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Lawyer’s Survey in Los Angeles Omits Jews

June 6, 1930
See Original Daily Bulletin From This Date
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A questionnaire is being sent out now by the Los Angeles Bar Association to every lawyer in this city, asking its members, among other things, to state whether they are Catholics or Protestants, without any alternative if they belong to another faith. With the aid of the questionnaire the association intends to issue cards which will help inquirers obtain the services of competent Los Angeles lawyers.

Commenting on this, the “Bnai Brith Messenger” of last week says:

“Evidently our bar association is under the impression that all Los Angeles lawyers are either Catholics or Protestants. Or is this card so worded that only Catholics and Protestants will be given the names of persons applying for legal service? But why designate ones reliigous affiliations altogether? Does being a Catholic or a Protestant make one a better lawyer than being a Jew or a Mohammedan? Or does the bar association want to defend the public against Jews and other religious beliefs in the practice of the law? One wonders what has got into our organized groups of professional men, that they lose all sight of decency—in the matter of employment?”

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