Ohio Jewish Chronicle, 1931-08-21

              Central Ohio's Only
Jewish Newspaper
Reaching Every Home
®lf^ ®ljta J^xnfelf (ttbrotttrb
A WEEKLY NEWSPAPER FOR THE JEWISH HOME
Devoted to, American
and
Jewish Ideals
VOL. XV—No. 34
COLUMBUS,  OHIO, AUGUST 2r,  1931
Per Year $3.00; Per Copy loc
1
i
BytheWay
By David Schwartz
Felix M. Warburg Sees Pales¬ tine Binding Jews Closer Together
Milwaukee Jewry
Parodying Shakespeare one might say there arc columns in stones, and running brooks—and even in running trains. This is heiiiff written in between train stops in tbe city of Milwaukee, far from the madding Broadway
Milwaukee, 'Nathan Gould, editor of the Milwaukee Jewish Chronicle, boasted to me, feels itself particularly fortunate in the seeming almost total absence of anti-Semitism.
As regards the current business slump, a less enthusiastic note was struck. Yet in Milwaukee, there came to me a story, apropos of the business slump, which ought to cheer the spirit.
Tabic Diplomacy A wealthy Jew followed the good old Sabbath tradition of having an "orach" (a guest) for the Sabbotli meal. AH of the food was placed on a large platter, with the larger quantit;^ facing the host while the slimmer portions were on the side which faced the "orach."
How to get the better side to himself was the problem of the orach.
Very adroitly he began to tell a talc. "I want you to understand, Mr. Host," he begany "that I, too, was once very neb, but all of a sudden, things gave a turn—and , I became aitoor man." As he said tlie words "gave a turn," be il¬ lustrated it by spinning the platter.around "50 that the better part was in front of hirn.
The rich man saw wbat had happened, "That's all right, Mr. Orach," he said, "I nnderstatid how that is—in fact, just the reverse of that happened to me. You see, once I was very poor, and then sud- dcnlv, things gave a turn, and I became rich " As he said "gave a turn," the rich man also illustrated by spinning around the platter to its original  position.
And so, the poor man was out of luck agam. But the moral of the story, I suppose, is that "things may suddenly gue a turn" and let us hope, for the better
Jews and the Chicago Fair Chicago is planning, as you know, a workl exposition in 1933. And there is going to be a decided Jewish angle to it, according td H., L: Meites, the editor of the Chicago Jewish Ciironicle. Meites has written a book for the occasion—a voluminous history of tbe Jewish popula¬ tion of Chicago.
One of the Jiiost interesting tales of the book is the story of a Jewess, to whom Meites credits much of tbe early growth of the pineapple city.
History of Chicago Jews This woman was a Mrs. Kolin, wbo came to Chicago from Bavaria some¬ where in the decade 18BQ. When she ar¬ med, there was no scbocbet in Cliicago, so her son harnessed bis horse and set off for tile East and brought back a •ihochct.
Then the High Holy Days came around, and there was no synagogue in town The pious woman sobbed. "But we only have eight Jews in town. How can w e have a synagogue ?" asked the son "Wo have no Minyan."        '
As you might guess, he harnessed his horse again and was off to the F-ist picking up two peddlers and brought them to Chicago and established a s>na gogue.
It was this nucleus of small Jewish business men who gave much of the first decided commercial impulse to Chicago, writes Meites in his history.
This synagogue, by the way, stood at the site of Ihe present postof5ce in Chi¬ cago. There is a tablet on tbe postoffice whicii reads to the effect: "Here stood the first Jewish synagogue in the city of Cliicaga"
And a son of this Mrs. Kohn, Abra¬ ham Kohn,. was a personal friend of Abraham Lincoln, and presented Lincoln with a flag, when the President left in 1801 tu assume the duties pf his post. Einstein on Saloons Professor Einstein iti an article not so long ago in one of the American month¬ lies, after professing himself to he a to¬ tal abstainer, deplored one result of the disappearance of the saloon. He pointed out that Ihe cafes where men gathered to drink in Europe served also as public forums, where tbe topics of the day were discussed, opinions ventilated and clari¬ fied. America, said Kinsteui, had now no such place. People as a, whole, as a result, he thought, were deprived of a great educational influence.
