The Washington herald., 1919-10-26

garded as very broad minded Jews
in matters OF creed, Lord Swayth-
ling Is looked upon In the light of
pillar OF Hebrew orthodoxy and
as one Of the principal promoters of
strict adherence to the ritual re-
quirements of the faith. In fact, the
late Lord Swaythling. who was the
greatest Hebrew philanthropist in
the United Kingdom. was particu-
larly unyielding in the matter of
any departures from the letter of
the Jewish law. and a few years be-
fore his death became involved in
a religious controversy with the
members of the Jewish religious
education board in Great Britain on
the subject of the Balasm miracle
episode in the Old Testament.
The miracle IL discredited by
Claude Joseph Goldsmid Montefiore,
author of The Origin and Develop
ment of the Religion OF the Ancient
Hebrews" and by Israel Abrahams.
editor of the Jewish Quarterly Re-
view and professor Of Telmudic law
and literature at the University Of
Cambridge-thatf Is to say. the two
/ greatest authorities on the Hebrew
| Scriptures. The late Lord Swayth-
ling insisted that unless these two
| men, who declined to believe in the
| miracle OF Balaam and his long,
cared. four-footed admonisher, re-
tired from the Jewish religious edu-
cation board, he would not only quit
the organization. but also transfer
his liberality to some other body
which he could depend upon to teach
nothing but the orthodox doctrines
of the faith.
! or course, the Balaam episode was
| not the only point on which the late
/ Lord swaythlng differed from the
two leaders OF Jewish thought in
question. But 1t was the one ground
around which the battle most fiercely
RACED. and although the two pundits
were sustained by the late Lord Roth
schild. yet in the end Lord Swayth-
ling carried the day, and the two
/ famous authorities on Hebrew Scrip
lures were sacrificed to the ass of
Balaam.
A CHRISTIAN
BECOMES JEW.
! The late Lord swaythling was SO
strict in his orthodoxy that, although
! devoted to his children, he stipulated
in his will that any one of them
who married outside the Jewish faith
should be deprived Of any pafticipa-
tion in his colossal fortune. Owing
to this his second son. Edwin Mon
tagu. secretary Of state for India.
would have been barred from his
inheritance when he married. In 1916,
old Lord shefrield's youngest daugh-
ter. the Hon. Beatrice Stanley, had
she not previously become q member
of her husbands religion. She en-
joys the distinction Of having been
the first member of the British peer
age to abjure Christianity for the
sake of Judaism.
| Perhaps It was less difficult for her
/ to do so than 1t would have been
for daughter Of any other OF the
great historic houses Of England, for
Lord Sheffield Is the lay chieftain
Of the Congregational Church In Eng
land. and a year or so ago took up
the cudgels In behalf of the Rol-
sheviki in the House OF Lords at
Westminster, bringing down upon
himself q seathing rebuke from Lord
Curzon in the name Of the govern
Lord and LADY swaythiIng came to
1 Washington from the, Great Lakes
Training Station. where they have
been visiting and where q special re-
view Of 1900 sailors wss arranged In
their honor. Lady Swaythling is
known as the British "Godfnother of
the Gobs." having organized the first
committee for the entertainment of
American sailors in England.
The sailors from the great naval
Lstation at East Leigh. near South
I ampton. were allowed the privilege of
shooting and fishing on Lord and
Lady Swaythling's vast estate nearby.
and oil manner of recreation was
provided for them there.
Nine. Clemenceau -Jaeauefnaire the
daughter Of Monsieur Georges Glenn
| enoeau, Prime Minister of the French
Republic. sailed yesterday for this
country tor b lecture tour. She viii
not speak OF the war. save incidental
ly to her great subject. which is
The Soul of France" In this she 10
said to deal with the Immortal spirit
Of q nation which. exhausted as the
awful struggle left It on November IL,
already u manifesting signs OF . re-
naissance. Many people among us,
with whom NJ. Cieniencsau's name
| has become household word sines
the war and its aftermath Of peace
and ipternatisnal nesotiAticpa, are
unaware Or perhaps have for2ettsr,
that the great and wise man whom
his countryrien have nieknamed the
"Tiger" married In his youth an