THE JEWISH CHRONICLE
The only Jewish publication in the State of Ilichigan
Devoted to the interests of the Jewish people
Vol. I.
No. 6
DETROIT, MICH., APRIL 7, 1916
$1.50 per Year
Cents
Single Copies 5
THE MASS MEETING
Detroit Jetehr Co)er Themselves With Glory—Gi)e )5110,000 for the
Telief of the War Sufferers
By ANTON KAUFMAN
There arc times when you feel
impressed with the inadequacy of
language to express your thoughts,
when your emotions are so over-
whelming that it is futile to try to
put them into mere words. Cicero
felt it when he stood mute at the
bedside of his dead mother. Na-
poleon felt it when he first beheld
the Pyramids and stopped at the
head of his troops, dumb and
speechless. I felt it and some 2,000
others felt it at last Tuesday's mass
meeting.
Picture, if you will, the sight that
greeted my eves as 1 entered the
doors of 4\ rcadia I fall, and you will
understand the reason fog' the feel-
ing. I saw an auditorium thronged
with people. Everywhere that I
looked, whether on the raised plat-
form far in front, on the main floor,
up in the balcony, on the sides, or
in the entrance—everywhere were
faces, faces that were beaming with
kindness, inspired by .compassion,
shining with the light of love and
sympathy. And as I looked 1
thought of the holy purpose for
which this ghthering had been
called, of the hundreds of similar
gatherings in every corner of this
land, and I thrilled with pride in a
people capable of such boundless
devotion.
Rich and Poor Alike Present
There were no lines drawn at
Arcadia I tall last Tuesday evening.
All of the artificial, man-made dis-
tinctions based upon wealth and so-
cial position, disappeared. \len re-
verted to the elemental, and in the
crisis their souls stood forth stark
naked. The man at my right, in
the garments and with the unmis-
takable air of the rich, was rubbing
elbows with his neighbor, sallow in
look, unkempt in appearance, wear-
ing the workman's clothes. In front
of me, a superbly dressed woman
was freely exchanging confidences
with a young girl who wore a shawl
over her head. All about me were
people who represented every One
of society's strata, who ranged all
the way from great wealth to ex-
treme poverty, from Woodward
Avenue merchants to pushcart ped-
dlers.
My gaze fell upon the platform
and encountered a sight which held
me spellbound. Amidst the drap-
ery of American flags which dec-
orated it was a huge clock, whose
single hand was to indicate every
$1,000 given at the :Mass Meeting,
bearing across the top in painted
letters the slogan of the committee,
"Give Until It Hurts." Seated in a
semi-circle upon the platform be-
neath, were a dozen or two of men,
the pick of the Jewish community.
I recognized the familiar features
of Rabbi A. NI. Hershman. Near
him sat the venerable and patriar-
cilia! Rabbi Judah P. Levin. Fur-
ther on was the clean-cut, well-
groomed figure of Rabbi Leo NI.
Franklin. And the presence upon
the platform of these three fore-
most religious leaders of Detroit
Jewry spoke eloquently of a people
splendidly united in the face of a
grave crisis.
Seated On the platform were also
David A. Brown, to whose energy
and efficiency the success of the
meeting will be an everlasting trib-
ute ; Henry NI. Ilutzel, Chairman of
the committee in charge of the en-
tire relief work ; Julius Freud, D.
\V. Simons. D. Robinson, C. A.
Finsterwald, and many other of the
leading men of Detroit Jewry. I
saw also the commanding figure and
the patrician features of Hon. Al-
fred J. Murphy. the representative
of the community of Detroit, and
last, the orator of the evening,
Rabbi Stephen S. Wise.
"We should give as Jews, be-
cause when one Jew suffers the
heart of all Israel is torn with an-
guish. And we should give as
Americans because ,a.true American
is not content to rest satisfied in his
own comfort and peace when an-
other is lashed with pain and suf-
fering."
