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 announcement issued by Louis Marshall last week regarding the selection of the Non-rartisan Palestine Survey Commission, in accordance with the recent agreement on the Jewish Agency, is viewed with satisfaction by the Jewish press.

The “Jewish Daily News” likens the commission to the “meraglim,” the messengers sent by Moses into Palestine before the Israelites entered the country. The paper points out these “messengers” have the duty to ascertain not about the principle of Palestine reconstruction, but regarding the most effective and efficient method of carrying out that reconstruction.

“Under such circumstances,” the paper observes, “the commission is essentially a commission of experts which is divided into two categories: scientific experts who are able to render an opinion on the ways and means for carrying out the work and general experts, that is to say, business experts, who on the basis of the report of the scientific experts, will be able to submit general recommendations for the further continuacion of the work.”

The paper expresses particular satisfaction with the three heads of the commission so far appointed, Sir Alfred Mond, Felix M. Warburg and Dr. Lee K. Frankel. “We believe that Sir Alfred Mond, the great industrialist who rendered assistance in the economic organization of England during the war; Felix Warburg, banker of great reputation: and Dr. Frankel who is connected with a nuge financial institution, are the best men that could possibly have been chosen as members of this commission,” the paper avers.

The “Day” writes as follows:

“This commission is in reality the first step of non-Zionists into the Jewish Agency. This commission, as Mr. Marshall himself has given to understand, is not intended to determine on principles or to seek excuses for not helping in the Palestine reconstruction, but its task is to ascrtain the best methods for furthering that reconstruction. The commission will render a report on everything that has been accomplished in Palestine up till now and will state what is to be done in the future.”

As regards the personnel of the commission, we read: “Sir Alfred Mond is not only a great personality in England, he is also an active Zionist. Felix Warburg is not a Zionist, but he is one of the most fervent and sincere Jews in America, one who is ever ready to respond generously to every Jewish cause. He is not a Zionist, yet he sent his contribution to the Keren Hayesod before the agreement between Weizmann and Marshall was included. Dr. Lee K. Frankel is a man of wide knowledge and with many years of experience in communal activities. He is a man commanding the high respect and confidence of American Jewry.”

The paper finds that the choice of the other leading members of the commission, as Professor Elwood Mead. Professor Lipman, Professor Adams, Mr. Ryerson and Mr. Strahorn, is equally well made.”

A similar view is voiced in the “Jewish Morning Journal” by Jacob Fishman. Characterizing the leading members of the commission, Mr. Fishman concludes that they are well in a position to render a satisfactory and non-partisan report.

SCORES PROF. IRVING FISHER’S “SUPERIOR ALIENS” IDEA

Prof. Irving Fisher’s proposal that immigration should be based on the principle of admitting only “superior aliens.” i. e., aliens superior to the average American, is termed stupid in an editorial on this subject in the “Jewish Criterion” of Pittsburgh. Writing in its May 6 issue, that paper says:

“This is rather a stupid position for so brilliant a mind to take. Does Prof. Fisher realize that some of the ‘superior Americans’ of today in art and industry would never have passed the Professor’s test when they came here twenty or thirty years ago.

“One can’t determine a superior mind through the Intelligence Test of an ‘Ask Me Another.’ A great many men of real mind could not pass an examination that would be easy for a grammar school boy. As for superior morals. Well, it isn’t always the man or woman of culture who are superior morally. Many of the worst criminals in the country are both cultured and educated.

“We think that if we keep on trying to hand-pick our immigrants we are likely to make a mess of it. There is an expressive word that to our mind applies to Professor Fisher’s suggestion and that word is ‘bunk.'”