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“ghetto Benches” Seen by Times As Step Toward Totalitarianism of Nazi, Fascist Colleges

December 23, 1937
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THE NEW YORK TIMES WARNED POLAND IN AN EDITORIAL TODAY THAT ESTABLISHMENT OF “GHETTO” BENCHES” IS A STEP ON THE ROAD TO THE BLEAK INTELLECTUAL TOTALITARIANISM WHICH HAS ENGULFED THE GERMAN AND ITALIAN UNIVERSITIES.”

THE EDITORIAL DECLARES POLAND CANNOT RISK ALIENATING PUBLIC SENTIMENT IN THE FREE COUNTRIES IF SHE WISHES TO PURSUE A POLICY OF BALANCE AND NEUTRALITY. IT URGES POLAND TO UTILIZE THE “OPPORTUNITY TO CAPTURE THE IMAGINATION OF THE DEMOCRATIC WORLD” BY RESISTING SEGREGATION OF JEWISH STUDENTS.

COMMENTING ON THE APPEAL OF NEARLY 200 AMERICAN NON-JEWISH EDUCATORS AGAINST “GHETTO” BENCHES, THE EDITORIAL STATES: “IT IS NOT AMERICAN SCHOLARSHIP ALONE THAT SPEAKS. THE SAME FEELING DOMINATES IN THE LEARNED WORLD OF GREAT BRITAIN AND FRANCE. IN OTHER WORDS, POLAND’S TENTATIVE STEP TOWARD A HITLERISM OF HER OWN IS REGARDED WITH SORROW AND REPUGNANCE IN THE GREAT SISTER DEMOCRACIES TO WHOM MODERN POLAND OWES HER EXISTENCE.”

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