The Revolutionary Taverns It would be very easy to furnish any number of illustrations from American history substantiating the truth of thi:; idea. In fact, some twenty years ago, Henry Adams, one of the most significant of American historians, pointed out thai the American> Revoliiiion was largely born in the colonial taverns. And even Pro¬ fessor Beard point.s out that it ^vas at the taverns, where men gathered for their liquor, that King George of England first was denounced as tyrant. All of the early American Revolutionary or¬ ganizations generally held their meetings in the' taverns. In fact, Kaleigh Tavern in Virginia became almost as much of a patriotic synonym as Fanctiil Hall of . Boston.
Trains and Saloons The only thing that  is  left us today that serves as a substitute for these pub¬ lic forums is the smoking compartment of the trains.
A Irani ride like lit|uor seems in> some mystic fashion to make men droji the ordinary inhibitions and become com- muiucative. And you do hear some strange opinions.
There was A. J. for instance- He is a Jewish grocer on bis way to California. By his looks—a very plain man. With¬ out any pretentions to .i>rofundity or beyond the average culture.
Curing Selfishness The trouble, said A, J, to me, as I list¬ ened, is with, the family.    And then A. (Continued on page 4)
Says "Devoted  Support by  Jews of
All Sections Necessary" In "Period
of Stress and Trial"
Hardoon of Shanghai
By SIDNEY WALLACH
NEW YORK—With Palestine going through "a period of stress and trial," it is more necessary than ever for "Jews of all sections and viewpoints" to, give 'devoted sujiport" to tbe upbuilding of the Jcxvish homeland in Palestine, says Mr. Felix M.,„Warhurg in an introduction whicii be wrote to the annual rcjiort of tlie Palestine Foundation Fund (Keren Haycsod), which has been made public by the American Palestine Campaign, tbe fund-raising instrument in tbe United States for the Keren Hayesod.
Declaring that the rebuilding of Pales¬ tine is knitting closer all sections of the Jewish people, Mr. Warburg asserts that iu regard to tbe Keren Hayesod "there can be no question, no difference of view¬ point."
His statement reads as follows: "Ten years have elapsed since tbe es¬ tablishment of the Keren Hayesod. Dur¬ ing this period it has served not only as tbe financial iustrument of the World Zi¬ onist Organization, but since the memo¬ rable meeting at Zurich in 11)29, the Ke-. ren Hayesod has become the fund-raising apparatus of tbe extended Jewi.sh Agency. "In a large sense, what the Keren Hay¬ esod achieves, lays the foundation for the progress of the Jewish Agency. Through the channels of this great organization, every man and woman who has an abid¬ ing interest iu the upbuilding of Pales¬ tine, has an opportunity to express his de¬ votion and his loyalty to this great Jewish cause. In serving tbe Keren Hayesod and its committees, we serve the cause of Palestine. We knit closer the tics which bind together all sections of the Jewish people.
"To some of us falls the arduous duty of determining the program of expen¬ ditures,, the policies underlying our com¬ mon task. So far as the Keren Hayesod is concerned, tlicre can be no question, no difference of viewpoint; there must be only one response—a willingness to serve and to sacrifice.
"We arc in a period of stress and trial. \tany problems press for solution both within .Palestine and in relation to the Mandatory Power. Af no time has there been a greater need for clear thinking, for, resolution and for a willingness to approach our duties calmly and in a spirit of tolerance, mutual'goodwill and understanding. To the work of, the Ke¬ ren Haycsod which furnishes the sinews of our undertakings, which makes pos¬ sible the existence of the Jewish .Agency and the; continuance of the historic work to which our brethren in every part of the world bave dedicated themselves— Jews of all sections andi viewpoints, it is hoped, willbring their full measure of devoted support."     ¦'
[EDITOR'S NOTE: Occasionally {he headline,'^ fflare rests upon a fignre in a lesser knoivn section of Ihe globe zcliose story ttinis out to be packed with drama. One such moment came wficn the news of the day carried ihc report of the death of Silas Aaron Hardoon, the Chinese Jewish mulfi-tnillionaire. This article, especially written for The Ohio Jeivish Chronicle, gives a bird's-eye view of the curiosities of his life.]
