To the Editor of the "Nonru-Cuiya Datty News."
Sim,—The now famous Dr. Albert Einstein gave as an example of the working of the law of relativity the way in which he, by the English newspapers, is described to be a "Swiss Jew," while the Germans claim him for themselves as a "German man of science."
When a subject of the former Russian Empire, by the name o! Rosenberg, appears before the Shanghai Mixed Court, and by the reporter very appropriately described as a "Russian Jew" (as during the Tsar regime we had to distinguish between, say, Poles Russian, German or Austrian citizenship, possibly even American, if the man had not yet become as-similared, "Americanized") this is resented by the local Jews, who would prefer the man's nationality to be given as "Russian." Very likely the local Russians would very much prefer to see the word "Russian" omitted from the description altogether, and the national ty in such a case to be given only: Jewish.
What we have before us isan instance of the working of the Law of Relativity.
It seems that the reporter in the above case tried to be as exact as possible in his description of nationality, without having in his mind the aspect of religion. Besides, why try to make us believe that the word "Jewish" means only creed and has nothing to do with nationality, and this in a time when Zionist movement is quite a power with the Jewish masses, and even a Jewish state ("national home') is contemplated? Not to mention such a thing that a Yiddish theatre is to be found even in far away Shanghai.
T am, ete., E.L. Shanghai, Feb. 19.
To the Editor of the "Norta-Cuina Dairy News."
Sin,—Your correspondent S. D. asks why the religious denomination of Jews is given instead of their nationality, more especially in reports of local court cases.
The reply is quite simple: Many Jews, more especially those of Eastern Europe and of Asia, do not consider themselves to belong to any other nation than the Jewish, Three years ago I had occasion to assists a young Jew, born 'n Shanghai. to become registered in one of the Consulates; he then declared to me that it was quite indifferent to him if he became registered in one Consulate or in another stating, "I am a Jew, nothing else!"
'A few weeks ago I received a lotter from a well educated young
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