Purely Commentary

The fabulous Story of
'The Rothschilds,' the
Famous 'Mishpoche'

By Philip

WOMOVitZ

Bible-Reading
Goes on in Pa.
Pending Appeal

were fantastic and often bizarre in their dealings, and there is
no evidence that they, themselves, ever resorted to trickery:
PHILADELPHIA ( J TA ) —
their acts were always above "reproach, since they used the
Bible-reading will continue in
prescribed legal methods for financial manipulations.
Abington Township Senior
The Rothschilds were unique in their philanthropy, in the
High SchoOl under a stay of
many of their members' interests in the arts, in the theater, in compliance
order signed by two
the sciences, in the advancement of cultural projects. They of the three federal judges who
were art collectors as well as vintners, and while they were handed down previously a rul-
not all geniuses--there were some black sheep, several suicides ing that both Bible reading and
—as a Family they will always be unique in history.
recitation of the Lord's Prayer
The numerous family divisions, their dispersion in several were unconstitutional.
European countries where they set up branches of the banking
The two federal judges or-
firm, makes a fabulous story. The appended family genealogy, dered that the stay was to re-
more than a yard long, gives a complete account of the Roths- main in force until April 2
childs, and only the descendants of the females have been while the Abington Township
omitted.
An interesting anecdote relates to the Rothschilds' family School District ponders on
It is because of the gossip that so much in the Morton background. Morton writes that "nothing rubbed off on Nathan whether to appeal to the United
States Supreme Court the Feb.
story sounds like exaggeration. if one were to add up all Rothschild" and he tells this episode:
2 ruling.
the millions counted up by him as gains or as gifts or as
"At a ball given by the Duke of Wellington, the Duke of
If the district does file for an
extravagant entertainment expense, the billions would be too
Montmorency appeared to talk rather pointedly of his long appeal on or before that date,
numerous to count. It is difficult to believe that the factuality
line of ancestors. 'So you are the first Christian baron,' Nathan the stay will remain in force
of such expenditures or money-making could be proven, veri-
rasped before. the whole assembly. 'I'm the first Jewish baron. until the Supreme Court makes
fied and ascertained.
That's more interesting, but I make less fuss about it.' The
Morton makes some most interesting observations. He con- ladies blanched. The orchestra quickly struck up a minuet. a decision. If the school district
does not appeal, then such prac-
tends that there are "three puissant devices" by which the The Iron Duke smiled." •
tices will be banned in the Ab-
Rothschild House was to "overwhelm a continent": 1. The
Another story is about Amschel, the son of Mayer, the ington Township high school.
Rothschilds' clientele consisted of some of the noblest personages
When the three-man federal
founder of the House of Rothschild on Jew Street in Frankfurt.
in Germany—"and never mind if their high positions exacted "Once," the story goes, "an anti-Semitic mob gathered before his court handed down the Feb.
low profits"; 2. They courted the landgrave with low prices;
great house, not far from Jew Street. Amschel appeared on a ban, Bible-reading was discon-
and 3. Mayer (the founder of The Family) "had sons."
to face them. 'My dear friendS,', he said, 'you want money tinued in the high 'school but it
The latter aspect is belabored several times. During "the balcony
from the rich Jew. There are forty million Germans. I have about was continued as usual in the
black year of 1855," when the Rothschilds, "as fragile as ordinary a's many florins. As a start, I'll drop a florin to each of you.' The township's 14 other public
human beings," faced a crisis in France, they emerged victorious mob cupped hands, caught and went."
schools, since the decree applied
because they had "the weapon called sons," who were able to
This may be one of the apocryphal stories in the Morton specifically to the high school.
