we do not care now to pass judgment between them and their accusers. But whatever may have been the case hitherto we expect a decisive improvement under M. Garvin’s editorship. Mr. Garvin is a liberal who fully deserves the name. He is a fighter for justice and liberal ideas and as such he has had opportunity on a number of occasions to defend the Jews against the attacks of the “Morning Post” and other anti-Semitic papers. It is to be assumed that under Mr. Garvin’s editorship such unfavorable characterizations about Jews as have hitherto appeared in the Britannica will not ‘slip in’ any more and important facts relative to the Jews will not be omitted.”