Tit EDerRonjEwlsn (71RoracK and THE LEGAL CHRONICLE sew TL IEDETROITIEWIS/1 RONICLE and THE LEGAL CHRONICLE Pebile►ml Weekly by The Jewish Chronicle Pubilahisig Co, Ws Dweerell u Second.clus matter March I. 1111, at the Poet. MM. at Detroit, Mich, under lb. Act of March 8. 1179. General Offices and Publication Building 525 Woodward Avenue Tstoplioss: Cadillac 1040 Cable Address: Chronicle Leeches Met 14 Stratf ord Place, London, W. 1, England Illebscription, in Advance. 43.00 Per Year T. tamer. publication, all eon...pond.. and DOws matter mast reach this ern. by Tuesday evening of eta sal. Ines saoWog notices. kindly use one elde of the Para etslY. The Detroit Jovial. Chronicle invites correepondeoce on sub- }.M of Interest to the Jewish people, but dIsclalme reeponsi• bitty for so Indorsement of the Om. eaproseed by the writers Sabbath Readines of the Law. Pentateuchal portion—Number 13:1-15:41 Prophetical portion—Joshua 2. Rosh Chodesh Tammuz Readings of the Law, Mon- day and Tuesday, July 4 and 6—Number 28:1-15. Sivan 27, 5692 July 1, 1932 Justice Felix Frankfurter. On January 15, 1932, Oliver Wendell Holmes, who recently retired as Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court, addressed the following letter to Governor Joseph B. Ely of Massachusetts: "Your Excellency: "If the vacancy on the bench of the Su- preme Court left by the death of Judge Car- roll has not yet been filled I venture to rec- ommend Prof. Felix Frankfurter for the place. I am quite confident that he is su- perior in learning and ability to any one else available and that his character is equal to his gifts. He has been a dear friend of mine for many years, but I am confident that the judgment I express is not the child but the parent of my affection. "With much respect, "Your obedient servant, "0. W. HOLMES." Such tribute, coming from one of the greatest legal minds in the world, is the highest honor that could be accorded to any man. It is no wonder that Governor Ely acceded to the recommendations of Mr. Holmes, Justices Brandeis and Cardozo, and others who are great in the legal pro- fession, and appointed Professor Frankfur- ter to the Supreme Court bench of Massa- chusetts. • Naturally, Professor Frankfurter's ap- pointment is reason for rejoicing in Jewry. His elevation to this high post is a recogni- tion of genuine ability and is distantly re- moved from unpleasant political patronage. Furthermore, Dr. Frankfurter's position as a Jew and as a Zionist leader in many re- spects causes his new honor to shed some glory upon his people. In congratulating Profestor Frankfur- ter, we congratulate ourselves that he is one of a group of able Jewish jurists who know how to honor their professions and their people by their achievements in the field of law and at the same time devoting them- selves to the cause of Jewry. , A Literary Contribution. To the Jewish Publication Society of America must again be accorded the credit for exercising unusual care in the choice of the volumes it publishes, and for providing the English-speaking Jewries with the finest titles of instructive an cultural value. Zev Vilnay's "Legends of Palestine," the latest Jewish Publication Society volume to be circulated among its members, and just placed on sale to the general public, has the value of being not only instructive, but entertaining as well. The 217 legends incorporated in this volume are a veritable storehouse of Jew- ish folklore with relation to Palestine. "De- rived from Hebrew and Arabic sources, both literary and from the spoken word," we are informed by the society's publica- tion committee, these legends "cover the entire period of Jewish history, being adap- tations of Biblical, Talmudic and Midrashic stories and coming down to modern legends which grew up as late as 1929." In their English translation from the He- brew, these legends, now made available to a larger audience, reveal the ancient He. brew spirit as translated in the stories by the story - tellers — Arab Fellahin and Bedouins as well as Jews. The book is made especially vivid by the 70 illustra- tions depiciting historic sites in Palestine. Here is a volume which should be in every Jewish home. Young and old will find delight in its stories. The Jewish Publica- tion Society is to be commended for issuing this as well as other important Jewish vol- umes. Such works make the position of this society of greatest importance to Eng- lish-speaking Jewries. Leon Blum at Sixty. M. Leon