Editorials

The editor extends his hospitality this week to Rabbi Schulman’s views, without claiming or disclaiming responsibility for them.

The meeting of the American section of the Council of the Jewish Agency, last Saturday night, was very important. The Resolution adopted at that meeting, presented by the representatives of the Zionist Organization, and amended in a few places by the non-Zionists, was unanimously adopted. As soon as I heard the Resolution read, I immediately felt that I ought to second it and advocate its adoption. The assurance of the distinguished visitor from England, that it will be presented to the Executive of the Agency in London and that every effort will be made to adopt it as the policy of the Agency, was very encouraging. The Agency, by this Resolution, would take the step of bringing before the World Tribunal the desperate situation of our Jewish brethren in Germany and in other lands, where they are oppressed and persecuted. More is involved. This Resolution, if made effective, will bring home to the imagination of the Jewish people all over the world, the necessity for unprecedented sacrifice for the sake of our brethren. And I do not doubt that sympathy will express itself in gifts of money, even if people have to cut to the bone their expenses for their own families. We cannot help our brethren much by speeches or agitations. We can help them by wise action and by practical pecuniary aid, which will enable many to survive their economic destitution and will help many refugees to find a new home.

There would still be more involved in such brave action of the Agency. The Agency, as I said in an interview after my return from Europe last Fall, has great potentialities, not merely for promoting Jewish settlement in Palestine, but for becoming the representative body that, in world affairs, may speak efficiently for world-Jewry. It is well known that I am an uncompromising non-Zionist in my Jewish philosophy of life, that I do not subscribe to what is called Jewish Nationalism. And yet I believe that what we need today is unity and perfect co-operation of all elements of Jewish life. And it is a conviction to which I have come, after serious thought, that by the hand of the united work in Palestine despite the fundamental differences in theory between Zionists and non-Zionists, Jewish unity may be created, so that Nationalist and non-Nationalist Jewry, work together to help Jews all over the world. Our theoretical differences in outlook upon Jewish life will continue. The solution of the problems they imply must necessarily be left to the future. Such differences of opinion and problems will have to be threshed out even in Palestine itself. Today, the insistent demand is for unity in action, to help persecuted Israel. I see in the Agency the already created organ for the expression of Jewish solidarity. It can cooperate with all organizations. But if we have breadth of mind, a spirit of toleration, mutual respect and good-will within Jewry, we can develop the Agency into a powerful organization to represent the Jew, not only for the work in Palestine, but for many other enterprises which seek to defend, protect and to foster the right of the Jew to be himself and to live a free, dignified and happy life.

HELPING THE JEWS OF GERMANY

The question as to what constructive measures can be taken to alleviate the suffering of German Jewry requires prompt decision and immediate action. Tens of thousands of Jews in Germany have been deprived of their livelihood. More than twenty thousand German Jewish refugees have fied to Switzerland, Holland, France, Czechoslovakia and elsewhere. Jewish communities outside Germany have taken care of those refugees within their precincts to the best of their ability. But their resources will soon be exhausted. France has been more generous than any other country, not only by opening its doors but also by permitting the refugees to obtain employment, contrary to the existing regulations regarding aliens. However, a gigantic effort surpassing in magnitude any previous one, will be required to cope with this situation.

It was to this problem that a meeting of the American members of the Jewish Agency for Palestine addressed itself recently. Following speeches delivered by d’Avigdor Goldsmid, the distinguished Jewish leader, and Dr. Maurice Hexter, member of the Executive of the Jewish Agency, a significant resolution was adopted by the American members of the Agency. It called upon the Executive to approach Great Britain to make possible the immediate admission to Palestine of the maximum number of Jews fleeing from persecution. It asked also that Great Britain formulate, in cooperation with the League of Nations, a program for international action, and that a commission, including representatives of the United States, should, together with Great Britain and the Jewish Agency, find the means to finance the settlement in Palestine of the expatriates.

The appeal to the League of Nations, and the efforts to bring about an international loan are a forceful reminder of Theodor Herzl’s conception of the Jewish problem. The Jewish problem, according to Herzl, was an international problem which could not be solved by purely Jewish efforts but required the cooperation of the governments of the world. It is significant that the thesis that sounded revolutionary three decades ago and met with such vehement opposition, is apparently acceptable today not only to Zionists but to non-Zionists as well.

Whether the Jewish Agency for Palestine should call a conference to initiate this effort, or whether the Jewish Agency should combine with other leading Jewish organizations to give the broadest possible basis to the measures to be taken in connection with the German situation, is a question which must be decided in the near future.

THE PROTEST PARADE

The street parade organized by the American Jewish Congress in New York and other cities gave expression to the indignation felt at the burning of books throughout Nazi Germany. The triumvirate of zealots ruling Germany today—Hitler, Goering, Goebbels—seem to be making every effort to obliterate all the prestige gained by German culture, the arts and sciences. Major General Ryan, Bainbridge Colby, former Secretary of State; Dr. Stephen S. Wise and other speakers effectively refuted the many explanations offered by official and other defenders of the indefensible conduct of the Nazis.

Until Germany begins to undo the wrong it is inflicting on its Jewish citizens, public opinion will continue to be deeply stirred by this return to barbarism on the part of a nation which heretofore, has been one of the most cultured in the world.