Page Two
Purely
Commentary
By PHILIP SLOMOVITZ
HARVARD'S JEWISH QUOTAS
A legislative committee. in Massachu-
setts was told last week, by Prof. Albert
Sprague Coolidge, that Harvard Univer-
sity makes it a point not to award schol-
arships to Jews and that "we know per-
fectly well that names ending in 'berg'
and 'stein' have to be skipped by the
boards of selection of students for
scholarships."
And many Jews became excited over
this "discovery." .
As IF such discrimination had not been
practiced before—not only by Harvard's
authorities but by many other universi-
ties and colleges in America.
As IF Harvard did not adhere to an
unwritten law regarding "quotas" for
Jewish students, corresponding to the
"numerus clausus" systems in European
Universities.
Perhaps the European poison-system
Can still be checked. But it is well for
national Jewish organizations which have .
Commenced the fight for justice in our
universities to know that they are fight-
ing against a poison that has already
eaten into our system.
A 20-YEAR-OLD SCANDAL
Less than two years ago, upon the
death of A. Lawrence Lowell, president-
emeritus of Harvard University, we
called attention to the 20th anniversary
of an American scandal which • corre-
sponded with the death of the _ Harvard
leader.
In October, 1922, an incident occurred
with shocked the conscience of fair-mind-
ed Americans. It was "The Harvard
Scandal" and it revolved around the at-
tempt to limit the number of Jewish
students who sought entrance into the
great university in Cambridge, Mass. It
reached its climax on Jan. 14, 1923, at a
meeting of the Maccabeans—a - Men's
Club of Temple Israel,. New York,. of
which Dr. Louis I. Newman was the
Rabbi.
A man° who claimed to be a Harvard
graduate made the astonishing statement
that President Lowell himself had told
him that he takes full credit for the plan
to limit the number of Jews seeking ad-
mission to Harvard. He quoted Dr. Lowell
as having made the following 'predictions:
1. That within 20 years the U. S. would
see the repetition of conditions existing
in Central Europe and that Jewish blood
Would be spilt as a result of anti-
Semitism.
2. That the time Would come when
Jews would be treated like the Negroes
in the South.
It was later revealed that the man who
made these charges was Victor Kramer,
a Harvard graduate, who also accused
Dr. Lowell of advising Jews' to drop their
faith and as believing that Jews can not
be good Americans as long as they re-
tain their faith.
CURIOUS ANGLES
There were some curious angles at-
tached to the nasty 1923 incident. Dr.
Lowell, denying the accusations, charged
that Mr. Kramer was not a Harvard
graduate. But it was later established
that the accuser, having been honorably
discharged from the army after the - last
war, was graduated from Harvard in
1920 as of the class of 1918. It was estab-
lished also that Mr. 'Kramer occupied a
seat next to Dr. Lowell on a New Haven
train which was delayed six hours on its
way to New' York and this time was ani-
mated by their discussion of the Jewish
problem.
Dr. Lowell attacked the Jews for not,
intermarrying and maintained that the
fact that Jews no longer proselytized
proved their religion no longer to be
necessary. A re-reading of the record
leaves us bewildered. Mr. Kramer stated
that the eminent educator's frankness
shocked him and "gnawed at his very
heart."
LOWELL—A FALSE PROPHET
Dr. Lowell proved to be a false prophet.
• But some - of the thing _ s he advocated
are in force, and -there are some non-
Jews' who, in our day, prove good pupils
of this man who did not lend credit to
Harvard's name.
It is told of Dr. Lowell that when he
was approached to appoint a very -able
Jewish lawyer to the faculty of the . Har-
vard Law School, of which Prof. Roscoe
Pound was then the dean and under
whom Dr. Felix Frankfurter served as
professor, Dr. Lowell said: "One frank-
furter to the, pound is sufficient."
-These were doctrines that antedated
Nazism, but were in no sense different—
and they have borne fruit unto our own
day.
Those who fight against such •up.-
American ideas should know and under-
stand the background of the existing
prejudice—else they will find it diffi-
cult to put up a good - fight against the
bigots.