Blum, leader of the Socialists of France. was signally honored by his consti- tuents when he was re-elected to the Cham- ber of Deputies. It was a deserved birthday honor—M. Blum having just celebrated his sixtieth birthday—and is a welcome tribute to the Jewish people in whose behalf he has devoted himself loyally and unselfishly in the past decade. The triumph of the Socialists in France is to a great extent the triumph of M. Blum. Consistent in his battles for the principles he has been advocating, he has won the re- spect of the people of France, and thereby greatly aided the cause of his party. Stand- ing firm against all threats of impending wars, he has battled for peace and is per- haps one of the most influential leaders in the peace movement in Europe. A correspondent of the New York Times, writing from Paris, points out that it was M. Blum who decided the fate of the mora- torium on June 27, 1931. Premier Laval was bitterly attacked by members of the ex- treme Right for yielding to the "importun- ities of the American capitalists." Laval's only chances the New York Times writer tells us, lay with the Socialists, and here is what M. Blum did, to quote this writer: At midnight Leon Blum mounted the rostrum. For more than an hour he talked, pointing out that neither the conditional nor the uncondi- tional payments would be worth much to France should Germany be allowed to go into bank- ruptcy; urging that the causes of friction be- tween nations be removed; and finally uttering the hope that the offer of J'resident Hoover might mark the beginning of a real peace— "a peace of liberty and security for all nations." When the votes were cast there were 386 ayes in favor of the government's action, and 189 nays; and of the 386 ayes, 108 were from the Socialist bloc. This was the first occasion on which the Socialists had ever supported the Laval government. The presitge won by M. Blum among his opponents, "even though his doctrines are anathema to them," is thus described by this writer: A Roman Catholic abbe, who was a deputy for a good many years, was his great friend, and when M. Blum one day declared passionately from the rostrum, "Socialism is to me a re- ligion," the abbe and a number of other clerical members applauded delightedly. At present, M. Blum represents Narbonne, a grape-growing constituency in Southern France, although, para- doxically enough. he himself is a dry. Naturally, it is Leon Blum the Jew who interests us most. A leader in the move- ment for social justice, an ardent pacifist, M. Blum has not forgotten his people. Nu- merous Jewish causes have found in him an ardent supporter, and Palestine particu- larly has gained his help and encourage- ment. He has lectured for the Keren Haye- sod and is the representative of French Jewry on the Council of the Jewish Agency. He is also a member of the French Pro-Pal- estine Committee, It was at the first meeting of the Jewish Agency Council at Zurich, in 1929, that M. Blum, pointing to Professor Albert Einstein sitting on one side and S. Kaplansky, leader of the Poale Zion on the other side, said: "Here we have sitting together the greatest genius of the Jewish race and my friend who represents the Palestine Workers on the Second International. Such a meeting must evoke the admiration not only of world Jewry, but of all mankind." M. Blum is a leader who ably combines the elements of service to the world at large and to Israel. As such we honor him. The Palestine Boom. A local newspaper recently published a lengthy story, under a Jerusalem dateline, revealing what has been emphasized for several months in the columns of The De- troit Jewish Chronicle: that there is a boom in Palestine, that as a result of Jewish effort for the upbuilding of the National Home there is a shortgage of labor in the Holy Land, and that Palestine is perhaps the only country on the globe to experience a wave of prosperity in these days of de- pression. As a result of the publication of this ar- ticle, several Gentiles, one a Hindu, came to The Chronicle for information regard- ing the advisability of making investments in Palestine. It was a healthy sign of con- fidence in the stability of a project spon- sored by Jews. But how will Jews react to the new Pal- estine boom? Will those who are still in position to do so make investments in Pales- tinian projects? The danger is not too re- mote that if Jews do not take advantage of the possibilities offered in Palestinian in- dustrial