Digest of World Press Opinion

The London publication Life, commenting on the new opportunities for Jewish immigration into Syria, says:

The announcement that the authorities in Syria have decided to allow Jewish immigration under certain conditions should be of great interest to all Christian people. That the return of the Jews to Palestine is tending to fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy is, I suppose, an accepted fact.

But “Palestine” and the “Promised Land” are too frequently regarded as synonymous terms. The boundaries of the land promised to the Covenant People are clearly defined in such passages as Genesis 15: 18 and Joshua 1:4. The “Promised Land,” in fact, comprises the territory bounded by the Euphrates on the East, and by the Mediterranean on the west, and it includes within its boundaries not only Palestine but the far larger country of Syria.

The fact that the Syrian authorities are now, in some degree at any rate, following the Palestinian authorities in allowing Jewish immigrants, will, no doubt, be considered by students of prophecy as a fact of great significance.

CHRISTMAS SUBSTITUTE FOR THE YOUNG

The London publication Life, speaking about the Christmas influence upon Jewish children, the Detroit Jewish Chronicle says:

There is only one weapon to use against the inroad of Christian influence upon Jews. There must be a sufficiently important substitute, and the substitute must be as beautiful as possible. The home of Jews must be Jewishly beautified. If Jewish parents are worried over the influence of Christmas, then let them restore to the home those ceremonies and symbols which rightfully belong to the Jewish environment.

We lose our right to complain when we sacrifice our own traditions and then attempt to complain over the influence of foreign elements. It is only when we are faithful to our own that we can hope in some fashion or other to exclude the mythical influence of a foreign religion.

OLIVER CROMWELL’S STAND AND UFA

Era. a publication appearing in London, speaks of the anti-Semitic policy of the UFA, German film concern, and comments as follows:

UFA, who have just declared a dividend of two per cent., the first for some time, announce “Oliver Cromwell” as one of their subjects for production.

Let’s hope that they will not overlook the fact that Cromwell was opposed to the persecution of Jews.

NAZI LAWYERS REFUSE JEWISH CLIENTELE

The London Times publishes the following letter from Neville Laski, president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews:

As far back as August 31 you published a decree of Herr Rudolf Hess, personal deputy of the Chancellor in the leadership of the National Socialist Party. This decree forbade any member of the party to represent a Jewish client in litigation in which another member of the party was involved. This prohibition is now extended (so far as the Magdeburg district is concerned) to all cases in which Jews are parties without exception. Neglect to obey this order entails prosecution of the offender before the Party Courts of Honor and subsequent expulsion.

The circular goes on to point out that this will compel Jewish litigants to employ exclusively Jewish lawyers. This, however, must not be allowed to weigh in the matter. No National Socialist lawyer with any self-respect can so far demean himself as to appear on behalf of a Jewish client with whom he would have to be in a position of mutual trust. The circular does not mention the fact that there are many provincial towns, and still more numerous country districts, where there are no Jewish lawyers.

LAND PURCHASE DIFFICULTIES CITED

The South African Jewish Chromcle reports that the following cable has been received by the Zionist Federation of South Africa from M. M. Ussishkin, head of the Jewish National Fund in Palestine:

The land situation in Palestine is inevitably developing towards a crisis threatening to destroy the basis of our whole national structure unless emergency measures are adopted immediately. The unrestricted speculation indulged in by individuals, competition with Arab buyers, Arab demands and political pressure, accompanied by the rapid expansion of the country, is rapidly increasing the difficulties of land purchase and threatening to render the position even more acute in the early future.

Meanwhile thousands of agricultural workmen, while waiting, are forced to the towns thus endangering the basic agricultural foundations of the homeland. Our only hope today lies in a superhuman effort to secure large additional new areas of land in order to safeguard the basis and national character of the upbuilding. South African Jewry has never failed the call of the Homeland. I have perfect faith I can at this juncture rely on South Africa again to respond to the imperative call.