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CANADIAN JEWISH *EVIRW March �, 193j
BIAS CONFRONTED WITH SERIOUS FINANCIAL CONDITION
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In a discussion on the mentality of millionaires held by Professor Walter B. Pitkin, psychologist of Columbia University, and Julius Rosen-wald, chairman of the board of Sears, Roebuck, and Company* the former defined achievement as "distinguished successful endeavour usually in the face of difficulties." Then he listed as four qualifications for the highest degree of achievement: a cleary well-conceived ambition; persistent struggle to surmount vast obstacles; tHorough accomplishment of the objective set; great significance and human value of the success achieved. P�O-fessor Pitkin named Thomas E. Edison as the only living business man who satisfied these qualifications. The only Jews named at all were David Sarnoff, of the Radio Corporation, and Julius Rosenwald and they were both placed in the class which satisfied two of the four qualifications.
Mr. Rosenwald, admitting freely that there was much luck in the process which changed the $35,000 he invested in Sears, Rosebuck into many millions, said: "I mean that seriously. I never could understand t!ie popular belief that, because a man makes a lot of money, he has a lot of brains. Some very rich men who have made their own fortunes have been among the stupidest men I have ever met in my life. There are men in America today, walking the streets, financial failures, who have more brains and more ability than I will ever have. I had the luck to get my opportunity. Their opportunity never came. As newspaper sports -writers say, 'They never got the breaks.' Rich men are not smart because they got rich. They didn't get rich because they are smart. Remember always that many poor men are smarter than the richest men in the world. Don't ever confuse wealth with brains. They are synonymous sometimes, but none too often."
This is not the first time that Mr. Rosenwald has publicly appraised the mind of the merely rich with harshness. His constant refusal to take entire credit for his great wealth sets him apart from most rich men. Evidently he has retained his perspective and kept his head in the midst of much adulation which must have appeared to him as silly. The Jewish people <lo their best to spoil their rich men by dashing after them with flattery and in servility. The popular assumption that money means brains probably has its foundation in that innate love of possession which leads people to value men not for what they are in quality but for what they have accumulated inv goods.
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Elma Ehrlich Levinger has been awarded the $2,000 prize offered by the Jewish Tribune Publications and the Stratford Cqnipany for the best novel of Jewish interest. Her story, "Grapes of Canaan", took the prize over others submitted by well-known authors. Among the judges were Lewis Browne, the writer, and Dr. Abba Hfllel Silver, rabbi of the Cleveland Temple. The winning story will be published serially in the Amencan Jewish Tribune and after that in book form by the Stratford Company.
Before her marriage Mrs. Levinger studied play writing, attended the University of Chicago and Radcliffe College, taught school, coached amateur plays, and edited a Jewish children's magazine. Since her mar-, riage she has written short stories which were syndicated in Jewish papers and also many volumes of juvenile books and short plays. Her early stories, although full of human interest, Were as the saying goes, not so hot. But the children's books, evidently written to supply a need of her own little ones, are of value to other Jewish children lucky enough to have them. Several -of her plays have received contest prizes and are included in books of plays. Her articles are direct, readable, and fresh with ideas that provoke thought.
As the busy wife of a busy rabbi and the mother of three young children, Mrs. Levinger might have looked backward upon one career instead of forward to another one besides that which marriage brought her. Many a Jewish woman has lounged comfortably for the rest of her life on far fewer laurels. After marriage even the most alert and promising girls have been known to sink into a state where the only stimulants are petty gossip, window-shopping and other trivial time-killers. They achieve nothing in self-development outside the home and idleness breeds a discontent with whatever could be achieved within it. In the end they hold a grievance against the world because life is so dull and they are so hemmed in.
