Evening star., 1935-05-07
|JEWS IN POLAND
FEARING OUTCOME
OF TREATY BREAK
B'nai Birth Speaker Sees
Anxiety Increasing Over
Action at Geneva.
ORGANIZATION IS TAKING
FIRM STAND IN EUROPE
Plight Under Nazi Rule Held Pit.
iful, With but Second Rate
Citizenship Rights.
B'nai Birth Speaker Sees
picture on Page A-5.)

picture on Page A-5J
The situation of the Jews in Poland
has become one of increasing anxiety
as result of that country's recent ac-
tion at Geneva in denouncing the
minority treaties, and cannot lightly
be recorded, M. Gordon Liverman,
president Of the British District and
European Committee, declared today
at the third-day session of the four
teenth quinquennial convention Of
B'nai Birth at the Willard Hotel.
''The minority treaties gave to the
Jewish people in the countries who
obtained independence or increased
territory after the World War char
ter of freedom regarded as an essen
tial part of their independence" Liver
man declared, "and affect the lives
and citizenship of large numbers Of
our people.
Apart from this political aspect,
the economic distress in Poland has
badly affected the large Jewish popu-
lation there to the degree that the
extent of suffering and misery can
not be exaggerated"
German Strife Told.
Liverman also told Of the continued
strife In Germany. Families who
fought for her during the war and for
generations have contributed to her
cultural development have been re-
duced to a second-rate state Of citi-
zenship with every humiliation at
tached thereto, he said.
1.-The number of Jewish students in
the universities Of Germany have been
reduced from 5000 to 300," he added.
In conclusion, Liverman declared
the B'nai Birth organization in Eu-
rope was working not secretly, but
openly and frankly, asserting Jewish
consciousness, and, in the words Of
our constitution and ritual, helping
the widow, the orphans and the VIC
Tins of persecution-ever alert in the
interest of Jews the world over"
Prior to Liverman's address, reports
on the Leo N. Levi Memorial Hospital
were submitted by Judge A. B. Frey,
president Of the institution, and on
the National Jewish Hospital by Mil
ton L. Anfenger. The rest Of the
morning session was devoted to re-
ports Of the Convention Committee,
after which the order recessed until
pm. for continuation Of the COM
mittee reports.
False Messiahs' Hit.
After warning the convention dele
gates to beware of false messiahs"
who promise q paradise, Speaker
Joseph W. Byrns, in his address last
night at the B'nai Birth banquet,
turned to the problem Of racial
prejudice.
Religious prejudice Is the worst
enemy of democracy because it is
always founded on ignorance, the
Speaker declared, adding that Amer
lea has profited greatly by the en-
terprise Of its Jewish citizens.
Hungry men, women and chill
dren," Speaker Byrns declared In
conclusion, furnish q fertile field
for the paintings Of noxious weeds
in the form of honeyed words. Our
country has been the freest Of all
lands from these baneful influences,
but even we in the United States
have not been saved altogether from
the innoculation Of this virus from
abroad and, I regret to say, to an
extent from within. There have come
to us propagandists and propaganda
subversive Of the high ideals for
which our forefathers paid the price,
whatever the sacrifice involved. In
those days, when they cast of the
shackles which oppressed them, they
declared that Eternal vigilance is the
price Of liberty and we can prop
erly paraphrase that by saying 'Eter-
nal vigilance is the price of safety"
Reich Conditions Compared.
Alfred M. Cohen, president Of B'nai
Birth, presided at the banquet as
toastmaster. In q brief talk he con-
trasted the situation of the Jews in
Germany and those of the Unitts
States, also attesting the altruistic
aims Of B'nai Birth, oldest and
largest Jewish organization in the
country.
Judge l.. M. Golden of San Fran
cisco, first vice president of the order,
spoke Of plans for expansion Of the
organizations work.
Sol Levitan of Madison, Wis, was
elected sergeant at arms for the con.
vention.
The delegates also heard Richard
e. Gustadt, director of the Anti
Defamation League, who declared
there were 100 anti-Semitic publica-
tons In the United States during the
past year. He said there was no
unity In the anti-Jewish movement
and listed friends Of NaI Germany
the ufpoy,nact