-THE JEWISH. NEWS
My Host: The Jewish Brigade
By JOHN FREDERICK
EDITOR'S NOTE: John Frederick, screen and stage actor now on tour entertaining the
U. S. forces in Europe, started his career in Hollywood under Jesse Lasky, and was recently
featured in a Guy Named Joe, Song of Russia, and other pictures. His report on the Jewish
Brigade, probably the first by a Gentile, was contained in a letter he wrote a friend.
SOMEWHERE IN ITALY—I have just come from a most awe-inspiring
three-day leave in a little village high in the mountains of liberated Italy,
where I had the rare privilege of being present at a unique and unprece-
dented development of history.
At the outbreak of war, when Palestine Jes,vry's demand - for -a Jewish
army was refused by . the :English, 20,000 Palestine Jews enlisted in the
British Army. In 1944, Prime Minister Churchill, at long last, announced the
creation of a complete Jewish Infantry Brigade to serve in combat, flying
their own flag and under Jeivish command.
With Helen Waren, I was priviliged to live with and observe the Jewish
troops at their various activities • as the guest_ of Major Wellesley Aron, a
Palestinian and a commanding officer for the past five years. We saw gunners,
infantry, signal corps and auxiliary services with all their equipment, throng-
ing the streets, and heard words of command in Hebrew and English filling
the air as units formed preparatory to marching out of the snow covered and
craggy hillsides where exercise in assault of enemy positions and other
activities kept them busy from dawn to .dusk.
Meeting the New Jew .
Being with these men in the midst of maneuvers was, for some one who
had never seen the new Jewish life in Palestine, a revelation. The world at
large has yet to get -acquainted with this new type of Jew who carries with
him a new dignity' and clarity of purpose and is prepared to face the world
on equal terms. with the full -knowledge of his great traditions of democracy
and, civilization which his -people have clung to tenaciously over .2,000 - years
in the face. of provocation and challenge.
The most unusual and significant activity we were _privileged to witness,
was a convention of a large number of these men assembled for the purpose
of finding wayi and means to plan their own post-war settlement.
They were not waiting for the plans of the politicians and diplomats,
but, realizing their own strength. and resources, were passing countless reso-
lutions; finishing multiple discussions for .a constructive and democratic pro-
gram of thought and action. Most of the young men at the convention were
soldiers _enlisted in Palestine- who believed that the renaissance of the Jewish
people must be based on the dignity of labor and the return to the soil in the-
Holy Land, land` -of their fathers. "Back to the Land" was - the keynote of
the meeting.
•
They -Require No "Orientation"
One felt quite certain that these tough Jewish men had no doubts as to
the reasons that had turned them from traditionally - peace-loving Jews into
soldiers in the cause of democracy.
As one listened to the Biblical and prophetic sound of the living Hebrew
tongue; - one could- -not fail to be moved by the vision and spirit underlying
the spearhead of the Palestinian war effort.
There was another side to our three-day visit with the Brigade, a side
of gay sociability. Major -Aron, •our most considerate and entertaining host,
runs one of the smoothest and well-mannered mess halls we have encountered
in our travels. We had one or two spontaneous little parties when the day's
work was done that gave us a better insight into these Palestinians. The
Sabbath. Eve,. for instance, was celebrated with little pomp, but with dignity,
and after dinner we were taught Hebrew dances. We danced, we sang, we
played harmonicas and the 'piano with a wholesome light-heartedness that
banished the thought of the grim preparations of the day.
And all about us were the trophies already assembled by these fighting
Jews: a Shield of David• presented to them after the siege of Tobruk, in
recognition of their bravery and courage; a candleabra from Cairo, . souvenirs
from Malta and Italy, signifying one victory after another and auguring new
battles. to -_be won..;
-
Copyright 1945 by INDEPENDENT JEWISH PRESS. SERVICE, Inc.'
-
.
Strictly
onfidential
By PHINEAS J. BIRON
-
Copyright, 1945. Seven Arts
Features Syndicate, Inc.
