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Purely Commentary
Aaron L. Sapiro and the Ford Libel Suit
Butzel Role in Ford
Case . .. Tribute to JNF By Philip
Leader . . . J. P. Wirburg
Negates Family Tradition VOMOVitZ
Oxford Defeats
Move to Bar Jews
as Hebrew Profs
question of the settlement of the litigation was concerned, it
Aaron L. Sapiro's death last week, in Los Angeles, at the would undoubtedly be the natural thing to deal with Mr. Longley
age of 75, brought into the limelight anew his famous libel suit in respect to the Sapiro litigation and with Mr. Delancey Nicoll
against Henry Ford.
Direct JTA Teletype Wire
here in New York so far as pertained to the Bernstein ease.
To The Jewish News
Sapiro had been charged in Ford's Dearborn Independent I stated that that would be entirely-
satisfactory
and
that
the
LONDON — A last minute
(which Ford later abandoned and which is now functioning under counsel in the respective cases would naturally confer together
attempt to bar Jews from teach-
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entirely new management, divorced completely from Ford inter- with regard to the terms of settlement."
ing the Hebrew language and
• :.
ests) of having exercised control over Ameri-
At this point, in his letter to Butzel, Marshall made refer- the literature of the Old Testa-
can agriculture by establishing farm co-
ence to Lewis L. Strauss, who recently failed to receive the U.S. ment at Oxford University was
rn operatives. The Jewish attorney, who later
Senate's confirmation as Secretary of Commerce, as having been defeated Tuesday by
145 votes
was disbarred on charges of bribery and
"a very warm friend of Sapiro." Marshall's letter to Butzel to 41 in the Oxford Congrega-
malpractice,
confirmed:
Z
started a libel suit for $1,000,-
tion.
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000 against Henry Ford. Into that case, in
"For the last few days I have been discussing the subject
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An amendment proposed by
which Ford was defended by former Senator
with Mr. Lewis L. Strauss, who is a very warm friend of Mr.
James A. Reed of Missouri, was injected the
Sapiro and is exceedingly interested in this proposed adjust- the canon of the Church of
w
entire issue of Ford's anti-Semitism. There
ment, which he strongly approves. I have just read to him your England had attempted to link
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-: was a mistrial and the case was settled out
letter, in which you say that Gallagher spoke to Sapiro on the the post of the Regius Profes-
of court, and it was said that Sapiro received
phone late yesterday and that the latter instructed Gallagher sorship of Hebrew with "The
0 $140,000 as compensation from Ford.
`in accordance wih suggestions that he had received from friends constitution of the Old Testa-
A libel
E.,
suit also was started against Ford by the
in New York to approach the Ford attorneys with respect to a ment to Biblical Theology,"
late Herman Bernstein, and that, too was
settlement immediately.' Mr. Strauss does not know to whom which, according to members
A
settled out of court. Ford then apologized
reference is made, unless it is to Mr. Victor Polachek. who is of the congregation, would have
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to the Jewish people in a letter to the late
connected with the Hearst newspapers, who I believe lives in automatically barred Jews from
Henry Ford
the post. A fortnight ago the
E-.1 Louis Marshall. Thus, the Ford case ended.
Chicago, and whom I know to be a man of excellent judgment.
congregation approved the stat-
"I am anxious that there shall be no crossing of wires
Since there still are frequent echoes of that case, especially
and
when the texts of Ford's anti-Semitic "International Jew" appear that nothing shall be done by anybody which will result in ute that the chair should no
in translations, in Arabic and other countries, the ease actually our working at cross purposes. I repeat that I am primarily longer be confined to the Canon
is never-ending. Ford's son and his grandsons did their best to interested in the big phase of the subject, and that incidentally of Christ Church.
The Oxford Professor of
Wipe out the stain on their name, and the FOrd heirs' names I am anxious to do whatever I can to secure for Mr. Sapiro a
never were linked with anything resembling animosity to Jewry. retraction and a settlement which will in other respects be Semitic Philosophy, Prof. G. R.
On the contrary, their foundations have supported Jewish insti- satisfactory to him. No negotiations should, however, be under- Driver, spoke
against • the
tutions of learning, they have been fair to labor and to minor- taken by which any of us shall interfere with the plans of amendment and said "I would
be the last to exclude such a
ities everyWhere and have given generously to charitable causes. the other."
