Digest of World Press Opinion

Lord Ponson##, writing in the Manchester Guardian on the subject of race, comes to the following conclusions:

What a mixed lot racially we all are! The idea that there is a pure, uncontaminated race of beings which constitute a nation has no semblance to the truth. Some races of tougher fiber favor their own kind and are more or less easily recognizable. But the mixing of ### goes on, and will in future continue more rapidly. Many of as have a Celtic strain of some kind or another, and quite a number can find not many generations back a foreign forbear. To be 100 per cent English would be difficult to prove scientifically, not so difficult perhaps as to prove to be 100 per cent American. Racially speaking, what is a Swiss, a Rumanian, or, indeed, a Russian or a Turk? A nation is a geographical expression which constantly requires a new definition. The sea and mountains do not move but frontiers do very frequently. A nation, unfortunately, can only be defined in one way: a people organized for war. That, again, is only temporary.

HERR MCLAUGHLIN AND THE NEW BEOBACHTER

Commenting editorially on the Nazi newspaper situation in New York City in connection with the retraction by W. L. McLaughlin, editor of the Deutsche Zeitung, and subsequent {SPAN}#ormation{/SPAN} of the Deutscher {SPAN}Beoba##ter{/SPAN}, the Kansas City Journal-Post states:

The Deutsche Zeitung, German language newspaper published in New York, supporting the anti-Semitism of the Nazis, attacked the character and legal integrity of former Magistrate Joseph Goldstein. Evidently there is a New York law providing imprisonment for libel, for when M. Goldstein took the matter to the courts and won, he refused to accept monetary damages, and a prison sentence of a year was imposed upon the publisher of the offending publication.

Thereupon, with the consent of Judge Franklin Taylor of Brooklyn, a compromise was arranged. The prison sentence was suspended in return for a retraction by the publisher, who printed a statement saying that he had lied about the former magistrate. Also, he announced a change of policy whereby the Deutsche Zeitung would abandon its anti-Semitism.

And here is one of the most interesting things about the case: The publisher’s name is William L. McLaughlin. Judging from that, what a “Nordic” he must be!

The pro – Hitlerites of the United States are angry with Herr McLaughlin. Though the Deutsche Zeitung statements about Goldstein were shown in court to be libelous, the “Friends of Germany” do not approve of the decency of retraction. So they have established another publication in which they intend to continue their slandering of an entire race in imitation of the vicious crew that is ruling Germany and that they admire.

DR. MENDES DISCUSSES YOUTH PROBLEM

The problem of American Jewish Youth is discussed by Rev. Dr. Pereira Mendes in the Synagogue Light, a monthly publication of the Wall Street Synagogue.

Dr. Mendes says:

We contend that there is, and there can be no Jewish Youth without Jewish education, mere Jewish birth is not enough. The Jewish girl or boy grows up to maidenhood or youth, ignorant of Hebrew language, except homeopathically, ignorant of Jewish history except superficially, ignorant of Jewish literature except exceptionally. But for decency sake he has got to belong to some religion or other. The parent takes good care that the child shall know that he or she is Jewish, without doubtless a Rabbi in the family in the old country. The result of such parental or parnassic inadequacy is a nominal Judaism of phenomenal elasticity.

Then we grumble at the Jewish youth. Then we wonder that after the farce of Bar Mitzva the boy drops synagogue attendance and the girls find other attractions. We rail and lament, but whose fault is it? Manifestly the parent has something to do with it.