64
Friday, May 4, 1919
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
Louis Brandeis as Elder US_ Statesman, Zionist,
Is Emphasized in the Fifth Volume of His. Letters
A most exciting chapter letters portray the noted
in American Jewish history jurist as a leader and in-
is recorded in the fifth vol- terpreter of Zionism, the
ume of "Letters of Louis D. vast extent of issues in
Brandeis," compiled and which he was involved and
edited by Profs. Melvin I. upon which he commented
Urofsky and David W. Levy. make the letters documen-
The fifth volume in the taries and an adjunct to
series has just been issued American history.
by the publishers, the State In the introductory note
of New York University to Volume V the editors
quote the following about
Press, Albany.
The fifth volume covers Brandeis from the memoirs
the years 1921 to 1941, and of Arthur Schlesinger Sr.:
is entitled "Elder States- "The trait called great-
man." The eminent jurist's ness is an elusive one," Ar-
Jewish interests again are thur M. Schlesinger, Sr.
recorded in the many im- wrote in his memoirs, "but if
portant letters accumulated it comprehends humility,
by the two editors, and Mr. moral majesty, faith in the
Justice Brandeis' great con- common folk, deep human
tributions to American compassion, and constancy
jurisprudence, recorded in of purpose — in short, the
his decisions, marked in quality of having made the
this volume by numerous world better for having
significant comments, em- lived in it — then Brandeis
phasize these important alone of the men I have
years in the Brandeis story. known fulfilled the re-
The Louis D. Brandeis quirements."
There is also this impor-
history is the story of the
leader in the field of social tant comment in the intro-
justice and legislation, of duction about the Brandeis
the man who began as a role in American and
labor lawyer, as a reformer human concerns:
"Once again, the scope of
in an era which he helped
his interests and the inten-
mould with his decisions.
It has been said and gen- sity of his involvement is as-
erally conceded in the ranks tounding. Zionism, Pales-
of lawyers and judges that tine, the liberal press, eco-
he ranked with John Mar- nomics, the University of
shall and Oliver Wendell Louisville, family affairs,
Holmes as one of the great Savings Bank Life Insur-
jurists and leading figures ante, the Harvard Law
in the history of the United School, unemployment
States Supreme Court. compensation, prohibition
Thus, while the Brandeis enforcement, civil liberties
With best wishes, Cor-
"Second, Brandeis's in- across wide ditches, always
volvement with New Deal with the same courage, the dially.
* * *
affairs is far greater than is same keen eye, the same
Parker replied that there
indicated in these letters. steady hand. As you take were extra handicaps in the
The reason in this case is the home stretch the on- career world facing "poor
not any unwillingness to lookers begin to realize how Jewish boys." Brandeis re-
talk about it, but rather be- you have ridden and what sponded:
cause in the thirties Bran- you have achieved. I am
* * *
deis delivered opinions and glad that I am still here to
April 23, 1936 Wasit_ „-
advice, for the most part, say: Nobly Done."
ton, D.C. (Parker)
There is one special set of Dear Mr. Parker:
orally and directly to the
many government officials letters, to a Detroiter, by Re yours of 21st.
— from newly minted Brandeis, which is signific-
"Poor Jewish boys" have a
lawyers in obscure agencies ant in the contents of Vol- great inheritance — the
on up to Cabinet members ume V. The three letters ability to pursue courage-
and even to the President were written in 1936 and ously a high ideal, patiently
himself — who sought the 1938 to Detroiter Hyman and unswervingly bearing
benefit of his wisdom and Parker, who at the time was the incidental hardships
experience. He was, in a full a struggling law student. with confidence and re-
and rich sense, the 'elder Mr. Parker, who died in sourcefulness.
statesman' of humane 1975, later became director
Of course, "if your heart
liberalism during the New of the Michigan Employ- fails you, do not climb at
ment Relations Commis- all." But that would be un-
Deal."
Indeed, it is as the Elder sion. The three letters to worthy of your inheritence.
