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THE SOUTHERN ISRAELITE
A Magazine Perpetuating Jewish Ideals
Volu ic 6
APRIL 30, 1931
\ n Anniversary
lay 6th Dr. Sigmund Freud will celebrate his 75th anniver-
e date is an important one in world science. Few scholars
lined the certainty of immortality as Freud has today. His
les in psychoanalysis have been recognized as epoch-making
sphere, comparable to Einstein’s theory of relativity, or
lergson’s philosophy of creative evolution. Dr. Freud,
:ul of his ever-growing fame, has been working steadily at
the popularization of his scientific findings, making them more
hie to the millions of laymen, who feel that his message is of
ince, not merely to the medical profession, but to every
r child. The monarch of the subconscious world has never
relaxed in his interest for the Jewish people. Like his great con-
temporary. Albert Einstein, he has time and again evidenced a
mess, not only to be claimed by his fellow Jews as one of their
wn. hut to lend prestige of his name whenever it could be of
ulvantage to the Jewish cause. His anniversary will be celebrated
throughout the world as that of an ethical personality and one of
the most brilliant minds of our time.
I ivo Great Jewish Merchants
Isaac Gimbel and Michael Friedsam were two Jews who won
extraordinary distinction in the field of commerce. They became
known, not only for their abilities and their financial success, but
also for their interest in questions outside their money-making
activities. They won the respect of their communities, and there
fore. to that extent, maintained the reputation of Jewry. Yet one
cannot hut wonder at the relative indifference which both of these
men showed, but during their lives and—so to speak—after their
show, to specific Jewish problems. It is right and proper that
lews, living in a country which has afforded them such singular
opportunities as characterize America, should give generously to
every form of philanthropy. But it would not be at all unbecoming
to show a little bias in the Jewish direc
tion. Such a bias would not be resented
: y non-Jews. It happens that in the last
tew years—and particularly during the
the crisis—the Jewish economic
e has been showing symptoms of
Hie growth of larger organiza-
tne gradual concentration of capi-
5ve resulted in the gradual thrust-
of the smaller distributor, the
lass middle-man. And since the
->d a disproportionate segment of
umbers in that class, the Jewish
H'ty. as a whole, has suffered
ore severely than any other see
the population. At a time like
erefore, the few Jews who are
the top should show an unusual
in Jewish problems. One type
who was foremost in Jewish
iropy, without ever losing sight
obligations as an American
was the never-to-be-forgotten
Straus. But Nathan Strauses
’ ver y few and very far between.
A’u in her 3
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CONTENTS
Colonel friedsam Passes
By Robert Stone -
4
1 hat Blind faith
By Stanle/ Hero -
. 5
Jews Enslaved in franee
By Pierre Van Paassf.n -
- 6
The Case Against Anti-Semitism
By Joseph Brainin
- 7
Jewish Women Urge National
Cooperation
By Estelle Sternberoer
- 8
Does Economic Discrimination
Against the Jew Exist?
By J. X. Cohen
- 9
Speculations About the Religion
Of Tomorrow
By Rabbi I^ouis I. Newman -
- 10
Conference on Jewish Education
- 11
More Cynicism from Poland
A week ago we had occasion to refer to the curious duplicity
which characterizes Polish anti-Semitism: soft words and human
promises abroad—particularly in America—and brutal indifference
to boycott laws and general discrimination in Poland itself. Almost
as if it had made up its mind to add an illuminating comment on
our remarks, a Polish newspaper coolly announces its reversion to
its regular policy. The Gazetta Warshawska has long been noted
for its virulent attacks on the Jews. Kecently, because of a pending
loan for Poland abroad, the Gazctta Warshawska suspended its
attacks. It now announces that, the loan having been secured, the
editorial policy returns to normalcy. We are no longer astonished
at this type of cynicism. What, however, is a never-failing source
of surprise to us is the gullibility of the Jews everywhere. A news
paper or an individual, with a life-long record of calumny and
Jew-baiting, a government with a long history of indifference to
pogroms, or of suspected connivance at them, has only to utter one
kind word, or has only to cease for a few days to utter unkind
words, and Jews will cheer for the great humanitarian triumph.
Nay, there are individual Jews who will come forward with claims:
they were the ones responsible for the change of heart; they were
the saviours both of Jewry and of the paper or government in
question. We do not urge that Jews ought never to forgive anti-
Semitism in a government, or in a newspaper, if there has been a
genuine change of heart. But this eagerness to accept every kind
word at its face value seems to indicate less soft-heartedness than
soft-headedness.
A lather of the Emancipation
French Jews are preparing to celebrate appropriately the
hundredth anniversary of the death of Bishop Gregoire, the priest
who introduced into the French Chamber of Deputies the bill giving
the Jews of France civic equality. The event is surely worth
recalling. While France was not the
first modern country to remove Jewish
disabilities, the example set by that
country probably had more effect than
any other incident in hastening the re
moval of the medieval forms of discrimi
nation. It was part of France’s general
influence in the direction of modern
liberalism—an influence of which the
effects are still visible in world history.
We know today that the generous im
pulses which actuated French revolu
tionaries in their attitude toward Jews
outran the spirit of the time. A hundred
years after the magnificent example we
find a Europe which may still be divided
into various zones as far as Jewish
rights are concerned. Laws may be
passed with the best of intentions—but
unless there is an enlightened and recep
tive public opinion to back them they
have the worth of propaganda, and little
more. Who, one hundred years ago,
would have foretold that in the twen-
(Continued on Pa^e 18)
‘5 Cer
*
1st a-
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