WE'RE TELLING YOU
We agree with Victor Riesel, labor edi-
tor of the New York Post, that the ad-
vent of V-E Day will not diminish the
political and religious pro-fascist propa-
ganda network in this country, already
operating openly from New York to Los
Angeles .. . . It is true that the 'Amer-
ican Association • of Labor," headed by
Kenneth Weber, is carrying on an anti-
democratic, anti-Semitism c amp a i en--
among big unions, farmers and churches.
. . . Weber's outfit is working in cooper-
ation , with the Christian Youth Move-;
ment. . . . A good portion of the foreign-
language press in the . USA is cooperating
in this anti-Semitic campaign. -
Mr. Riesel cited- all this the Other day
as additional - evidence that organized
anti-Semitism is prepared to intensify its
program after Hitler's defeat . . Yet,
only a few weeks ago Riesel wrote .an
article—reprinted in a number of Anglo-
Jewish publications—declaring that "or-
ganized anti-Semitism had reached a new
low level" . . . Even columnists are per-
knitted to be logical, Mr. Riesel.
*
*
*
PALESTINE NEWS
Dr. Weizmann's trip to the U. S. has
been delayed because of a throat in-
fection that kept him confined indoors.
.. Brig. Gen. Ernest F. Benjamin, com-
mander of the Jewish Brigade in Italy,
speaks Hebrew fluently. . . . Robert
Nathan's report on economic conditions
and possibilities in . Palestine will make
the , headlines. . . . Nathan, former chief
of the Planning Board of America's War
Production • Board, spent several months
in Palestine as • head of the American
Economic. Commission. . . . It is an open
secret that the Haganah,- Palestine's
Jewish defense organization, is on 'the
alert and ready for defenSive action in
case of trouble provoked by the anti-
Jewish statements of Arab - leaders of
Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Transjordan.
Forty-one of • the best canvases by Maxa
Nordau be exhibited: this month in
the Hudson Park Branch of the New
York Public Library. . . We mourn Lt.
Aaron I. Miller of the American Air
Force, shot down while over• Belgium.
Heard in
The Lobbies
By ARNOLD LEVIN
(Copyright, 1945, Independent Jewish
Press Service, Inc.)
TERMITES AT . WORK!
Friday, April 6, •1945
Between ,
You and Me
By BORIS SMOLAR
(Copyright, 1945, Jewish Telegraphic
Agency, Inc.)
SAN FRANCISCO SIDELIGHTS
Zionist leaders in America are becom-
ing more and more certain that while no
other Jewish groups will have a chance
of even coming close to the United Na-
tions conference 'at San Fruancisco, there
are good prospects that the Jewish
Agency will - get a hearing at one of the
commissions . . . Dr. Chaim Weizrnann
expects to meet with Prime Minister
Churchill prior to leaving for the U. S.,
and this meeting may pave the way for
Weizmann to - appear before the com-
mission at the San Francisco parley
which will deal with the problem of
mandates . . . It is almost certain that
upon his arrival in the United States, Dr.
Weizmarm will also be received by
President Rdosevelt.
In the meantime, messages have been
received by Jewish leaders in this coun-
try from Ben-Gurion and Weizmann ad-
vising them not to send to San Francisco
any separate "delegations", but to stand
behind the Jewish Agency. . . This ad-
vice is based on the fact that the leaders
of the Jewish Agency fear that the ap-
pearalice of too many self-styled "Jewish
delegations" weaken the efforts of the
Jewish Agerity to present its case. . . .
Larger Jewish groups will all be there
lobbying for their causes:
*
*
*
MILITARY INFORMATION
A study of the participation of Amer-
ican Jews in the U. S. armed forces was
made in 12 cities by the Bureau of War
Records of the Jewish Welfare Board. . . .
The figures obtained show that the per-
centage of Jews in service was in each
irtstance larger than the proportion of
Jews to the total population . . . The
figures are:
Percent Percent
Jews in Jews in
Population Service
Trenton, N. J.
6.1
'7.5
Lynn, Mass.
'7.1
'7.5
Portland, Maine
3.5
.4.7 ,
Stamford, Conn.
5.6
6.9
Wilmington, Del.
3.5
4.7
Allentown, Pa.
2.8
3.5
Toledo, 0.