Judge Alfred J. Murphy Ad-
dresses Audience
he made, standing there for a mo-
ment or two in silent contemplation
of the assembled thousands. The
squared shoulders were those of the.
athlete ; and the firm stride and
massive build spoke of tremendous
strength and reserve power. His
remarkable personality was stamped
upon every feature. The set, tena-
cious jaw denoted it. The keen,
scruntinizing, a 1 m o s t frowning
glance expressed it. The heavy,
shaggy hair betokened it. The man
looked every inch of what he is :
the central figure among American
rabbis, the foremost orator in the
Jewish pulpit.
Rabbi Franklin was succeeded
by Hon. Alfred J. Murphy, who
was introduced by the chairman as
"the highest type of both man and
American."
He spoke and I can still hear his
"I have been wondering," said
deep voice, full-throated and clear
Judge Murphy, what word of sym-
as a bell, resounding throughout
pathy a gentile could offer that
the hall in the opening sentence of
would not have some sound of
his eloquent address. 1 can still feel
mockery in it. For the war illus-
the shudder which ran through me
trates that the Jew is the Gentile's
as he vividly told of the sufferings
unoffending victim. The present is
of the Jews in the war zone, of the
indeed the greatest woe ever in-
'wretchedness of their condition, and
flicted upon Israel." The speaker
of the horror and misery of their
w a s frequently interrupted by
existence.. A great wave of tender-
cheers and a great wave of applause
ness engulfed every fibre of my
swept the hall when he declared being, and my heart went out in one
that "America's doors will be open
great outburst of pity to my stricken
to the Nvar ' s unfortunate victims
brethren in Europe's sacked cities
that they may come here and enjoy and bloody fields. All about me
the blessings of this land. There women were sobbing openly. The
can be no peace until social and po-
man at my right was winking
litical equality shall have been at- strangely, and the grimy hand of his
tained by all of God's children."
neighbor was wiping•away a furtive
Rabbi A. M. Hershman, who tear.
Rabbi Franklin Opens Meeting spoke next, delivered a notable ad-
Then a sharp note of appeal crept
With Prayer
dress. His voice fairly shook with
into
the speaker's voice, and I
suppressed feeling as he solemnly
The meetin!! was opened impres- announced "Belgians could depend thrilled in response to its magnetic
sively by Rabbi Leo \l. Franklin, upon their wealthy ally, Great quality. Ile was arousing American
who solemnly invoked the blessing Britain. We have no wealthy ally Jews to a sense of their duty. He
of the Almighty upon the assembly to fall hack upon. We have but was calling upon them to come to
and fervently prayed for its suc- one ally in this world—Israel. And the rescue. I looked about me to
cess. The huge audience stood list- particularly American Israel."
note the effect of his words. People
ening with bowed heads.
were straightening perceptibly in
"This is not a case for gifts or
He was followed by Mr. Henry donations, but a case for sacrifices. their seats. neir faces were be-
NI. Ilutzel, the chairman of the Whether pro-ally or pro-German in coming tense, and in their eyes there
evening, who briefly outlined the our sympathies, we must remember was shining the light of a great
purpose of the meeting, declaring always that we. are pro-Jewish, and resolve.
that "while Detroit has given much, that our own flesh and blood need
The speaker's tones grew louder,
it has not given in proportion to its our help.'"
more compelling, more resounding.
population or its ability to give."
Towering above his audience, his
He then called upon Rabbi Leo M.
countenance
transfigured by the
Rabbi Stephen S. Wise Speaks
Franklin, as the first speaker of
depth of his emotions, he reminded
the evening.
Then the chairman announced me of the historic figures of the
Rabbi Franklin's address was the orator of the evening, and in ancient Hebrew Prophets. His
soul-stirring. Portraying in every Answer to the outburst of applause language and utterances now were
move and gesture the depth of his which greeted his remarks, Rabbi brilliant. And after , a final moment
emotion, he demanded, "Why Stephen S. Wise arose and with during which he rose . to the most
should we give? Because we are measured step advanced to the edge sublime heights of eloquence, he
Jews, Americans, men.
of the platform. A striking figure Concluded.