1 7 4 D O C U M E N T 1 3 4 M A Y 1 9 2 1
[3]The same invitation extended by Einstein in Doc. 131.
[4]On Paul Warburg’s lack of support for Zionism, see Chernow 1993, p. 249. As a result of the
breakdown in negotiations between Weizmann and the Brandeis-Mack faction (see Doc. 127, note 3),
“the non-Zionists were naturally even less inclined to cooperate than they would normally have been”
and “when [Einstein] invited several dozen notables to a drawing-room meeting in the interests of the
University only very few responded” (see Ginossar 1950, p. 73).
[5]Warburg, like other non-Zionists, may have been concerned that Zionism would inflame anti-
Semitism. He is most likely referring to the Emergency Immigration Restriction Bill that was over-
whelmingly adopted the same day by the U.S. Congress, after several previous rounds of debate. The
bill, which became law on 3 June, limited annual immigration to 3 per cent of the persons of various
nationalities living in the United States in 1910 and thus severely restricted Jewish immigration from
Eastern Europe. The law would remain in effect until 1 July 1922 (see, e.g., New York Times 19 April,
3 May, and 20 May 1921, and Fairchild 1924).
During the “Jaffa riots” of 1 to 7 May, almost 100 Jews and Arabs were killed in Palestine (see
Wasserstein 1978, pp. 89–107).
134. From Felix Frankfurter
Cambridge, Mass., May 17, 1921.
Geehrter Herr Professor Einstein,
Es tut mir sehr leid Sie zu belästigen, aber die Wahrheit zwingt mich dazu. Es
wird mir gesagt dass Dr.
Levine[1]
—und durch ihm wahrscheinlich auch andere—
mich beschuldigt ihre Erscheinung in Harvard, durch Vortrage oder sonst in wel-
cher weise, verhindert haben zu
wollen.[2]
Diese Beschuldigung ist eine absolute
Unwahrheit. Ich kann es gar nicht begreifen dass Leute sich zu solch eine unverzei-
liche Verleumdung herlassen. Aber tatsächlich ist es so; and deshalb bin ich ge-
zwungen —weh wie es mir auch tut—dieses Dementi zu schreiben. Darf ich nicht
hoffen dass es überflüssig war—dass sie es sowie so kein Glauben geschenkt
haben.
Mit grösster Hochachtung, Ihr ergebener,
Felix Frankfurter.
TLS. [36 209]. Typed on letterhead “Law School of Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.”
[1]Shmarya Levin (1867–1935), member of the Zionist Executive and head of propaganda for the
Keren Hayesod, was also a member of the delegation.
[2]Einstein arrived in Boston on 17 May, and visited Harvard University on 18 May (see Boston
Herald, 17 May, and Boston Evening Transcript, 18 May 1921). Weizmann had mentioned to Einstein
Frankfurter’s involvement in the arrangements for his public speaking (see Doc. 91). At the end of
March, Mack cabled Weizmann that “Harvard absolutely declines Einstein” (see Julian Mack to
Chaim Weizmann, 30 March 1921 [IsReWW]). On the emergence of anti-Semitic attitudes among
some of the administrators at Ivy League universities during this period, see Karabel 2005, pp. 86–
89. The reason proffered was that Einstein “only lectures in German” and “the authorities of the Uni-
versity and the Governing Board of the [Harvard] Union” had decided “that to give the University the
chance to meet the distinguished scientist at an informal reception … [was] more satisfactory than
attempting an address through an interpreter” (Harvard Crimson, 12 May 1921).