Felix Warburg Lauds Hoover in Message Read at Civic Leaders’ Audience

(Jewish Daily Bulletin)

–James N. Rosenberg, vice-chairman of the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, in the absence of Felix M. Warburg who was unable to attend, acted as spokesman for the delegation of civic leaders who were received by Herbert Hoover yesterday at his headquarters here. The delegation included a number of outstanding philan-thropists and social workers.

Mr. Rosenberg read a message from Mr. Warburg, highly lauding Mr. Hoover and declaring it is a “privilege to join this group who have had experience in social work and express to you, as we have done elsewhere, our satisfaction that in all probability you will be in charge of the social well-being not only of the suffering but of the strong citizens of the United States as well, when you take office as President.

“It is not an empty phrase when I express this heartfelt belief. It is based on the privilege I enjoyed while I worked under you in the census of foodstuffs to which you invited me, then in the relief action during the famine in Russia where, as chairman of the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, I could admire at the same time your splendid judgment and deep feeling for all suffering humanity. When the famine was over, when an effort was made to plant some of the thousands of people who were deprived of their livelihood in the trades and on the farms, in consequence of the revolution in Russia. you showed a marvelous understanding of and sympathy with that new problem.

“Your expressed approval and the interest which you have shown in this experiment have not only helped us in perfecting so successfully what we have been trying to do, but have persuaded others of the merits of this problem. These persuasive powers, due to your action more than to your words, which, through contact with you, turned people who were mere acquaintances into staunch admirers, will I am sure bring you success in the exalted office which I trust will soon be yours. Problems which seem to be nearly impossible to be solved by simple legal efforts may, in my opinion, be solved if you deem it advisable to call upon good citizenship to follow your’s and others’ splendid example.”

Upon completing Mr. Warburgs’ message Mr. Rosenberg recalled his own association with Mr. Hoover in the relief work in Europe, stating. “The comradeship in relief work which it has been the privilege of my colleagues and myself to have with you these many years has left us priceless memories. It is perhaps permissible for me on this occasion to state one or two of them.

“On a broiling day of August 1921, some forty men and women representatives of American relief organizations, gathered in Washington, at your invitation, to discuss the famine relief for Russia. When a timid person feared lest the feeding of Russians would subject us in America to criticism, your curt reply, which I shall always remember, was that the only thing that concerned you, and the only thing that ought to concern any human being was that 10,000,000 starving children in Russia must be saved. No further fears were voiced. That the relief proceeded and the children were saved all the world knows.

“As administrator for Jewish famine relief overseas. I went to London the following October. Data just then received by the London office of the American Relief Administration indicated that the Russian famine extended into the Ukraine, but no one was sure, for that part of Russia had been inaccessible owing to counter-revolution and brigandage. The situation seemed however so acute that despite the lack of certain knowledge. I cabled you for help. Yours was the instant response of the man of deeds. You despatched representatives to the Ukraine to get the facts. As a result the famine work for the Ukraine, conducted under your leadership, meant the feeding and the saving of over 2,000,000 men. women and children who otherwise would literally have starved to death.

“On a bitter winter day a week before Christmas of that same year, I was in the typhus stricken village of Sokachev, twenty miles from Warsaw. There I saw the children of Poland being rescued by your organization. Charts and graphs on the walls showed the age of each child, the number of calories it received, its gain in weight, the nutrition necessary for it. The charts showed nothing as to the child’s religion. Tolerance is so often glibly preached. Your organization practiced it. It is no wonder then that the word ARA has throughout Europe come to mean a blessing.

“And so to you comrade and leader in manifold missions of mercy to fellowmen in despair, wherever their land, whatever their creed, we pledge again the full measure of our devotion and affection,” Mr. Rosenberg concluded.

Mr. Hoover, who seemed much moved in replying said: “The great tasks of life-saving in which it has been my privilege to have a part with you are, thank God, things of the past, and today we look at a more hopeful world. The disaster of the war is behind us. Today we have but one problem before us–to bring up those who lag in the great march of progress to the front ranks–for we are all marching.

I should like only to add that this great relief work in which the lives of tens of millions were preserved was only possible by the whole-hearted generosity of my countrymen and women, who always respond to the call of need without regard to nationality or religion.”

The members of the delegation were Lewish Strauss, Elihu D. Stone, Assistant United States Attorney of Boston. Jacob Epstein of Baltimore, Senator H. O. Levin, Maurice Bisgyer, Major Julius I. Peyser, M. D. Rosenberg. Isaac Gans, E. I. Kaufman, Morris Cafritz, Morris Gewirz of Washington. D. C., George Barr Baker, Frederich Brown, Dr. Vernon Kellogg, David Holzner, Robert Fleming. Meyer Nager, Major John Lewis Smith, Dr. Harold Korn, William Fishman. Philip Vine and A. N. Rugg.

MASS MEETING PROTESTS RELIGIOUS PERSECUTIONS IN SOVIET RUSSIA

The American public and the Government of the United States were urged to take steps to bring about the cessation of anti-Jewish religious persecutions in Soviet Russia at a mass meeting held Wednesday evening in Cooper Union Hall, New York City, Over 1,000 persons were present.

The meeting was called on the initiative of the Orthodox Rabbinical Board of Greater New York and was presided over by Rabbi Abraham Miller of Brooklyn, who recounted the facts showing it to be the constant policy of the Soviet Government to persecute all those who strive to maintain Hebrew schools, Chedarim and Talmudic academies and houses of study. Rabbis and teachers are imprisoned at the instigation of the Jewish Section of the Communist Party. The Soviet Government cannot disclaim responsibility for the action of the Yevsektzia as it does nothing to stop them.

Congressman Hamilton Fish, Congressman Emmanuel Celler, Congressman William I. Sirovitch, Congress-La Guardia, Congressman Samuel Dickstein and State Senator Charles S. Lockwood addressed the gathering in a similar vein. Besides the chairman, the case in behalf of the Rabbinical Board was presented by Rabbi Inselbuch, Rabbi Gusik, Rabbi Kaplan, Rabbi Schotland. Rabbi Burak and Rabbi Pieffer, who declared that the persecutions in Soviet Russia against the Jewish religion have reached such a stage that intervention of American public opinion is imperative.

A resolution was adopted which will be forwarded to the State Department at Washington. Congressman Fish also presented a resolution in which he urged that the Government be urged not to entertain any proposals for the recognition of Soviet Russia before the religious persecution policy is abandoned.

He suggested that in this action the rabbis join the representatives of the Christian churches in the presentation of a petition to the United States Congress. “The desecration of synagogues and churches is contrary to the traditions and institutions of civilized nations and of the United States,” he declared.

Telegrams joining in the protest were received from Albert Ottinger, Republican candidate for New York Governor, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Democratic candidate, for New York Governor, Col. Herbert H. Lehman, Democratic candidate for Lieutenant-Governor and Senator Royal S. Copeland.