In the case of Mrs. Levinger it is easy to imagine that her days are crowded with activity, interests and the art of living. She is not a
Fifty years of Jewish Immigration into the United States, their significance and implication both to Jewry and to America, was the keynote of the Twenty-Second Annual Meeting of the Hebrew Sheltering- and Immigrant Aid Society of America (Hias), held Sunday afternoon, March 1st, at the Hotel Astor, nearly 2,000 men and women attended. Speakers were Sir Wilmot Lewis, Washington correspondent of The London Times; Congressman P. H. La Guardia, M. Stoyan Omarchevsky, former Bulgarian Minister of Education, now on a visit in this country; Aaron Benjamin, who for the past two years Hias Commissioner in Europe; Rev. H. Masllansky and B. C. Vladeck. Abraham Herman, the President, who was in the chair, presented his annual message. Mr. Herman dealt with the proposed legislation relating to immigration, pointing out that the new bill wHI militate against the wives and children of non-citizens. He said that all children of American citizens Including those over 16 should be admitted. There should also be given legalization to persons entering the United States prior to July 1, 1924 and in whose cases there are no records of arrivals. These should be given the same standing as those who came here prior to June 3, 1921 since they are not subject to deportation under the immigration laws. Renewed proposal for the registration of aliens was tantamount to espionage for which there was no Justification. Mr. Herman said. "We are not raising the cry of anti-Semitism, of anti-Jewishness. It affects all immigrants, all the foreign-born. The situation today is the outgrowth of skilful and widespread propaganda against the foreign-born over a long period of years. There is a recrudescence of anti-Semitism in its most violent form. The necessity for constructive work such as has been done by Hias is growing more and more urgent every day." Dealing with the financial condition of Hias, Mr. Herman pointed out that conditions had been so bad during the year that steps had to be taken to curtail its work. Unless Hias has the means wherewith to finance it will have no other alternative than .to give up the work. There have emigrated last year from Europe some 34,803 Jews who had settled in the United States, in Argentine, Brazil, Uruguay, Canada, France, Cuba, Mexico, Chili and other countries. To this country had come 12,563 Jews. In the various Hias-Ica-Emigdirect offices in Poland, Roumania, Lithuania and Latvia, 101,267 applicants came for advice. Through the efforts of the Society, $68,265 had been saved to emigrants in their travelling expenses."
The deficit for the current year, amounts to $16,539.91, which together with the deficit of previous years aggravated the financial burden from which the Society suffered.
The report of the general manager, Isaac L. Asofsky, told of the work to open and develop new Jewish Immigration centers begun on April 1st, 1927, and inaugurated by Hias in conjunction with the Jewish Colon-
isation Association (lea) and United Jewish Emigration Comnnt. tee of Europe (Em)gdirect). Durinr these three years the total Jewish emigration from Eastern Europe v as 119,671. Of these 38,845 came to ?he United States and 83,826 went to South and Central American countries, Canada, South Africa, Australia, Palestine and various oti-er lands. .Argentine absorbed 18,382 Jc .\v Ish Immigrants, Brazil 14,832 rnd Uruguay 4,900. That these Jew *h settlers were doing well in the n-w countries may be gathered - from the fact that $304,877.00 were sent through the offices in Argentine by 13,714 remitters to their relatives in Europe $218,277 was saved to emigrants in their travelling expenses. The total cost of these operations In foreign countries during the three years under review had been $476,034.96. Of this sum $162,304.82 had been spent in subsidies to committees, bureaus and offices in emigration countries and $186,044.33 in subsidies to committees, bureaus and offices in immigration countries. The huge sum of $1,271,014.87 was spent in these three years in the United States and for-eign countries for emigrant and immigrant aid work.
AS for the work in foreign countries during 1930 the report showed that 21,738 Jews had emigrated from Poland, 3,269 from Roumania, 8,922 from Lithuania and 874 from Latvia making a total of 34,803. For the same period 6,584 Jews had entered Argentine, 2,818 Brazil, 1,049 Uruguay, 3,476 Canada and 5,000 France.
Of the Hias -work in the United States, the report showed that 12,563 Jews had arrived. Of these 8,974 were Immigrants and 3,589 nonimmigrants. 951 steamers had been met and 4,630 Immigrants were discharged in the custody of Hias representatives. 30,537 kosher meats were served to immigrants and deportees at Ellis Island, the office of which also attended to 8,313 inquiries. The Washington Bureau made 312 appeals on behalf of Jewish Immigrants and of these only 44 were denied. The Department of Shelter served 79,982 meals and 12,812 nights of shelter were given. 7,781 applicants for citizenship were aided in the Citizenship Bureau. 34,725 remittances to relatives in foreign countries and totalling- $1,164,831.36 were made through the Hias Remittance Bureau. From the inception of this department in April, 1920, $31,697,208.00 have been sent 139,544 persons received advice and information and 40,138 cables, telegrams and letters coming from all parts of the world were received and answered. The affidavit Division prepared 16,362 documents.
The following were re-elected directors of the Society for a pericl of three years: Morris Asofsky, Joseph Baskin, Aaron Benjamin, Joseph E. Eron, Morris Feinstone, Harry Fif-chel, Abraham Herman, Alexander Kahn, Nathan Zvirin. And the following are the new directors on th > Board to fill vacancies: Dr. A. Cor alnIk, Henry J. Hyman, Hyman Mey erson, Hon. Adoiph Stern.
genius so her success must have been won by ceaseless plotting, har� work and singleness of purpose. Marriage, motherhood, and social pos tion were unable to combine as a hindrance to entangle her. On th contrary, she has grown so much and her work has improved so steadH that her immediate profession of home-maker must have been the direc inspiration for continued happiness in achievement and self-expression.
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