2

THE JEWISH CHRONICLE

The Popes and Jewish Rights

to be ready at midnight. The
nights are dark now.
We had to pack up and hand ev-
Concerning the Latest Diplomatic Efforts of the American
erything over to the woman. She
will get our baggage across later.
Jewish Committee
The main thing, she says, is to take
care of the live stock, the people.
By ISRAEL GOLDBERG
She gives us full instructions.
"In their fear of being extermin-
At midnight, she says, we must in power which the Popes have suf- tiff, should not be restricted on ac-
ated
entirely they (the Jews) have
hurry out beyond the city. There fered since the reformation, it is count of his religion. Whatever
we'll see a little hill. We are to not to be denied that the Supreme "natural rights" may be taken to sought the protection of the Apos-
pass that hill, turn to the left and -Catholic Pontiff is still capable of mean, let us hope the term is meant tolic Chair and we hereby forbid
walk and walk until we come to an- affecting the weal or woe of the to include full civil and political every unjust oppression of the said
ether htll. Then, she says, we must Jewish people. A comprehensive rights—it is certainly novel and en- Jews, whose conversion we trust to
turn to the right and keep on until Jewish policy, therefore, should couraging to hear such an expres- the mercy of God, according to the
we come to a little inn. One of properly include measures for the sion from the head of the Catholic promise of the Prophet, that those
us must go in—alone. In the inn, securing of the active friendship of Church applied to the Jews. The of them who remain shall be saved;
she says, he will find two Goyim the Pope, and the American Jew- implied promise to address the and we recommend them to you,
drinking brandy at one table. He ish Committee in its appeal to Rene- Catholic Clergy of Poland on behalf our brethren, through this Apostolic
is to go up to them and whisper : diet XV. on behalf of the Jews in of the Jews is highly interesting. letter, that you may show favor to
"Chaimowa." That will be enough. Poland certainly took a step which But it would be still more interest- them and help them to their right,
As soon as they hear, she says, the all the circumstances warrant. So ing to see exactly what the clergy when they have been unjustly im-
prisoned; and that you in no case
word "Chaimowa" (that's her far so good. was asked to do.
permit them to be oppressed for
name) they will get up and lead us
With all the points of 'interest,
Some time ago much prominence
said or similar causes. Those who
into a little wood. In the wood four was given in the daily press to the however, in the reply of the Pope
more Goyim will be waiting for us. results of the representations to the to the American Jewish Commit- are guilty of molesting them in this
If we should find them asleep we Pope of the American Jewish Com- tee, it is difficult to discover any way arc to lie punished by doing
without re-
must wake them. When we enter mittee. • The Yiddish papers' • pre- ground upon which could be based penance in the , church
• o ••
-
gard
to
tor
the wood, she says, we must be , s e Med the inciden
bOtid
claims made g
the ave
mentioned
iidt as the moSt
quiet, very quiet. Not a murmur! portant news of the. hour, and one for it It is as far from being a the official Bull.
It would assuredly be of the
Otherwise, we will be heard, God of them, not unsuspected of sub- Papal Bull as the American Jewish
forbid, and there would be shots serviency to that body, even thought Committee is from being a demo- greatest benefit to the Polish Jews
* * * At every step, she says, a it
i necessary to reproduce a photo- cratic body. And as for its being if Benedict XV. addressed a simi-
soldier stands with a gun and he graph of the Pope's reply in French the most important Papal document gar document to the Polish priests
shoots * * * From the little for its Yiddish readers! The edi- with reference to the Jews it is and bishops. It would undoubted-
wood, she says, the Goyim will lead torial comment on that document only the advertising agents of that ly relieve the terrible plight of our
us out upon the right road, down a was even more extravagant. It was committee who could make such a Polish brethren, oppressed as they
hill, and then, presto! We'll find declared to be a Papal Bulletin ad- claim. are by all sorts of false accusations.
And certain it is that the horrifying
ourselves on the other side!
dressed to the Catholic clergy of
In the course of the relations be-
Everything happened just as the Poland, calling on them to use thOr tween the Popes and the Jews, nu- facts upon which the present Pon-
influence in favor of the Jews.lt was merous documents, among thenF a tiff could base his I hill are just as
woman had prophesied.
My brother Elihu is certainly declared to be the most important number of official Bulls, were is- well established as those upon which
