on immigration restriction, and the hardened patterns of social exclu-
sion—American Jews recoiled. Like the United States itself, they looked
inward, more fearful of public opinion and less concerned with fellow Jews
in Europe or Palestine.
In the summer of 1919, Schiff called Warburg, Marshall, and Adler to a
meeting at his home. According to Adler, the purpose was to consider the
general situation of Jews abroad. Adler offered few details about the long
discussion that took place, but it is very likely that the men talked about the
Versailles treaties (Marshall and Adler had returned from Paris only a few
weeks before) and the persecutions in eastern Europe. Any defense strat-
egy they agreed upon doubtless concerned the AJC; both Schiff and Mar-
shall wanted a stronger committee and opposed the perpetuation of an
American Jewish Congress. The men also discussed the “chaotic” situation
of American Jewry and the question of leadership. Adler suggested a divi-
sion of labor: Warburg to lead the Joint Distribution Committee, Marshall
to run the AJC, and Adler to oversee Jewish education in the United States.
Although rejected, the plan, which was tantamount to the carving up of
Schiff’s empire, testified to the expanded needs of the community. It was a
tacit acknowledgment as well that no single individual could replace Schiff
in the overall direction of American Jewry.^28
250 Jacob H. Schiff