(The purpose of the Digest is informative, Preference is given to papers not generally accessible to our readers. Quotation does not indicate approval–Editor.)
The death of Louis E. Miller, for many years one of the outstanding figures in the Yiddish press of America, is deplored by the Jewish press, which devotes much space to his life and work.
“With the death of Louis Miller, the most colorful, vesatile figure produced by the East European immigration in the last four decades passes from the scene.” says the “Day,” of whose editorial staff Miller was latterly a member.
“He was the pioneer of the Jewish labor movement, the creator of modern Jewish journalism, the most striking Jewish stylist, the far seeing politician, the untiring and fearless fighter–a personality in whom were combined the characteristics of a dozen creative spirits. As stylist he was the only one of his kind. No one else of this generation wrote with so much fire and temperament, which reminded one of flowing lava, spurting and hissing. ## editorials were masterpieces of temperamental writing and always found a wide echo among the masses.”
The “Jewish Morning Journal” speaks of Miller as an “old-timer.” Says the paper: “An outstanding personality, a man with abilities above the average, disappears from our midst with the death of Louis E. Miller. An ‘oldtimer’ in the field of Yiddish journalism, he had too much energy to become wholly submerged even under the worst circumstances. A thinking man, who was attracted to the profession and later could not completely dissociate himself from it, even though other activities promised better financial returns; a writer who could influence a wide cicle of readers, even though he was already in the grip of a fatal sickness, he remained a power in the Jewish newspaper world until the very moment when the pen fell from his hand.”
Louis Miller was a man of great emotions, avers the “Jewish Daily News,” which further observes: “As a writer Miller was the same as a public speaker. He always sought the strongest words which the Yiddish language possessed and made the most daring parallels in order to arouse the enthusiasm of his readers, Miller was a power in the labor movement, but being too temperamental to endure the discipline of organization he saw the leadership of the various radical groups and organizations passing into other hands, and hence he decided to devote himself to journalism, wherein he was active for twenty years.”
An appreciation of the late Louis Miller is contained in an editorial of the “Forward.” Jewish socialist paper against which Miller conducted a vigorous fight for a number of years when he was editing the now defunct “Warheit.” The “Forward” pays tribute to Miller’s achievements as journalist and speaker and as one who helped organize the Jewish labor movement in this country. “Louis Miller as journalist and as speaker deserved great recognition in helping to lay the foundation of the Jewish labor movement and the Jewish Socialist press in America. He was one of a small group of idealistic workers who some 40 years ago began to arouse the Jewish immigrants to organization and Jewish immigrants to organization and Socialist strivings. In this activity, which was so difficult and which required a great deal of idealistic enthusiasm, Miller held a place in the very first rank,” the paper writes.
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.
