What Bulletin Readers Say

To the Editor, Jewish Daily Bulletin:

From the standpoint of American democratic freedom, nobody can raise any objections when German steamship companies, in order to stem the tide of its declining passenger trade, bring to these shores for ridiculous low prices, among others, groups of German physicians. But the situation is entirely different when such a group, under the leadershiup of a man close to the Nazi Ministry of “Culture,” is officially invited to this country and received by the Chicago Medical Association.

We believe that sickness, like birth and death, is to be kept out of daily political struglges; that the physician, standing outside of such struggles, is to be judged only by his human and medical qualities. However, it can easily be proven that this axiomatic principle has been discarded completely by the physicians of Hitler Germany.

We detest nothing so much as the excited and dishonest exaggerations of a propaganda which believes in discovering atrocity stories in order to give vent to its resentments. We talk only of facts. Not about the fact that Jewish and “Left Aryan” physicians are being tortured, martyred and murdered by ignorant, wild, misled “Aryan” roughnecks. We only want to point out that German doctors themselves, without the excuse of ignorance, have coldly organized themselves to drive out their Jewish colleagues because of economic and political motives; that, with few exceptions, Germany’s most eminent physicians are no longer inside the boundaries of the Reich; that German science and research has not brought forth a single important work within the last two years, because nearly all outstanding German scientists have been compelled to forsake their laboratories, work and positions, regardless of age, calling, and unquestionable political disinterestedness.

In view of this disregard of all humane principles, because of these “cold” murders by medical men, the invitation by an American medical society makes a mockery of all human justice, decency and honor.

E.M.

Riverdale, N. Y.

ON THE C.C.A.R. PRESIDENTS

To the Editor, Jewish Daily Bulletin:

In your issue of Sunday, July 7, I find the statement that Rabbi Felix A. Levy is the first Zionist to be elected president of the Central Conference of American Rabbis.

This statement is incorrect. Rabbi Max Heller was the first Zionist to be thus honored when he was elected to the Presidency in the year 1909.

Although the members of the Conference were, with a very few exceptions, opposed to the Zionist movement at that time, they yet elected a Zionist to the highest office.

This happened in this wise. I had been vice-president for two years, 1905 to 1907. In accordance with the tradition of the Conference I was slated for the election to the presidency in 1907. The chairman of the nominating committee came to me and said that his committee was in something of a quandary.

It was felt by some that for a number of reasons Rabbi Max Heller should be nominated for the vice-presidency. Others, however, held that because of the divergency of our views on Zionism, Rabbi Heller might be unsympathetic to me. The chairman was none other than my very dear friend, that white-souled servant of God and man, Moses J. Gries. He asked me to tell him frankly whether I entertained any strong objection to the nomination of Rabbi Heller.

I replied that although Rabbi Heller’s and my attitude on Zionism were strongly antagonistic, I yet felt that this should not stand in the way of receiving an honor which because of his service he really deserved. Thereupon the name of Max Heller was reported by the nominating committee for the vice-presidency, to which office he was duly elected. Two years thereafter, in 1909, he succeeded me as president and held this office for two years.

David Philipson.

Cincinnati, O.

THE CHICAGO CONFERENCE

To the Editor, Jewish Daily Bulletin:

Kindly permit me to correct several erroneous statements in Mr. Boris Smolar’s column in your issue of Sunday, June 27, concerning the procedings of the recent meeting of the Central Conference of American Rabbis, in Chicago.

Mr. Smolar writes: “It was also for the first time that the Conference of Reform Rabbis adopted a neutral stand on the Jewish work in Palestine in place of its former attitude of opposition.”

This statement is inaccurate and very misleading. The stand of the Conference on the Jewish work in Palestine has never been a neutral one. It has always been a favorable one. The Central Conference of American Rabbis has never opposed the upbuilding of Palestine as a haven of refuge for those Jews who desired it, nor as a cultural and spiritual center for Judaism.

The Central Conference of American Rabbis did not “adopt a neutral stand on the Jewish work in Palestine.” It simply declared that it would take no official stand on the question of Zionism and underscored its intention to continue, as in the past, to cooperate in the upbuilding of Palestine.

Sol Landman.

Kew Gardens, N. Y.