Conference of Minorities

Jews are a minority everywhere, even in Palestine.* Jews were prominent last week at a conference of minorities which met in Vienna. Previously it has met at Geneva. But Europe's minorities have become disgusted with the League of Nations, perceiving that it is dominated by the Great Powers. Meeting in Vienna last week the minorities leaders claimed: "We represent 40 million Europeans who are suffering material and moral disadvantages because of the world's failure to solve racial problems." Since "minorities" is a not very impressive word the representatives of 40 million souls chose to call themselves the European Congress of Nationalities.

Representing the German minority in Lithuania, Dr. Paul Schiemann thundered that "something must be done to check the war spirit which has won the upper hand in this world!"

"What we must do," cried Dr. Leo Motzkin, head of the Committee of Jewish delegations, "is to prevent the eruption of the volcano upon which we are standing."

"Our greatest danger is war!" warned the spokesman of the Russian minority in Estonia. All the delegates agreed that "the chief duty of this Congress is to promote extension of existing minority rights to all European countries."

Chief significance of the impotent little gathering in Vienna last week is that Europe's "Little Fellows," who once looked to the League of Nations as their champion, have now abandoned all hope of aid from Geneva.

* Pop.: Moslems 590,000; Jews 175,000; Christians 82,000.

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