Mr. Berger's Accuracy
To the Editor:
I gave Professor Morroe Berger’s article (“America’s Syrian Community,” April) to a “Syrian” (Lebanese) friend whom I respect as an intelligent, informed, and sensitive person. He “tried it out” on a few of his friends.
We have been sampling one another’s propaganda, from Zionists and Arab nationalists, with interest for several years, for the mutual adjustment of our respective senses of perspective and humor. In this case I was interested in whether the article agreed with his experience, and what his reaction to such a presentation would be.
In short, he and his friends were amazed by the accuracy of the description of the American “Syrian” community; such an effort had not come to their attention even from the pen of a member of their own group.
Exception was taken to the validity of only one minor point Regardless of their attitude toward T. E. Lawrence and Faisal as individuals, their gratification over the freedom gained seems to be unquestioning. They demur at the skepticism represented by the couplet quoted by Mr. Berger, as not being representative of their attitude.
But the score was 99 per cent and my friend’s reaction was that, if he were not afraid of being accused of advertising among the people he serves as a professional man, he would like to get reprints of the article and distribute them to all the local “Syrians”!
Thayer S. Warshaw
Lawrence, Mass.
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