Friday, January 25, 1957 -- THE D ETROIT J EWI S H NE
Purely Commentary
By PHILIP 5LOMOVITZ
Emma Lazarus: 'Woman With a Torch'
Eve Merriam, herself a poet of marked ability, has written
a fine biography, "Emma Lazarus: Woman with a Torch," which
has been published by Citadel Press (222 4th, NY 3).
Mrs. Merriam has caught the spirit of the great American
Jewish poetess, the author of
the historic lines, "The New
Colossus," the text of which is
inscribed on the Statue of Lib-
erty at Bedloe Island, New
York.
Many little known details of
the life of Emma Lazarus are
incorporated in this well writ-
ten book. The reader learns a
great deal from this account
about Miss Lazarus' early life.
and the manner in which she
became a champion of the
rights of her downtrodden
fellow-Jews.
. Emma Lazarus' father en-
couraged her in her work, and
many great men of her time
acclaimed her. But not all the
members of her family were in
sympathy with her endeavors.
Mrs: Merriam's explanation is
worth taking note of. We learn
Emma Lazarus
from her biography:
"Her younger sister Annie became a convert to Catholi-
cism, in , the face of Emma's contention that 'converted Jews
are probal?ly not only the most expensive of all marketable
commoditiis, but also the most worthless after they are pur-
chased.' At any rate, she did not wish Emma to be remembered
as a 'Jewish poet.'
"No, Annie Lazarus Humphreys-Jonstone took a deep
breath and exhaled a long-winded but plain-spoken regret
that there was a 'tendency on the part of some of Emma's
public to overemphasize the Hebraic strain in her work,
giving it thus a quality. of sectarian propaganda which I
greatly deplore, for I understood this to have been merely a
phase in my sister's development, called forth by righteous
indignation at the tragic - happenings of those days. Then, un-
fortunately, owing to her untimely death, this was destined
to be her final word.'
"This was straight wishful thinking on Annie's part. Of
.course it is tragic that Emma died when she was only thirty-
eight, that she was cut off at the height of her creative powers.
But had she been able to live out her life to the ripeness of
age; her ideas would have remained; they were the body and
soul of her belief and her art. She would never have ex-
changed her 'perpetual lamp' of truth and justice for any
lesser light."
The biographer nevertheless was able to gather all the
necessary material for her work. Mrs. Merriam has ably de-
veloped her theme based on the claim that Emma Lazarus'
" 'Jewish Idea' was the idea of humanity." She shows how Walt
Whitman admired her work and referred to Emma as "a great,
sweet, unusual nature."
The outstanding men of letters of the last century con-
sidered Emma Lazarus one of the great poets of the age, and
their opinions are quoted in the Eve Merriam biography.
Of great interest is the description of the poet's approach to
the Jewish problem, her articles defending Jewish rights and
refuting attacks on Jews.
When Emma Lazarus died, John Greenleaf Whittier said
"her people will mourn the death of this woman, but they
will not be alone. At her grave the tears of the daughters of
Jerusalem will mingle with those of the Christians." Whitman
regretted he had never met her and paid great tribute to her
work.
Her best known work is, of course, the sonnet "The New
Colossus." But it was not her only great poem. Her many works
relating- to Jewish experience and Jewish history plac.e her among
the most creative Jews of all time. The extensive quotations
from her works in- the Merriam biography irrefutably prove
the point.
EmmaLazarus' friendship with Ralph Waldo Emerson and
Robert Browning were among the highlights of her career. Emma
was Browning's guest in London. Her biographer states that
Browning was as angered by Russian pogroms on the Jews as
Emma was and he petitioned for English intervention. We are
told in - the biography that Browning, like Emma Lazarus "had
become an enthusiastic student of the Hebrew language. He had
many Jewish friends, some dating back to the period when his
father had clerked for the famous banker, Rothschild."
Emma Lazarus, deeply moved by the Jewish tragedy in
Europe, continued to advocate that the Jews "must establish
an independent nationality." She was condemned for it by
men like the Rev. Sabato Morais, founder of the Conservative
movement in this country, Cyrus Sulzberger and Dr. Abram
'Isaacs. She would not relent and history properly vindicates
her position and proves how blindly even some of the leading
Jews viewed the Jewish situation.
But there were others, like. Rabbi Gustav Gottheil, who
helped her. Emma became a master of Hebrew, and she, followed
Jewish events by reading Graetz, the London Jewish Chronicle
and whatever books she could secure.
