GERMANY AND JEWRY

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21085, 9 February 1934, Page 3

GERMANY AND JEWRY

♦ FUTURE OF A HOMELESS PEOPLE VIEWS OF DR. BEXZION H. SHEIN The position of Jewry in the modern world, with particular reference to recent events in Germany and Palestine, was analysed last night by a Visiting representative of the World Zionist Organisation, Dr. Benzion H. Shein, in a public lecture at the Radiant Hall. Dr. C. E. Beeby presided. There had always been an intimate understanding between ' the Jewish and British peoples, commenced Dr. Shein. This was perhaps due to the great book which Jewry had presented to the world, and which had been taken to heart particularly in England. But it was perhaps rather because the British race had always been kind to the Jews that such a great bond of sympathy existed between the two races. "Live and let live" was the famous British slogan, and Jews had come to appreciate Great Britain because they could always find a sanctuary there, and Englishmen did not treat them like dogs. Particularly had Britain been kind to the Jews in recent years. Only a little time ago the Jews of Germany suffered grievously, and it was Great Britain that helped them.

Great Achievements

Dr. Shein went on to describe the recent pogroms in Germany. He stated that the Jews whom Hitler had ill-treated had been responsible for some of the finest work in modern socalled German science, art. and literature. He recounted the names of a great number of Jewish scientists who

had worked for humanity and Germany, including Einstein, the physicist, and Jacob von Wassermann, the discoverer of a cure for syphilis. And he showed how Germany had been served by her despised Jews in the war. Out of 600,000 German Jews 100,000 had served in the war.

"But all these things have been forgotten by Hitler and his lieutenants." continued the speakpr. "They have revived medievalism in modern Germany. I know of hundreds of cases where quite harmless and quiet-living Jews have been deprived of all their possessions, treated like criminals, beaten until they fainted, and finally turned out of their adopted country broken and penniless." Dr. Shein read passages from the Manchester "Guardian" and "The Times," London, "two of the most responsible papers in the world," which confirmed his remarks. Groundless Charges "And what is the reason for all this?" Dr. Shein went on. The first reason, according to Hitler, was that thousands of foreign Jews came to Germany after the war and by their activities ruined the German economy. But that could soon be exploded. The Jews who came into Germany after the war were brought from their homes as prisoners. Again, Hitler said the Jews were communists, and admittedly some Jews were communists, but did not 12,000,000 Germans vote communist at the recent national elections? "Germany's plight since the war has been her own fault," declared Dr. Shein. "The responsibility for the war lav with the Prussian Junker element in Germany; and the depression after the war was simply the aftermath of their activities. And Hitler attacks the Jews now because he knows they are a pacific people, a people who represent the negation of Prussianism. He wants Germany to be a nation of soldiers, n<?t of philosophers, scientists, and artists. The Future —And Palestine The great question now was, where were the German Jews to go? If they stayed in Germany they would starve. America, South Africa, nearly all other countries were closed to them. The one bright spot in all the dark-

ness was Palestine, obtained as n home for the Jews by that great British saint and Samaritan, A. J. Balfour. The only hope before German Jewry was Palestine. But it was a difficult task transplanting a nation. One of the foremost difficulties was the financial one. This, however, could be overcome, for Jews in all parts of the world were contributing towards the new Zion. A greater difficulty was to obtain moral encouragement, and that was what the Zionist organisation was seeking now. And it was the British people who had given them the most encouragement so far

Dr. Shein expressed the fervent hope that the new Palestine which was to be built up by modern Jewry would not only become a nation, but would fulfil the promise of ancient Jewry and present to the world a solution of its present difficulties. In the ancient times Palestine had given the world its first complete moral code. "I have hopes," said Dr. Shein, "that out of Palestine one day in the future will come the salvation of humanity." A vote of thanks to Dr. Shein for his address was proposed by Mr A. Hollander and carried by acclamation.