One of the most interesting figures in American Jewish life, perhaps not so well known to the country at large but nevertheless of dynamic influence, passed away suddenly in the City of New York.
Dr. Isaac A. Hourwich, Doctor of Philosophy, lawyer, American immigration expert, statistician and defender of labor’s rights, died at the age of 64. We are accustomed to judge men by their achievement in material wealth or by their popularity; we often overlook those scholarly, quiet workers whose efforts make a deep impression on the environment in which they live without causing much noise outside it. Brought to America by the wave of Russian Jewish immigration 34 years ago, Isaac A. Hourwich’s activities and sudden departure mark an epoch in American Jewish life. Through his work in fermenting [sic] a new life-forming period of Russian Jewish immigration, he made his contribution not only to Jewish life in America, but to America as a whole.
When the mass of mostly unskilled Russian Jewish immigrants found refuge from economic barrenness and political oppression and had to adapt themselves to their new environment, they found economic potentialities for applying their labor power, a Bill of Rights to protect their civil liberty, and charitable institutions, perhaps, to help those who were in need. To the American Jewish community of German origin must be credited the building up of great industries which created the possibilities for the new arrivals to be easily digested and assimilated in the economic system of their country. This same American Jewish community has on the other hand provided a splendid system of institutions to extend philanthropic aid to those who were either unfit for the new kind of endeavor or who were victims of the new industrial regime. It was left, however, for those intellectual leaders who followed the wave of Jewish immigration from Russia to start a movement which would remedy the evil at its root.
No matter what our attitude may be towards the doctrines of socialism as a remedy for the evils of the world, one cannot help but admit that the movement started and pursued with so much energy, idealism – perhaps exaggerated idealism – resulted in much good for the large class of immigrants. The betterment of the conditions, in this respect the introduction of organization in these ranks, the abolishment of the sweatshop system, was not only a contribution towards improvement of the situation of the Jews in America but also a contribution towards the general standard of living in America. In this movement Dr. Isaac A. Hourwich was in the lead.
Russian Jewish intellectuals of the type of Dr. Hourwich, when fleeing to America, did not bring with them a burning desire for individual liberation alone; they carried with them the care and thought of the group. In the service of the United States Government as statistician, Dr. Hourwich devoted his time not to the achievement of a personal career but to the securing of correct and enlightening figures on Jewish immigration. Immigration, especially Jewish immigration, on which opinions differ so much, always required the dissemination of correct information presented in the proper light.
Fighting for liberal immigration policies, his last days saw this country being closed to immigrants; fighting for socialism all his life and at one time reaching the heat of communism, he went to Russia, to return a convinced anti-Bolshevik.
It was a tragic figure, significant of his generation, that passed away.
Russia will for a long time hold the attention of those who have either their materialistic or idealistic interest before their eyes. Will the present regime continue in Russia, and if not what is going to happen when it falls? This question was repeatedly asked and with especial anxiety by those who are interested in the fate of a great number of Jews in the former Russian Empire. This question was asked as many time as there arrived in this country some new anti-Bolshevik mission or delegation.
A new Russian delegation has arrived, representing quite a new kind of Russia. It is “Green Russia.” M.A. Moskwinow, who is a representative of the All-Russian Peasants Association, is here in this country to advocate the support of a Green Russia, claiming to represent the Russian peasant. The Russian peasant is still the puzzling unknown quantity. Russia consists mainly of peasants. Were they to be properly organized, brought to the point of literacy, they would be the rulers of Russia. And they will some day no doubt be the rulers of Russia. What would be the attitude of this Green Russia towards Russian Jewry at that dreaded moment when one regime falls and another rises. M. Moskwinow, speaking on behalf of the Russian peasantry, advocates the ideal of a democratic Russia whose form of government should be determined by a Constituent Assembly. His statement in the general press in connection with this plan was, “To be honest, we are not anxious to include (in the Constituent Assembly) the Jew. We believe he makes trouble in Russia.”
I do not know how successful an organizer M. Moskwinow is, how many millions of peasants of the Russian steppes have already joined the banner of the future Green Russia. One thing is certain: that he knows how to get out of a bad situation. When asked for an explanation, the similarity in sound and difference in meaning of one of the words came to his rescue. M. Moskwinow says that, speaking in German to one of the American journalists, he said, “Wir haben keine Angst, die Hebraer miteinzuschliessen, denn Unruhen koennen nicht entstehen, falls die Andersstaemmigen (inorodtsi – in Russian) auf demokratischer Wahlgrundlage die moeglichkeit haben ihre nationalen Interssen zu verteidigen.”[1] The American journalist then made a “slight mistake.” He thought the German word Angst (fear) is equivalent to the English “anxious [about].” M. Moskwinow assures us that he has no fear of Jewish participation in the proposed Constituent Assembly of the future Green Russia.
From the representative of Green Russia this is not a bad explanation.
* * *
Mr. Samuel Untermyer, one of America’s most prominent lawyers, President of the Keren Hayesod, Vice President of the American Jewish Congress, and great Democrat, was “out of luck” at the recent National Democratic Convention. Already at the very start nature revolted against him. Desirous of extending a warm welcome to the Democratic delegates, he proposed giving a lawn party at his home in Yonkers. But a terrific thunderstorm prevented his acting the generous host to his guests and holders of Democratic votes. No less a storm was caused by another revolt, not the elements this time, but against the elementary right of secrecy of political advices.
Mr. Untermyer was a McAdoo man. Rumor had it a long time ago that in his McAdoo devotion he was the one to advise McAdoo to accept the support of the Ku Klux Klan, even though to dump it later. There was an inclination to treat the rumor as mere gossip. Along came the “New York World” and in its enthusiasm for Smith threw the stone into the water. It published what was apparently authentic correspondence between Mr. Untermyer’s nephew and Mr. Julius Peyser, which seemed to confirm the long-suppressed rumor. Since Mr. Untermyer denies that his nephew has any access to his political convictions and advices we may believe him. But since the advice was not effective, we need not worry about the possible consequences. The question, however, to which this incident gave rise still remains to be clarified.
The American Jewish Congress, having been anxious to have both parties take a definite stand on the Klan question, appointed a committee to wait on the Democratic convention for the purpose of pleading for an anti-Klan plank. The committee appointed by the President, Dr. Stephen S. Wise, was to include the Vice President of the American Jewish Congress, Mr. Samuel Untermyer. Mr. Untermyer, however, refused to serve on the committee and in refusing, after the revolt against secrecy was made, put forth the principle that American Jewry does not have to fight the religious intolerance and racial discrimination advocated by the Klan. Urging a purely Christian policy of non-resistance by Jews, Mr. Untermyer puts his entire trust in the Protestants in the Klan matter.
It is hard to think that this policy of non-resistance is consistent with the courageous readiness for self-defense expected of organizations like the American Jewish Congress. The Keren Hayesod, of which Mr. Untermyer is Vice President and President, respectively.
However, Mr. Untermyer agrees to disagree on this policy.
[1] Note by WJB: “We have no fear of Hebrew participation, unless riots originate among other ethnic groups (in Russian: foreigners) who defend their national interests upon democratic electoral foundations.”
No comments:
Post a Comment