developments, others will. English- men already are directing their watchful eyes at Palestinian industries. It is the re- sponsibility of the Jewish people to be on guard lest we are defeated in this great Death of Noted Non - Jewish Zionist. • The recent death of Albert Thomas, di- chance in a people's lifetime. rector of the International Labor Office, American Chalutzim. robbed the Zionist movement of one of its most devoted non-Jewish friends. Not only The assignment of the 2,000 immigration has he defended Jewish rights in Palestine, certificates to Palestine by the Jewish but he has on numerous occasions eloquent. Agency Executive includes' 26 visas for ly signified his keen interest in Zionism, American settlers. It is understood, of speaking in its behalf at important Jewish course, that these certificates are assigned and non-Jewish gatherings. In a message to Chalutzim—to workingmen pioneers— to the Zionist Congress of 1929 he recalled and not independent middle-class settlers, how, for 10 years, he worked together with of whom more than 800 left this country Dr, Nahum Sokolow in the interest of Zion- for Palestine thus far this year. The depression has proved a driving ism. He then wrote in part: "How many difficulties we had to overcome—prejudice, force towards Palestine, on a par with the contumely, lack of knowlegde on the part force of anti-Semitism in European lands. of Frenchmen and even of Jews, obstacles Should Palestine benefit from this migra- and reluctance on the part of our ministers. tion movement—and there is no reason to I had the privilege and satisfaction of help- believe that it will be otherwise than favor- ing to secure the victory of the Zionist able—then both the depression-sufferers cause." Naturally his name will long be and oppression-sufferers will benefit from remembered as a great friend of the Jewish the great experiment In the Jewish National people and the Jewish cause. Home. No Illusions About Spain Our Film Folk Jews Must Not Place Great Hopes in Prospect of Jewish Revival in Sepharad; If Too Many Jews Come and Create Economic Problem Present Philo-Semitic Feeling Would Soon Turn To Something Different. By HELEN ZIGMOND DR. 0. BRACHFELD • • (Copyright, 1912, Jewish Telegraphic Agency. inc.) Dr. Samuel Danon was till recently the official head of the Jewish community in Barcelona, and ho is still, as he has been for years, the outstanding Jew in this great city. In official quarters he is regarded as the spiritual head of the Jewish population. If you go to the authorities, government or mu- nicipal, the first question they ask is "Have you seen Dr. Danon about it?" Dr. Danon is a Sephardi who was born in Bulgaria and came to Spain about 12 years ago, es- tablishing himself in medical practice in Barcelona, and he is today one of the best known doctors in the city. All these years that he has lived in Spain Dr. Danon has busied himself with Jewish af- fairs, and if one wants authori- tative information about Jewish life in this country, Dr. Danon is the man to go to. "There are about 2,000 to 3,000 Jews in this great city with its population of millions," Dr. Danon said to me. "Offici- ally, however, there are only 150 to 80 enrolled as members of the Je ish community. "I had always hoped to straight out the differences that ex' t here between Jews and Jews," Dr. Danon went on. "I had dreams of Jewish unity. Unfortunately, my dreams have not been realized. EXPLAINS DIVISION "The Jews who live here have come from various parts of the world," Dr. Danon explained. "Most of them are recent immi- grants, and the great majority have come from Poland and Germany, particularly Frank- furt and Berlin. They are Ashkenazim. The present head of the community, Senor Nesim Arias, who came from Stam- boul, is a Sephardi, like myself. "There is unity in some mat- ters among the Jews of Barce- lona," Dr. Danon continued, "and yet we are divided into two sections. The division started among us Sephardim, but it seems now to have de- veloped into a division between Ashkenazim and Sephardim." Often, he said, such a division is beneficial if it results in healthy competition, in rivalry on each side to do more for the Jewish cause than the other side is doing, but in our case it has not had that effect. It has rather caused a considerable amount of friction and diffi- culty. MIGRATION QUESTION "For several years we had been making progress to such an extent," Dr. Danon said, "that we were filled