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Page 14 The Southern Israelite & Itomloin Thoughts & Ity CHARLES II. JOSEPH Copyrighted Well, we’re moving along. Time was when the only place for a .Jew seeking diplomatic appointment was Turkey. Then Rabbi Kornfeld of Co lumbus, Ohio, broke the spell by an appointment to Persia. That wasn’t so bad, because after all it was an Ori ental post and our Government prob ably felt that the Rabbi would get along fine with his new neighbors. Af ter that there were a couple of scat tered South American posts, I think Louis Kaufman of Pennsylvania re ceived one of them. 1 heard a lot about .Jews who were going to be ap pointed to Italy, Germany, and a few other important places because I knew that it couldn’t and wouldn’t be and it isn’t. However I hear that the Bos ton banker, A. C. Rathesky has been nominated as Minister to Czechoslo vakia by President Hoover. That promises to be an interesting mission because no one ever knows what’s go ing to happen in such a country. 1 think that Thomas Masaryk did more to make it a place on the map than any other individual. By the way, 1 forgot to mention Harry Guggenheim, who is now in Cuba. For a time it seemed that he might have a high hurdle to clear in getting bis appoint ment confirmed but lie came through with flying colors. Which was to be expected, being a flyer. 1 have heard ofMr. Ratshesky for many years and if reputation means anything he’s likely to do a mighty good job in the Balkans. A Jewish young woman in Pitts burgh, Miss Sophia Levin, has been presented with a gold medal by the National Red Cross organization in Washington, in recognition of 14 years of service in the American Red Cross. It was Miss Levin who origin ated the Annual Red Cross Roll Call in Pittsburgh and which later on was adopted throughout the entire coun try. In fact this young woman was called to Washington to place it in practical operation. Red Cross officials were eager to pay high tribute to the remarkable work done by Miss Levin in Red Cross work during and after the war. I have known Sophie Levin for many years and she is a woman of unusual executive ability and a natural leader. She has been instru mental in conducting a great many campaigns to raise funds for com munal welfare purposes. The meual awarded Miss Levin bears four ser vice stripes and is said to be the only one awarded in Pittsburgh. 1 am in receipt of the following letter from Jacob Bernstein, of Provi dence, R. I., who hastens to correct the impression that Rabbi Gup of that city was the first, and only Rabbi to occupy a Methodist pulpit in the state. He wants the world of Jewry to know that New England isn’t behind in “good-will" relations between Jew and Gentile. He mentions that Rabbi Harry Levy of Boston was the pioneer in the Goodwill movement. I am glad to hear that. I knew Rabbi Levy when he was a youngster in Wheeling, W. Va. And from what I hear he has created a commanding po sition for himself and his congrega tion in Boston. But there is another, belonging ,to the younger generation, and a former Pittsburgher, so Mr. Bernstein informs me, has occupied the pulpit in nearly every Protestant church in Rhode Island. His name is Morton Goldberg. He is now located in Fall River, Mass. I am always glad to find space to note these practical evidences of the goodwill that exists between our own clergymen and those of other faiths, particularly in small er cities, where the influence of an ex change of pulpits is of a great deal of practical value. In justice to those of the Zionist group who believe as does the writer of the letter just received from Phil adelphia I must find space for its pub lication. He says: (1) I)r. Magnes was appoint ed the bead of the Hebrew Uni versity to bound the institution to observe neutrality concerning po litical tendencies. The speech of Dr. Magnes infringes on such neutrality and as head of the Uni versity may involve it in party disputes thus endangering its de velopment. (2) If Dr. Magnes were not at the head of the University bis statement might have passed un- not iced. (.'