Her poem "The Banner of the Jew" is one of the results of
the influence of such studies of Jewish history. Her articles in
the Century and other magazines, and the continuous appear-
ance of her poems and essays in the American Hebrew gave her
a high place as a spokesman for Jewry and a defender of Jewish
rights.
Eve Merriam is wrong on one point. She claims that Morris
U. Schappes' articles on Emma Lazarus "reintroduced her to
the public in 1944." This is not so. As far back as 1927, this re-
viewer was the author of an article on Emma Lazarus - that was
syndicated in the entire English-Jewish press in this country;
and others also have evaluated Emma's works and acclaimed her
as a great Jewess and a literary genius.
Aside from this error, Mrs. Merriam has rendered a re_ al
service with her fine biography.
a I.
+
Aggravated Middle D ist Situation: There
Never Was a More Anxious Time for Vigilance
marskjold by Lt. Col. K. R. Nel- "royalties" and lucrative jobs
(Continued from Page 1)
surrendered in a spirit of des- son, of the U. S. Army, which for his followers.
("The proclaimed aim of this
pair, and while there is hope, was written on Dec. 3 and not
latest measure is to exterminate
there must be action. It becomes made public until Jan. 14.
(The dangers that stem from Western influence and to "foil
apparent here that the activists
have been slow moving, and Egypt inspired the following edi- imperialist plots." But the first
that it is necessary militantly to torial warning ; under the head- effect of it can only be to im-
revive efforts in Israel's behalf. ing "Egypt's Hitler," in last pose further strains on the shaky
Egyptian economy and to expose
Many legislators here are Saturday's New York Times:
("President Nasser is emerg- the Egyptian people to increased
anxious for information about
the Middle East, and the truth ing more and more as the poverty and suffering by de-
about Israel's new precarious Egyptian Hitler. He has already priving them of foreign capital,
position must be offered speed- established a totalitarian one foreign aid and badly needed
ily to all members of Congress. party regime which _assured him managerial talent. What is more,
It is heartening fo know of the-super-totalitarian „,..1.9 per the latest move threatens to ex-
that Israel's military accom- cent vote by which he made terminate as a last stabilizing
plishments in the Sinai Oper- himself President. He has seized factor the Egyptian middle class
ation are well known; that the Suez Canal by force in vio- which depends on trade with the
members of Congress under- lation of a long-standing inter- West for its existence. One can
stand that Israel could have national treaty, in much the only hope that both the Egyp-
completed t h e conquest of same way as Hitler marched tian people and the other Arab
Sinai and the Suez area in a into the Rhineland in violation nations will awake in time to
matter of additional hours of the Locarno pact. He has stop a development which leads
if the British-French intrusion started to drive the Jews out of ultimately toward bankruptcy
had not created chaos out of Egypt and in one way or an- and communism.")
* * *
the fast-moving Israeli tactics. other to confiscate their posses-
But the unchallenged facts in sions. Now he has followed this
Michigan's Congressional dele-
the frustrated Israeli self- up by "Egyptianizing" foreign gation includes a fair proportion
defense efforts now have banks, insurance companies and that is keenly aware of the Nas-
merits merely as historical commercial agencies, while still ser threat and of Israel's pre-
data in retrospect. The inter- inviting foreign capital for in- carious position. Both Senators
est of world peace calls for dustrial development at the risk are anxious for action that will
new actions, leading to just of .like treatment later on.
assure Israel's security. Con-
negotiations to solve funda-
("To be sure "Egyptianized" gressmen Ding el 1, Griffiths,
mental differences and to put concerns remain theoretically in Diggs are among those who
an end to dictatorial aspira- the hands of private owners seek justice in the current crisis.
A duty devolves upon their
tions in the Middle East' — who, with rare exceptions, must
whether Nasser's or the be native-born Egyptian citi- constituents: to make the truth
zens. But, as in Nazi Germany, known and to close the ranks
Kremlin's.
(There was an echo of Israel's they will be controlled and regi- for decency and fair play in the
Sinai triumphs in the House of mented for Nasser's purposes by Middle East. There never was
Lords in Londdh. Lord Cher- an "Economic Organization" a more anxious time for vigil-
well, commenting on the weak- which will provide him with ance.
ness of the UN emergency force r0 ■ .■
■ ■
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in the Middle East, drew many
laughs when he said UNEF
Boris Smolar's
could be stopped "by a brigade
of Israelis or two or three di-
visions of Egyptians.")
(There are less than 3,000 i
men in a brigade—and a single
division has 10,000).
I
* * *
(Copyright, 1957,
It is 'heartening to hear from
Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Inc.)
Michigan's Senator Charles E.
