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LOS ANGELES 17, CMlFOBNIfl, Friday, Sept. 18, 1953
Desecrating Saints
Congressman Velde's Un-American Activities Committee
has just issued a report which, in the opinion of two prominent Jewish leaders, is a "frightening- betrayal of elementary public responsibility and decency/'
The two are Dr. Israel Goldstein, president of the American Jewish Congress and Rabbi of Congregation B'nai
Jeshurum, and Rabbi Maurice N. Eisendrath, president of
the Union of American Hebrew Congregations.        §
In a joint statement they called "fantastic" the testimony given before the committee by Benjamin Gitlow
concerning the late Rabbis Stephen Wise and Judah
Magnes.
Gitlow, according to the committee report, called Rabbis
Wise and Magnes two of a group of spiritual leaders of
various faiths who had collaborated with Communists during early Red efforts to infiltrate religious activities.
"For half a century the late Stephen Wise was America's
foremost Rabbi and Judaism's proudest champion," the
statement said. "Men of all faiths and creeds looked to him
as one of the nation's most dauntless and effective foes of
injustice and corruption wrhere they appeared.
"The late Rabbi Magnes served with distinction first as
Rabbi of one of America's largest reform_segregations ...
Both men were hailed the world * over as among the most
independent, courageous and moral figures of our generation.
... To charge them with having taken instruction from
the Communist Party and having collaborated with it is a
contemptible and vile desecration."
To us it is perfectly disgusting that congressional committees should dignify the word of a filthy confessed Communist, and base Reports thereon, regarding the reputations of two revered spiritual leaders. Obviously Gitlow
wanted to drag some Jewish spiritual leaders into his
commie category, so he selected two of the most sainted
leaders ours, or any other faith, ever produced in America.
They are both dead and cannot defend their good reputations. But the reputations of Rabbis Magnes and Wis£ need
no defense by anybody. They lived their lives in such glory
and with such distinction that their sainted reputations
will live after them, long, long after them, and long, long
after Mr. Velde and Mr. Gitlow are forgotten.