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Page 14 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.