New-York tribune., 1922-04-29
alice Divides Kisses Fairly
As ? Faiths Clash Over Her
Orphan Loyal to Mrs. Dur
yea in Court, Yet Affec-
tiOnate to Rabbi Wise

Alice Razon Duryen, Of GramercY
Park, the pretty twelve ycar-old daugh
ter Of the Orient. whose biblical name
OF Esther was changed, as was her
family name of Razon, when she was
brought to the New World as the
adopted daughter OF Mrs. Florence
Spencer Duryea, was a tense, fearful
listener in tho Supreme Court ycster-
day, where q preliminary hearing was
held on an offor being made by Rabbi
Stephen S. Wise to bring Alice back to
the faith of her fathers.
DR.. Wise is acting on the authority
given him by the Jewish National
Orphanago, of Constantinoplc. whore
Alice was ward when she was adopted
Dy Mrs. Duryea, then in tho Turkish
capital in connection with her duties
as chairman of the womcn's committee
of the Near East Relief 1t is the CON
tention Of DR.. Wise, supported by
documents he has received from the
institution in Turkey, that the child
was turned over to Mrs. Duryca with
up in the Jewish faith. In violation Of
this agreement, says DR.. Wise, the
Talmudic training of Alice has been
neglected, entirely abandoned, in fact.
Word to the effect that the Sunday
school had taken the place of the
Talmud Torah in tho religious train
ing Of this child of Judaism reached
tho patriarchs who conduct the orphan
age in Constantinoplc. Their depth Of
feeling in the matter may be inferred
from the haste with which they acted
upon this information. They sent a
cable message 10 Mrs. Duryea asking
her to surrender their charge to Dr.
Wise. This was not done, and Dr.
Wise then was authorized by the
crphanage officials to seek the sur
render of their Esther, that She might
he placed in the care of a family of
her own faith.
Alice, who came by her Christian
name from her participation in the
film "Alice in Hungerland.' which
Mrs. Duryea had made for use in the
campaign Of the Near East Relief. now
IS pupil in the Greylock School at
Chappaqua, n. Y. She is quite content
" Ni' ~ i4eN iIi' anu tIAN - tillIltll,
but being only twelve years old she
is not mistress of her destiny. There
fore she was before Justice Cohalan
yesterday in q habeas corpus proceed
ing brought by DR.. Wise, who con
tends that the adoption of Alice by
person Of q faith other than that Of
the child is contrary to public policy.
The little girl is inteliectually
bright. Although she has been re
ceiving English tuition only nine
months. she already speaks the Ian
guacc well. She also talks French.
Spanish and Turkish. Alice in court
did not openly express preference
about her custody. There was no mis-
taking the affection that she has
formed for Mrs. Duryca, whom she
called "mother,' while on the other
hand she just as atlectonately kissed
D1. Wise and Mrs. Wise. She dis
played one aversion shat was TO her
appearance in court.
Counsel for Mrs. DuIyea said that
he would like an Adjournment Of the
hearing to enable him to prepare his
case. He made it plain that Mrs.
Duryea was actuated in The matter
only by the best interests Of Alice.
Counsel for Dr.. Wise offered no o5-
lection 70 the adjournment and the
argument was put over until next
Thursday. Alice, in the mean time.
Will remain at the Greylock School.