Letters to the Editor

To the Editor of the Jewish Daily Bulletin:

I cannot refrain from writing in commendation of the plan to erect a monument to the memory of the liberators of Captain Alfred Dreyfus.

As the editor of the leading French journal in this country, I may be pardoned for writing that I have never admired an ideal so profoundly as that of recognizing the great work in behalf of Justice and human rights, as is expressed in the proposition to place in enduring bronze the record of three of my countrymen, who made such sacrifices for the cause they espoused.

The memorial would be a fitting climax to an episode in history that at one time was fraught with great danger to the progress of the human race and that was particularly ominous for the Jews of France.

As a result of the intrepidity of those three champions of liberty and justice, Colonel Picard, Emile Zola, and Georges Clemenceau, France redeemed herself in the eyes of the world, by reversing the verdict that sent Dreyfus to Devil’s Island.

In recognition of this final triumph of justice, the proposed memorial should be advocated by all liberty-loving people and I believe this the proper time to popularize the movement for the achievement of this idea.

The very suggestion of the idea would tend to promote harmony between our nationals, and would forge anew the attachment which is symbolized by the Statue of Liberty that adorns the harbor of New York, emblem of two peoples with an identical purpose—the advancement of science, the peace and happiness of mankind. For the Jews of the United States to propose the return of the great compliment of the Bartholdi statue would in itself prove a master-stroke of sentiment never surpassed in human annals.

As the spokesman of the French people in the United States, I pay homage to the promotion of this noble ideal and pledge their co-operation, because in my opinion the memorial should be a distinctive Jewish undertaking as far as practicable; but I am sure all liberty-loving people will gladly subscribe to this magnificent idea. So far as lies in my power, I shall be pleased to help the people of France to accept the proposal with enthusiasm and will gladly co-operate in any way that is possible to assure success of this enterprise.

Courrier Des Etats-Unis,

(Signed) J. Wavrinek,

Editor-in-Chief.

A VOICE FROM SOUTH AFRICA

To the Editor of the Jewish Daily Bulletin:

Before leaving for Europe on my way back to South Africa, I will be grateful if you will be good enough to insert the following remarks to supplement what you quoted me as saying in your August 13 edition.

One reads with increasing alarm of the continued persecution of the Jews in Germany, and I strongly urge that this is the time for the combined efforts of world Jewry to compel Germany to realize what a powerful weapon they can wield economically, and thus speedily bring this Hitler regime to its doom.

During my stay here I have come into contact with many large importers, and I am disappointed to find that great quantities of German manufactured goods still flow into Jewish stores and warehouses. I feel the reason for this is not that the Jews here are unsympathetic to the object of the boycott, but there appears to be a lack of proper organization for the purpose.

In a young country like South Africa, rings have successfully been formed to ostracize both Jewish and Gentile firms who persist in importing German goods. Don’t American Jews realize that they alone are in a position to strike a deadly blow to German trade, and thus cripple the Hitler regime? Why does each one seem to wait for the next man to act first?

I, myself, who previously was the largest importer of German goods in South Africa, have practically eliminated Germany completely from my buying and have succeeded in replacing a good part of all these lines in America, England and other countries.

It is the duty of every Jew in this country to be a boycott agent and enroll also the Gentile firms, of which many will cooperate with the Jews.

There have been reports of Nazi propaganda in South Africa. From my recollection, this propaganda has been carried on by the Germans for the last few years, and at one time it became quite serious, but at this juncture the South African Government stepped in to suppress the movement.

On the whole South Africa is practically free from anti-Semitism, and the Jews live in comparative harmony with the rest of the population, but they are fully awake to the Nazi propaganda that comes from the former German colony of Southwest Africa.

Sol Ginnes.