* * *
Statesman that Brandeis Parker follow:
must be judged, and in
Another exchange of let-
* * *
Zionism, and in Jewish af-
April 17, 1936 Washing- ters followed in 1938:
* * *
fairs, in its beginnings espe- ton, D.C. (Parker)
LOUIS BRANDEIS
February 18, 1938 Wash-
cially of the American
ington, D.C. (Parker)
go into detail about the sub- Jewish Congress, that Dear
Mr. Parker:
Re yours
of 14th.
•
Dear Mr. Parker:
Brandeis goes down in his-
jects discussed.
The
need
of
good
lawyers
Re
yours
of
14th.
The correspondence with torical records.
the late Supreme Court It is most appropriate — learned, diligent, devoted I am sorry your lire has
Justice Felix Frankfurter that the editors should to their clients 'and to the been so hard a one. But do
are especially impressive quote this \ deeply-moving public, was • never greater not despair. There is much
and historically valuable. tribute to Brandeis, on his than it is today. The fact that is grimy in most occu-
With regard to Brandeis' 65th birthday that was that one is a Jew and "with- pations. But to live nobly is
regard for the High Court, scribbled on Supreme Court out connections" is no bar to not impossible. With persis-
this, too, is significant in the stationery by Oliver Wen- success. Be scrupulously tent hard work, patience
editors' comments: dell Holmes: honest; live simply and and unwavering courage,
"My dear Brandeis," worthily; work hard; have and simple living, happi
"He had a purist's notion
of the sanctity and confiden- Holmes wrote. "You turn patience and persistence; ness is attainable, whatever
tiality of the Court's busi- the third corner tomorrow. and don't measure success the character of the work
ness; which he guarded with You have done big things by the numbers of dollars you engage in.
With best wishes, Cor-
as much zeal as his own pri- with high motives — have collected. Waste neither
dially.
swept overgreat hedges and time nor money.
vacy.
— all engaged him to some
extent, even while he strug-
gled with Holmes and Stone
and Cardozo to keep alive
the liberal tradition on the
bench."
The people Brandeis
corresponded with are, lit-
erally, legion. Handwritten
letters, many intimate, ap-
pear here and some letters
4
Detroit Resettles Two Soviet Jewish Families from Group of 600
of the assurances from the
Rep. John Brademas
Nine Soviet Jews, who ar- urgent need for housing, immigrants to find new tended pilot of the plane,
Soviets of a freer emigration
and Kuznetsov originally (D-Ind.), the House
rived in New York April 24 particularly two-bedroom homes.'
policy. "The Russians
were condemned to Majority Whip who led a
In
Jerusalem,
plans
are
among a group of 600 Soviet apartments in Southfield
seemed interested,"
Jews who received visas to and Oak Park. Persons with under way to officially wel- death, but , the Soviets 19-member Congres-
Brademas said. Gromyko
commuted their sen- sional delegation on the
the
come
the
five
Leningrad
on
enter the U.S., will be reset- information
wanted to know whether or
tences
to
15
years
after
a
third
interparliamentary
availability of apartments trial prisoners of conscience
tied in Detroit.
not Sen. Henry Jackson
world
outcry.
Mur-
exchange
between
the
According to Alicia Karr, should call her at the Reset- who were personally par-
zhenko received a 14- two countries, outlined (D-Wash.) would support
supervisor of Resettlement tlement Service, 559-1500. doned two weeks ago by
this move. Vanik acknowl-
year sentence and Men- • the Soviet views at a news
Service, the agency had five Some of the 600 who ar- Soviet President Leonid
edged that Jackson was not
delevich
and
Fyodorov
conference
at
the
Capitol.
days' notice about the arri- rived in New York April 25 Brezhnev and released from
in agreement, Brademas
were
sentenced
to
12
He
was
joined
by
Reps.
val of the Soviet Jewish waited up to four months for prison more than a year be-
reported.
years. Robert Michel (R-I11.), the
emigres. Apartments were U.S. visas. They are enter- fore their 10-year terms
Whip;
In a related development, Minority
The waiver provision
secured and relatives ing the U.S. as a result of were due to expire in June
Leonid Slepak, the younger Richardson Preyer (D-
in the Jackson-Vanik
brought household goods for Attorney General Griffin 1980 (See Page 1).
