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Page 55
The Southern Israelite
RANDOM THOUGHTS
him $2,500. In the present outbreak
he remained loyal to his oath de
spite the efforts of the Grand Mufti,
and refused to join the movement
against the Jews.
•* \ few days ago, he chose a wife
for his younger brother and invited
the Jews of neighboring colonies to
the wedding. In deference to them,
ht- refrained from inviting any of
the effendis of the Arab towns, as
these are regarded as the prime
movers in the recent disturbances.”
Rabbi Stephen Wise said in Paris the
,. w . of his departure for the U. S.
that I)r. Weizniann should come to
this country as he had reason to know
'hat doubts and misgivings obtain in
American Jewry concerning the future
,,f the Zionist movement. And he says
further that “what attitude American
Jewry will take on the re-settlement
,,f Palestine by the Jews will depend
largely on the outcome of an all-Amer
ican Jewish Conference with Dr. Weiz-
rr.ann present. This is quite true. The
uprising of the Arabs has in a large
measure unsettled the opinions of
many Jaws regarding the possibility
of ever establishing a homeland in
Palestine that will enable the Jew’ to
realize the fullness of life he craves.
Dr. Wise speaks the truth when he
says that the British Government
must co-operate to the maximum of its
ability. To crush the present uprising
without providing a plan to prevent a
recurrence of the tragedy is merely
evading, not meeting, the issue. Un-
there can be some guarantee of
peace and security to the Jews living
n Palestine it will have a most dis
couraging effect upon the entire move
ment. I will say this, that in the past
I have been inclined to think that Dr.
Wise was wrong in his aggressive de
mands upon the British Government to
live up to the demands of the Man
date. But today the w’hole world re
sizes that he was right and it was be-
ause through indifference or neglect
the part of the British that the
csent acute situation has developed.
Here’s an inquiry that comes from
Baltimore that might give some of our
readers something to think about:
' Dear Mr. Joseph:
"Isn’t it rather odd that a Jew’
aider a Jewish employer encount
ers the greatest difficulty in obtain
ing leave for a Jewish holiday, while
“ n the other hand a Jew under a
Oentile employer more readily ob
tains leave from w’ork on a holy
day?”
That’s a statement, but do facts
bear out the truth of the statement? I
don t believe it. From experience and
observation I am confident that in the
largest majority of cases Jewish em
ployers are willing to permit their
Jewish employes to attend services on
the high holidays. It is true of course,
that in many cases they are “docked”
a day’s salary or two days’, as the
case may be. There are department
stores controlled by Jews who will not
allow Jewish employes to observe the
New’ Year or the Day of Atonement
without paying for it. This seems to
me to be pushing profits to the Nth
degree. Undoubtedly there are in
stances of an abuse where Jewish em
ployes take two days to celebrate New
Year, not from religious scruples but
because they want a luxurious loaf.
And it has been known that they get
paid by the firm they w’ork for, for
the holiday and THEN GO TO WORK
FOR SOMEBODY ELSE ON THE
HOLIDAY AND THUS INCREASE
THEIR INCOME. But such cases
are not many and it does seem to me
that any Jewish organization should
ENCOURAGE their jewish workers
to observe the high holidays. After
all, we do owe something to ourselves
as JEWS.
1 have been asked to whom Ameri
can Jewry will look for future leader
ship now’ that Louis Marshall has
passed on. It is rather a difficult ques
tion to answer but since at best it is a
matter of guess work one man’s guess
is about as good as the next one’s. So
I am inclined to name Felix Warburg.
Of later years Mr. Warburg seems to
have broadened his interest, Jewishly
speaking. For some time has was in
timately identified with the “Y” move
ment, and, of course, still is. But he
has been in the public eye more as a
philanthropist than as a leader of the
type of Mr. Marshall. But not so long
ago I was interested in reading an ex
cerpt of an address of his to a group
of society folk in New York. He was
pleading for Palestine and he took oc
casion to refer to the wasteful lives
that most people lead instead of oc
cupying themselves with worth-while
issues in Jewry. I don’t know, but I
have a feeling that Felix Warburg
sooner or later will be one of the
most powerful figures in American
Jewish life. And I believe that he will
begin to take a more active interest
in the advancement of Jewish educa
tion. He has the mind, the heart, the
inclination, the time and the means,
so what more is needed? If anybody
differs with me and can suggest some
one better, I shall be glad to listen.
SUfnrm
1 took my sins, my sins and I
Down to the river to wash and dry,
Down to the water to splash and
play—
Down to the river far a holiday.
Loud they played all unaware,
That I fled and left them there,
For some poor stranger worse than 1
Who might come unsuspecting by.
USE
TEXACO
H. L. THATCHER, Agent
The Texas Company
CHATTANOOGA, TENN.