face the challenges of the time. Again, in England, when Victoria account of the Rothschilds, but it indicates the fearlessness and
opposed the admission of a Jew to Parliament, when Gladstone the quick action and thinking which enabled The Family to meet
Joint Distribution
was pleading for the naming of Lionel Rothschild to a peerage, many difficult situations.
Morton reaches this conclusion:
The incidents of Rothschildian experiences with nobility, Committee to Aid
"Victoria sat tight. It was not until Suez had become with rivals and with anti-Semites are so numerous that they
British through Jewish money; not until Disraeli, baptized in point to a family trait in facing dangers. The difficulties were ORT Training Plans
faith but very unbaptized in sympathies and passions, had won topped by those encountered by the Austrian Rothschild under
The Joint Distribution Com-
her heart; not until Lionel had died in 1879; that she yielded Hitler. There were many other challenges, and in all instances mittee has agreed to make an
to Lionel's weapon, that same old Rothschild weapon, his son." there was a determination that led to Rothschildian triumphs. initial grant of $1,850,000 dur-
The Morton story begins with the description of a glittering
In their relationships with Jews, the Rothschilds were the ing 1962 toward the vocational
event, the glamorous wedding procession and ceremony of Philip- peers for generations. They were the leading philanthropists training programs of ORT, the
pine, "now a prominent young actress in the Comedie Francaise," and they provided an address for contact with the Jewries of Organization for - Rehabilitation
daughter of Baron Philippe Rothschild, on March 4, 1961, to her the world. Thus, the Balfour Declaration was addressed to the through Training, it was an-
director. The author states that "even the most shocking aspect English Lord Rothschild. The early colonies in Palestine were nounced here by officials of
of the event rested on family precedent. The village priest had set up with the aid of the great Baron Edmond de Rothschild both organizations.
The agreement provides for a
solemnized Philippine's union with a Catholic (delivering a of Paris.
review in March of this year
somewhat embarrassed sermon on the Old Testament and the
The latter is referred to as the Nadiv Hayeduha—as the with
a view to possible addi-
virtues of the Jews). Actually he was only refreshing a venerable anonymous benefactor. The anonymous is one of the _misinter-
Rothschild scandal. From the very first this vehemently Jewish pretations of a Hebrew term by Moiton. It means the famous tional allocations by . JDC, be-
dynasty has permitted its daughters—not its sons—to marry rather than the anonymous. Baron Edmond was never anonymous cause of the expansion of ORT
Christians." -
in his Palestinian dealings. He always gave openly and with an training activties overseas.
The amount ORT will expend
This, too, is subject to challenge. The Rothschilds were, open hand to aid the early Palestinian settlers..
all its 1962 programs in 19
With all its errors and exaggerations, Frederic Morton's for
from earliest times, observers of Jewish traditions, and they
therefore could not have condoned intermarriage among the "The Rothschilds—A Family Portrait" is an unusually interest- countries is over. $7,700,000.
girls any more than they would permit mixed marriages for their ing book. Its stories are most entertaining, its fabulous facts Under terms of the agreement
boys. It is when assimilation set in throughout the free demo- staggering, its genealogical compilations proof of scrupulous reached between the two agen-
cratic world that the Rothschilds were affected as much as others search for data by the author. It is a volume that will be widely cies, ORT will make up from
read and even more extensively discussed during the coming other sources the difference be-
in Jewish ranks.
tween the JDC grant and the
The manner in which the Rothschilds, beginning with months.
total required.
(Copyright,
1962,
Jewish
Telegraphic
Agency,
Inc.)
Mayer Amschel who befriended Prince William of Hesse-Hanau

