The Denver Jewish news., 1922-03-22

civil service and scholarship. Pro
portionally, the Jews provide the state
with four times as many higher of
ficials as the non-Jews, although among
the minor officials they are four to
SIX times as numerous as the non
Jews university professors and med
icaf men) and they are as much as
nine times as many as journalists and
lawyers.
In science. the Italian Jews play an
important part and the names of LON
broso, Volterra, Loria, Luzzatti, Nor
tara, Ascoli, Foa, and Levi Civita be-
long to the best in the Italian uni
versities. They are represented to a
somewhat smaller extent in literature.
although .Allessandro dAncona count
ed in his time as one of the best
literary critics, and the two most pop
liar. If not the most important novel
lists of present-day Italy, Guido Da
Verona and Annie Vivanti, and the
well known playwright Sabatino Lopez
are Jews. There Is. however, no prom
inent Jewish figure in Italian art.
The Italian Jews play an important
part in politics. This is explained by
the fact that in this sphere they have
traditions. since Jews devoted them
selves to politics long before their
emancipation. The Italian liberntors.
Garibaldi Mazzini, Cavour. found in
the Jews their truest friends and
helpers. The famous thousand eX-
pcdition of Garibaldi had several Jews
in its ranks. the no less famous Vene-
tan rising was led by the Jew DAME!
NIanin. Among tht Irerdentists. the
names of Venezia and Revere are wei
known The Jew. Artom. was one of
the most devoted followers of Cavour.
Mazzini. in particular. found his most
faithful friends among the Jews ana
his last refugee was in the house of
the Jewish family. Natan. At present
there are ten Jews in the Italian par
lament and twenty one in the Senate.
They belong to all parties Except the
Catholic) and the Nationalist groups,
too. count Jews among their members.
The majority of the Jewish deputies,
however. belong to the Socialist party,
IN which several of the (trevcs, DO
natl. Modigliani) play leading part.
rhcy hre not to he found in the Com
Inunist grouping nor do they play any
important part in the Communist par
ty outside parliament. The fact that
the majority of the Jewish deputies
are Socialists gives no indication of
the general political position of Italian
Jcwry. The majority of the Jews be-
long much more to the bourgeoisic
than to the Socialist parties. As lib
erals. Democrats. Radicals, etc. they
have attained the highest positions IN
the State. Jews have repeatedly been
ministers. We have had II jew as n
Prime Minister (Luzzatti) Natan
was for long time Mayor of Rome.
Barzilai was one of the representatives
oi Italy at the Peace Conference. The
highest position in the Italian judica-
ture is occupied by Lodovico Mortara.
These are Il few examples only. If We
look into the figures regarding the
most important personages in Italy we
find that Jewish names occur fifteen
to twenty times as frequently rs those
Of Christians.
This social rise of Italian Jewry
would obviously have been impossible
in an atmosphere of antagonism of
suspicion and indeed. the italian peo-
pie show vast amount of tolerance
10 the Jews living among them. This
was demonstrated in particularly
striking fashion during the war and
last war period, when Jews occupied
the highest posts in the ministry for
war and the Ministry for Foreign At
fl, IRIS. and counted officers in hundreds.
without any question being raised re-
.-arding their numerical participation
in the war or the need to keep special
observation on their activities. Italy
WAS entirely free from the objection
able after-war discussions regarding
the number of Jews at the front. The
separation of State and Church in
Italy 1.-THE Jews are regarded only rs
religious body has so completely en-
tered into the mentality of the Italian
people that they have not the slightest
interest in he Mosaic Faith of their
Israclite fellow citizens. and generally
they ignore the Jcwishness of their
Ministers. 1t is necessary, however.
TO add in this connection that most of
the Jews in Italy do everything pos
Sible not to remind the Italians TINT
they are Jews.