{) The danger lay in the wide publicity it received and ac cepted by those who do not clear ly understand the Zionist move ment. (4) He wronged the Zionists by making it appear that they were animated by ill will toward Arab interests. Space prevents full publication of the letter but the writer mentions that the Zionists endeavor to gain the goodwill of the Arab but that lias been made more difficult by Magnes’ statement: he further thinks that Magnes’ statement was inopportune, and finally lie thinks the Zionists have been most tolerant in not asking for Dr. Magnes’ resignation, and says better men are available, notably Einstein and Bergson. 1 would like to know what Einstein would do as the head of a Hebrew University that is to be one of the in spirational sources for Judaism and Jewish culture. Einstein is merely a Jew racially if we may use such a term, lie doesn’t believe in Judaism, he doesn’t believe in a God such as most Jews do. If we are to have a University to teach science Einstein might do. But then I always believed that the Hebrew University had a dif ferent purpose in mind. Without for a moment considering the issues in question I differ with my correspond ent to the extent that if he travelled the world over he’d have a hard time finding any Jew to fill the place of Dr. Judah L. Magnes as Chancellor of the Hebrew University. For the past two weeks I have been looking at a book that was sent to me by the publisher, L. M. Stein, of Chi cago. It’s really one of the most beau tiful books that has come into my pos session in a long while. Ihe title puz zled me, “Thirty-five Saints and Emil Armin.’’ I felt like asking, “who in the devil are the saints?’’ and in heav en’s name who is “Emil Armin?" But these questions are satisfactorily an swered by J. Z. Jacobson, the writer of this monograph on one of the most unusual “modernists" in Chicago’s art colony. And permit me to interrupt myself long enough to say that J. Z. Jacobson can write! And Mr. Stein can print! And Mr. Armin can paint! Really “three of a kind.” I can under stand how these three men find them selves united in one book. Kimfred souls if I know souls. Well, I want to say so much about Annin’s unusual art and Jacobson’s unusual writing and Stein’s printing that I am tongue- tied and pen-tied. But it looks as if the purpose of the monograph was to spot-light Emil Armin and this Jewish artist deserves it. I suppose the term “modernist” belongs to “Arty” con versation, but to me Emil Armin. is just HIMSELF when he paints and sculps. 1 imagine he is not much con cerned with what the world names the type of work he produces—“modern ists” will probably do for want of nothing more expressive. This immigrant Jewish boy had ! what the late Elbert Hubbard would i call the “urge.” Mr. Jacobson elab orates this so beautifully: “All of us seek something in life though many of us know not what. It beats around us like an angry sea and much of the time even the best and wisest and strongest of us are content if happily we may find an island of peace. But the storm is not only on the outside. Inside us, too, is fermentation. Inside of some of us there is an urge, a call, a driv ing force which is implacable, a commanding voice which must be obeyed. Out upon the uncharted seas of the spirit it sets the chosen few asailing, into the crackling heat of the battles of the intellect it forces them to go.” 1 here you have a revealing-flash of the spirit of one of the “chosen few,” the irresponsible, individualistic, ideal istic genius Emil Armin, who suffered and struggled to escape the clutches of the “conventions” in order to be free HIMSELF. It you want a beautiful book, one that you will prize if you are a lover of beautiful things, “Thirty-five Saints and Emil Armin” will appeal to you. If you are not inclined that way but want a “gift book” that some one else will appreciate it will serve such a purpose admirably. Emil Armin is still coming to him slowly but surely. But struggling and work ing: recognition is such genius as has been revealed in the Jacobson mono graph must eventually be given uni versal recognition. BUY YOUR ICE FROM FULTON ICE CO. T. A. KNIGHT, /Vr, THE SERV ICE CO. Plant s Located East Fair Street MAin 2400 Berkele St reel MAin 3941 Lee Street WEst 1712 ALL MODERN PLANTS 300 TON CAPACITY SAM R. GREENBERG, froidmi I’. J. BLOOMFIELD. Secretary Sam Greenberg & Company Funeral Directors AMBULANCE CHAPEL 93 Forrest Ave., V E. Phone WAlnut 7909 ATLANTA, GA. Electrical Contracting Lighting Hxlnres Lamps And electrical repair work of ® kind at reasonable price- Irll us your troubles and jour trouble is ended. WALNUT 6959 GEORGIA ELECTRIC COMPANY 111 Hunter St., N. W.