$2000 PRIZE NOVEL "GRAPES
OF CANAAN" OFF THB
PRESS
The procession, tbe funeral procession, formed on Sunday morning outside the garden.   From within, the exotic flowers and  well  tended   plants  sent, out their fragrance ¦ to blcml oddly with the arti¬ ficial  perfumes of  the censers and the specially prepared candles.    Outside of the main gateway a large pailou (arch¬ way) was erected all in white on cither side of which a lantern trimmed in white bore in Chinese characters the legend of "House of Hardoon."
The  two thousand mourners  treaded their way slowly across the paths of the Ai Li Garden.   They were met by silent ushers who held out a blank book and writing material for the mourners to' sign their names.    The guests were then of¬ fered an incense-stick a foot high, which they bore reverently to the head of a grave that bad been newly dug in the center of this garden of splendor.
Suddenly from out of the surrounding shrubbery the thin- wail of an indeter¬ minate Chinese musical instrument smote the air.   Soon the flutes added their wail .and ancient oriental string and percussion instruments joined in a plaintive funeral lament.    A modern, Chinese brass band, the one named Yih Shing, added its ca- caphony.    On the east of the lawn the Ying Ying musicians contributed to the mournful lament. The cortege reached tbe open grave. Then the full ceremonies of the Bud¬ dhist were launched.    Tbe wailing rose in pitch.    The white clad priests joined in the ritual.   Rockets were sent off into amazing contortions, to spill tbeir colors slowly   over   thco assemblage.     Funeral pyres were lit and, in true Chinese cus¬ tom, papier-mache palaces and servants and   cars  and  horses  and   cattle  were burned.
Tbe  mourners   continued  their   obei¬ sance.
Suddenly the crowd was hushed and out   from   among   the   chief   group  of mourners there stepped a bearded, skull- capped figure.   The figure came to the center of the throng and lifted its voice and spoke, in.,-Hebrew of -the. virtiws. «t, the man who had; died.   He intoned his eulogy for close to half an hour.   Then he read  the traditional Jewi'sli  funeral services.     Finally   three   young   voices were heard as they chanted ."Visgadal, Vc'yisfiadash, Slimci Rabbo......"
Thus were conducted the fbneral serv¬ ices of Silas Aaron Hardoon, first among the Jeivs of Shanghai, friend of yellow man and generous patron of humanity.
In days to come the legends will pile ui> about his memory until bis real figure and his actual achievements will have been hidden, possibly beyond recall. Even riow fantastic stories have begun to clut¬ ter ahout tbis fantastic son of -Israel.
He was a rich man. On that all are agreed. But there is a vast discrepancy between the sundry and one estimates ot his wealth. Some have placed it as high as one hundred million dollars. Others again have gone modestly down to thirty- five millions. One gathers even from the contradictions that here _was real nabob. Thirty-five millions or a hundred mil¬ lions—you can speculate to your heart's desire as to the exact sum. But 'tis enough; 'twill do.
He was a good man. On that too all are agreed. He was free with funds for charitable and educational purposes. But even in his kindness of heart he verged onto the fantastic. Married to a Chinese woman who became a Jewess fifty-eight years  ago,  he  went  about  adopting
among the war-torn Russian Jewish refugee families tbat were heaped up in the Chinese ports as a result of tbe war debacle. He is said to have a^loptcd an even half a score of thcin. Yet it is claimed by some that his adoptions to¬ taled as many as eighty. That for those eighty of his children he maintained a private educational institution and gave thcin comfort plus opportunity.
