Newspaper Page Text
THE
SOUTHERN ISRAELITE
lor SOUTHERN JEWRY
VOLUME VIII
October, 1933
NUMBER 11
Sumerous Clauses in North Carolina
Manifestations of prejudice have been so frequent in many universi
ties and colleges that no surprise would have been excited at the reve
lation that the medical school of the University of North Carolina had
been guilty of practicing a numerus clausus against Jewish students
had it not been for the heartening and characteristic stand taken by
Dr. Frank Graham, president of the university. Although the Univer
sity of North Carolina is a state-supported institution, the dean of the
Medical School had for many years been limiting the number of Jews
admitted to the first year medical class to ten per cent of the total on
the specious plea that such a policy was imperative because the more
imminent four-year medical colleges also had a numerus clausus for
Jewish students. When a courageous young Jew who had been denied
ldmittance to the Medical School because the Jewish quota for the
year had been exhausted went over the dean’s head to the president
•f the university, the latter overruled the dean and permitted the Jew-
>h boy to be enrolled. Dr. Graham’s action was not merely just and
be expected from the administrative head of an institution main
tained by the funds of taxpayers, but evidence of the rapidly widening
nflnence of liberal leaders in the South who are slowly besting the
intolerance and lack of intellectual freedom.
i Riote to Proselyting
The Christian world has been outspoken in its protest against the
persecution of Jews in Germany, but one element of the German-Jewish
tragedy, which if fully appreciated must be regarded as a crushing
'lew to certain groups of Christians everywhere, has been overlooked.
^ e refer to the fact that seven months of Nazi rule have undone some
nineteen hundred years of Christian effort to proselyte the Jews. The
hurches may continue to send their missionaries everywhere to con-
v '*rt the Jews, but a handful of madmen drunk with power have sent
h'‘ir efforts crashing with a single blow. It must be a great shock to
''hristian missionaries everywhere to witness the sad debacle of the
Christian conversion movement in Germany, for there, more than in
any other country the efforts to convert the Jews had been most suc-
•ONsful. Thousands had already accepted Christianity and many thou-
'andx more were well on the way to adopting the Christian faith. Yet
(Jerman oppression has shown that not even acceptance of Jesus,
which Christians have urged as the one salvation for the Jew, can save
he converted Jew from the hatred of his fellow-Christians. W hile
of European anti-Semitism in this country. In Newark a Nazi meeting
addressed by the chief Hitler agent in America ended in a bloody
riot. In New York the chairman of the Socialist Party called on Sec
retary of State Hull to block the formation of Nazi councils in the
United States. In New York, too, the Steuben Society issued a statement
protesting against the anti-Jewish boycott couched in language which
indicates that it has become a part of the Nazi machine. Congressman
Dickstein made ready for the opening of the Congressional investiga-
tion of agitations, based on actual facts. These are all ominous signs.
The Nazis and their American allies, be they Khaki or Silver Shirts,
or some other anti-Jewish group, are waging a war against Jews in this
country. It seems to us that the time has come for the leaders of
American Jewry to take cognizance of this situation. We are not pre
pared to advance any program of action, but we do believe that a
united Jewry should recognize the inherent danger of the Nazi menace
here without succumbing to hysteria.
It IWill Fool No One
The Nazi regime, an avowed foe of democracy, has issued a call for
Reichstag elections on November 12. The ostensible reason for this sur
prising concession to democracy is Hitler’s desire to obtain the ap
proval of the German people for his government’s withdrawal from
the League of Nations and the Disarmament Conference as well as of
its domestic policies which have been bitterly denounced throughout
the world. If the Nazi government were to permit a free election,
with every German allowed to vote as he pleases, the outcome of this
referendum might have some significance. But as a matter of fact the
Germans will have only the choice of voting for Nazi candidates and
thus giving its approval to the Nazi regime or else remaining at home
arid be denounced as traitors and enemies of the Nazi state It is ob
vious therefore, that the real object of the election is to show the world
that the German people are solidly behind everything that the Hitler
government has done and proposes to do. The election will be a joke
but the government will utilize it as a vote of confidence and say to
the world that its entire program is in accord with the mandate of
the people. The Nazi regime may be able to fool or terrorize its own
people into believing that the election is a genuine affair, but the world
at large knows that it will be a fake. There are millions of Germans
who hate and detest their government but they dare not express their
opinion by voting against it.
^K).(KK) Jews are oppressed in Germany, the Aryan laws oppress
’■'luallv more than a million Christians who once were Jews or who are
iesc» ndants of Jewish converts to Christianity. Does the silence of the
1 brixtian missionaries and of the Christian churches in general mean
hat they are indifferent to the problem T If they are, now is the time
0 a :ndon the entire missionary movement among Jews as a lost cause.
Hie\ must understand that the treatment of Jewish-Christians in Ger
man and the failure of Christian missionaries throughout the world
0 I otest against this undoing of the work of centuries will prove to
^ ' iatal setback to their efforts. We know what Jews think of this
"e, but what will the Christians do?
Propaganda Grotes
T growth of anti-Semitic propaganda in the United States, aided
an '' inanced by Nazi agents, was strikingly demonstrated by a series
- "ent happenings in various parts of the country. In New York
the National Conference of Jews and Christians named a Catholic
t, a Protestant minister and a rabbi to make a nation-wide tour
lur g the next three months to combat any possible manifestations
Ominous Netes From Roumania
While the eyes of the Jewish world have been riveted on events in
Germany, ominous news has been coming out of Roumania. Serious
anti-Semitic disorders have been frequent in the last few weeks in all
parts of the country. The members of Professor Cuza’s Iron Guard,
supported by the Nazi-controlled German elements of the population
and encouraged by financial subsidies from Hitlerite agents, have been
sweeping over the countryside and even the smaller cities, terrorizing
the Jews. Anti-Semitic propaganda has flooded the rural sections and
in numerous cases Jews have fled to the larger cities for safety. The
Roumanian government is understood to be prepared to declare mar
tial law in order to cope with the rising tide of anti-Semitism which
threatens to engulf the country. As we see it martial law is not the
remedy. Vigorous police action and the application of the existing
laws without fear or favor could quickly suppress the anti-Semitic
agitators. Martial law, it is feared, would be a prelude to the declar
ation of a Fascist dictatorship under which the Jews could hope for
even less protection.
Publiahed monthly by the Southern Newspaper Enterprise*. Inc. Subscription rates: 12.00 per year
considered as sharing the views expressed by the writers except those enunciated in the editorial columns.
A. E. Lewis, Advertising Manager. Executive o&ces, JOI Glenn Building. Atlanta ,Ga. All
publication should reach this office not later than the 10th and 2SUi of each month.
t- i'abi.thed
far