On July 1, 1927, Marshall informed Untermyer of Ford's man (a
Sapiro's involvement in the famous case is referred to ex-
Jew) from the post."
tensively in the selected papers and addresses of the late Louis statement "of which," he wrote, "I do not believe he can be Driver said that the proposal
Marshall, published in two volumes under the title "Louis very proud and which will have a most wholesome effect upon "is obviously aimed at the ex-
Marshall: Champion of Liberty" by the Jewish Publication Society the anti-Semites of the world and especially Eastern Europe. clusion of Jews."
of America. In 1926, Marshall stated that he would treat Ford's There Ford has been made into a demigod. His reprint of the
accusations "with silent contempt." He maintained that "it is Dearborn Independent articles in The International Jew has
Child Prodigy to Play
breath to the nostrils of an anti-Semite to receive the publicity been translated into a dozen languages and has been circulated,
of opposition."
as I have reason to believe, with his money."
at Conference of UJA
Marshall then went into detail regarding negotiations for
Itzhak Perlman. 14-year-old
Then came the Sapiro action. Marshall refused to become
the issuance of the Ford statement, which was prepared by the Israeli violinist
associated with it. In a letter to G. Lowenstein, March 29,
who has won
Jewish
leader.
Marshall
insisted
that
Ford
sign
not
only
the
1927, he wrote that he was "sorry that the action was brought,
international acclaim, will be a
letter accompanying the statement but also the statement itself.
because it has given Ford the publicity which he has craved
guest of honor and guest star
In his letter to Untermeyer he said he was "very anxious that at the United Jewish
ever since he embarked upon his attack of the Jews." He
Appeal
nothing shall be done which will interfere with the moral effect national con-
stated in that letter:
upon
the
public
mind
here
and
abroad"
of
the
Ford
statement.
"The court has eliminated from consideration the in-
ference to be
He then made this interesting comment:
famous charges made by Ford against the Jews. No action
held at the
"If I had his (Ford's) money I would not have made such
could be brought by the Jews, as such, and Sapiro could not
Staffer - Hil-
a humiliating statement for one hundred million dollars.
represent the Jews in fighting for their honor, because an
ton Hotel.
I do not believe that he will ever hear the last of it. I have
action in a representative capacity cannot be maintained.
New York,
prepared a letter which I am sending him in which I say Dec. 11 to 13.
Whether this ruling is correct or not is immaterial at the
that so far as my influence can further the acceptance of his
present juncture. All that I desire to point out is that the
Acclaimed by
request for a pardon, it will be exerted, simply because there
action is a personal action of Mr. Sapiro. It is nobody else's
such renowned
flows in my veins the blood of ancestors who were inured to
business. If he was injured to the extent of a million dollars,
artists as Ye-
suffering and nevertheless remained steadfast in their trust
he has the right to seek redress . . ."
hudi Menuhin
in
God
.
.
."
The very eminent Detroit Jewish leader, the late Fred
and Leonard
M.
Marshall and Untermyer must have gotten into a controversy Bernstein, the
Butzel, played an important role in the case--behind the scenes.
over
procedures
in
the
Sapiro-Bernstein-Ford
cases,
Marshall
Ford had already written his apology to the Jewish people when
boy violinist
Itzhak
telegraphed Untermyer to Atlantic City from his sum- won international renown
Marshall, on July 1, 1927, wrote to the late Samuel Untermyer, having
re-
mer home at Saranac Lake:
his former partner:
cently on the Ed Sullivan TV
"For once I insist that you do not interfere. This is a program.
"I had put myself in communication with Fred Butzel, of
Detroit, a friend of Sapiro, who is delighted with what happened. matter affecting the destinies of hundreds of thousands infinite-
Despite being stricken with
He has taken the matter up with Gallagher (William Henry ly more important than anybody's lawsuit and there should polio
at the age of 4, he gave
Gallagher, prominent Detroit attorney, who was Sapiro's lawyer), be no cross-purposes. Of course as was intended the statement
his first recital at the age of 7,
who is very much pleased, and at my suggestion Gallagher is makes F. appear ridiculous. That very fact, his confession of was accepted
as a student at
now conferring with Davis (Earl J. Davis, former Assistant wrong, his avowed repentance, his retraction, his humble apology
U.S. Attorney General who negotiated in behalf of Ford) with and his assurance for, etc., future unless wilfully rendered the Tel Aviv Academy of Music
when he was 11 and won three
a. view to bringing about a settlement."
nugatory must accomplish untold good . . "
The Marshall papers, published by JPS, contain the texts prizes in Israeli competitions
Marshall, writing to Fred Butzel, June 30, 1927, stated:
sponsored by the Israel-Ameri-
"You, of course, understand that nothing has been further of the Ford apology and Marshall's letter to Ford.
