The Denver Jewish news., 1923-04-04
Copyright. 1923. Jewish Correspondent
Bureau.)

Bureau.D
The winter months constitute in
Frnnce the season Of the great literary
prizes. which TO the French man of
letters mean no less than the Grand
Prix in the racing world. But whereas
The Grand Prsx marks the close of the
race conrse season, the award of the
literary prizes denotes the opening of
the literary and social season in Paris.
: Immediately nfter returning from their
summer vacation. the literary judges
and umpires grow busy with matters
about the award Of the prizes and the
excitement runs high.
Who will get the Laserrc prize, which
il awarded annually by the Academic
Frnntaise for the best set of collected
works by II well-knOwn authOr? Who
will get the GoncOurt prize and the Bal
xac price which are generally awarded
for the hest novels of the year? And
who will get the Femina prize. given
by jury Of women for an important
work of literature, preferably II work
Of lima agination? The jury comprises
some Of the most brilliant members of
the feminist world and of high society.
the lending women writer's in France.
such as the Countess Matthew de
Noailles Mary Dnclaux Cthe wife Of
Mr. James Dnrmesteter) known to
English renders ns Mnry Robinson.
Coming to the Gemina prize. we find
this awarded for hook entirely de
voted to the Jewish question. II Is a
novel by Mr.. jacques I.acretelle. II
young writer with warm. sOber style.
his heart flIll Of pity for humnn suffer-
Ing apsl shortcomings. The novel is
eatisiesl Albcrmnm."
..fsiiberniann is the story Of two
sclstsol chvms One IL n lew. the other
q sIrdtr@4apt.. Tar lcE. slllermal,n. is
the aust ainsrslikent and most xaece,ss-
fuf student In the class. He is perse-
cufe,l by a group III yonng renctionaries
and rOyallsts Who are scheming to
make him the victim of minor Drey-
fus affair. The Protestant takes his
part. protects him and shares his blows.
Finally lie IL subjected to whnt Is re-
Earlctl by French students as the
worst OF punisliments-he is sent to
Coventry His fcliow-students look mt
him az II they do not see him: no
one speaks to him: everybody tries
to evade him ms IL he had the plague.
This goes on for II long time and sill
hermann. who il devoted TO his studies
and Is anxious to complete them no
matter what the price, accepts this
horrible situation.
But one day. after succession of
painful incidents Siliermann's parents
decide to break of his studies. Sill
hermann emigrates to America. In
stead of becoming French writer. he
is going to be clerk in his uncle
..JOshua's jewelry business in New York.
Prior to his departure he pays visit
to his friend. 1t is pity l cannot re-
produce here in its entirety the conver-
sation between the young Jew and his
friend TO he Jew and French
man. how fruitful such combina ton
could have been. What n hope to lose
thing of all you have written and
thought. Was there any emotion In
the world II did not feel when reading
work born of your genius But it
is finished. II is impossible for him ia
stay in France. He is overwhelmed
hy Outrages, by blows. he, whose only
dream was to serve his country, France,
and his friends. No one asks why he
Ia going to AmerIcn to make money. to
gather up coins, heaps of coins-a call
ing to which he seems to have been
.consecrated by his very name-Silber-
mann.
In America he will wed according to
the traditions of his fathers. ''Of what
nationality, you ask will my children
be? l do not know he says. "Of
one thing. however. am sure. They
will he Jews. l myself will endeavor
to make them know the greatness OF
our race and respect our beliefs
This is the attitude which young
French writer of the best French so
ciety makes his Jewish hero adopt
Some of Mr.. Jacques de Lacratelle's
ancestors fought in the ranks of the
old royalists, others took part in the
most radical movements of their times
One of them was Pierre Louis Lacrt
telle. lawyer ut the high court OF
Nancy, who made an eloquent plea in
defense of the Jews in 1777. long he