with hope. The Barcelona Jewish corn- munity has been in existence for 19 years. We have a Zion- ist federation, and we were in close contact with the Jewish community in Madrid. Ceuta, and Tetuan. Now everything is stagnant. We ought to find funds for Jewish education, for Hebrew instruction, but unfor- tunately, nothing is being done in this direction. The recent death of one of our most gen- erous donors, M. Metzger, has hit our community very hard." Then turning to the question that is occupying so mucli space in the Jewish press abroad, Dr. Danon said: "People are talking a lot about a Jewish mass immigra- tion movement to Spain, a kind of repatriation of the Spagnol Jews back to Spain from other countries. I do not believe that there is the slightest pros- pect of anything of the sort. It is altogether out of the question, for two reasons. The first is the economic situation in Spain, which is by no means able to absorb a large number of im- migrahts and find employment for them. Such mass Jewish im- migration would result in ter- rible hardships for the immi- grant Jewish families. "We do not want any poor Jews in Spain. Rich Jews are welcome, but we are not inter- ested in poor Jews. We have no means to help them. "And the second reason is that if we have any considerable Jewish immigration movement the present philosemitic feeling that is general in Spain will very soon turn to something very different. DECRIES ILLUSIONS "At the moment the feeling in Spain is one of friendship for the Jews," Dr. Danon said, "but the people should not build any on that about Spanish philosemitism. I know that peo- ple are speaking and writing a great deal on this subject at the moment, especially abroad, but they niust not run away with the idea that Spain is going to be the promised land, a kind of paradise for Jews. "Spagnol Jews can obtain Spanish citizenship without dif- ficulty. That is true. But that is also all. Anything beyond that is words, empty words. The Spaniard is a very courtly gen- tleman. Ile promises much, but keeps little, of his promises. Also we must not demand too much of him. "I ask you very seriously," Dr, Danon said, becoming very grave, "to do everything you can to make it clear to the Jew- ish press abroad and to the Jews of the world through the Jew - ish ish Telegraphic Agency that Spain is not the promised Jew- ish land, that they must not build up the illusions that it is likely to be. "I repeat, Jewish immigration to Spain is welcomed, but only the immigration of such indi- viduals who are in a position to provide for themselves economi- cally. WARNS AGAINST AIR CASTLES H 0 L L YIW 0 0 D .—Alexander Carr, the famous "Potash and Perlmutter" star, has returned to pictures. "No Greater Love" is his latest and it is grossing nicely. He tells of the time they were picturizing "Potash and Perl- mutter." An inquisitive onlooker, a Perlmutter prototype, asked, "Is this the same play that you played in New York?" "Yes, it's the same play," replied Carr, "and we played it in Philadelphia, too." "Oh, you played it in Philadelphia, and that's the same story which is now you going to make the pic- ture?" This goes on for 15 min- utes until the curious one finally asks, "Mr. Carr, what are you going to do next?" "Well, I hope to play 'Othello'." "That's right, Mr. Carr, I'm sure whatever you'll do, you'll make them laugh." • • Roberta (Clara Bow-like) Gale, last seen in "Are These Our Chil- dren?' is set for a series of col- legiate comedies, after which she'll be off to New York for a Schwab and Wendel stage pro. duction. Roberta's face is already a little red . .. 'cause the show will have its tryout in Pittsburgh, her home town. • • • Eddie Cantor was a riot at the afternoon tea given by his wife for the benefit of the Jewish Con- valescent Home. He was master of ceremonies and had a great time . . . among all those ladies. In a moment of rapturous excite- ment he hugged Jeannette Mac- Donald, and then explained to his wife that it was all for sweet charity's sake! • • • You heard. of course, that Louie B. Mayer was one of the happy G. 0. P. family in Chicago, but did you know that we have him to thank for Curtis? . . It was his fiery oratory in • private meeting with the Pennsylvania delegates that made them see the light and turn the tide. Vera Gordon is back in the Hollywood merry-go-round after an extended vaudeville tour. She announces a house party but says it won't take place until George Sidney returns