,Frederic Morton, a native Viennese, who left Austria for
the United States upon the advent of Hitlerism, who has
authored several novels and many feature articles, has written
a most intriguing, if often puzzling, story of "The Rothschilds,"
just published by Atheneum (162 E. 38th, N.Y. 16).
Sub-titling the book "A Family Portrait," Morton lives up
to it throughout his book. It is "The Family" from beginning
to end, and to give it emphasis he takes delight in labeling
the famous Jewish familial group as "The Mishpoche Magnificent"
appending Mishpoche to them every time the opportunity pre-
sented itself.
There is no doubt about the immense amount of research
that was done by Morton in compiling the Rothschild story.
He has gathered up all available stories about them, thus spicing
the book with a great deal of humor, and, in doing so, must
have included also much gossip.

.

to make a beginning for similar relationships for the rest of
the clan, is extremely interesting. There is no doubt, as Morton
shows, that the Rothschilds, in their time, were a great power
financially and therefore were able to come to the aid of the
, Jewish people. It is certain, as the Morton story proves, that
kings fraternized with Rothschilds and that The Family was
like a ruling power.

,

_

From the house in Frankfurt-am-Main unto the great palaces
they built wherever they extended their dynasty, the Rothschilds
exerted influence, aided important causes, entertained lavishly.
Whether they knew Yiddish or not—Morton keeps mention-
ing that they often spoke and frequently wrote notes in Yiddish
—the Rothschilds were close to their people. But Morton is
certainly incorrect in his reference to the many Yiddish sayings.
He seldom quotes any but some very usual Hebrew words, and
he always refers to them as Yiddish. Even so frequently used
a Hebrew word as Mishpoche (mishpakha) he insists on referring
•to, numerous times, as being Yiddish. In this we find a major
error in his book.
Morton's Rothschild Family is often ingratiating, able to
show solicitude to royalty, which it has emulated, and from the
Morton story we gather that they were out-royalty-ing the royal
houses with which they were in contact.
The numerous financial manipulations described in the book
are absolutely staggering. They confirm the financial genius of
The Family. They reveal shrewdness and cunning, and a deter-
' mination not to be outdone by anyone or to be tricked. They

Mayer Amschel Rothschild

Baron Edmond de Rothschild,
the "Nadiv Hayeduha"

Expect Israel Economy to Gain
from Devaluation of the Pound

goods and services, to imports the international monetary fund
and was calculated to . place
and to capital transfers.
The premium system for the Israel's economy on the firm and
export of goods and services stable basis needed to adapt to
and subsidies for capital trans- the existing conditions of the
fers would be abolished. The world economy. He stressed the
import of equipment as well as, high levels of Israel's production
in part, of raw materials will and the abundance of goods
be entirely free of customs. available and, above all, Eshkol
Customs rates on other goods pointed out that his new plan
will also be considerably re- was a sign of strength both of
duced. Minister Eshkol ex- the existing and latent power of
pressed the hope that admin- Israel's economy.
istrative restriction on imports
Before the adoption of the
would gradually be reduced.
present plan, Israel's exchange
It was intended to limit the rates were not uniform. The ba-
ceiling of protective customs sic official exchange rate had
and to abolish quantitative re- been at 1.80 IL to the U. S.
strictions on imports. The gov- dollar.
ernment, Eshkol said, will shortly
It was pointed out that for-
establish the framework and the
regulations for planning the eign investment will be given
development of the various a boost because of the increase
branches of the economy for a in Israel goods and services
period of four to five years, and per American dollar invested.-
will take measures to prevent The, rapid rate of increase in
unjustified and • excessive ex- the tourist industry will be
further accelerated with the
penditures.
Th e governinent would take drop in prices for tourists per
appiOpriate steps that wage rises American dollar.
sitquid not exceed the increase
The decision was made pos-
of the workers contribution to sible by the strength of the Is-
national production.
rael economy, the average 11
A suitable' part of additional per cent a year increase in Gross
output would be devoted to low- National Product, full employ-
ering prices of Israel products ment, rapidly increasing exports
in foreign markets.
and a balance of payments in
The government will refrain foreign currency.
from raising taxes apart from un-
(Israeli Reactions to Devalu-
Baron Edmond de Rothschild, expected emergency needs.

. Finance Minister Levi Eshkol
announced new economic meas-
ures in a broadcast delivered
over Israel's Broadcasting Serv-
ice from Jerusalem on Feb. 9.
Expressing confidence that
the Israel economy was now
strong enough to face major chal-
lenges of the future and that its
latent power would be able to
cope with these problems, Eshkol
stated that the Israel pound
would be fixed at a uniform
rate, as from midnight last Fri-
day, of 3.00 IL per 1.00 U.S.
dollar. Multiple exchanges would
bp abolished and a uniform rate
would apply to the export of

Grandson of the Man Who
Pioneered in Palestine

Eshkol stressed that his plan
had the support and blessing of

ation of Pound and Related
Stories on Pages 1 and 6)

•