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The Southern Israelite
Scanning 1 he •Icwisli Horizon
GoHHip und News of Jewinli Personalities
By DAVII) SCHWARTZ
Mayor Walker's Tailor
His Honor, Jimmy Walker, Mayor
of New York, bears the charmed re
putation of being the best-dressed
mayor of America. Jimmy has a repu
tation not uncomparable to that of
the Prince of Wales for setting styles.
Only last summer one of the leading
clothing manufacturers in the coun
try used whole pages in the newspa
pers throughout the United States de-
piciting the Mayor all arrayed in an
ensemble of sartorial perfection.
Not many know that some of the
credit for the immaculate smartness
of the Mayor’s costume is due to his
Jewish tailor, Jean Friedman. Indeed,
Friedman has been tailor for the
Mayor for a period of sixteen years
now—from the days when Jimmy had
hardly decided whether to stay in pol
itics or write another “Will You Love
Me in December as in May,” the pop
ular song which Walker authored
about that time.
This Jewish tailor, incidentally, is a
most interesting sort of person. At
one time he was a baritone in grand
opera in one of the European states.
He came to America with ambitions
of “making” the Metropolitan Opera.
Strange combination — Jimmy, the
Mayor who formerly wrote songs and
Jean, the tailor who formerly sang
them.
Since Walker became Mayor, inci
dentally, Friedman’s business has
grown tremendously. Obviously the
Mayor has proved his best advertise
ment.
Did You Know
That Octavius Roy Cohen, author
of numerous and popular stories
about African gentlemen, is the presi
dent of an organization known as the
Loafers' Club?
That Louis Lipsky, Bernard G.
Richards and Jacob de Haas began
their careers as journalists, working
for various newspapers?
That Philip Wattenberg, donor of
the Wattenberg Building to the He
brew University of Jerusalem, is a
walking encyclopedia of Jewish wit
and humor? One of Wattenberg’s ob
servations—which he declares to be
entirely serious—is: “There is no fun
in making money after you have your
first million.”
That one of the brilliant graduates
of a famous law school of the East
failed to receive a place on the fac
ulty because of his Yeshiva bochur
appearance? Subsequently he came to
New York and wrote a brief in a now
famous case which came up before the
Supreme Court. As a result his old
Alma Mater, which formerly frowned
at him, has invited him to join its
teaching staflf.
Cantor Tells One
Eddie Cantor tells the one about a
gentleman from the East Side who
settled down for a smoke after par
taking of a repast in a Broadway
lunch emporium.
The manager went over to him.
“See that sign?” he asked. “It says:
'No smoking here.’ ”
“But,” objected the patron, “it
doesn’t say: ‘Positively’.”
There is no little buzzing of ton
gues along the White Light District
of New York as to whether “Leo
Cardoza,” a character depicted in
Achmed Abdullah’s “Broadway Inter
lude,” is or is not supposed to depict
David Belasco.
Listen to this piquant portrait of
Leo Cardoza:
“His smooth, cleverly benign
clean-shaven face, his eloquent, priest
ly hands and, hiding his light gray
suit, his silk robe of royal purple,
which was cut like a cassock.
“His features were artifically pale
gray, and he dusted them with a dash
of powder from an alabaster bowl in
the desk drawer before ladies came
to call.
“Katherine Healy had been at Car
doza’s elbow for more than thirty
years, curbing his taste for too much
bread, sharing his triumphs, bullying
and loving him and defending his
blackest sins. When his sweethearts
came to his sanctuary Katherine Hea
ly suffered and left the room. She
called them ‘floozies’.”
The author of the book, it should
be said, denies very vigorously that
he modeled his character after Be
lasco.
Neither the famous Jewish pro
ducer who sponsored the Passion Play
last year, he says, nor any other sin
gle individual is represented by the
character portrait of Leo Cardoza.
Blochi Buys Another
Paul Bloch, publisher of The Pic
torial Review and of newspapers in
Brooklyn, Newark, Toledo, Duluth
and other points, has added another
link to his chain: The Milwaukee
Sentinel.
In addition to his achievements in
the newspaper and advertising field
Mr. Bloch has the reputation of being
the best chum of Mayor Walker of
New York.
Despite his immense w#alth and
prominence Bloch seems to take lit
tle—if any—interest in Jewish af
fairs.
Once upon a time many Jews of
prominence practiced an indifference
to Jewish life. Today, particularly in
the political field in New York, Jews
are finding that they can get nowhere
by following such practices. Even
Albert Ottinger, a thoroughly good
man, found, when he was running for
governor, that his non-identity with
Jewish life cost him many votes. Had
Ottinger gained a few thousand Jew
ish votes more he would have been
governor of New York today. Wheth
er wisely or not, many Jewish voters
seem to take a particular relish in
voting against non-Jewish Jews.
Mat sot li In Russia
A story which seemed to us to be
more truth than jest was related the
other day by Leo M. Glassman, who
has just returned from Russia, where
he served as correspondent for the
Jewish Telegraphic Agency.
The time of the story dates back
to last Passover, when there was
much discussion of the question of
whether the importation of matzoth
into Russia was to be permitted.