from personal-ap- pearancing. • • • Irving Pichel is in hot water . . . A $10,000 suit against him for having given • reading of "Green Pastures" before Rabbi Lissauer's liberal forum without permission of the play's copyright owners. • By-the-Way By DAVID SCHWARTZ lso,t THE FRANKFURTER THAT WAS NOT EATEN The appointment of Professor Frankfurter of Harvard to the Supreme Court of Massachusetts recalls a story, which as far as I know, has never been printed. Every one knows, of course, that President Lowell of Harvard is rather averse to Jews on the faculty of Harvard, and when it was recently proposed to name some dis- tinguished lawyer to the legal school of Ilarvard, Lowell emitted his famous bon mot, "one frankfurter to the pound is enough." But few know that Lowell even went further than this, and sought at one time to have even Frankfurter removed. The news of the proposed removal leaked out. Lowell had laid all plans and the recommendation of Lowell for the dismissal of Frankfurter had already been prepared for transmission to the trus- tees of the university. At last, his plans for devouring Frankfurter were consummated. Lowell breathed expansively. Soon Frankfurter would be out. With such a prospect in sight the day looked very pleasant indeed. He looked out from his palatial home on the Harvard campus in a spirit of thanksgiving. The sun seemed to shine brighter that day. The birds that twittered over you boughs never twittered so sweetly before. God was in His heaven and all was right in the world. When in walked Roscoe Pound, dean of Harvard Law School, probably the foremost legal mind in America—and the man who Is largely responsible for the renown of the Ilarvard Law School. In walked Roscoe Pound. He did not stop for any formalities. "Mr. Lowell," said Pound, "if Frankfurter goes—I go, too." Saying which, Pound left. Those birds over there seemed now to he humming a dirge. It wasn't sunshine after all outside, thought Lowell, as he looked out of the window. Why, those were dark clouds overhanging. Mr. Lowell took the recommendation for the dismissal of Frank- furter lying on his desk and tore it up. "Here, doggie, doggie," he said to the little pup which always accompanied him on his meanderinga about the campus—"here, dog- gie, doggie." The pup came up, for it had new read any of his books. (Copyright, 1932. Jewish Telegraphic Agency. • • COLUMNISTS These are hard days for the columnists. According to some reports that are being whispered about, Columnist Sobel of the Heart papers has recently been treated to a number of socks by some indignant gentleman. And they say that another bodyguard now walks about with a bodyguard. Yes despite it all, the columnists go marching on, much to the surprise even of Walter Winchell, who, when he first began his column, had grave doubts as to how long the public taste would care for it. He himself, it is said, predicted that the public would be tired in about two years. But more years than that have already passed. • • • ALWAYS WITH US Personally, I believe the columnist is here to stay, even those biting, personal ones. For the reason that, essentially, they have always been with us, from the earliest days of newspapering. There is only this difference: That in the old time newspapers the spleen, and the drollery that characterized the modern columnist was distributed throughout the newspaper. As the newspapers grew more dignified, it became impossible to write news stories in the old- fashioned personal way, so the columnist appeared, and all this jour- nalistic vitamin was concentrated in the column. Take up any of the newspapers of 40 and 50 years ago. You will find hardly any story that is told in the modern manner. Whenever the reporter could knock anything, you could see the hammering in the news story itself. Slander and gossip ran through all the columns of the paper. That is why, for instance, Murat Hal- stead, one of the great old editors, always had a gun handy on his desk and that is why Horace Greeley got so many licking& WHY THE BANK FAILED You may have heard all sorts of accounts and explanations for the failure of the Bank of the United States, but I assure you none of these accounts are true. The real reason is out—and I have it from no less a person than Dr. Mordecai Grossman. Since Dr. Gross- man is regarded as one of the best students that Professor Dewey ever had, and since further his knowledge of the categorical impera- tive is deemed one of