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 that the “foreign invaders” of Ukrainia “financed and armed by the Allies,” and not Petlura, were responsible for the pogroms in Ukrainia during Petlura’s regime, is made in a communication to the editor of the New York “Times” signed jointly by Dr. Longin Cehelsky, former member of the Ukrainian Government, and Ukrainian Representative at Washington, D. C., and Colonel Vladimir Kedrovsky, former Chief Inspector of the Ukrainian National Army under General Petlura.

Asserting that Petlura was “a real democrat” who was “opposed to any racial or religious prejudices” and that “he tried to do his utmost in order to prevent and to suppress the pogroms,” the communication declares:

“We Ukrainians are of the opinion that not our democratic Government and not Petlura were responsible for the gruesome events, but the foreign invaders of our country–as well as the Bolsheviki as the monarchistic Russians and the Poles, financed and armed by the Allies. When we–a new revolutionary national Government–were responsible because we were not able to maintain order in the Ukraine, the more responsible are the big powers, who thoughtlessly equipped Polish and Russian armies, which brought chaos into our country, undermined our newly established republic and fought our army only for the benefit of Lenin and Trotsky.”

JEWS SHOULD PROTEST MORE AGAINST ANTI-SEMITISM, SAYS HEYWOOD BROUN

That the Jews in America do not protest sufficiently against anti-Semitic acts in this country and that many Jews themselves harbor anti-Semitic notions, is the opinion of Heywood Broun, who discusses the subject in his column in the New York “World” of May 31.

“Against the Jewish community of New York I think only one fair criticism can be brought,” Mr. Broun writes. “Some members of the race accept slights with a humility which seems to me a weakness. It was a Jew who said to me, ‘The place was fine and I always went there for my vacation, but it’s been ruined now because so many Jews came in.’

“Again, in the case of several colleges which have founded ‘psychological’ tests for entrance, the bulk of protest from the Jews has been far too small. Certain prominent and successful Jews make no complaint whatsoever. Just as long as their own sons get in they do not seem to care about the others.”

SAYS U. S. SUPREME COURT HAS SANCTIONED RACE DISCRIMINATION

The decision of the United States Supreme Court, upholding the right of house owners to stipulate in their deeds of sale that the purchasers will not sell the house to Negroes, is declared by the “Forward” (May 31) to be in effect a sanction of race discrimination on a broad scale.

“If the decision of the Supreme Court,” the “Forward” asserts, “allows contracts discriminating against Negroes, then the same discrimination can be applied against Jews, Italians and other nationalities. Years ago such a decision would have been impossible. It indicates that race hatred has grown in this country, that the principles of equality have been weakened….”

THE JEW SETS A HIGH STANDARD

The success of the United Jewish Campaign in New York is commented on by the “Argus” of Mt. Vernon, N. Y. Says the paper:

“No cry of genuine distress is unheeded by the Jew whether it comes from his own or any other race. He has set a high standard in philanthropy and in that noblest attribute of man he leads the world.”

Jack Rose, vaudeville actor, died Friday night. He was 38 years old.

The Jewish Thearical Guild arranged the funeral services.