smart. He suggested that he and document ever issued by a Pope sued by the Popes. Some of these Innocent IV. bases his admonition
to the clergy of Germany.
Pini both go into the inn. And so with reference to the Jews. The ihdis are favorable to the Jews.
We find, however, in Benedid's
it was. f-lalf an hour had passed impression therefore was spread One of them, the most famous, is
when we saw them coming with the abroad that a great deliverance had that issued by innocent IV. for the reply to the American Jewish Com-
two Goyim. ' The Goyim are still come upon the Jews in Poland city of Lyons, July 5, 1247. This 'Mace that he does not accept the
sleepy and a bit drunk. We tramp through the efforts of the American document, addressed to the heads facts submitted to him. "The Su-
and tramp. Jewish Committee. of the church in Germany, officially preme Pontiff cannot express him-
in
Suddenly our two guides wheel The document in question t u g refutes the blood accusation against self concerning the special facts we
your
memorandum."
And
yet
around on us and demand that we doubtedly contains sonic highly in theJews. The petition to the Pope
tell them how much money we have. teresting expressions of sentiment praying him to publish this refuta- are told that what follows is equiv-
We are dumb with fright. But my by the Pope. The "natural" rights tion came from the Jewish Com- alert to a 14111 based on facts which
mamma speaks up and says we have of a man, writes the Supreme Pon - mittee of France and Germany, and are not accepted. A reply addressed
— it May be taken for granted that the to the Executive Committee of the
no money.
Jewish Committee, filled
Innocent was \ye 11 pa id Werican
I don't know where she gets all avaricious
"It's a lie !" the Goyim yell. "All
for his humanity. Another friendly with general humanitarian senti-
Jews have money !" and they drew that strength to run. Every once Bull is the one which Boniface IX. nients, is suddenly transformed into
out two long knives, flash them in a while we stumble and fall. We
issued on April 15, 1402, by which an official Lull directed to the clergy
right in our faces and hiss: "If get up and run on.
the Jews of Rome were protected of Poland !
How far we ran this way I can't
you don't come across right now
Exaggerations of this sort can
in their privileges. In every case,
with everything you've got you'll be tell you. We have left the wood however, the Papal Bull is recogniz- only do harm. They may give to
long ago. Day begins to break.
dead Jews !"
able both by its form and its con- some people a false sense of secur-
We meet a Jew. with such ortho-
We all stand speechless, trembling
ity. Both ideas are illusions, and
tents.
like lambs. My mamma asks my dox' side curls as I have never seen
"Pope Innocent. the servant of illusions are always dangerous. No
brother Elihu to open his pocket ill my life. He is wearing a long, the servants of God, sends his apos- responsible body has a right to cre-
and hand over the money to the tattered coat, and a green shawl tolic greeting and blessing to the ate or encourage illusions in the
Goyim (it's the money we got for around his neck. Ile is driving a right reverend Fathers, Bishops and minds of those whom it would rep-
our half of the house). Just at goat. We stop him with his goat Archbishops in Germany." This is resent and serve.
that minute by sister-in-law, Brocha, and give him a "Sholem Aleichem!" the opening sentence of the famous
takes it into her head to faint ! My (Peace be with you) !
Lieut. Col. Henry S. Stern-
Pini asks him if we are far from Bull of Innocent IV. It is to be
mamma lets out a piercing scream.
noted that the document is not ad- berger, of the Quartermaster
'Suddenly, a shot! It echoes and the border. The Jew with the goat dressed to the heads of the Jewish Corps of the New York National
re-echoes through the whole wood. Stares at him. "What border'?"
Committee in Germany, but to the Guard, has been appointed Chief
Collie to find out we have been
Quartermaster, with the rank of
The Goyim are gone, as if the earth
heads of the Church in that land.
Colonel. Colonel Sternberger
had swallowed them ! My mamma on "the other side" for some time.
Then follows a statement of the has had nearly twenty-seven
We all break out into peals of
-grabs me with one hand and my
reports that had readied the Pope
- brother Elihu with the other and laughter. The women have to hold of the blood accusations and illegal years' continuous service in the
National Guard, and during the
their sides. Only my mamma lifts
cries:
war
with Spain served as a lieu-
persecution
against
the
Jews.
The
"Children! Let us run! * * * her hands up high and murmurs:
tenant
in the Twenty-second New
clergy
is
then
admonished
in
the
"I thank Thee, dear Lord!" --
The Shepherd of Israel is with us!"
York
Volunteers.
following unambiguous terms:
into tears.
In spite of the enormous decline and bursts