Jewish self-respect demands a refusal to buy any products of Nazi Germany, declared Emil Ludwig, celebrated biographer and historian and refugee from Germany, in a plea to the Jews of the world for unity.
Mr. Ludwig, here to attend the Jewish world conference which issued the call for a world congress in March, in a statement to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, urged support of the anti-Nazi boycott and the work of rebuilding Palestine. He praised Rabbi Stephen S. Wise, who presided at the conference.
“On this important occasion, I congratulate the wise chairman, Stephen Wise,” Mr. Ludwig declared. “The two decisive words I heard at this conference were ‘self-respect’ and ‘unity’.
ASHAMED OF AGREEMENTS
“Regarding self-respect, I feel ashamed of certain Jews who have concluded agreements with the German Government with a view to pay for the liberty of other Jews with German exports to Palestine, to pay for the old, immortal right of equality with German pianos, cooking-pots or victrolas. On the contrary, self-respect demands of us that we not patronize anything German.
“Regarding Jewish unity, I am glad to note that it exists now when Jewish leaders have come to realize that there is no more question of Zionism or non-Zionism, but that Jews the world over, are undertaking to redouble efforts for the upbuilding of Palestine for a smaller portion of the Jews and, at the same time, are conducting a strong fight for equality for the larger part of Jewry.
“No Jew in any country has the right now to abstain from taking part in this task just because he is still safe in the country where he lives. Solidarity is the demand of this historic moment. This is possible without dictatorship.
“It is possible for all Jews to be united strongly and impressively in one great, powerful, representative body. Jews of all lands, unite!”
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.
