Felix Frankfurter TLS regarding Malik February 12, 1962

Book Description

Signed Letter from Felix Frankfurter discussing Dr. Charles Habib Malik of LebanonFRANKFURTER, Felix. Typed Letter Signed to Sam on Supreme Court of the United States stationery regarding Charles Habib Malik. [Washington, D.C.] February 12, 1962. One page. Near Fine Condition.Supreme Court of the United StatesWashington, D.C. Chambers of Justice Felix FrankfurterMy dear Sam,The five copies of the Universal edition of The Case of Sacco and Vanzetti have come. Let me say how worthily you have given the book a new lease on life.Your last visit could not have given you a better time than it gave me. I quite appreciate your desire to bring Dr. Malik and me together. He is, of course, a distinguished man whose scholarship and general outlook on life I greatly respect. He and I deeply differ about Israel, however, and more particularly about Israeli-Arab relations. Intellectual differences never affect my personal relations with people. On my part they seem quite irrelevant. But Dr. Malik’s views not only differ from mine. He has expressed them with such intensity and at times, as I regard them, with intolerance that I do not think talk between us on this subject would be profitable, and we could hardly encounter one another and consciously leave out so important a subject. I think, therefore, we better leave the lily lay. If chance should bring us together one of these days that is another story.With cordial regards and good wishes,Very Sincerely yours,Felix Frankfurter.P.S. I am grateful to your Editor who gave me a Doctor of Laws from Harvard in 1906. Harvard did not give it to me until 1956.Frankfurter clearly feels that a dialogue between him and Malik would be unprofitable, as "he and I differ about Israel, however, and more particularly about Israeli-Arab relations." This letter clearly demonstrates Frankfurter's support of the Jewish people and his commitment to Israel.Felix Frankfurter (1882-1965) came to America from Vienna at the age of 12 and rose through the ranks of judicial academia to become the third Jewish Supreme Court Justice after Brandeis and Cardozo. Although not an observing Jew, (Frankfurter quipped he was “a reverent agnostic”) he was still an extremely aware, and frequently active participant in pro-Jewish causes. He was appointed by Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1930 and served 23 years until his retirement in 1962.Dr. Charles Habib Malik, of Lebanon, was President of the thirteenth session of the General Assembly. A professor of Philosophy at Harvard University in 1936-37, he subsequently held various posts with the American University of Beirut, and served as Head of the Department of Philosophy in 1943-45. In the period 1945-53 Dr. Malik served as Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of Lebanon in the United States. He has also represented his country on the Commission on Human Rights and served as Chairman of that body in 1951-52. Often described as an Arab philosopher, Dr. Malik is the author of numerous articles on scientific, social and philosophical topics in American and Arabic journals.

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