The Maccabaean

statement made to a delegation of German Jews. First, it was made by an under-secretary who is easily repudiated. Second, it merely repeats the views of Taalat Pasha, which have no practical value. The Jewish people are not demanding free immigration into Palestine and the right to colonize; they are not asking for cultural rights or for local autonomy; they are committed to a program of national recognition and rehabilitation. This the British Government's Declaration proclaims. Until the Junker government honestly considers the question from this point of view, all its efforts to cover the Jewish question with a smoke screen of statements will not avail. The British Declaration, and what has happened since, cannot be countered successfully by statements from under-secretaries, or by inspired editorials or even by Reichstag resolutions.

In the Ukraine

T is difficult for the Junker government to control the ] of Russia that are now being forcibly digested. The Ukraine government does not hesitate to approve of the British Declaration. Prime Minister Winitschenko does not dwell upon economic and cultural rights for Jews in Palestine. The British Declaration implies an independent political existence, in his opinion, and with that issue he is in complete accord. At the same time, the Jews in the Ukraine must be contented with the pogroms that are breaking out in a variety of cities. These pogroms are said to be inspired by Bolshevik authority; if not by direct instruction, then as a result of Bolshevik propaganda, which regards all Jews as belonging to the hated middle-class. Others believe that the Bolsheviki are the tools of German anti-Semitism and German policy; the pogroms are punishment meted out to Jews who audaciously were opposed to the separate peace with Germany.

Kehillah Reorganization

HE New York Kehillah is engaged in its annual spring Vai to prove that it still lives. It is calling for a membership of one hundred thousand, and in its -appeals assures the public that it is in the throes of democratization, whatever that may mean to the leaders of the Kehillah. The plan of reorganization is as complicated as the reasoning of a German statesman. We have seen a chart, with connecting lines all converging to one point, where the control is to be vested. The chart looked nice and showed talent in drawing, but how the democracy would have anything to say about Kehillah affairs, being so far removed from the controlling point, was not at all clear. Unfortunately, the Kehillah reorganization comes too late, whatever it may be. A Kehillah with all the institutions of the city controlled by a Federation of Jewish charities is not a Kehillah at all. It is merely an organization existing on the left-overs of the Federation, taking up only such work as have as yet not been taken in charge by the Federation. The Kehillah becomes auxiliary to the Federation. It may even come to the Federation and ask for an allowance or subsidy. It may be said, however, that the Kehillah will find good work to do, and why should it not exist to do that work? In that case, however, why call it a Kehillah and why pretend to be what it is not? Furthermore, it would be conducive to communal good health if the Kehillah were to confine itself to definitely outlined work and not with

sweeping self-confidence take everything within the scope of its activities, actually not exercising any control over them, but only in appearance seeming to do so. It is really time to sweep the cobwebs of pretence and confusion away from the Kehillah and let it be seen as it actually is, an empty shell, living on a number of Bureaus, wholly independent of its control or support.

A New Jewish Newspaper

THE great difficulty of all Jewish newspapers and magazines is to reach the Jewish heart, in other words, to get the attention of Jews for a Jewish newspaper. We are not speaking of Yiddish newspapers; they are in a class by themselves. It is the Jewish magazine in English that has this difficulty. What do they want? What ought they to get? If a magazine is run for business, it is the first question that decides. All sorts of attempts have been made. There is the periodical that emphasizes congregational and social life; its circulation is meagre and of no consequence. There is the periodical that seriously discusses Jewish problems; it has a hard time of it securing readers. There is the party organ, and the personal organ; none of these seems to get the attention of wide circles of readers. The Jewish News, a recent phenomenon, frankly seeks the man on the street, and appeals by means of pictures, attractive display, light-hearted superficiality, to the general public. What they ought to get does not bother the manager; he wants to give them what large numbers of them want. The product is not perfect, even from the manager's point of view, but the experiment is interesting. Should it succeed, Jewish journalism—Anglo-Jewish, so to speak—may be revolutionized.

Hermann Cohen

FOR quite a number of years, the veteran Prof. Hermann Cohen, who passed away this month at the ripe old age of seventy-six, was regarded in the world of philosophy as one of the foremost exponents of the Kantian school of thought. His courses at Marburg University were the mecca of hundreds of Russian Jewish students, who sat at his feet imbibing wisdom, a wisdom which was not wholly Kantian, but filled with the sagacity of the Talmud and of Jewish lore. For Hermann Cohen was not only a philosopher in a German University. He was a sturdy and learned representative of Jewish Culture, filled to the brim with Jewish Knowledge, with a mind which was peculiarly Jewish in its methods, and in its appreciation of the spiritual value of the philosophical training. He always stood squarely for Jewish interests, regardless of personal consequences. He defended Jewish interests, and was a bulwark against assimilation and anti-Jewish prejudice. His friendship for Russian Jewish students brought him a wealth of personal affection.

Musical Notes

THERE was a time—not so many years ago—when Jewish musical prodigies thought it discreet to appear in America labeled as of any other nationality, but not Jewish. Press agents made it their business to have "the great Russian pianist" a friend of the Czar, a relative of the red-shirted mujik, but never in the slightest degree to be associated with Jews. A famous Russian dancer to this day is regarded as a Russian, although her ancestry may be