Geneva Conference Distasteful to Jewish Papers in Germany

The recent World Jewish Conference in Geneva has been the topic of editorial discussion in many Jewish publications in this country. Comment has been distinctly antagonistic. The Central Verein Zeitung, official organ of the Central Union of German Citizens of Jewish Faith, stated:

“The total impression of the Geneva Conference bears out what a leading American Zionist said in explaining why he was against the Jewish World Congress idea. Such a congress, he said, can only achieve dramatic effects, not constructive activity. Geneva was more concerned with dramatic effects than with constructive work, and at a safe distance from the events under discussion, speeches were delivered the loudness and shrillness of which could not conceal the cracked china.

“As for the telegram which the Union of National German Jews sent to the Chancellor-President about this conference, the German Jews will know how to judge this telegram, dispatched by a dissident group of German Jewry, which has nothing better to do at this time than to denounce other Jewish groups in Germany. Neither world conferences and proclamations, nor cringing and loss of self-respect will solve the Jewish question.”

AGAINST MINORITY RIGHTS

Proclaiming the desire of German Jews to be citizens of the Fatherland, the Schild, official organ of the Union of Jewish Front Soldiers, attacks the suggestion made at the conference that minority rights be bestowed upon the German Jews.

“We German Jews,” the editorial states, had no means of influencing either the convocation or the proceedings of the Geneva Conference. At the same time, we must not lose sight of the fact that accusations made publicly in Germany against Jews, such as the ritual murder allegation, hit also Jews living outside Germany, who naturally repudiate these charges.

“It is the constant aim of the Union of Jewish Front Soldiers to have German Jews fit honorably into the life of the German Fatherland, and it has never called and never will call for foreign assistance. It stands for the unrestricted right of the German Jews to their homeland on the basis of their historic association with Germany, and of the Jewish share in the glorious defence of the Fatherland.

“With such an irrevocable aim, the Union of Jewish Front Soldiers stands in definite opposition to the demand of the World Conference to place the German Jews under minority rights.”

‘IRRESPONSIBLE’

The Israelitisches Familienblatt calls the conference an “irresponsible demonstration” and states that while it welcomes free discussion of Jewish problems, it demands that this discussion be conducted by qualified Jewish organizations. The editorial, in part, follows:

“The assumption of our enemies that ‘World Jewry’ is engaged in a secret conspirative policy has always, whenever occasion demanded, been shown up by us as a phantasy. That being so, we welcome all free discussion of the Jewish questions of the day by the big qualified Jewish organizations of all countries, provided they avoid polemics and political wild-riding.

“What occurred at Geneva, if the reports are to be trusted, was not such a discussion, but an irresponsible demonstration. Against that, we German Jews stand out with the same resoluteness with which we stood out against all the world conference arranged in the past by this same group of ambitious Jewish politicians.”

The Juedisch-liberale Zeitung, organ of the liberal Jews of Germany published an editorial signed by Dr. Ludwig Hollaender, former director of the Central Union of German Citizens of Jewish Faith, headed “Theatricals in Jewish Life.” It said:

“The fact that not only German Jewry, but also the big recognized Jewish organizations throughout the world, kept away from this conference goes to show that the decisions it adopted are valueless, and the speeches delivered there, at least part of them, are irresponsible.

“A German Jewish organization has in a public statement denounced this conference. We are of the opinion that it was unnecessary, because the Geneva Conference was so unimportant that the political world cannot be in the least influenced by it. The deplorable thing is that another attempt has been made to place a section of German Jews under suspicion. There are certainly people among us Jews who are lacking in patriotism, as there are among all sections of the population, but to describe belief in the up-building of Palestine as lack of patriotism, is absolutely unjustified.”

Der Israelit, organ of Orthodox Jewry in Germany, remarks that “the criticism made in Geneva of the German Palestine transfer agreement has justified those organizations that refused to take part in the conference, without any need of the revolting and superfluous avowal of loyalty made by the Naumann group, showing that the childish doings in Geneva not only did not reflect the will of the German Jews, but are also condemned by the representative organizations of Jewish throughout the world.”