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The Southern Israelite
Executive Office*: 161 Spring St., N. W.
Published In Atlanta Monthly by
THE SOUTHERN NEWSPAPERS ENTERPRISES. Inc.,
M. STEPHEN SCHIFFER, Managing Editor
Iptlon Rate*: 15 Cent* Single Copy, <1.50 Per Year !n Advance.
• red a* *econd cla** matter at the Postoffice at Atlanta, Ga.,
under the Act of March 3rd, 1879. ________
munlcatlon* for publication should reach this office not later than
1st and 15th of each month.
hern Israelite Invites correspondence and literary contributions, but
tr I* not to be considered as sharing the views expressed by the
writer* except those enunciated In the Editorial columns.
‘The Jewish Stowaway”
The campaign of criticism waged in the French and some New
York newspaper against Arthur Schreiber, “Yellow Bird stow
away, has given plenty of food for thought, so to speak. It seems
instead of letting weli enough alone in criticizing the boy for his
lack of thought in endangering the lives of the crew, as well as his
own, certain papers have discredited him w'ith anything but the
blackest intentions and morals in their news stories, editorials,
and letters to the editor. The possible danger created for the plane
and the men through Schreiber’s stowing away was an indiscretion,
it must be admitted, but one must recognize his courage. And so
we agree, insofar as the criticism directed against him dwelt on
his thoughtlessness that it was justified. But to ascribe to him
every possible fault and moral inferiority as some papers did seems
more than unfair, especially when the New York“ Evening World”
declared the Schreiber incident to be a “national humiliation.”
A similar situation occurred after Charles A. Levine had suc
cessfully crossed the Atlantic. Ugly and uncalled for objections
were spread that he was loud and aw-kward in his behavior and
attitude. He was denied the ability to dare and his name undoubt
edly brought to many minds the word “Jew” instead of the thought
“courage to risk,” w'hich was certainly his. All pilots cannot be
dandies but they must all have courage regardless of their religion
or social status.
Another comparison that arises in our minds in this instance
is the case of the Zeppelin stowaway. Grant that the Zeppelin was
a passenger plane thereby lessening the danger another person
aboard might create, still there arises the doubt that had Schreiber
not been a Jew he would probably have received more of the honor
and the minimum of criticism that was bestowed upon his Gentile
colleague.
Truthfully and sincerely we believe and hope that even the
most narrow-minded and prejudiced Christians will not be influenced
so blindly that they will fail to realize the tremendous courage
Jew as well as Gentile must possess to lend himself to such an in
valuable experimentation that is being carried on in the field of
aviation. We feel that the Jew will not be prohibited through in
trigue and through untruth from daring in the air. and we heartlv
agree with the editorial in the New York Yiddish Daily, “Dav”
w’hich so encouragingly reasoned:
“ because we know that in all fields of human progress
the Jew met with obstacles placed in his way. They have how
ever, overcome the difficulties and they occupy places in the first
ranks of progress because they have dared and succeeded This
daring is a part of our national psychology. This psychology was
victorious in all other fields and it will be successful iii the final end
in the air as well, notwithstanding all the obstacles and intrigue*
which seek to bring about a condition in which ‘Jew should not
dare.’ They will not frighten us,” the paper concludes.
“What Price Par?”
In these days and times most of us have ceased to be shocked
at even the strangest actions on the part of our fellowmen but
notwithstanding such a reputation we cannot refrain from feeling
somewhat stunned at the really queer reactions that are frequently
displayed. For instance, recently one of our evidently wealthV
brethren, Alfred S. Austrian, Chicago lawyer, paid $10 000 to a golf
c -ssional for teaching him to turn in a score of 80 or less It
-d that Mr. Austrian was a talented pupil-—or that his
Darticularly capable—and he accomplished his troaf
; ch he won a bet of $5.00. goa1 ’
istion the man’s sportsmanship, nor do we doubt
his generosity and willingness to help others. We may even as
sume, and we hope it is so, that for every such extravagance, he
gives an equal or double amount to a worthy cause or to aid those
people and institutions striving toward a truly high goal. But
now doesn’t it seem that regardless of how generous his charitable
contributions may be, the extravagant expenditure incurred by his
self-indulgence to satisfy a mere whim or hobby was entirely un-
called for, especially when we stop to consider the tremendous
suffering of our people throughout the world? When we stop to
think about the untiring efforts and services devoted by many men
and women who can less afford their time than Mr. Austrian is
comfortably able to spare thousands of dollars, if seems ridiculous
and unfair that an intelligent man no matter who he may be should
give $10,000 to prove that he is a good sport.
And so without the slightest pretense on our part of insinuat- I
ing how Mr. Austrian, or anyone else for that matter, should dis
tribute his wealth or regulate his donations to charity, and with
due respect for his good sportsmanship, we still cannot but feel
that there is such a thing as sane riddance of one’s surplus riches, j
Dr. Boris D. Bogen
The sudden death of Dr. Boris I). Bogen, 60 years of age, and
internationally known for his work in Jewish Social Service, is
suffered as an inestimable loss not only to his family and friends
but to the organization he originated and loyally supported and to
the countless sufferers here and abroad towards whose succor and
relief he devoted himself so unselfishly. He was Secretary of the
Independent Order B’nai B’rith and had recently attended the
annual meeting of the District Grand Lodge No. 4 at Oakland,
California and a few days later the National Conference of Social
Service at San Francisco. He was attending a family reunion in
Los Angeles when he passed away.
Dr. Bogen’s life w-as very full and inspiring. He was born in
Russia but came to Amerioa with his parents when still a child.
He attended the University of New York, majoring in Pedagogy.
His first post in 1894 was in the Baron de Hirsch Trade School.
In 1896 he became a teacher in the Hebrew Technical Institute, and
in 1900 was named principal of the Baron de Hirsch Agricultural
School at Woodbine, N. J. Four years later he was appointed Execu
tive Director of the Federation of Jewish Charities at Cincinnati
and later Field Secretary of the National Conference of Social
Service until his entry into the J. D. C. Relief Work in 1917. On
his return to America in 1924 he became Executive Director of
the Los Angeles Federation of Jewish Charities where he served
for four years before assuming the post of Executive Secretary of
the Independent Order B’nai B’rith. Three years ago the degree of
Doctor of Hebrew 7 Law w r as conferred upon Dr. Bogen by the
Hebrew' Union College in recognition of his social service. The
last office he was elected to hold before his death was President of
the National Conference of Social Service at a meeting in At
lantic City.
His work during his forty years of service for public causes
was invaluable. The outstanding accomplishment of his career ic
social service for w'hich he w r as known in Europe and America
his work as Director of the Relief Activities of the American Jewish
Joint Distribution Committee in Europe during the World War. He
organized the distribution of food among the starving Jewish P°P"
ulation of Poland and W’as knowm as the Herbert Hoover of P 0 ^ 1 ^'
A beautiful and deserving tribute was paid to Dr. Bogen h.
Felix M. Warberg, Chairman of the American J. D. C. in which **
join sincerely:
It seems incredible that his wonderfully useful life has> con *
to Mich an untimely close. There were so many things he
to do. I feel his going as the sad loss of one of my warmest P#
sonal friends. Jew’ry is deprived of one of the most courages
self-saciificing and understanding pioneers not only in organ 12 ’*'
charity but in the relief work in which he received such eX
oidinai \ success. He w r as an inspiration to many and surely to
We will miss his ever cheerful counsel and friendship"