the Most expert In the country , ther e scarcely be any question of the accuracy of the story. Well, it seems, according to Dr. Grossman, that this big bank really owed its failure to a trifle. And that in itself should not surprise you. Even the World War, you remember, was caused after all by a single murder in Serbia. But to get back to the Bank of the United States. Well, it so happened that Chayim in the days of prosperity had had a rather good season, one season. He had saved all of $65, and there was no telling—he might make $5 more for the season yet had • good month to run. Chayim began to feel that it was wrong to carry all this money about him—but he really didn't know where to bank it. Going along the street he peered into the windows of various banks—wondering which was the safest. Of course, he came across the Bank of the United States. Looking at the window sign, he read: Resources ;200,000,000. Well, thought Chayim, after all , two hundred million is not to be sneezed at. So ho didn't sneeze at it, but instead decided to bank his $65 there. A week later Chayim passed the bank. Ile looked at the sign. Now their resources were increased by his $65, but he looked, and looked. The resources still read: Two hundred million. "Ganovim," said Chaim. That meant—thieves. "They are liars and crooks." Immediately ho went to the bank and withdrew kis money. Then Chayim told others, and soon like a snowball the rumor gained force and momentum—and whole lines of people began withdrawing their money. Did you know that in 1903 the "Altogether, immigration to Brothers opened their Spain is becoming increasingly Warner first moving picture show in a difficult. In 1920, for example, I was able to register my doc- rented store? The place had a 90- torate diploma and to practice seat capacity, the chairs being medicine here. Today that is no borrowed from the town's under- taking establishment . . . and on longer possible. "World Jewry should not days when there was a funeral, to stand up. place too much hope in the ro- the audience had • • • mantic repatriation movement In the midst of an English la-de- to Spain," Dr. Danon concluded. "If they do, a terrible disap- da-don't-you-know conversation, pointment will follow. To look Kenneth (Mielziner) MacKenna, director, startles his listeners forward to a great revival of the bursting forth with a gush of Spanish Jewry through the re- by Yiddish. turn of the Spagnol Jews to • • • Spain is a mirage, and those After weeks of searching among who entertain any such ideas unknowns to find • spiritual type are doomed to a very severe and for the lead in "Sign of the Cross," hopeless disillusionment. C. B. DeMille has chosen .. . of "Spain must cease to be a all 'music! .. Sylvia Sidney! new Fats Morgana. We must And Sam Coslow. member of not build castles in Spain about the fold, was offered ■ the job, with a Jewish revival! They will be ■ time limit of two weeks, to come built on air. Spain as the new pose the symphony for the pic• Jewish land, as the land that is tore. Sam refused the assign- going to atone to the Jews for ment, remarking, "Beethoven took all the sufferings to which it nine years to write his." subjected them centuries ago, • • • has no place in Jewish life. There's a story about how Dr. That illusion must be wiped out and the sooner the better. The Hugo Riesenfeld, Rosy baton- realities of life in Spain are wielder, got that "Doctor" title. exactly the same as in other I It happened 13 years ago when countries. There is an economic Rosy, the showman, was managing crisis in Spain today, and any the Rialto. Rosy noticed that the MAJOR CONTRIBUTION TO JEWISH HISTORY Jew who is thinking of coming organist's name in the house pro- to Spain must reflect very seri- gram was dignified with a pre- ously before he steers his boat ceding "Dr." On inquiry he A Review of Philip Cowen's in the direction of the ancient : found that the organist was en- "Memories of an American Jew" by B Sepharad of his ancestors. d Postal. (Turn to Next ?age.) • Books and Authors Letters, diaries and reminiscences are always major sources for his- torians and it is therefore necessary to hail "Memories of an American Jew" by Philip Cowen (Interna- tional Press, 121 Varick street, 0 New York,) as an important addi- tion to the growing literature on A NOBLE GIVER opportunity to announce threl'ugh secretary of state, M. Tillea, and American Jewish history. in the Usually when a man files a pe- this