The reader may be puzzled by this ig- uorancc of a contemporary. But to be puzzled is lo forget the hidden charac¬ teristics of our brothers of the Rising Sun. There is little enough known of the European. But as one travels fur¬ ther East, crosses the Eurasian borders and steps into the colored multitudes of Asia, fact and fancy overlap. Be con¬ tent that there is a measure of truth in these doubtful details. The facts as de¬ termined about this mystery man of Shanghai arc, as closely as can be gath¬ ered, as follows:
Hardoon came to Shanghai from Bag¬ dad, where,' though a descendant of a irolablc family, be did not possess much ¦of the world's material possessions. Un¬ til he was sixteen (that was in 1803)- he e.'cpericnccd terrible privations- He lost bis intimate relatives and,was neglected hy the others to such a degree that in later life be would smile bitterly at the recollection.
Finally he tore away from the morass in which he had sunk while waiidering in the Bfigdad ghetto. He reached Tur¬ key, then Africa and finally be came tu the islands of the Malay archipelago. It was during those years of deep, ordeal tbat he met a young-Gbiitcse woman and between them a great love developed. When she consented to adopt the Jewish faith, the two were married.
Beginning with that event, the star of Hardoon began,lo rise higb in the heav¬ ens.
He came to Shanghai, which though at that time one of the flourishing ports of the newly discovered Orient, was far from the city it has since become.
B'nai   B'rith   Wider   Scope
Commission   Planning   to
Renew Its Activities
CINCIN'NATI—With the eight B'nai H'ritb Hillel Foundations scheduled to open in as many universities in a few weeks, the B'nai B'rith Wider Scope Commission is planning to renew its ac¬ tivities for the coming season.
.MI of the seven B'nai B'rith district grand lodges have agreed to wbat is known as .the Borinstcin plan to raise funds for this work. This plan, sug¬ gested by Louis J. Borinstcin, of Indi¬ anapolis, national chairman of the Wider Scope Committee, provides that' each B'nai B'rith district should raise a quota equal to fi\-e dollars ]H;r member. The resultant income will be used to carry on the work of the Hillel Foundations, the A.' Z. A., ¦ the Anti-befamation League^ Palestine housebuikling, and other activities of the Wider Scope.
Special efforts by Isidor Kadis, na¬ tional field director of Wider Scope, met with success during the summer, when he aroused great interest in several com¬ munities in the work of the Wider Scope. He is now in the East, confer¬ ring with B'nai B'rith leaders in Dis¬ tricts Nos. 1 and ,3, , He will speak at the. North Xew England conference at Old Orchard, Maine, on Labor Day. Elias Caplan, Portland, Maine, is presi¬ dent of this conference.
Mr. Kadis will also address B'nai R'rith lodges at Bridgeport, New Lon¬ don, and New Haven, Conn., and Bos¬ ton, Mass. He will conclude his eastern trip late in September with conferences in New York City with judge Albert Cohn, president of District No. 1, and other VVider Scope heads, to arrange for Wider Scope activities for the coming year. .
The Story of a Libel
A Chapter in American Jewish History ,
By
Joshua Bendon
Tickets for Agudath Achim
Holiday Services Now on
Sale Daily
The Agudath Achim Congregation is Har- 1 '"*'^cd most fortunate in having for its
Elma EhrUch Levinger
The Ohio Jewish Chronicle has re¬ cently received the prize novel, "Grapes of Canaan" by our own Elma Ehrlich Levinger. As far as we know, this is the first time that a prize has been awarded for such a novel dealing with a Jewisb-.American subject. Wc believe Mrs. Levingcr has done a splendid job on this book and has portrayed the Jew in a forthright, honest, unsentimental, realistic, and withal thoroughly interest¬ ing manner.
We wish to recommend this book to the readers of the Chronicle and will ac¬ cept orders for same at our office, 305 Schultz Bldg., Columbus, Ohio. The- price of the book is $2,50,
LANCASTER SISTERHOOD
WILL HOLD ANNUAL
PICNIC AUG. 30lh
The annual picnic of the B'nai Israel Sistcrhowl will he held on Sunday, August 3Utb, at Crystal Sprini^s. just five miles south of Lancaster. I'.laborate preparations bave been macic for this event. Tliere will he card games for those who wish to play, and dancing to the tune of a snappy orchestra. Many features of entertainment have been ar¬ ranged for both young and old.
