Governor Lehman Voices Plea for Aid Fund at Appeal Dinner

eloquent testimonial to the work being done in that respect by James G. McDonald, High Commissioner for Refugees.

The United Jewish Appeal, Mr. Lehman declared, “is the concrete answer to the prayers and needs of hundreds of thousands of men and women and children of our faith in Germany or among the refugees who have fled to other lands.”

“It is our response,” he continued, “to the urgent plea of the High Commission for Refugees representing eleven nations, including our own, who are concerned with the plight and the problems of the refugees.

“It is our answer to that splendid and devoted American who is struggling against almost overwhelming odds to bring alleviation and aid to the homeless and hopeless men and women who are congested in refugee centers in many countries, the High Commissioner for Refugees, James G. McDonald.

ANSWER TO ENEMIES

“In a large sense, too this United Jewish Appeal is our answer to those iniquitous forces which invoke discrimination and hatred and denial of opportunity. The two organizations which make up the United Jewish Appeal have been working desperately to rebuild the broken lives of thousands upon thousands of the Jews of Germany who have suddenly found themselves without a home in the very land in which for countless generations they and their forbears have lived and worked. For countless generations Jews of Germany had given to their country their sole allegiance, their devotion, their very lives; they had fought and died for it. They loved Germany, they had deep pride in its achievements, in its national culture, in its history, in their work and in their native places. In every activity, in every walk of life, loyal citizens of Jewish faith contributed to the up-building of what has been a great nation. In science and literature, in music and art, in business and industry and in every form of spiritual, moral and intellectual activity, they gained and held an honored place.

IN PEACE AND WAR

“In peace they contributed to Germany’s well-being; in war they laid down their lives for Germany’s greatness.

“They could not do otherwise as good Jews. Their spiritual tradition, their deepest aspirations permitted no other course because their faith, hallowed by the tradition of countless centuries, is based on loyalty and good citizenship.

“Suddenly, almost without warning, by official and national edict, all of the Jews of Germany—600,000 people—were singled out for destruction, economically, socially and politically. They have been harried and driven out of their positions in business, in public life, in industry and in commerce and in the professions.

“There has been no secrecy, no equivocation on the part of the German government. Hundreds of thousands of men and women in all walks of life have been ruthlessly and without pity deprived of their means of livelihood and of the primary rights of citizenship. Loyalty, patriotism, service have counted for naught. Doctors, lawyers, civil servants, university professors and other teachers, scientists, musicians, industrial workers, have been driven from their positions and have been denied the right to work at their vocations. Even the right to education is now being denied many of the Jewish children and youths, regardless of their intellectual qualifications.

“These men and women in great numbers are now undergoing indescribable suffering and hardship. They must be helped lest they go hungry; they must be aided lest they yield to their despair.”

MORRIS ROTHENBERG SPEAKS

The Nazis aim at “the complete elimination of Jewish economic life in the German Reich,” Morris Rothenberg asserted. He said in part:

“Let no one be misled as to what is in the minds of the present rulers in Germany with respect to the Jewish population. It is no transient spell of injustice that has taken hold of them. They aim at the complete elimination of Jewish economic life in the German Reich. Having first deprived the intellectual and middle classes of the opportunity of earning a livelihood, they next turned to the destruction of the laboring elements, and now they extend their relentless program of ruination to Jewish industry.”