Withdraws Approval of Anti-semitic Work

(J. T. A. Mail Service)

Dr. Aristides Andronicos, who was for many years Greek Consul in Russian and has published a number of anti-Semitic writings, including a Greek translation of the “Protocols of the Elders of Zion,” has just issued a collection of anti-Semitic pamphlets under the title “Judah through the Centurics,” containing a letter of commendation from the Archbishop of Athens, the head of the Greek Church.

The president of the Jewish community in Athens, M. Nissim Mattatia, immediately visited the Archbishop and on behalf of the Jews of Greece protested against such a pubblication receiving the official commendation of the Church, in the form of a letter from the Archbishop stating that it is worthy of special attention and study. The Archbishop explained that M. Andronicos had misled him regarding the character of the book and he has now issued a declaration regretting the publication of his letter of commendation, which he had written on Dr. Andronicos’s assurance that the book was directed only against Jewish Communists. The Archbishop assures the Jews of Greece that they enjoy the utmost respect and goodwill of the Church.

LABORITES AND ZIONIST DIE HARDS VOICE DISAPPOINTMENT

The report of the Jewish Agency Commission, containing its findings and recommendations for a five year program of Palestine work based on a minimum budget of £1,000,000 annually during the period, is the subject of world wide discussion by the Jewish press, irrespective of party affiliation.

Although the general tone of the comment is that of deep appreciation for the work of the Commissioners and the experts, satisfaction with the forthcoming all-Jewish cooperation with regard to the task in Palestine, notes of criticism and, in some quarters, disappointment, are struck.

“New Judaea,” official organ of the Zionist Executive in London, writes:

“The recommendations submitted by the Commission, controversial as they may be, certainly constitute a constructive programme for the period of the next five years. Some of the proposals, particularly those relating to methods of colonization, will no doubt be contested in certain Zionist quarters. But they are unquestionably based on authetic data. Nor can it be said that it is a pusillanimous report. On the contrary, the findings, particularly in the proposals to the Government, are marked by a boldness and directness which should dispose of some of the misgivings entertained by certain Zionists.”

“American Isracite.” Cincinnati, non-Zionistic: “It is evident that the commissioners feel that the Jews of the world wish to re-establish Palestine as a living and livable country because they had their origin there. That has been said often, and with much emphasis. It is however in line with the report, itself, which is extremely conservative. It offers a clear picture of the necessities of Palestine, but is not in any sense a document which will move the masses of men or women, or create enthusiasm. It seems to have been made in the spirit of resignation to the fact that due to Zionist agitation a number of Jews have migrated to Palestine and have found themselves under the British mandate with the promise of co-operation in the creating of a home land. The combination of these two circumstances make it possible to scratch from the thin soil of Palestine a meager living for some thousands of Jews. This can only be accomplished with the thorough and hearty cooperation of Jews throughout the world for a number of years, or for an indefinite time.

“The report of the commissioners claims that the arable land of Palestine can be divided into thirty-three thousand irrigated farms and fifty thousand non-irrigated farms. Of these eighty-three thousand possible farms, eight percent are now in Jewish hands. On this basis the Jews would own about 6,640 farms, about one half of which are non-Irrigated, the other half depending upon irrigation, whether installed or not we do not know. It is a very slim promise to hold out to a people scattered through the richest parts of the world, and one must express grave doubts as to the possibilities involved. and as to the wisdom of continually forcing them upon public attention and using the public purse to carry them forward with such little hope of real achievement; while other possibilities far richer and far easier might be found.

“The report makes more certain than it ever was before that in Palestine but a small number of Jews will be enabled to find subsistance, and that for many years to come all Jewry must tax itself to give this small nucleus a chance No thinking Jew will deny the right of Palestine to the aid of Jewry; no thinking Jew will wish to desert those who are already there or discourage those who earnestly wish to go. It is however within the righ of every Jew to question whether the total attention of Israel should be attracted to a project, which promises so little as a relief to the Jewish question of the world, and draws Israel’s attention away from those places which have great promise for large numbers. The report is serious, thorough, competent, but it is neither stimulating nor encouraging.”

“The Vanguard,” New York Zionist Labor monthly: “The report of the socalled Jewish Agency Commission on its findings in Palestine and its recommendations of program principles and methods, is a document which is singularly lacking in warmth. Not a particle of sentiment for the ideal of Palestine as the Jewish Homeland, not a quiver of emotion at the rehabilitation of a race, not a glimmer of vision. A cold, soulless statement of opinions hardly to be met with even in a treatise on statistice.

“Are those the gentlemen Zionism will entrust with the great task of building the Jewish national home?

“The icy breath of the report assails us in every line, and every recommendation is a slap right across the face of everything we hold to be the restoration movement of the Jewish people.”

“Buffialo Jewish Review” : “The experts, we say have tried to be fair. They have little approval for doctrinairy experiments, or the attempt to foist upon the new land any social theories of economics. Hence they discourage wasteful methods merely for the sake of “isms,” just as they decry unsound expansion only for the sake of being able to boast of the progress’during any stated period.

“We confess that we are very favorably impressed with the report of the experts and the commissioners, especially this pregnant and striking pronouncement with which they conclude and which could well be adopted as slogan by universal Israel. We quote: ‘The commissioners appeal to the entire Jewish world to make the necessary sacrifices to establish a## deal which will be a just source of pride and satisfaction to all members of the community, to be regarded by the world as a worthy effort on behalf of Jewry for the re-establishment of the country of their origin. The commissioners themselves undertake to use their own personal endeavors towards the success of the appeal which they are putting forward with the confident hope of success.”

“Indiana Jewish Clronicle,” Indianapolis: “Some of the changes that they advocate may not meet with approval of all Zionists, but the majority of them as well as non-Zionists, will look with favor upon this program or at least be willing to give it a thorough trial.

“The Jewish Agency Commission not only advises our people on the best methods to pursue in the case, but frankly informs the Palestine Government, as it is authorized to do, of its obligations according to the terms of the Mandate. It also points out the obvious duties it has disregarde and which other governments have recognized as their own.

“The inestimable work of the Commissioners has been completed. But they are willing to go further by pledging their personal aid towards its successful enclusion.

“The challenge has now been handed to us. There must not be any sidetracking or evasion. Let us show a greater spirit of unity by backing their plan wholeheartedly, that Zion may be rebuild in our day.”

Prof. A. A. Michelson has left for Pasadena, Cal, where he will repeat his measurement of the speed of light, caried out by him in 1926 at the Mount Wilson Observatory-

Professor Michelson said the experiment will be one of two he will make at Mount Wilson observatory. The other he said, will be a repetition of the Michelson-Morley experiment on which the Einstein theory is based.