Evening star., 1938-12-23

democracy because he believes that
1t Is the most perfect form of gov
ernment that the world has ever
seen Is under no less q duty than Is
the Jew to defend democracy, to the
same full extent. What I am trying
to say Is that while all lovers of
liberty, both Jew and non-Jew,
should stand ready to give without
stint all that they are or possess to
protect our democratic institutions,
those institutions, in the light of
what Is happening in Europe today,
mean more even to the Jew than to
the non-Jew. '..
Nor should any Of US take our
democracy too much for granted. I
nave said repeatedly, and I say to-
night with greater earnestness than
l have said 1t on other occasions,
that Fascism Is an ever-present
threat even here in America. De-
signing politicians may clumsily at
tempt to draw red herrings across
the trail, but every intelligent man
and woman knows that the danger
that threatens America is the same
that has already engulfed other
countries: the same danger that is
threatening France and even that
mother OF democracies, England.
Let us face first dangers first. For
my part, abhor both Communism
and Fascism. I would never will
1ngly live under either form of gov
ernment. AS has been so brilliantly
said recently, Il would rather die on
my feet than live on my knees"
But SO long as Fascism is the pres
ent threat, 1t is against F'ascism
particularly that I propose to raise
my voice and exert my energies.
Fascism Hits All Minorities.
Before every advancing horde of
Fascists we see fleeing helpless
minorities stripped of their possess
slons and not knowing where they
can go to start life all over again,
be they aged or sick or of tender
years. 1t happens that 1t was the
Jews upon whom the heaviest blow
has fallen in one of the totalitarian
states OF Europe, although Catholic
priests and even Lutheran ministers,
who insisted upon the right of free
dom OF worship, have learned to
their cost how brutal and ruthless
a dictator can be. The Jews were
made the particular object of the
sadistic wrath of an oppressive die
tator, not because they were Jews,
but because they constituted help
less minority.
In this land of ours there are many
minorities that might in all seri-
BUSINESS consider how far they are
willing to gofn order to help main
tain our democratic institutions with
their assurance of opportunity, peace
and security. Not only the Jew, but
the immigrants within our gates, the
Negroes and the Catholics have only
to remember back a few years when
the hooded figure of the Ku Kluxer
harassed them, to realize that Fas-
cism in America would not have tc
depend alone upon the Jewish mi
nority upon which to inflict bar
barities. Other minorities could not
hope for immunity.
A Cross for Each.
One OF the cardinal principles OF
Fasclsm seems to be that of so-calleC
race publication. AS if bloods OF
different racial strains, that have
been intermingled for centuries
could be resolved into their COM
ponent parts at the Whim of a die.
tator! But at least a solemn pre-.
tense, however cruel it may be, must
be made to keep the tribe free from
the faint of alien strains and the
result OF this pretense will be thai
every minority will be called upor
to carry its cross agonizingly to it.
Gethsemane.
Personally, I wish that the gates
OF America might be thrown well
comlngly wide open to the polit-
lcal refugees of any country. Those
who would seek asylum here. te
find surcease from the cruelties O,
| oppressive dictators in lands thai
they once called home, are so rela.
lively few in number that they
| could be assimilated by our popu.
lation without perceptible effect
upon the composite national strain
However, we must faithfully carry
out the laws of Congress limiting
immigration. Unfortunately, other
countries that generation or two
ago offered ample opportunities TO,
new settlers have adopted policies
respecting immigration that present
grave difficulties at a time when
| thousands of people are seeking new
homes. Therefore, it is not to be
wondered at that, in this day oil
tragic necessity to find new homes
the eyes of the Jews should turn in
hope to their ancient land of Pal.
estine.
Judea Still Promised Land.
A great Jew, one who has helped
from the beginning to carry out the
plan to repeople, with the children
of Israel, that ancient land where
the Jewish prophets of old enun-
ciated their imperishable religious
and moral precepts and where Jesus