Herman Bernstein, Back from Europe, Reports on Jewish Situation

Herman Bernstein, editor of the “Jewish Tribune”, returned Wednesday on the White Star liner Homeric from a five months’ tour.

When interviewed by the representative of the “Jewish Daily Bulletin”, Mr. Bernstein commented on the Roumanian situation and on the depositions by six Russian monarchists in favor of Henry Ford filed in Mr. Bernstein’s libel suit against Ford.

“I see that the Russian monarchists have come to the defense of Henry Ford in my libel suit against the motor manufacturer. I hope that now Henry Ford will at last have courage enough to come to court and cease seeking further subterfuges and technical tricks to delay the course of justice. My attorney, Samuel Untermyer, has been trying hard for more than two years to give Henry Ford the opportunity to make good his charges and to defend himself. I hope that now, with the aid of the prominent Tzarists. Mr. Ford will be ready to face the music.

“I have maintained that the Russian monarchists have had a hand in Henry Ford’s anti-Jewish campaign. But with Henry Ford business is business. His dealings with the Russian monarchists in his anti-Jewish propaganda did not prevent him from aiding the Soviet Government by extending credits to the Bolsheviki whom he claims to despise so much.”

“Roumania is now regarded as the worst offender against the Jewish people,” Mr. Bernstein continued. “I have convinced myself that the Roumanian people are not anti-Semitic, that in view of the anti-Semitic agitation conducted there it is surprising that the people have not become more inflamed with prejudice and hate. The anti-Semitic agitation in Roumania is artificial, conducted by a small insignificant group, headed by Professor Cuza and if one of the members of the Roumanian Government. Minister of the Interior Goga. had not sanetioned or encouraged the anti-Jewish propaganda it could have been checked easily. The King and Queen of Roumania are opposed to this anti-Semitic agitation, realizing that such a movement, aside from its inhumanity to the Jews is also injurious to Roumania.

“The situation of the Jews in Roumania is terrible. The truth about the moral degradation and intituadation of the Jews by the anti-Semitic clique is dreadful. The exaggerations that have appeared in some of the newspapers depicting the anti-Jewish outrages in Roumania have only served to help the anti-Semites, for they pointed to the exaggerations in the foreign press and attempted to deny even the outrages that actually occurred.

“Despite all difficulties there is a distinct and remarkable progress to be noted in Palestine, but much more will have to be done by the Jews as well as by Great Britain, in order that Palestine shall become the National Jewish Home that the nations agreed to make it,” he said.