The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1938-07-28

Entered Is Second Class matter
ECONOMIC HIGHE1uHrS
When representatives of 81 ma
taons recently met In France to dis
cuss the refugee problem and at
tempt to arrive at some sort of q
solution, 1t didn't make headline
news. But to the Thoughtful obsezv-
CT, the conference served to en-
phasize the fact that this is one Of
the most tragic and difficult social
and economic problems Of the mod
ern age.
Never In modern history has the
plight Of racial minorities, princi-
pally the Jews, been SO bitter. The
pogroms of ancient times almost
pale into insignificance beside those
Of today. Germany, Of course, is
the seat of the Jewish oppression.
It Is apparently Hitler's desire to
completely eliminate Hebrew influ-
ence Of any kind in Teutonic ter
fitory. In Germany. and also in
Austria since the anschluss, Jews
have been forbidden to engage in
most fields Of profitable occupation.
Even when they are not driven out
Of business, their stores are placard-
ed, and the German who trades with
them comes at once into conflict
with Nazi secret police. Jewish
professional men-doctors, lawyers,
writer's, teachers-are boycotted. In
German schools, the instructors tell
their pupils to have nothing what
ever to do with Jews, either socially
or as a matter Of business. Persons
with as little as one-eighth Jewish
blood are classified officially as Sc
mites, and are consequently os-
TRACKED. In brief, the Jew, under
Hitler's dream Of race Of Nordic
supermen, Is regarded as an enemy
Of the state.
Matters would not be so bad were
the Jews allowed to leave Germany
and Austria with what resources
they possess, to seek q place In
other lands. But the Jew who Is
given . German passport Is neces-
sarily Q bankrupt. His money, his
property, even his personal effects.
are taken from him. He must leave
his home and his occupation with
no resources with which to make q !
1fesh Start, And. according to late.
reports, the German government Is
going even further In the case Of
rich Jews, and Is virtually holding
them for ransom. For example, It
Is said that the release from Aus |
tria Of Louis Rothschild, head Of tho
Vienna branch Of the great Enro-
pean banking house, can only be OBJ
tanned when and II his foreign
friends and relatives give $4,000. 900
20 the Reich.
A biting commentary on the
question Is found In the fact that
Nron G. Taylor. American dele
gate and chairman Of the 32-nation
conference. recently pleaded with
Germany to permit refugees to take
their personal belongings away with
them-and received no answer.
Some time ago It seemed that the
problem might be solved BY the ac-
ton Of England In opening Pales-
tine to Jewish colonization, and
setting 1t aside as land where the
Jews might create . nation Of their
own. Today that hope Is largely
gone. The Jews came to Palestine.
They liked It. They proved to be
excellent settlers and capable busi-
ness men. But the Arabs, whose re-
1sion Is strongly anti-Semitic, Inn
mediately began to fight the migra-
ton. Hundreds have been killed In
guerilla warfare. Arabian senti-
ment against the Jews has steadily
increased, and it IL said that there
d grave danger that the cause may
develop into . holy war. England
now has $4,000 troops IN Palestine
~ SAO4S4AS WAC OSW0-0A40 ot4A VIC
xapine, slaughter and pillage con-
tinues. The result Is that only
$4,000 Jews . year are to be adj !.
mitted to the country-a drop in
the gigantic bucket There are about
100000 Jews remaining In Ger
many and Austria alone.
The 32-power conference took all
this into account. Its attitude was
extremely sympathetic toward this
oppressed people. But talk was
about all that resulted. No major
country Is willing to open its gates
wide to the Jew, or any other re-
1ugee. In the case Of famous men,
there Is usually q place-many edu-
Gators. for instance, have left Ger
many for England and this country,
and obtained suitable occupation
For the rank and file Of Jews there
Yos)sos@soe)s~