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THE SOUTHERN ISRAELITE A MAGAZINE PERPETUATING JEWISH IDEALS VOLUME VIII. August, 1933. NUMBER 9. The Zionist Congress in Session A> this is written, the world Zionist Congress is nearing the end of its first week of deliberations. Although much of the practical politi cal work of the Congress still remains to be done, the sessions thus far have made it clear that the Laborities are dominating the Congress proceedings. After several days of wrangling, the Laborites finally id their way when the Congress elected a presidium in which the Revisionists are without presentation. This defeat of the extremists resulted in the first stormy session and the Revisionists left the Con gress hall, but it proved convincingly that the moderates will be the controlling factor in the Congress. Thus far nothing has been said about the return of Dr. Chaim Weizmann to the post of leadership from which he was ousted by the extremists two years ago but this is interpreted as meaning that he is the only logical candidate to head the Zionist Organization in this hour of crisis and therefore there is no need of making an issue of his candidacy. Meanwhile the Con- sress has manifested its intention of considering the tragic plight of the German Jews soberly and realistically. Contrary to other large gatherings of Jews elsewhere in Europe and in America there have been no hysterical outbursts nor any resorting to the methods of mass I meetings. The Zionist Congress has held strictly to a policy of mak- Img a serious and statesmanlike effort to do whatever is humanly pos sible for the German Jews. These are good auguries for the success f the Congress. ami the Jewish Sabbath The greatest obstacle to the observance of the Sabbath on the part I t American Jews has always been economic pressure which forced Ith<»m to sacrifice the Sabbath in order to earn a living. In an in- I lust rial scheme providing for the six-day week in which Sunday was II hr universal day of rest, few Jews could be found who were ready |t«< endanger their livelihoods by Sabbath observance. For a great I many years now Jews have been dreaming of a five-day week which I would relieve Sabbath-observing Jews of an insuperable economic I handicap. It is no wonder then that the Jewish Education Associa- 11ion hails the National Industrial Recovery Act with joy because it I "ill make the five-day week a reality and thus restore the Jewish jNtbbath as a great spiritual force among the Jewish masses. In I calling upon American Jewry to utilize this new opportunity to make " i<b* Sabbath observance possible, the Jewish Education Association I renders a valuable service. Sabbath observance itselt is the “most I important institution of the Jewish faith,” but it has a much wider I implication in that its observance offers an unparalleled opportunity r revive the Jewish atmosphere in Jewish homes, failure to keep M ' Sabbath has deprived Jewish households of a spiritual quality of utmost significance. The NRA will indirectly help to bring back ' necessary Jewish atmosphere and thus exert a mighty influence Jewish life in America. Mussolini on Palestine Jniost at the very moment that speakers at the Zionist Congress |" 'c calling on the world, the League of Nations and Great Britain 'pen the doors of Palestine to tens of thousands of Jewish refugees ! m Germany, II Popolo D’Italia, the personal organ of Premier ^ '*olini of Italy, came out in favor of the creation of a completely H « second-class matter at the Postoftce at Atlanta. Ga., under the Act of March 3. 1879. Published monthly by the Southern Newspaper Enterprises. Inc. Subscription rates: 82.00 per year in advance. ' xithern Israelite invites correspondence and literary contributions, but the editor is not to be considered as sharinf the views expressed by the writers except those enunciated in the editorial columns. Established M. S. Miller Editor- M Steohen Schiffer. Publisher; Nathan Lipton, Business Manager. Executive oficea, 301 Glenn Building. Atlanta. Ga. All communications for publication should reach this ofEce not later than the 10th and 25th of each month. autonomous Jewish state in Palestine with a population of not less than 8,000,000 Jews. Only a state of this kind can offer a permanent solution to the Jewish problem, the Italian paper contends, pointing out that Palestine, as it now exists, is neither fish nor fowl and docs not satisfy either Jews or Arabs. Mussolini’s paper goes even fur ther and urges that Palestine should have a Jewish government, army and navy, with some provision being made for a speedy mass immi gration of the Arabs out of the country in exchange for some kind of compensation. Although II Popolo I)’Italia does not suggest how these things are to be done, its recommendations are significant because of their source. They may well he a trial balloon designed to test world opinion. If that is favorable it is not beyond possibility that Italy may formally urge such a program For Palestine before the League of Nations. In any event the Revisionists should be cheered at re- ceiving support for their program from such a highly-placed source. An Apology Is Due I he latest politician to seize upon the .lew as a convenient scape goat. is Governor Ruby Laffoon, of Kentucky, who told a group of business men that the state wide sentiment against his proposed sales- tax bill had been inspired by “Jews from New York.” The obviously unfounded and ridiculous charge by the chief executive of the state that gave this country Louis D. Brandeis, is most unfortunate coming at a time like this and should not he permitted to pass unnoticed. Governor Laffoon, who has aroused great resentment throughout Ken tucky among business interests because of his advocacy of the sales- tax, found himself in a tight political corner, and in order to extri cate himself sought to use tin* latent anti-Semitic prejudice of certain elements of the population as the easiest way out. We are glad to learn that the editor of the Louisville Chronicler-Spokesman, Jewish weekly, has called upon the Governor to correct. If the Governor was correctly quoted he should he gentleman enough to apologize and admit his error. A Monstrous Libel “Jewish Press Muzzled” was the screaming headline that greeted New Yorkers who happened to see the recent issue of “Front Page,” a new sensational Daily paper, whose publishers are Jews. Many peo ple who saw this screeching eight-column headline expected to read that some Jewish papers had been discovered in the employ of Nazi propagandists, or at the very least found guilty of minimizing the Nazi pogrom. As a matter of fact the headline was a raw deception because the column and a half of reading matter under it said not a word about any Jewish paper being muzzled. It was merely an ig norant hodge-podge of misinformation and ridiculous charges against the entire Anglo-Jewish press of America. These charges of kowtow ing to the rich, of padded circulation figures and preying on Jewish pride have been made before and revealed as stupid, unfounded and malignant. Under ordinary circumstances so cheap an assault on the Anglo-Jewish press could be safely ignored but the monstrous charge made against the Anglo-Jewish press by the headline over this journal istic claptrap prompts us to demand from the editor of the “Front Page” either an immediate apology for his unfounded accusation or else a public statement of any information he may have that would serve to bear out such a headline.