Morris Michael Edelstein
Encyclopedia
Morris Michael Edelstein (February 5, 1888–June 4, 1941) was a Polish
-born Congressional Representative from the state of New York
. Edelstein was born in Meseritz (Międzyrzec Podlaski)
, Poland
, and at three years of age immigrated to the United States
with his parents, who settled in New York City. He attended public schools and Cooper Union College
in New York. He graduated from the Brooklyn Law School
of St. Lawrence University
, in 1909, and was admitted to the bar in 1910 and practiced law in New York. Edelstein was elected as a Democrat to the Seventy-sixth Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the death of William I. Sirovich
. He was reelected to the Seventy-seventh Congress and served from February 6, 1940, until his death on June 4, 1941, in the cloakroom of the House of Representatives, Washington, DC, after completing the delivery of a speech on the floor of the House.
Representative John Elliott Rankin, widely described as an anti-Semite
who advocated peace with Nazi Germany
. Rankin had just delivered a House floor speech accusing "international Jewish brethren" of trying to drag American into World War II
.
In response, Edelstein, who was of Jewish ancestry, said: "Hitler started out by speaking about 'Jewish brethren.' It is becoming the play and the work of those people who want to demagogue to speak about their 'Jewish brethren' and 'international bankers.' ... I deplore the idea that ... men in this House ... attempt to use the Jews as their scapegoat. I say it is unfair and I say it is un-American. ... All men are created equal, regardless of race, creed or color, and whether a man be Jew or Gentile
, he may think what he deems fit." Edelstein then walked out of the House. He collapsed and died shortly afterwards in the House cloakroom.
He is buried in Mount Zion Cemetery
, Maspeth
, New York.
Biography at U.S. Congress
liberty ship
, was named in his honor.
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
-born Congressional Representative from the state of New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. Edelstein was born in Meseritz (Międzyrzec Podlaski)
Miedzyrzec Podlaski
Międzyrzec Podlaski is a city in Biała Podlaska County, Lublin Voivodeship, Poland, with the population of 17,162 inhabitants as of 2006. The total area of the city is 20.03 km2...
, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, and at three years of age immigrated to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
with his parents, who settled in New York City. He attended public schools and Cooper Union College
Cooper Union
The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art, commonly referred to simply as Cooper Union, is a privately funded college in the East Village neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City, United States, located at Cooper Square and Astor Place...
in New York. He graduated from the Brooklyn Law School
Brooklyn Law School
Brooklyn Law School is a law school located in Brooklyn Heights, in Downtown Brooklyn, New York.-History:Founded in 1901 by William Payson Richardson and Norman P. Heffley, Brooklyn Law School was the first law school on Long Island. Using space provided by Heffley’s business school, the law...
of St. Lawrence University
St. Lawrence University
St. Lawrence University is a four-year liberal arts college located in the village of Canton in Saint Lawrence County, New York, United States. It has roughly 2300 undergraduate and 100 graduate students, about equally split between male and female....
, in 1909, and was admitted to the bar in 1910 and practiced law in New York. Edelstein was elected as a Democrat to the Seventy-sixth Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the death of William I. Sirovich
William I. Sirovich
William Irving Sirovich was an American politician from New York.Sirovich was born in 1882 in York County, Pennsylvania to Hungarian immigrants Rev. Jacob and Rose Sirovich . The family moved to New York City in 1888...
. He was reelected to the Seventy-seventh Congress and served from February 6, 1940, until his death on June 4, 1941, in the cloakroom of the House of Representatives, Washington, DC, after completing the delivery of a speech on the floor of the House.
June 4, 1941
Edelstein's last speech was a response to MississippiMississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
Representative John Elliott Rankin, widely described as an anti-Semite
Anti-Semitism
Antisemitism is suspicion of, hatred toward, or discrimination against Jews for reasons connected to their Jewish heritage. According to a 2005 U.S...
who advocated peace with Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
. Rankin had just delivered a House floor speech accusing "international Jewish brethren" of trying to drag American into World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
In response, Edelstein, who was of Jewish ancestry, said: "Hitler started out by speaking about 'Jewish brethren.' It is becoming the play and the work of those people who want to demagogue to speak about their 'Jewish brethren' and 'international bankers.' ... I deplore the idea that ... men in this House ... attempt to use the Jews as their scapegoat. I say it is unfair and I say it is un-American. ... All men are created equal, regardless of race, creed or color, and whether a man be Jew or Gentile
Gentile
The term Gentile refers to non-Israelite peoples or nations in English translations of the Bible....
, he may think what he deems fit." Edelstein then walked out of the House. He collapsed and died shortly afterwards in the House cloakroom.
He is buried in Mount Zion Cemetery
Mount Zion Cemetery (New York City)
Mount Zion Cemetery is a Jewish cemetery located in the Maspeth neighborhood of New York City. It was founded in 1893 and has more than 210,000 burials. It is noted for its memorial to the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire.-Notable burials:...
, Maspeth
Maspeth, Queens
Maspeth is a small community in the borough of Queens in New York City. Neighborhoods sharing borders with Maspeth are Woodside and Sunnyside to the north, Long Island City to the northwest, Greenpoint to the west, East Williamsburg to the southwest, Fresh Pond and Ridgewood to the south, and...
, New York.
Biography at U.S. Congress
Legacy
The SS M. Michael Edelstein, a World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
liberty ship
Liberty ship
Liberty ships were cargo ships built in the United States during World War II. Though British in conception, they were adapted by the U.S. as they were cheap and quick to build, and came to symbolize U.S. wartime industrial output. Based on vessels ordered by Britain to replace ships torpedoed by...
, was named in his honor.