column that I was wrong when reports officially that the officials absence of an adequate history of tition in bankruptcy, the world ac- I gave the Rumanian government in the village of Chatin, respon- American Jewry works such as cepts it as the penalty of the loss the benefit of the doubt in the dis- sible for the torture of Bronstein, those written by Mr. Cowen assume in the business game ... and dk- pute between the J. T. A. and the have been punished and he fur- great significance. Mr. Cowen, one misses it without much comment. government as to the accuracy of ther, in the name of the govern- of the founders and the first pub- But I can't help saying • word !the report sent out by the news ment, disapproves of the brutali- lisher of the American Hebrew , set regarding such procedure in the agency of the torture of Samson ties perpetrated against the Jew- out to write his reminiscences but case of Frederick Brown of New Bronstein, Zionist leader in Bess- ish inhabitants in Bessarabia and he has actually achieved what York. I don't know Mr. Brown arabia. On May 28 the Bronstein will do everything in its power to amounts to a chronicle of American personally, have never seen him torture was reported by the J. T. prevent their recurrence. So the Jewry from 1879 to 1906 because nor corresponded with him, but ' A. and the Rumanian legation re- Jewish Telegraphic Agency has his association with the American been vindicated and once more has Hebrew during those years made when a man files this statement must regret that he has been over- plied with the statement that the proven its great value to Jewish him a leading figure in practically come for the time being by a "news is completely invented." life throughout the world. I seri- every lay movement of significance financial tragedy. He petitions: Now comes the Rumanian under- ously do not believe much would in Jewish life. Mr. Cowen's narrative , which have been done in the way of cor- ". . . among creditors various rective measures had not the covers an epochal period in Ameri- and sundry religious, charitable can-Jewish history, begins with two Agency called attention to the and educational institutonx to atrocity. informative chapters on the Jew- which I have committed myself to THE TALMUD ish community in the 1860s and make voluntary contributions from QUOTING WARBURG I870s. In these chapters we meet which I do not desire to be dis- By S. DUBNOW Says Felix Warburg: many personalities who later be- charged." "One cannot work in Jewish came leaders in American Israel. The Jews, robbed of their po- Frederick Brown has been most litical home, created a spiritual communal affairs and suit every- Possessed of an almost uncanny generous in his giving. It is re- home for themselves. Through body. We are strong individual., memory for names, dates, facts and ported that in recent years he has the instrumentality of the num- hyper-sensitive, and these quali- incidents, Mr. Cowen's vivid word given three outstanding gifts berless religious rules which ties while being our strength, are portrayal of New Yorks Jewry 60 totaling two and a half million the Talmud has laid down, and also our weakness. The way peo- years ago recreates the Jewish life dollars, a million dollars of which which shaped the life of the in- pie like Bentwich, who surely tried of that day as no one else has done. was a fund for the Jewish Federa- dividual as well as that of the his best, and Weizmann, who sac- us to the founding of the American tion in New York. Two years community, they were welded rificed Hiked fortune and health to the/ From this point Mr. Cowen takes Hebrew. lie tells in great detail later he gave a piece of property into a firmly united whole. The Palestine ideals, have been treated to the Federation valued at about Jewish by their so-called 'followers,' is how and why it was founded and he spirit—national feeling a half million dollars and later and individual mental effort nothing to be proud of. I know furnishes unique sidelights on the on two hundred thousand dollars alike—was observed in this hardly anybody among our col- founding fathers. His story of the for its building fund. He hos pursuit of unification. Head. ' laborators who at one time or an- origin of the American Hebrew is been president of the Hospital for heart, hands, all human func- other has not been driven to die- more important than he thisks, for Joint Diseases and has been a tions of the Jew, were brought ; gust and