Dr. K. Fornberg devotes a long article in the Day of Nov. 3 to the “Ort”, on occasion of its drive for $1,000,000 which begins on Nov. 9.
“It is truly marvelous”, he says, “to see with what courage the leaders of Jewry in the East European countries have accepted the news of the liquidation of the J. D. C. The cessation of American relief activities has not deprived them of their self-confidence and faith in their own powers. With something not unlike heroism they have decided to resume the work themselves.
“They have already proven their wisdom, practicality and initiative by creating the ‘Ort’-an organization with a very broad program, not only for relief, but, above all, for creative reconstructive work. There is no other organization in Jewry today that can equal the ‘Ort’ for the soundness of its principles, the constructiveness and all-inclusiveness of its aims. All the activities of the ‘Ort’ are pivoted around the word WORK.
“The ‘Ort’ has undertaken to teach the growing generation useful, productive trades. The ‘Ort’ helps and guides Jewish artisans and craftsmen, giving them on credit tools and machinery with which to work. The ‘Ort’ extends help to Jewish farmers and endeavors to increase the Jewish farming class. The ‘Ort’ aims to give constructive cooperation and help to the largest possible number at the smallest possible expense.
“Considering all these splendid activities we must wonder indeed that the ‘Ort’ has asked us, the Jews of America, for only $1,000,000 in the drive which starts Nov. 9.
“One million dollars-what a paltry sum for such a purpose when we remember that we raised in the past decade some 60 million dollars for temporary relief, for charity that brought no constructive lasting results to the Jews of Europe.
“The entire work of the ‘Ort’ is in the capable hands of Dr. Bramson who has made his organization truly impartial in every sense of the word by surrounding himself with men taken from every class and stratum of Jewish life in America and elsewhere.
“Dr. Bramson has achieved a unique moral success for the European Jews. But, unfortunately, it is still true that moral success is not sufficient. ‘Hard cash’ is needed to make the work of the ‘Ort’ a real success. It is our opinion that American Jewry is now about to go through another test of its idealism and high-mindedness.
“The period of ‘relief’ is over. A new period of help through work, help through reconstruction, has begun. If any of the idealism that made the ‘relief’ work a success still survives in the hearts of the American Jews they must quickly make up their modest quota of one million dollars for the ‘Ort’.”
CRITICIZES LOUIS MARSHALL
The Jewish World of Cleveland returning again to the subject of Mr. Marshall’s opposition to La Follette says (Nov. 3):
“For years Mr. Marshall has been trying to teach the Jewish citizens to keep Jewish issues out of politics. In the last campaign, however, Mr. Marshall himself dragged a Jewish issue into polities by attacking La Follette for introducing the Hungarian petition in the Senate-an incident which has long ago been explained satisfactorily by La Follette.
“But this is encouraging. We are glad Mr. Marshall acted as he did. Apparently it is permissible to emphasize Jewish issues….”
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
