World Press Digest

Hannen Swaffer, writing in the London Daily Herald on the impressions brought from Palestine by one of his Jewish friends, says:

Now, what horrified my Jewish friend in Palestine was Tel Aviv, which, the only all-Jewish town in the world, is the pride of all the Jews who have never seen it.

“When I was in Tel Aviv,” said my business friend, “I felt ashamed. I had been in the communal settlements, where the people worked hard, willingly, loving the soil they worked on, all bent to one purpose.

“But in Tel Aviv, everyone talked of land speculation. One man, soon after I arrived, asked me, ‘Are you interested in land?’

” ‘Yes, as such,’ I replied.

” ‘I mean land speculation,’ he said.

” ‘No, after seeing the communal settlements,’ I answered. ‘I certainly am not.’ “

In Tel Aviv they talk in “profits,” of “the land boom,” and they have built a higgledy-piggledy town that is hideous to look upon. A crash must come soon. But the people go on gambling in land values.

One speculator, not a Jew, by the way, has made a large fortune out of his land profits. Many have made considerable sums.

ERETZ ISRAEL, NOT PALESTINE

{NOTE}Under the headline, “Avoid the Word ‘Palestine,'” the Jewish Tribuno of Bombay makes the following suggestion to the Jews of India:{/NOTE}

Some time ago there was a movement afoot to avoid the use of the word Palestine as the nomenclature for the Holy Land. The name suggests by its etymology the land of the Philistines and it is a curious survival of a race that has not inhabited that country for decades. In the holy language, the country is known by the name of Eretz Israel—the land or country of the Jews. Every Jew should endeavor by his example and suggestion to see that the country is described as Eretz-Israel not only by his co-religionists but also by non-Jews.

With the rapid nationalization of the country, the steady increase in the number of the Jewish population, and the marvelous progress in the employment of Hebrew as a language, it should not be long before Palestine becomes the Land of Israel and is known internationally as Eretz Israel. This must be a duty of every individual, for we have no Minister of Education empowered to make the correction world-wide.

SEEKS BACKERS OF MCFADDEN

{NOTE}The American Israelite, commenting on Louis T. McFadden’s race for the presidency on an anti-Semitic platform, says:{/NOTE}

Non-sectarian newspapers virtually have ignored Mr. McFadden’s presidential candidacy. He is a political curiosity. But he is dangerous—because he is well-financed and deaf to truth.

The Israelite strongly recommends to readers the following two precautions:

1. That you take pains to ascertain the names and interests of Mr. McFadden’s backers—and cease doing business with them.

2. That you inquire from the Hotel Mayflower in Washington, D. C., just how it finds it convenient to harbor such an inciting, un-American influence as is Mr. McFadden’s headquarters.

ASKS CONSIDERATION OF JEWISH PROBLEM

{NOTE}Commenting on the position of the Jews in European countries, the South African Jewish Chronicle says editorially:{/NOTE}

The situation is extremely serious and calls for immediate assistance. If there is really such a body as World Jewry as our enemies would have us believe there exists, the representatives should come together and decide about what is to be done in order to save these poor people, not only from starvation but from national degeneration. Many of the Jews of these countries are of the finest and noblest types—their services could be of the greatest value in many directions: today they have fallen on evil times and it is the duty of those in more fortunate circumstances to raise and succor them.

Emigration cannot solve the problem, though every effort should be made to bring as many of these unfortunate people out of their miserable and sordid surroundings as possible. But for the majority the problem will have to be solved in the country in which they are unfortunately situated, and it is hoped that with the beginning of a new year a real and earnest effort will be made at ameliorating the sad lot of these unfortunate people.

INFLUENCES AGAINST GERMANY’S TRADE

{NOTE}The New York Times, speaking of Germany’s unfavorable trade balance, says editorially:{/NOTE}

While it is possible to point to some of the forces that affect a trade balance, it is seldom possible to say what the precise quantitative effect has been of any one of them. Among the general influences that we have to consider in the case of Germany, in addition to the intricate and rigid governmental control, are the drastic changes in German domestic economy, her absurdly low gold reserve, and the economic boycott.

ENTRY RESTRICTIONS AND NAZIS IN U. S.

{NOTE}The Philadelphia Jewish {SPAN}Exp#nent{/SPAN} says under the headline “Jingoes in our Midst:”{/NOTE}

Among those who are advocating a greater restriction of immigration to this country, revived since the opening of the United States Congress, there are a number of Jewish names This is regrettable. The immigration laws in effect today are sufficiently severe. The number of immigrants entering this country are so few as to be negligible. Of this Miss Perkins, liberal-minded Secretary o# Labor, is fully aware, and this is, doubtless, the reason she is giving so little time to this phase of her responsibility. This is known, too, to the professional restrictionists.

But the latter are exploiting this propaganda in order t# spread racial prejudice and ### spirit of distrust against the more recent arrivals. This is t# the detriment of the entire American community. In the course of the past two years the Hitler propagandists have done all they could to foment hatred of the Jews. For all we know investigations may reveal that they are at the bottom of thi# revived agitation. This should be made clear to Jewish members of Congress and others inclined to give ear to the jingoe in our midst.