2.1
. 2.4
Hammond, Ind.
1.2
2.2
Youngstown, 0.
3.2
3.9
Denver, Colo.
4.6
6.3
Madison, Wis.
1.8
2.4
Seattle, Wash.
1.8
2.1
Other Surveys indicate that three serv-
icemen in 10 have expressed a preference
to go into business for themselves after
the war • . The Federation of Jewish
Philanthropies in New York therefore,
has issued a -special guide to direct
Jewish veterans considering a venture in
the area of small business enterprises
with the aid of government loans .
About 16,000 Jews are now in the Jewish
Special Police in Palestine who receive
part-time military training . . . There are
also about 5,900 Jews serving in the
Government's Supernumerary P o 1- i c
and about 800 Jews are in the regular
police force.
*
*
AMUSING CHARGE
-
An example of the need for objective
investigation of alleged "anti-Semitic" in-
cidents and material is cited by David
Robinson, director of the regional offike
of the Anti-Defamation. League in Port-
land, Ore. In - a daily commercial report
of business transactions circulated in
Portland to credit departments of job-
bers and wholesalers, appeared the fol-
lowing cryptic listing: "Mai & Lai •I Cof-
fee Shop, 308 N. W. Everett—You Jew."
. . •. Some people promptly "saw" anti-
Semitism in the background of - this
peculiar item • . . Investigation by Mr.
Robinson revealed the shop was owned
by two: Chinese named Louis Lurn: and
Yew Jew.
As many Portland Chinese hail from
Southern China, the Cantonese dialect is
common—and such Chinese use English
spelling to make phonetic translations
of their Chinese names . . . The word
"Jew" was derived in this instance from
"Chew" or "Cheu"; and "Yew" was al-
tered to "You"- inadvertently, thus giv-
ing the owner of the restaurant of the
name "You Jew" in the . circular. .•
Simple and amusing, but indicative Of
the blameless way in which some .see-
nt.
ingly anti-Semitic material is conceived.
* * *
MODERN HIGHWAY
-Britain • hai completed a- new modern
highway through Transjordan front
Damascus to the port of Akaba on the
Red Sea . . . The highway bypasses Pal-
estine, and enables much Middle -East
commerce to reach. the Red Sea without
Using the Suez Canal . . . This is one of
For the 'nth time we call attention in
column to some so-called German Soci-
alists, refugees or emigres from Germany,
who address meeting after meeting in
New York, Milwaukee and other centers
with considerable German pOpulations,
and denounce in the strongest possible
language—the 'anticipated :unfair treat-
ment" of Germany by the Allies. These
Socialists, some of them allegedly Jews,
did not work themselves , up into such,
or any kind of lather over the mass-
slaughter of three million Jews in Europe.
Can't the Justice Department do some-
thing about these termites? . . . Some
pan-Germanists are working for a new
kind of Anschluss, between a "demo-
cratic" Germany and Austria. The prime
Mover is alleged to be an anti-Nazi
prince who not so many years ago graced
Jewish meetings, but in recent years put
out feelers, proposing that Germany,
after she loses. the war, be given colonies
in Africa so '.as to compensate for the
frustration driVing her to, war • and to
destroy people . . The- gentleman is a
professor aione of the finest universities
in this courkry . .. Incidentally, have you
gone through the recent book lists and
counted the number of mercy-for-the-
Germans books_ published by so-called
German emigres, former Socialist Reich-
stag members, who could not • protect the
world against, Germany, but are ready
to defend Germany against the world?
.. . Why do publishers issue this- trash,
especially at a time of paper shortage.
Of course, some pUblishers, have made it
a practice to solicit from authors pay-
ment for a certain number of copies, to
guarantee initial expenses. If so, it would
be eeremely interesting to learn whose
purse supplies the guarantee-payment
for some of the "soft peace" books b_y
Germans.
•• * *
NOTE
Zionist vet and Brandeisist Israel B.
Brodie is among the signers of the call the steps taken by Britain in preparation
for the Jewish :State Party convention in for the time . when the Suez Canal re-
N. Y., April 22 22.
. "Y.11,ts,