Potter that there is complete
understanding among his col- Inside the UN:
Behind the scenes at the United Nations a tentative proposal
leagues of Israel's military sue-
is now being studied for transforming - part of the Sinai Desert
, :.cesses; that he
and his fellow.- into a neutral state to be owned by the UN . . . The project has
Senators w e 1- been advanced with a view of establishing a buffer between Egypt
come informa- and Israel by purchasing part of Sinai from Egypt for a high
tion about ex- price . . . It is thought that a UN offer to purchase the desert
territory might prove attractive . to the Egyptian government
isting cond
tion s; that which could use the funds for the development of its cherished
there is com- Aswan Dam plan . . . The proposal sounds fantastic to many, but
plete realiza- others believe that it merits more than passing -consideration ...
tion of the need The area of the projected independent "state" would be about
for assuring 7,000,000 acres of the total of 12,000,000 acres which compose
freedom of pas- the Sinai Desert . . . Is is assumed that 2,000,000 acres of this -
territory could be rendered cultivable by developing reservoirs
„ ..sage of Israel -and
cisterns- . . . When it is borne in mind that the total area
ships through
the Suez Can- of Israel without the Negev is less than 2,000,000 ,acres and that
Sen. Potter
al and the Gulf Israel's holdings in the barely cultivable Negev are only slightly
greater, the scope of settlement in the proposed "state" becomes
of Aqaba.
Senator Potter is emphatic in apparent . Such a "state" could help to solve the Arab refugee
his assertions that Israel must problem . . • Palestine refugees could be settled there and would
share in all rights to the estab- receive all benefits of a UN administration ... The UN could •
lished international principles establish headquarters for its International Police Force and
of freedom of the seas; that as- create an international air center .. The projected Sinai state
surances must be given Israel would be bounded on the north by the Mediterranean from
that her existence will be pro- Gaza to El Arish, on the east by the Negev, and on the south by
tected and recognized bound- the Gulf of Aqaba . . . However, one has to be quite an optimist
to believe the project will become more than a matter of study.
aries defended.
* * *
Jewish Claims:
Last week, Israel's friends
The Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany,
saw a vision of hope in analyses which held its annual session in New York this week, has acquired
of the Middle East situation in an enviable reputation during the three years of its existence .
which it was indicated that the Its present session marked the unity which has developed among
UN decided to assume control all major Jewish organizations in all the free countries of the
of the Gaza area and the Gulf world . . . It is the only central Jewish body that can boast
of Aqaba. There was rejoicing that it has among its member organizations all representative
over the fact that UN Secretary groups in the world, from the Jewish Agency to the Alliance
General Dag Hammarskjold for Israelite, and from the Joint Distribution Committee to Agudath
the first time in the present Israel . . . Even the American Jewish Committee and the World
crisis made reference to discus- Jewish Congress sit side by side in the conference — a rare thing
sing fundamentals.
indeed . . Not to speak of the fact that it brought under one
But the UN's action on Satur- roof all the major Jewish organizations from England, France,
day vitiated all hopes, and the Germany, South Africa, Australia and other countries . . . The
battle for justice for Israel be- Conference, with Dr. Nahum Goldmann as president, is an inter-
gins anew.
national Jewish body in which Jewish groups from all countries
Now our Government is being have a voice . . . With the multi-purposed allocations distributed
asked anew to act in behalf of by the Conference from reparations received from Germany,
the oppressed Egyptian Jews, some 150,000 Jewish victims of Nazi persecution have been aided
hope for whose safety has all . . . This year 400 Jewish organizations from 30 countries have
but been abandoned. The prob- submitted requests for allocating running in excess of $30,000,000
lem of Egyptian Jewry has — three times as much as the Conference is able to meet . . . In
added to the despair accompa- . . . In the field of relief to Nazi victims the Conference co-
nying the frustrations created at operates with JDC . . . In cultural and educational reconstruction,
the UN. Hammarskjold has victims specializing in Jewish studies . , It gave legal aid to
failed to act in this matter, and individual Jewish claimants to secure compensation and recovery
the U. S. delegates at the UN of property under the German restitution laws . . . $25,000,000
are silent. The factual reports was received last year from Germany by individuals with legal
regarding Egyptian Jewry have aid of United Restitution Organization which the Conference
been in their hands for weeks, finances ... URO conducts operations in 14 countries and has a
but they are shrouded in sec- staff of 159 lawyers and 548 office assistants ... 65,000 persons
recy and inaction—as in the case submitted 130,000 claims through URO last year . . Claimants
of the pro-Israel report to Ham- live in many countries, including it. S, and Israel.
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'Between You
... and Me'
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