The Denver Jewish news., 1924-07-31
Rufus Daniel Isaacs, The
Earl of Reading
From Ships Boy to Niceroy
"a. POrtrait)
By the Earl of Birkcnhead
Copyright. 1924. Jewish Telcgraphic
Agency

Rufus Dunel 1snncs, First Earl OF
Reading. viscount Erlclgh, First Wis
count Reading. was born In London on
October 10, 1850. He is therefore today
in his sixty-fourth year. His fnthcr,
Joseph VI. Isancs, was "A merchant In
the City Of London.
There have in the history OF English
law been greater lawyers and greater
advocates, but 1t Is, on the whole, doubt
full whether any English judge has
lived life SO varied. adventurous,
and romantic.
Forty-seven years ago he sailed mp
the Hugh River, voyuging to Calcutta,
n boy before the mast in n great sail
Ing vessel. II it had been predicted of
him then that his next visit TO India
would be acclaimed by the artillery sa-
lutte which is reserved for Viceroys
alone, he who predicted It might well
have been assigned to Bedlam.
And yet this strange thing has net
ually happened Compared with Its
romance, the story Of Richard Whit
tington fades into pale ineffectiveness,
lie was born "a Jew. and has always had
the manliness to accept the disad-
vantages, without rejecting the ad-
vantages, which membership of his an
cient and tenacious branch Of the hu-
man family carries with 1t. Everyone
knows the advantages who has studied
the clannishness and esprit de corps of
this homogeneous race. The dlsad-
vantages are not so clearly appreciated,
except by those who are themselves
Jews. Somebody once said that every
country has the Jews it deserves. Great
Britain deserves good Jews, and on the
whole gets them. / have often been
struck by the strange contrast between
the social position of those who belong
10 this fellowship In Great Britain
and in the United States Of America
| In the United States no Jew can be-
long to decent club. He may be a
good sportsman, a good fellow, gen
! tleman, and a millionaire, but the por-
tails of exclusive American clubs none
the less frown irrevocably upon him.
! This has always seemed to me n harsh
decree, though in its own social laws
. every country has the right of cX-
elusive judgment.
/ In this country-much less exposed
| to wholesale immigration of cosmo-
politan Hebrews-it has been possible
with great advantage to ourselves, if
with some slight compensating disad
vantage, 10 assimilate Jews in the
sccial and political life of the country.
And many of the most meritorious
citizens, highly contributory to the ma
| tional wealth and prosperity of the En-
| pire. have belonged and belong to the
Chosen People.
! Indeed, it would he strange if in Eng
land, and particularly in the ranks of
the Conservative Party, Il different view
prevailed For that party, though not
specially loyal TO Disracli In his life
time, has increasingly since his death
tended TO look to him for inspiration.
And nobody has forgotten the unwilling
tribute which his personality eNtortcd
from the great Bismarck at the Berlin
Congress: "The old jew: that is the
man"
Rufus lsaacS had to contend not on
ly with his nationality. but also with
an unfortunate start in the City.
Through no fault of his own he failed,
and was hammered" upon the Stock
Exchange for large amount while
still very Young man. inexperienced.
pcnnilcss, almost fricndlcSs, it might
have seemed that his career was ended
almost before it was begun. But it
was at this point that the resource and
the resiliencv Of the young man first
made themselves felt.
With incredible difficulty he procured
the means necessary to qualify him for
the bar. He read in the chambers Of
that great veteran, Sir Harry Poland
| destined, | hope, to reach his century
and in those learned chambers acquir.
ed considerable ma Stery Of the prin.
ciples of criminal law.
In due course he was called to the
Bar by the BcnchrrS OF the Middle Tenn
pie; and thereafter commenced career
Of brilliant forensic achievement. In
five years he had paid every penny Of
his Stock Exchange Indebtedness. II
was an effort made in the true spirit of
Sir Walter Scott.
Allowing for the difference between
prc-war and postwar remuneration,
should, on the whole. imagine Rufus
Isaacs made more money than any com
mon law practitioner at the Bar has