The Far Side of the Sky by Daniel Kalla

Author:Daniel Kalla [Kalla, Daniel]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: General Fiction
ISBN: 9781443402675
Publisher: Forge
Published: 2011-09-20T04:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 26

“Cut here, please, Dr. Adler,” Reuben instructed, tugging on the two ends of the stitch that held the thyroid gland together.

As Franz snipped the catgut, he considered how much he preferred assisting Sunny over Reuben. But he had little choice; his family relied on his income from the Country Hospital. Still, relative to most of the other refugees, fortune had smiled on Franz. If not for the intervention of a kind old travel agent, his family might have faced the same miserable fate as Max Feinstein’s daughter and her children. At least in Shanghai, Jews were free of persecution. Franz had never seen any evidence of anti-Semitism among the Chinese, nor the Japanese.

A few months earlier, at one of the Reubens’ dinner parties, he had raised the subject with Colonel Tsutomo Kubota, who was a fixture at the tiresome soirees. “While we might be strategically allied with the Germans,” Kubota said, “it does not mean we share their philosophies or bigotries.”

“Does anti-Semitism not exist in Japan?” Franz asked. Kubota considered the question. “For a nation without an indigenous Jewish population, we possess an unusual fascination for your people.

Much of it dates back forty years to the Russo-Japanese War. We could not have won without a sizable loan from the Jewish American banker, Jacob Schiff. Our nation is still grateful.” He held out a hand. “However, our interest goes deeper still. You are familiar with The Protocols of the Elders of Zion?”

“A hateful hoax,” Franz muttered. Fabricated in turn-of-the-nineteenth-century Russia, the widely circulated document propagated the myth of a worldwide Jewish conspiracy to control governments through economic and political influence.

“All nonsense, I realize.” Kubota nodded. “At Cambridge, I roomed with a brilliant fellow named Lionel Reif. I spent school holidays with his family and developed a deep appreciation for the Jewish way of life. However, most Japanese have never met a Jew. They believe the stereotypes of The Protocols exist but interpret them in a very different light than the authors intended. To my people, if the Jews control all the banks and governments, it can only mean that they are important and influential people to be respected, not shunned.”

Franz frowned. “A kind of reverse anti-Semitism?”

“I suppose so, yes.” Kubota smiled. “Most Japanese believe that Jews create wealth and success wherever they go. As you know, we are one of the few nations to encourage immigration of the German Jews. My government even once considered populating the province of Manchuria with Jewish refugees to encourage growth and industry.”

Samuel Reuben pulled Franz out of the memory. “We are still waiting, Adler,” he said tersely as he swung the end of the stitch from side to side.

“I am sorry, Dr. Reuben.” Franz snipped the suture near the base of the thyroid.

After assisting Samuel Reuben for almost eighteen months, Franz had developed grudging respect for his colleague’s skill and judgment. He had also learned that it was wisest to keep his opinions to himself. Reuben craved deference. As long as Franz responded accordingly, he was treated more like a junior doctor than an orderly.

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