It was at a dinner to newspaper
correspondents at the home of Com
missar Litvinoff. The correspondents
gathered around the table went in
for some good-humored bantering of
Glassman, as a representative of a
Jewish news agency, on the matzoth
question.
Seven Reasons Why I Shall
Never Be Converted
By ERNA FROMME ASHER
For many years, many years Chris
tians of all denominations have been
endeavoring to convert me to Chris
tianity. How well I remember a little
incident that occurred in my four
teenth year while a student at a well-
known convent. It was my first night
in the institution and just before the
signal for “lights out.” A nun enter
ed my room and assured me that un
less I immediately repented and “turn
ed Catholic” my soul would receive
eternal damnation. It did not take me
many minutes to convince her that if
I had a soul it was a very belligerent
one for after a short mental and ver
bal warfare she left my room never to
return and I remained in the school
some two years in my original Jewish
state. Only a short time later the
Presbyterian minister in the commu
nity of which our family had t>ecome
a part attempted to prove to me that
I had only “a little way to come” in
order to be one of them. About this
time I had learned something of not
forming quick opinions and was try
ing to cultivate an open mind so
while I went to my Jewish Sabbath
School on Saturday I attended the
Presbyterian Sunday School and
Church with my next door neighbor
on Sunday to see what I could find
out about that branch of Chritiani-
ty. At odd times a very dear Episco
palian friend tried very subtly by in
viting me to attend their exquisite
and impressive Easter services to win
me over to her faith. Then there
was a “Gospel Missionary” and a
Lutheran Missionary and I began to
receive them all in the spirit of love
with which they came. I learned their
creeds and memorized their prayers.
I went the rounds of the Christian
churches. If there was anything in
their faith that could have offered
me more comfort and happiness than
mine, all well and good. I was willing
to examine it. I tried to be honest
with myself. I never had wanted to
be a Jewess simply because I was
born one. I didn’t want to be a Jew'ess
One of the non-Jewish correspond
ents interrupted the kibitzing to re
mark that while the Jews of other
countries might need matzoth the
Jews of Russia had absolutely no
reason—not even a religious one—
for matzoth.
‘‘How is that?” asked Glassman.
“Well, as 1 understand it,” replied
the Christian correspondent, “the
matzoth are intended to serve as a
remembrance of the bitter times the
Jews once had. In Russia, with things
as they are, they don’t need any such
reminders.”
—Copyright 1929 by Seven Arts
Feature Syndicate.
OSCAR FIELDS, ATLANTA
BOY, IN WORLD’S CHAM
PIONSHIP TYPING CONTEST
AT TORONTO. CANADA
Oscar Fields, an Atlanta boy,
sophomore at Georgia Tech, last
May headed for Savannah, Ga.,
where was being held the con
test to select the champion no
vice typist of the state. Click
ing the keys of an Underwood
machine at the speed of sixty-
because of the great glory attached
it. I didn’t want to be a Jewess 1
that I and my children might be't
part of the Jewish social order I
felt that something deeper, somethin^
worthier, something more lasting
than any of these reasons must ap
pear in my consciousness before *1
dared claim the privelege of remain-
ing a Jewess. So, after being invited
countless times to embrace that relig.
ion which claims for its own the
larger part of the civilized world I
have discovered at least seven rea
sons why I shall forever decline. J u -
daism as creed in life, as tradition,
and as culture appeals to me more
than any other religion because:
The most comforting compensation
Christianity has to offer, that of
meeting a personal God in the life
to come, is no inducement to me. Be
lieving only in the immortality of
spirit, a God of Spirit is the conclu
sion of things hoped for.
Because I believe Jesus to have
been intellectually, spiritually and
morally history’s most representative
Jew, the religion that he preached,
that he lived and the faith in which
he died are enough for me.
Because Christianity caters to a
man’s weakness, Judaism appeals to
his strength.
Because a Christian is saved by
conforming to the demands of his
creed; a Jew by his conduct towards
his fellowmen.
The Christian relies upon the mys
ticism of the church to bring him a
feeling of spiritual security. The Jew
learns how to develop it within his
own soul.
Because I could no more be disloyal
to my religion than I could to my
parents, my country or my God.
Because my greatest connecting
link with ages past and my most cer
tain proof of an immortality evident
to future generations is the light
within, that tiny spark yet enormous
flame of Judaism that burned in the
hearts of my ancestors, glows in me
and will continue, please God, in the
hearts of my descendents.
odd words per minute, he gain
ed for himself the championship
of the state, winning in addition
to the honor, a trip to Toronto,
to compete for the Worlds
Championship.
The trip itself, sponsored by
the Underwood Typewriter
Company^, was pleasant and op
portune for the young aspirant,
affording an opportunity to
spend some time in New York,
Niagara Falls, and Toronto,
where the contest was held.
He spoke with appreciation of
the hospitality that was exten
ed by the Underwood Company,
and with admiration for the e
fective manner in which t e
Underwood officials cairie t - n
the contest.
“They arrested Scottie McTa
last night.”
“NoJ” . . str ip
‘Sure. He was on his way to a
poker game nakedC’-Northwester.