A cordial invitation is extended to the Columbus Jewish coninmnity as well as the surrounding towns.
Remember Ihe picnic place on Sunday, August 30th, Bring your family and iriends.
doon however seemed to possess an un¬ canny sense of the city's growth. He was once associated with the Sassoon firm,and in the time that be Went about as a salesman for that firm he acquired a deep knowledge of the Chinese people and an affection for, them.
This served wonders when it was com¬ bined with an uncanny business seiise that cropped out after be had attained ma¬ turity. He bought real estate in Shan¬ ghai and when the city grew from a mud flat to the chief city of China his coffers ¦^?,oon ruetaplicrically-buTet with hi& xk>e- sessions. The etxra territoriality ar¬ rangement made it possible for him to carry his land property untaxed by either the Chinese or the foreign powers. Eut Hardoon spent more than the amount he would have paid to aid needy Chinese and for the promotion of Chinese cul¬ ture. ..
Because of this considerate' action he was much beloved by tbe natives among whom the highest in office were glad to 'be his friends. More than once Dr. Sun Yet Sen, the late president and founder of the Republic of China, walked aFm in arm with this friend, of his people in bis exquisite garden lands.. If .for nothing else he must hive thanked him for his gift of 1000 volumes of the Buddhist canon which were distributed to libraries all over the world.
Remarkable in life be made unusual stipulations in his will, one provision of which is known to call for the transla¬ tion of the Jewish Publication Society's version of tlic Hebrew Bible into Chi¬ nese.
Thus, Silas Aaron Hardoon.
He went through a wide gamut of ex¬ periences and emotions. He acquired great wealth which he distributed wisely But be made a really precious .acquisi' tion, whin, a member of a rare group of foreigners so to do, he became the real friend of the people among whom he lived and attained bis greatest fame and
household  of  children, especially  from   influence.    (Copyright, 1931, J. T. A.)
East Btoad St. Temple to
Plan Holiday Services at
Meeting Monday Eve
The East Broad jtreet Temple is now making extensive preparations for the high holidays. Announcement has just been made by Mr. I. H. Schlezinger, president of the East Broad Street Tem¬ ple, that a special meeting will be held Monday evening, August .24th, at 8 o'clock at the Temple. At this time matters pertaining to the high holiday services will be discussed. Arrange¬ ments for seats and^ie^ayment of dues will also be brought up,
Mr. Schlezinger slated that he is very happy to have beci) able to rcrengage the services of the eminent Mr.., Morris Shimony as cantoi", as well as Kabbi Solomon Rivlin who' will occupy the imlpit for the High Holidays, flius as- suruig the worshippers of the East Broad Street Temple and their friends of thoroughly modern services such as very few congregations will be able to surpass.
It is very urgent, therefore, that every member of the Tcmi>le should be present at Ibis imporiant niceting Monday eve¬ ning, t>rom]>tly at 8 o'clock.
cantor during tbe qoming high holidays the same beloved and respected Rev. Ansel Freedman who officiated last year. Cantor Freedman, whose popularity' is already nation-wide, will chant tbe serv¬ ices and Rabbi Isaac Werne will dtdiver. the holiday sermons and lectures.
The texts of the rabbi's discourses will be published in a forthcoming issue of the Chronicle. The big demand for seats has compelled the officers, of the congre¬ gation tb make the following annoimcc- meiit to all its members as well as to the entire community:
Special Announcement ' "By order of the Board of Trustees, admission-to the High Holiday Ser\'ices at the Congregation Agudath Achim will be by ticket only. Both. members and. non-members must present tickets to be admitted and seated.
"Children under five '5'cars of age will also not be permitted to. enter tbe Syna¬ gogue. Special services for children be¬ tween the ages of five and fourteen will be held in the Junior Congregation, downstairs, Please, see that your child attends these services.
(Signed) The Board of Trustees."
