Our New York Letter

The Sentinel, October 29, 1926.
(Attributed to Z. Alroy.)

A clever New York headline writer is to be credited with the sentence “Orthodox Jews and Henry Ford Agree on One Point.”

It concerns the introduction of the five-day industrial week. From the discussions in the press and the attempts in various parts of the country to test this proposal, it appears that the five-day industrial week, although the American Federation of Labor at its recent convention in Detroit did not come out for it as fully as it might have, is within the realm of possibility. It is true Henry Ford in introducing the five-day system in his Detroit plant has, reports say, gone no further than a five-day weekly payment, but the move to shorten the working week and allow additional time to the working classes for recreation and educational development is a great step forward.

Incidentally, it is balm to the heart of Orthodox Jewry in America, which has been sighing under the burden of the problem of the observance of the Sabbath. There is a pathetic note in the statement made by Dr. Bernard Drachman, president of the Sabbath Alliance of America, when he says, “Although Mr. Ford, to our sorrow, can hardly be classed as a friend of our people, we must in justice divorce his present action from his otherwise narrow-minded policy, and trust that his example in adopting the five-day week will be followed.”

Rabbi Drachman and Henry Ford agree.

* * *

It was on the deck of the “Leviathan” that 200 American newspapermen assembled to greet Her Majesty, the Queen of Romania, in behalf of the American reading public. In the wayward light which has accompanied Queen Marie on her route from Bucharest to the Statue of Liberty, the highest point was reached at that moment. It was a conspicuous moment; it was a crucial moment.

The Queen, a guest of the American nation; the Queen, ruler of a country where not all is well, not alone with the Jews but with many other peoples. Among the many questions of the American newspaper representatives, sandwiched in between a question on her manner of eating corn on the cob and on the New York skyline, the Jewish question was hurled at her by a zealous Jewish newspaperman.

Was it right? Was it proper?

Opinion may be divided, but it is difficult to condemn the action.

That this sentiment is shared not only by American Jews, but also by American Christians, there is ample evidence. On that very day, when the Queen returned from the glorious reception accorded her by the Chief Executive and stopped at Baltimore, the 91st annual convention of the Maryland Baptists Union Association was in session there. And what did the Baptists do? They framed a set of appeals in the form of resolutions, which were submitted to the Queen. In these resolutions attention was drawn to the situation of intolerance in which Baptists and Jews in Romania find themselves.

Those who need non-Jewish support before every move can be justified have it now in the action of the Maryland Baptists. Queen Marie, who is so liberal in quickly conveying to the public her impressions of America, may also find occasion to comment on this circumstance.