[The purpose of the Digest is informative. Preference is given to papers not generally accessible to our readers. Quotation does not indicate approval. -Editor.]
Of the twenty wealthiest persons in the world today only one, Alfred Loewenstein of Belgium, is a Jew, and his fortune is estmated at about one hundred million dollars as compard with the $1,200,000,000 of Henry Ford. This information is presented in the New York “Times” of Feb. 13 by Stuart Chase. Mr. Chase writes:
“A list of the twenty wealthiest persons alive would include some foreign names, but the majority would surely be Americans. The following list is given for what it may be worth, to gether with estimates of estate values. No great amount of credence should be placed in the latter, but it is believed that the names do represent most of the more outstanding fortunes:
“Henry Ford and Edsel Ford (Motor Cars), $1,200,000,000; J. D. Rockefeller and J. D. Rockefeller, Jr., (Oil), $600,000,000; Andrew W. Mellon and R. B. Mellon, (Banking), $200,000,000; Duke of Westminster (England, Real Estate), $200,000,000; Edward S. Harkness and Anna R. Harness (Oil), $200,000,000; Sir Basil Zaharoff (England, Munitions), $125,000,000; Gaekwar of Baroda (India, Inheritance), $125,000,000; Payne Whitney (Railroads, Banking), $100,000,000; George F. Baker and George F. Baker, Jr, (Banking), $100,000,000; Vincent Astor (Real Estate), $100,000,000; F. W. Vanderbilt (Railroads), $100,000,000; Thomas B. Walker (Lumber), $100,000,000; Baron H. Mitsui (Japan, Shipping), $100,000,000; Simon Y. Patino (Bolivia, Tin), $100,000,000; Alfred Loewenstein (Belegium, Mines, Steel, Shipping), $100,000,000.”
Regarding Loewenstein we are told by Mr. Chase that his fortune “has grown faster than Ford’s, but the amount of it remains far less,” and further: “Alred Loewenstein the American public knew little of until he offered one day to lend the Belgian Government $50,000,000 without interest. He has been very much in the limelight ever since. He has a fleet of airships to take him to his various offices in the capitals of Europe; he has chateaux and palaces scattered here and there in France and Spain; he has a Pullman car aeroplane with beds and baths for his guests, and he is threatening to charter a liner to come and visit the United States. His wealth comes from mines, blast furnaces, banks and shipping.”
The formation of Young Judaea Councils has been efiected in a number of centers in which the Jewish youth had not been organized for educational and other activities, resulting in the extension of activities to embrace many large Jewish communities, an ######## from the Young Judaea headquarters states. The new councils have been established in Syracuse, Des Moines, Omaha, Minneapolis and Milwaukee.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
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.
