New v. Old

If the National Recovery Administration has anything to do with the Bible, the President of the U.S. has not mentioned it, beyond referring to "money-changers in the Temple" in his inaugural address. But last month in a radio address to the nation, Donald Randall Richberg, general counsel of the NRA said: "This is . . . not a war of man against man. It is rather a war of ideas--the co-operative idea against the idea of unrestrictive competition--the idea of national welfare against the idea of unrestrictive self-seeking--the New Testament against the Old Testament --the Sermon on the Mount against the Mosaic Law."

U.S. Christians took no particular notice, but certain Jews became excited. The American Jewish Congress and the American Jewish Committee remonstrated directly. Counsel Richberg, no Jew, was deeply embarrassed. Last week he issued an elaborate apology. "I have been surprised and shocked," he said. ''The fact is that I was not thinking in terms of religion but in terms of political economy. I was not considering different faiths, but a changing social order-- one period of history and another. I had not the slightest intention of raising a theological issue--. ... I readily concede that the phrasing of my thought was unfortunate, particularly at the present time when my remarks might be given an implication wholly unintended; and I regret deeply that they seemed to reflect in the slightest degree upon the Jewish people or religion."

The Congress and the Committee publicized Counsel Richberg's apology with an air of satisfaction. The militant American Hebrew & Jewish Tribune editorialized: "Somewhat feeble. . . .''

*In his Sermon on the Mount. Christ referred to the Mosaic Law throughout, expounding and amplifying it. In several cases He quoted the words of Moses and set against them His own principles, thus: "Ye have heard that it hath been said. An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. But I say unto you. That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. . . . Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shall love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you;'' (Matthew: 5: 38--44).

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