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 contention put forth by some that the Jews should not identify themselves with Sapiro in his libel suit against Henry Ford is viewed as illogical and unjustified by S. Rosenfeld, who writes in the “Day” of March 23rd. Mr. Rosenfeid particularly takes exception to the assertion made in a previous issue of the same paper by S. Niger, that in the past the Jews always avoided disputes with Gentiles because they realized that it was not a matter of facts and proofs but of animosity and distrust.

The reason why Jews in the past avoided disputes with Gentiles. Mr. Rosenfeld points our, is that “the conditions of the disputes were impossible, even murderous. While the Christian side was allowed to say whatever it pleased about Judaism, the Jewish side was not allowed to criticize Christianity. And frequently the disputes ended with physical violence against the Jews.

“But so long,” we read further, “as the disputes were conducted honestly, with fairness to all, the Jews did not avoid them. Certainly they did not avoid disputes in cases where it was a matter of disproving libels and false accusations, cases where the Jewish honor was involved! If the Jews acted differently in the past, there can be no doubt that today and with such charges as are made they would undertake such a ‘dispute’ with all the readiness and determination of those who know that they are right, just as the Jews in Europe, whom Mr. Niger cites, have not failed in any of the hundreds of pogroms (in the years 1905-6) to start proceedings against the pogromists, though it was known with certainty that the pogromists would not be punished, that pogroms would not cease and that anti-Semitism would not be eradicated from Russia. Because it was realized that the very creation of an opportunity for the Jews to publicly voice their protest against the outrages was in itself worth the effort. Thus in the present case it is worth the effort to erect a tribune from which to denounce the shameless libels and libelers, even if anti-Semitism should not be stamped out in America and the American people should not be convinced of the lie of the ‘Jewish conspiracy’.

An impression of Sapiro’s first appearance in action as his own counsel in the Detroit court on Wednesday and the reaction of the jury on the occasion is contained in the “World’s” report from its staff correspondent, Dudley Nichols, who writes (“World”, Mar. 24):

The twelve in the jury box sized him (Sapiro) up curiously as he read. Clearly he made a favorable impression, though it is only by an effort of will that a spectator avoids reading dim prejudice into some countenances. This, remember, is pretty much a cross-out of mid-America. The half dozen women regarded him intently.”