The details given here are but a fraction of the many ca Fund. He has appeared in
from my mind than to intrude into Mr. Sapiro's litigation. When
recital, and as a soloist with
I first wrote to you on the subject I
made that very clear, and history-making facts in the Ford anti-Semitic campaign and local orchestras there.
for that reason requested you to inform
the
lawsuits
of
Aaron
Sapiro
and
Herman
Bernstein.
Now,
me either by yes or no
Delegates to the conference
whether I should, in connection with the matter in which I was more than 30 years after the Ford apology, the issue can be
engaged, take up the subject of the Sapiro litigation. You an- viewed much more objectively. It appears to this commentator will hear reports on the 1959
swered yes, and I took it for granted, as undoubtedly was the that Aaron Sapiro, while he was not much of a credit to Jewry UJA Study Mission in Israel
case, that you had at least Mr. Gallagher's sanction when you in the main, had rendered a great service to the causes of and set the goal for its 1960
practically told me to go ahead. I have done nothing which in justice and truth by starting the libel suit against Henry Ford fund-raising campaign.
any way will embarrass Mr. Sapiro. My negotiations have been and by leading thereby to Ford's withdrawal from the ranks
of the anti-Semitic crackpots. It was a case that had to be fought
entirely based on the larger proposition. In answer to the
request
of Messrs. Davis and Palmer that I should do what I could to in the open, with a full exposure of the un-American and in-
help in putting an end to the litigation, I merely stated that human falsehoods that were then being spread throughout
I was quite sure, if Ford would sign such a statement as I would the world over the automobile magnate's name. It is clear that
prepare, that then I could be helpful in ending the litigation, in this case Louis Marshall's approach was unrealistic: those
Ten members were added to
provided Ford made independent retractions satisfactory res- who spoke out for truth and in protest against the anti-Semitic Sinai Hospital's board of trus-
canards
were
in
the
right.
pectively to Messrs. Sapiro and Bernstein, and made an arrange-
tees at a recent joint meeting
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ment to reimburse them for their expenses in the litigation and
with North End Clinic's board.
to pay to them such additional sum as might be satisfactory. Mendel N. Fisher's Services to JNF
The session marked the clinic's
They both told me that that was entirely in accordance with
A deserving tribute will be paid to Mendel N. Fisher, at a transition from its old head-
what was in mind. Later they informed me that so far as the testimonial dinner in New York on Sunday evening, to
quarters, at 936 Holbrook, to
mark the Sinai.
25th anniversary of his services as executive director
of the
Jewish National Fund of America.
The new trustees are: Samuel
When he undertook the task of managing the activities of Frank, Harvey H. Goldman,
the most popular
national Jewish Fund, he knew the great Benjamin Jaffee, Jack 0. Lefton,
values of land redemption
in the Holy Land and he gave to Milton M. Maddin, Abe Shift-
the fund his best talents. As a result of his efforts, income man, Hugo Slotkin, Bert
L.
began to increase rapidly, and during his 25 years of JNF services Smokier, Louis C. Blumberg and
more than $200,000,000 was raised for the JNF.
C. William Sucher. These addi-
To this day, he is the guide of many thousands who are tions restored the board's mem-
engaged in JNF efforts in this country. His popularity has spread bership to 40.
to other lands and his fame has spread worldwide.
At the joint hospital-clinie
In Detroit, as in other communities, he has gained popularity meeting, Mrs. Oscar Zemon,
for his devotion to a great cause. We join his many friends president of the Sinai Women's
here in congratulating him on his anniversary.
Guild, reported that the organi-
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zation's 1,850 members contri-
A Warburg Enters 'Self Hating' Ranks
buted more than $38,000 to the
James Paul Warburg has gained fame as a financial expert hospital during the past year.
and as the author of many articles in which he offered solutions its The addition of 145 beds to
present 235-bed capacity is
on problems affecting American domestic and foreign policies.
A few days ago
being planned by Sinai with the
Louis Marshall
he
undertook
also
to
act
as
an
"expert"
Aaron Sapiro
on
Israel.
Fred M. Butzel
Opening of a new addition in
Continued on Page 8
January.
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Sinai Adds 10
New Trustees
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