Those wbo have not as yet procured their tickets, are urged to do so immedi¬ ately. The Seat. Committee will be in the ofiice of the Synagogue every eve¬ ning from 7 to 9 o'clock and on Sunday morning from 9:30 to 12.
SHELTER   HOIJSE   SOCIETY HOLDS MEETING
A regular meeting of the Ladies' Hach¬ nosis Orchim Society ivas held Thursday evening, August 13th, in tbe banquest ball of the Agudath Achim Congregation, with Mrs. H. Block presiding.
Mrs. Wm. Cohen, chairman of the pic¬ nic held on August 2nd at Olentangy I'ark, reported au overwhelming success, ;iiid expressed her thanks lo all of her committees. Special thanks was given to Mr, Philip Berman and Mr. Wm. Cohen for Ihcir kind cooperation.
Mr. George Yenkin reported 73 new members. It is also interesting to note that Mr. Yenkin has charge of the meal tickets, and is authorized by the Ladies* .Society to get new niembcrs and also collect membership dues.
JOINT    PROGRAM    AND
DANCE   TO   BE   HELD ^
OCT. 28th
Jewish     Organizations     of Zanesville   to   Sponsor Picnic Aug. 30th -
On. Sunday, August 30th, at Smith's Grove, the Zanesville Jewish organiza¬ tions arc sponsoring a Jewish communit> picnic which all Jewish communities in this section of the state are cordially in¬ vited to attend.
According to the committee on ar- raniiements, there will be plenty of enter¬ tainment for all, free toys for the kiddies, games, races, stunts and many prizes will be awarded to winners. There will also be a baseball game between the sin¬ gle and married men on tbe afternoon's program.
To reach the picnic grounds, travel on the National highway up to ten miles from Zanesville, at the County line, then turn north on the cross road, and follow the signs to Smith's Grove.
EZRAS   NOSHIM   PACKAGE PARTY SEPTEMBER 15th
SENIOR HADASSAH BOARD MEETING AUGUST 26th
A board meeting of the Senior Hadas¬ sah will be held Wednesday, August -2dlh, at 2:15 p. m„ at the Maramor on East Broad Street,
Under  Auspices  of  Agudath  Achim Brotherhood and Sisterhood
\ prograni and dance will be spon¬ sored jointly by the Agudath Achim Brotherhood and Sisterhood on October 28th. Mrs. Rolwft Suid has been ap¬ pointed chairman by the Sisterhood. She will be assisted by Mrs. J. Krakowitz. The Brotherhood has chosen Dr. Don Shnsterman as tbeir chairinan.
Watch the Chroniele^ for further de¬ tails.
.\ Package Party under the auspices of the Ezras Noshim Society wiJI be held on Tuesday evening, September loih, in the vestry room of Ihe Agudath Acbini Congregation, Washington and Donaldson. Don't fail to.keep this date open!
FREE   LOAN   SOCIETY   TO
SPONSOR CARD PARTY
SEPT. 27th
The. Ladles' Free Loan Society will hold its annual Card Party oh Sunday, September 27th, at 015 Carpenter Street. Tickets can now be procured through any member of the Society at 50c per couple. Prizes will be awarded to the winners, and refreshments will be served. Watch tbe Chronicle for further details.
[EmToii's Notk: This article zvritten expressly for The Ohio Jewish CHitoNicLE, rccrt'o/cj a scene of close lo a (jiiiirtcr of a century aijo wh'en an Anieyicon public official insulted the Jews nho rose in protest against his charges.]
In a recently published article by Ernest K. Coulter of the iNew York So¬ ciety for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, the author tells of the amazing decrease in Jewish criminality that has taken place in New York ever since, some twenty-five years ago, when a bold ^ announcement by the Police Commis¬ sioner galvanized tbe Jews into corrective action.
If the change Mr. Coulter described is in truth astonishing, so too was the bomb¬ shell amidst the Jews, to which the. author traces the origin of the cbangc.^ Scanning the contemporary records of; the episode there stands revealed one of the most exciting Jewish events in the; story of the greatest metropoHs of the; United Stales. It is. a story too thatj throws.much light on methods and man-' iicrs and attitudes and alignments of to¬ day.
