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–Edition]

That America shares, in a sense, the fate of the Jewish people, in that its faults are enlarged upon while its virtues are overlooked by the world, is the opinion expressed by the “Forward,” Jewish Socialist paper, edited by Abraham Cahan. In an editorial of March 4. under the heading “It is Time to Admit that America Has Virtues Too,” the “Forward” observes:

“Europeans have a one-sided, superficial view of America; they do not understand her. In this respect the Americans share the fate of the Jews. Their faults are observed more closely than their virtues. Their sins are advertised aloud, while the fine, noble traits in their character are either ## known or else deliberately ignored. When a Jewish thief is caught, all Jews are accused of being thieves; when a Jewish nouveau riche acts disgustingly, he is declared to be an example of the whole Jewish people. Exactly the same attitude prevails in Europe with regard to some undesirable Americans who go there on trips.”

In conclusion the paper adds:

“In many respects America stands higher than our old home, on the other side. We are speaking not only of the material things; we are speaking of the spiritual things too. And America is making steady progress, not only in the economic field but in the sphere of the spirit as well. It is time to admit this. It is time to confess that taken on the whole America is all right.”

BRITISH ORGAN PLEASED WITH PALESTINE DEVELOPMENT (BY CABLE)

The London “Daily News” of Friday, Mar. 4, writing on the subject of the $4,500,000 Palestine loan, recently approved by the British Parliament observes:

“The growing prosperity of Palestine under the British Mandate is a matter of congratulations for everybody concerned. It justifies Colonel Amery’s belief, expressed in the House of Commons, in the possibility of important developments in the future.

“Of the Palestine loan £1,200,000 is going directly to the British treasury. One million pounds of this substantial windfall represents part payment on the Palestine railways,” the paper says.

SENATOR REED AND FORD

The fact that United States Senator James A. Reed, who is regarded as a Presidential possibility, is to be chief attorney for Henry Ford in the libel case brought against the latter by Aaron Sapiro, is commented on in the “Jewish Morning Journal,” by Jacob Fishman, who writes in the issue of March 3:

“Senator Reed has the right, of course, to take on Ford as his client, but the Jews of America can have their opinion about Senator Reed, who so frequently plays the role of a radical and a reformer and is hoping sometime to get the Democratic nomination for the U. S. Presidency.

“It should be remembered,” Mr. Fishman continues, “that Sapiro’s suit against Ford is more than a private case of one individual against another. It has a relation to Ford’s systematic campaign against the Jews. The ‘Dear-born Independent’ libelled Sapiro only because he is a Jew. It has similarly libelled scores of other well-known Jews in America, but the others either disliked to rake up Ford’s garbage box or else Ford succeeded in evading trial by hiding from summonses.

“Sapiro has determined to tear away the mask from Ford’s anti-Semitic hire-## and to expose his motives. Senator Reed must know that, no matter what the outcome of the trial, the fact will remain that Ford has been spreading race hailed in America. Nevertheless he has undertaken to fight Ford’s battle. Does this harmonize with his pseudo-radical principles, with his war against the influence of American money bags at elections, with everything that should make him fit as a progressive Presidential candidate?”

The sum of $14,000 was raised at a preliminary dinner last night in Enston, Pa., toward a joint quota of $20,000 for the United Palestine Appeal and the United Jewish Campaign. The largest contribution of 10% of the quota was made by Louis Ralph. Albert H. Lieberman, Chairman of the United Jewish Campaign for Eastern Penusylvania, was the principal speaker.