despair by unreasonable, in those days the American Hebrew most liberal contributor to its sup- , not well-founded criticism of what was really the organ of a major segment of American Jewry In port. So I do want to say that under complete control and they tried to do for Palestine." into fixed forms by these its columns appeared the me.t im- when business reverses overtake a cast five centuries of labor. With CRITICS EVERYWHERE portant Jewish documents. Lesder . man of this type that I am porry, painful exactitude the Talmud Mr. Warburg is right, but If he of American Jewry addressed them- and I say it not merely in` per- functory way, but from the heart. prescribed ordinances/ for all will turn to history, ancient or se yes to their people through its the vicissitudes of life, yet at modern, and note the bitterness, pa s. The story of the American This depression has been the the same time offered sufficient the discord, the intrigue, the bru- Hebrewis also important bersuse cruelest in the world's history. leaving in its wake skeletons of food for brain and heart. It tality of unreasoning and un- of the role it played in initiating ruined lives from the highest to was at once a religion and a reasonable criticism of those who Jewish institutons which are Way science. The Jew was equipped have been engaged In nation. among the best known in the land. the lowest in the scale of financial with all the necessaries. He building he will realize that what it is important, too, as a part of worth. could satisfy his wants from his he charges against the 7; , nists is the little known history of Jewish —+- own store. There was no need not peculiar to them but is nal- journalism in America. J. T. A. VINDICATED for him to knock at strange Other chapters in Mr. Cowen's I feel that I owe Mr. Jacob Lan- doors, even though he had venial. All one bag to do Is to lee how our own presidents have Intensely interesting book are de- dau, managing director of the thereby profited. voted to sidelights on the many Jewish Telegraphic Agency, an (Turn to Next Page.) notable Jews and Jewesses whom be RANDOM 7HOUGHTS Tidbits and News by Charles I H. Joseph knew intimately, to the history of Temple Emanu-El's early years, to his years in the U. S. immigration department as an inspector at Ellis Island and to letters to and from major figures in American-Jewish life. Historically we feel Mr. Cowen'o book will loom largest because of its chapter on the Jews of Russia. In 1906, when Mr. Cowen was in the United States Immigration Service, he was directed to go to Europe to report on the causes for the large migration from Eastern and Central Europe to the United States, with special reference to Russia, for the personal informa- tion of President Roosevelt. This phase of Mr. Cowen'. experience constitutes an unwritten chapter of Jewish history. On the basis of the startling information he brought back from Russia concern- ing the treatment of the Jews, President Roosevelt declined to ac- cept an invitation from the Czar to visit Russia when he was making his tour of the world. Cowen's re- port crystallized official American sentiment against Russia, and when the question of the abrogation of the Russo-American treaty came up, the American government, through Cowen's report, was in a position to confront Russia with the first-hand facts of persecution of the Jews. This trip of Cowen's to the land of the Czar's was his It produced the first eye-witness American report, in- cluding documents, of the Czarist government's Jewish policy. Jews did not need Cowen's evidence but American public opinion did and Cowen's report provided it. The chapter on Rumania and the Jews is scarcely less important because of the fact that it contains numerous official government docu- ments and letters which are of un- surpassed value to the historian. Moat of these letters appeared in the American Hebrew and by mak- ing them available in a book Mr. Cowen has rendered • splendid service. Mr. Cowen'a book of memories is a major contribution to Amen- can-Jewish history. He sheds light on many unknown and forgotten Phases of Jewish life in this coun- try. He recreates forgotten epl- des and brings to life such giants is Israel as Emma Lazarus. Israel Zangwill and Jacob H. Schiff. Mr. Cowen has done an excellent piece of work and we can only hope that his book will be followed by others from the pens of Jews In a position to write about Jewish history which they helped to make.