The New York of 1908, the exact year of the occurrence,—was vastly different froni the city of some quarter of a cen¬ tury earlier. Within that period there bad come to the hospitable shores of the United. States millions of immigrants. Among them there were mounting hun¬ dreds of tbousaiids of Jews. They cf- .¦ fccted a change in tempo in the city that, was of considcriable importance to the conimunity's progress. But the new im¬ migrants also brought new faces, new languages, new habits. New York ac¬ quired a different color and dash of life than it had known earlier, There were not a few snobs of the older inhabitants , who figuratively tilted their noses towards the newiiomers and actually snubbed them as inferiors.
This conditioning of New York un¬ doubtedly affected developments;- es¬ pecially the developments of this story. Other than snobbery there appeared also' the'growing influence and political power of the Jews. From their mingling tins picture^ of a near quarter of a century ago emerges.
The excitement began late in August, ,1908. when Police Commissioner Theo¬ dore A. Bingham in an article published; the North American Review on For¬ eign. Criminals in New York included the. statement that "It Is, not astonishing that with a million Hebrews, mainly Russian in the city, one quarter of the population,. perhaps, half the criminals should be of . that race,"
There was more in the article that re¬ vealed the anti-Semitic mind- There was reference to a "natural bent" of the Jew for a special type of criminality. And other sentences of like imoort.
Promptly the article stirred up a hoN net's nest.
Several of the English newspapers fea¬ tured the story With sensational headlines. They were followed promptly by similar newspaper excitement from the Yiddish dailies.
The staid Tageblatt (bf pious memory) Interrupted its routine pages by running a large double column banner headed "Bingham's Ugly Insult to the Jews.'* On other days there followed more two column stories and editorials reporting the excitement of New York's Jewish spokesmen and calling upon tbe commis¬ sioner to resign his office. Later Louis Marshall was constrained to write to the Tageblatt differing with its heated calls for-public alarms.
There was thunder and lightning in the city. ¦
. The commissioner's figures were chal¬ lenged by well-known statisticians. On top of that resolute individuals came forward with denunciations and of course the newspapers did not deny place to the sensation.
The Forward, at that time boasting a circulation of over 72,000 readers, rested long enough from jts reports of the im¬ pending socialist revolution and the sum¬ mary of Comrade Upton Sinclair's latest expose, to throw itself whole-heartedly into the fray. Its special contribution was the information that jailed striker? were listed among the Jewish icriminaU reported upon in the Commissioner's ar¬ ticle. The Forward further fanned the excitement with fhe headline "Bingham Against Russian Jews."
But it must not be .supposed that if the insult was directed solely against the Russian Jews that they alone arose i^"' protest.   , . :
The American Hebrew, spokesman for - the German-Americans, with Cyrus L. Sulzberger at the time as its head, called Bingham's article an "over colored aci- count" and said ot it: "Many of. Com¬ missioner Bingham's statements are ob¬ viously due to prejudice rather than to experience; and the general tone whicji be lias chosen to adopt toward Jewisji criminality deserves reprobation." ii Later tbe publication refers, with typi¬ cal calm, "to the commotion raised among the Jews of the city," adds that it is quite unnecessary and continues ; "Com¬ missioner Bingham is not renowned for the accuracy of bis statements or the ob¬ jectivity of his judgments. The Ameri¬ can Jews regard such obvious slander with the silence atxl contempt that it de¬ serves."
Jacob H. Schiff expressed himself as shocked and astounded by the statements which he described as "of an anti-Sem¬ itic intent." Louis Marshall rose in pro¬ test. So did Rabbi Judah L. Magnes of Temple Emanuel. So too did Rabbi Jo- se|)h Silverman, Judge Rosalsky, Con¬ gressman Goldfogle and many another spokesman of Jewish organizations many of_ whom met to protest against the Com¬ missioner.
(Continued on page 4)
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