The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1944-08-08
The Strange Case of Ham Fish
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Probably no member OF Congress
was fought as hard to prevent his
denomination as Hamilton Fish.
For several years, he has been ac-
cused of being pro-Nazi and anti
Semitic. His district was so reap
portioned as to make II practically
new and to divorce him from much
OF his following. During his cam
paign. at the climax of II, his name
was mentioned in the Sedition
Trials in Washington, imperiling
him. He permitted himself to be
interviewed by an opposition news
paper and as result, he was de-
nounced by Tom Dewey, the presi-
dental candidate OF his own party.
and by Wendell Willkie. Every
possible agency was brought into
tn field against him, including the
actress, Helen Hayes. Yet, Ham
ilton Fish won the denomination.
The charge that Hamilton Fish
Is pro-Nazi arises from his opposi.
ton TO our entrance into the war
prior to Pearl Harbor and his as
ISOLATION with like-minded persons
some of whom were actually pro-
Nazi or suspected as such. That
Ham Fish was indiscreet is GER
tain: that Ham Fish is in thought
and deed a traitor to his country
does not appear in available rec
ords. Many persons were opposed
to our participation in the war not
only prior to Pearl Harbor but up
to and a day after Hitler went to
war with Stain.
The charge OF anti-Semitism in
cludes his interview in which he
said that Jews support Roosevelt.
Whether Hamilton Fish is right or
wrong is provable automatically:
there are test districts, particularly
in Brooklyn. But suspect that II
would be found that the FREEDOM.
inantly Jewish residents of those
districts voted for Roosevelt as
did most residents Of Brooklyn in.
Guiding the non-Jews. In 1910.
Judge Joseph Proskauer, who is
now chairman of the American Jew
ish Committee, was for Willkie
whereas many other Jewish leaders
were for Roosevelt. Rabbi Stephen
Wise was publicly for Roosevelt,
but Rabbi Abba Hillel Silver. equal
ly prominent, was publicly for
Willkie.
do not believe that Hamilton
Fish or anybody else can prove
this case one way or the other con.
clusively, for the only possible
proof would be that the percent
ages among Jews were, in 1910.
startlingly different from other
voters. After ALL Mr.. Roosevelt
received 27O00,O0o votes.
But what interests me most is
that anyone should say that a
person is anti-Semitic because he
believes that Jews vote for Roose-
welt who must have received many
millions OF Catholic, Protestant and
even agnostic and atheistic votes
to total 27.000,O00. 1t is most
astonishing that Jews who astually
voted for Roosevelt in 1910 and In
tend TO vote for him in 1914, de-
nounce Hamilton Fish for describ-
ing what they did and intend to do.
Are they ashamed that they voted
for Roosevelt; Is II dishonorable
thing to do?
do not know anything about
Hamilton Fish's attitude toward
Jews. But ! love definitions, which
is the only protection one has
aaginst intellectual horseplay. De-
finition: An anti-Semite is one who
devotes himself to the destruc-
ton OF the Jews, who works to
deprive them OF their civil liber.
ties and who practices covert dis.
ordinations against them. The
definition precludes judgment OF
mans state Of mind because no
one can with accuracy know what
another mans state OF mind is. In
accordance with this definition.
find nothing In the record to show
that Hamilton Fish is an anti-Se.
mite: At most. he Is sore at his
opposition and believes that some
Jews are important factors in that
opposition. His own campaign
manager and lawyer are Jews. He