Albert Meets America: How Journalists Treated Genius during Einstein's 1921 Travels

11 Speaks for Proposed Zionist University (New York, April 27–May 1)

Wednesday, April 27 Einstein and Weizmann to Address Students Prof. Albert Einstein and Dr. Chaim Weizmann will be the guests and speakers at a special meeting of the Council of Jewish Student Societies, to be held in the Great Hall of the College of the City of New York, this evening at 8 o’clock. Both distinguished scientists will speak on“The Proposed Hebrew University in Palestine,” in behalf of which Professor Einstein and his colleagues are visiting this country. The Hon. Oscar S. Straus, former United States Ambassador to Turkey,will preside.The meeting will be open to students, graduates and all others interested in the proposed Hebrew University. The Council of Jewish Student Societies consists of representatives of national organizations of Jewish students, including the Intercollegiate Menorah Association, the Intercollegiate Zionist Association, the Zeta Beta Tau,Beta Sigma Rho,Alpha Epsilon Pi,Tau Epsilon Phi,Kappa Nu,and Phi Epsilon Pi Fraternities. Yidishes Togeblat—The Jewish Daily News, April 27. Einstein to Students With Dr.Weizmann He Speaks for Proposed Zionist University Professor Albert Einstein and Dr.Chaim Weizmann,President of the World Zionist Organization, spoke last night at a meeting of the Council of Jewish Student Societies in the hall of the College of the City of New York. Nearly 11 Speaks for Proposed Zionist University ) 2,000 persons were in the great hall to hear the two leading Zionists speak in behalf of the proposed Hebrew University in Palestine. They were introduced by Oscar S. Straus, former Ambassador to Turkey, who told of the achievements of the two men and told briefly of the work they are doing in Palestine. The New York Times, April 28, p. 14. Thursday, April 28 On this day, Einstein asked Louis D. Brandeis for certain data, which Brandeis sent him on the following day via Ben Flexner.48 One of the bones of contention between Weizmann and Brandeis was whether the funds collected in the United States for the university had been spent for other purposes.49 It appears that Einstein had wanted clarity in this matter. Friday and Saturday, April 29–30 Einstein to Lecture Here Tomorrow Professor Einstein, exponent of the theory of relativity, will deliver two lectures on the“Cardinal Principles and Methods of the Theory of Relativity,” before the Zionist Society of Engineering and Agriculture at the Engineers’ Building, 29 West 39th street. The first lecture will be given tomorrow evening, and will be followed with the second on Saturday. The New York Call, April 28, p. 6. Einstein was invited to lecture by Executive Secretary Isaac J. Stander on April 25.50 The lectures were to be delivered at 8:15 p.m. at the Auditorium of the Engineering Societies Building. There are no reports on their reception. Speaks for Proposed Zionist University (April 27–May 1) ) 141 142 ) Albert Meets America Sunday, May 1 Einstein on Irrelevances By Don Arnald “How comfortable you make everything in the hotel! Every door, every window, is perfect; nothing is out of order. It is all so well planned and well organized. I never saw such rooms; such care for details; such hotel lobbies, with so many to serve you. Everything—everything is systematized, down to the bathrooms. You people in America are very practical. I like the way you light up the windows with the signs. I like the cheerful way you arrange the electricity up and down the streets.” So spoke Professor Albert Einstein, apostle of relativity, in the course of a talk about his experiences in New York. “What was it that impressed you most when you arrived?” the interviewer asked. “Ah! I see so many nationalities living together so well. America is a country of many different peoples at peace with one another. Then, too, I like the restaurants with the ‘color’ of the nations in the air. Each has its own atmosphere. It is like a zoological garden of nationalities, when you go from one to the other.” “Are you a bit disappointed not to find some beer in our dining rooms?” “I cannot say alcohol is as bad as people think it is,”replied the professor. “It may not be so good for men to spend all their wages on drinking. But it is more an economic question than a question of health. Some workmen must have liquor, it seems. We must not take everything away. Prohibition shows the strength...