The five who were im- son of prisoners of con- N.C.) and Jack Edwards
Amendment requires the
the new arrivals. The Bell's use of his parole
Soviet Union to provide
agency provided checks for authorization for 25,000 prisoned since June 1970 for science Vladimir and Maria (R-Ala.).
Preyer, who headed the
the
to
Soviet
Jewish
emigrants
in
their
part
in
allegedly
at-
Slepak,
his
wife
Olga
and
assurance
food.
sub-
tempting to hijack a plane their infant son received an delegations's
President
that
its
emigra-
Italy.
Letters of referral were
in Leningrad and fly it to exit visa. Leonid, 19, will. committee on human tion practice would lead
Assisted by HIAS, the Sweden are Vulf Zalman- join his brother Alexander rights, said the Con-
sent to the Jewish Com-
substantially to free i.
munity Center, Shiffman new arrivals will be sent
gressmen were " unable to
.
West.
of emigration.
Clinic of Sinai Hospital to several dozen Jewish son, 39; Hillel Butman, 45; in the
Meanwhile, a Moscow reach agreement" with
Altman, 36; Boris
and the Jewish Voca- communities which are Anatoly
Meanwhile, Prof. Ale-
Penson, '33; and Leib Jewish refusnik, Bella Soviet officials on imigra-
tional Service to provide prepared to help them in Khnokh, 35. The five were Novikova, has been told by tion. He said the Americans xander Lerner declared that
the Russians with lap- settlement. More than told to leave the Soviet the Deputy Minister of the indicated to their hosts that "there is no ground for se-
guage instruction and half will settle in the New Union for Israel by Monday. Interior that she and her "the practical effect of emig-
eing any liberalization" in
medical and vocational York metropolitan area.
family cannot leave the ration does affect the U.S. the Kremlin's emigration
Still
in
prison
for
the
assistance.
Under Bell's new parole same "crime" are Zal- USSR for an "unspecified public opinion on issues policy.
The Jewish Center day
amount of time" though she such as trade and a strategic
Though nearly 30,000 '-
camp will be alerted to the authorization, HIAS ex- manson's in-law Eduard has been unemployed and arms limitation treaty
Kuznetsov,
38;
Mark
Jews exited the USSR in
arrival of the children. Ms. pects that 2500 Soviet Jews
never worked with secret (SALT)."
1978, "close to 200,000 that
Karr said that 41 persons — will arrive each month for Dimshits, 51; Alexei Mur-
The Soviets contended, same year asked for invita-
materials, it was reported
12 families — have been re- the rest of the year. Last zhenko, Yuri Fyodorov,
here by the Al Tidom Asso- Preyer said, that the release tions, without which one
settled by the service in Ap- year HIAS assisted more and Iosif Mendelevich,
of the five Leningrad trial
ciation.
cannot apply to emigrate,
ril. She said there still is an than 13,000 Soviet Jewish 31. Dimshits, the in-
In Washington it was prisoners, disclosed last signifying that no less than
----
learned that officials con- week, was not related to the another 170,000 Jews have
tinue to refuse to provide Congressional visit or to the decided to leave."
"formal assurances" to SALT negotiations. Ed-
In a related development,
relax Soviet emigration pol- wards pointed out that the
icy in return for improved SALT was "the prime topic" Congressman James J.
Blanchard (D-Mich.) has
trade relations with the for the Russians.
Rep. Charles Vanik (D- expressed his continued
United States and believe
the U.S. intends to freeze Ohio), who co-authored the support "for efforts to aid
the Soviet Union out of the Jackson-Vanik Amend- Jews who are seeking to
Middle East political proc- ment, suggested to the Rus- emigrate from the Soviet
ess. sians a Presidential waiver Union."
....-