An attack on both the United States and Dr. Judah L. Magnes, president of the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, for espousing the cause of neutrality in the African war is contained in a letter published in today’s Manchester Guardian over the signature of Col. Josiah Wedgwood, Laborite Member of Parliament.
The attack was provoked by a letter published recently in that same paper, written by Dr. Magnes, formerly rabbi of the Temple Emanu-El of New York. In this letter, Dr. Magnes, deploring the application of sanctions against Italy by Palestine, urged that the Holy Land be permitted to remain neutral on all great issues on which the future of mankind may rest.
Replying to Dr. Magnes, Col. Wedgwood makes the following statement:
“Dr. Magnes comes from America which has not remained neutral when the issue has been far less clear than it is today. I commend him to the words of Patrick Henry.” (The reference is to Patrick Henry’s famous remark, “Give me liberty or give me death.
Col. Wedgwood declares that Dr. Magnes’ letter “will give g### comfort to the Italian Consul General in Jerusalem but will ### others besides myself with indignation and disgust.” He adds that Dr. Magnes “does not speak for the Jews of Palestine, ###.”
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