Digest of World Press Opinion

In its department, “Topics of the Times,” the New York Times comments editorially on the Berne trial, as follows:

One of the Nazi defendants in the Berne trial admitted that certain passages in the celebrated “Protocols of the Elders of Zion” bear a close resemblance to an essay by a French author published as far back as 1864, “A Dialogue in Hades between Machiavelli and Montesquieu.” An expert testifying at Berne maintained that it is something more than a few passages and a resemblance. He said that in no fewer than 170 instances the “Protocols” are a verbatim copy of the French book.

It seems like hard luck that Nazism should lean so heavily, of all foreigners, on Frenchmen. The whole business of the blond Nordic and his exalted destiny was begun by Count Gobineau almost a hundred years ago. Now it apparently turns out that the “Protocols of Zion,” which Nazis cite against the Jews, is a Czarist Russian forgery based on a French original. Nazi truths supposed to be rooted in the primitive Teutonic life actually trace back to a Paris library.

The London Times publishes the full text of the offer made by the Jewish Representative Council to the Hitler government to withdraw the anti-Nazi boycott provided the rights of German Jews are restored. The offer is published in The Times in the form of a letter to the editor, and signed by M. H. Davis and P. Horowitz, the joint chairmen of the Jewish Representative Council. It reads as follows:

THE OFFER TO DROP THE NAZI BOYCOTT

Herr Hitler in his appeal for the “Winter help” movement at the meeting of the temporary Reichstag on October 9 is reported to have laid the blame on the Jewish boycott for the difficulties Germany has to face.

We would like to point out that if it be true that the present economic situation of Germany is mainly due to the Jewish boycott the German Chancellor has it entirely in his own hands to solve the difficulty and to relieve the anxiety of the German people for the forthcoming winter. The responsible authorities for the organization of the Jewish boycott have at all times made it clear that the boycott would be pursued only for “so long as full equality of status and citizenship shall continue to be denied to the Jews of Germany.”

Providing satisfactory assurances are forthcoming that Jews in Germany will be restored to the position they formerly occupied the Jewish Representative Council for the Boycott of German Goods and Services is prepared to convene forthwith a conference of all Jewish boycott organizations in order to arrange for the immediate withdrawal of the boycott.

Jews view with the gravest concern the possibilities of serious distress in Germany during the coming winter, and would gladly join in any effort for the restoration of prosperity providing they could feel assured that in its achievement we shall see a Germany according to all her citizens full citizenship, rights and opportunity.

PARALLELISM IN CAREERS OF TWO GREAT JEWS

The London Daily Express devotes a special column to praising the activities of Sir Isaac Isaacs, the Governor General of Australia. Pointing out Sir Isaac’s services for the British Empire, the Daily Express writes:

Governor-General of Australia Sir Isaac Isaacs, now piloting Duke of Gloucester round Melbourne, has a career uncannily similar to na#nesakes### Isaacs, Marquis of Reading.

Both sons of Jewish merchants. Both entered legal profession as clever boys of family. Both became Benchers of Middle Temple. Both Queen’s Counsel. Both M.P.’s, both Solicitors-Generals of their respective Governments, both Attorneys-General.

Both created Knight Grand Commanders of knightly orders. Both Lord Chief Justices, both Privy Councillors.

Then Reading became Viceroy of India. It looked as though queer parallelism was ended. The two met in London, joked about it.

Then Isaacs was made first Australian Governor-General of Australia. Parallel was restored. Both had been supreme heads of two Empire countries.

Reading is, however, still a short head in front of Isaacs. He has peerage. Is it too much to expect Sir Isaac Isaacs will be made peer after royal visit?

The Times of India connecting on the situation in Palestine, finds that Britain will have to administer Palestine for a long time to come. The paper states:

SEES BRITISH RULING PALESTINE LONG TIME

The peculiar difficulties of the Palestine problem arise from the fact that a double objective was placed before the mandatory, Great Britain. Palestine was to be developed as a Jewish National Home. At the same time the indigenous Arab population was to have all its rights and interests carefully safeguarded. This could only be accomplished, of course, by some coming together in goodwill of the two elements, Jew and Arab—and it may be said in short that owing to their racial characteristics and traditions this drawing together has seemed as hopeless of achievement as a mixture of oil and water.

Meanwhile, as far as material prosperity is concerned, Palestine is progressing rapidly. There was at the end of 1933 an accumulated treasury surplus of £2,500,000. Agriculture is advancing by leaps and bounds. A typical example is the increase of orange exports from four million cases in 1932 to five million in 1933. Private bank deposits have gone up from £7,500,000 to £12,500,000. Six hundred new industrial establishments were opened during the year. Capital investment in the 3,500 separate enterprises has doubled in the last three years.

DUE TO JEWS

All this is largely ascribable to the immigration of the Jews —largely from Poland—but recently, owing to the persecution from Germany too.

The reverse of the picture shows however that, while the Arabs have to some extent shared in the generally improved welfare they bitterly resent the presence of these pushing Jews, and though firm government measures prevent ill feeling developing into serious riots, the day is still far distant when a united Palestinian people will be able to “stand alone,” and so claim the right to the full independence which has already been “provisionally recognized.”