THE JEWISH CHRONICLE
20
THE JEWISH CHRONICLE
Issued Every Friday by the Jewi s h Chronicle Publishing Company.
General Manager
-
ANTON KAUFMAN
political conventions, unanimously rebukes the Czar. It tells him iii
no uncertain terms that his conduct is improper in its eyes. It is
immaterial whether the instrument—the means—the voice of protest
is prompted by ambition or by a sense of Fairness, of Justice, of
Americanism. Russia has been reproved! S. S. G.
Michigan's Only Jewish Publication.
Editor
SAMUEL J. RHODES,
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Telephone Cadillac 2588.
The Jewish Chronicle invites correspondence on subjects of inter-
est to the Jewish people, but disclaims responsibility for an indorse-
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be sent in so as to reach this office Wednesday morning of each week.
Entered as second-class matter March 3, 1916, at the Post Office at Detroit, Mich., under the Act of
March 3, 1879
FRIDAY, JUNE 16, 1916.
The "Jewish Vote" Again
Commenting upon the confirmation of Mr. Brandeis' appointment
to the bench of the Supreme Court, the Detroit Journal in a recent
issue goes out of its way to suggest that the appointment of Mr.
Brandeis by President Wilson, and the endorsement of that appoint-
ment by Mr. Hughes, had something to do with a desire on the part
of each of these 'gentlemen to swing the "Jewish vote."
"The Jewish vote in this country," says the Journal, "is very
large. It might conceivably turn a close election." If, by this asser-
tion, the editor of the Journal means to imply that the Jews of this
country vote as a unit, and that they arc swayed in their choice of
candidates by the appointment of a Jew to high office, then the Jour-
nal has much to learn about the true state of feeling among the Jew-
ish people of America. The fact of the matter is that there is no
social or religious group in which there is such a diversity of political
opinion as is the case among the Jews. The Jew is, above all, an in-
dividualist. He thinks for himself and acts by himself. Even in
their thinking along religious lines, where one would expect the
greatest harmony, there is by no means a unity or even a spirit ap-
proaching that of uniformity among the Jews. And this is true in an
exaggerated sense of the Jew's attitude toward great national and in-
ternational problems. The Jews are hopelessly divided, for instance,
in their sympathies in the present war, and it would be very difficult
indeed, to say whether there is a preponderance of sympathy among
American Jews for the Allies or for the Teutons. In American politics
certainly Jews do not vote together, and tho' politicians and news-
paper. men arc frequently fooled into the belief that there is such a
thing as a united "Jewish vote," those who know the truth about
things, know that such a thing as a "Jewish vote" does not exist.
We cannot be surprised that some individuals and sonic portions
of the press that always betray a most hopeless ignorance about Jews
and things Jewish, should fall into the error of still talking learnedly
about the "Jewish vote," but that a paper usually as wide awake to
matters of this sort as the Detroit Journal should do so, causes us to
wonder not a little.
The Rebuke of Russia
It is of tremendous import that the Republican and Progressive
parties, at their recent conventions, each adopted a plank in its plat-
form which provides for the abrogation of treaties with all nations
refusing admission to any American citizen, because of his race or
creed. This, of course, is aimed at Russia and has particular refer-
ence to that country's refusal to permit Jewish-Americans to enter
its borders unless on diplomatic and governmental missions.
Those who are cynically inclined will see in the recent action of
these two great political parties only selfish, ambitious motives. The
explain their action by attributing it to an effort to
pessimist will
procure the vote of Jews. He will give as their reason for their de-
fense of the Jew, at home and abroad, their desire to gain political
advantages.
But, after all, the reason behind this action is not nearly so
political bodies
important as the cold, indisputable fact that two great
voice a protest to the conduct of
of a great nation have seen fit to
another powerful nation. The American people, through two great
The Honorable Simon Wolf
For years there has stood out as the representative Jew of
America and the representative of the Jews at Washington, that
grand old patriarch, Simon \Volf. I le is about to celebrate his eight-
ieth birthday anniversary. The Independent Order of B'nai B'rith,
as a token of its appreciation for the service he has rendered the Jews
and America, is taking this occasion to present him with a fitting gift
of its esteem.
What Simon Wolf has done for America can be more accurately
stated than what he has done for Jews. His service to his country
has been of that definite, certain kind that can he readily narrated.
To record the fact, for example, that he represented the United
States as Ambassador to Turkey is a simple, artless task. But it
would require boundless ability to give a syllabus of his service to
Jews, abroad and in America. Countless are the times he has inter-
ceded in their behalf. Numberless the efforts to relieve their oppres-
sion—to aid their progress, and to promote their benefit.
Capable, democratic, yet dignified,—admired by Jew and Gentile
alike, this white-haired patriarch at 'Washington still works in the
interests of his people. His birthday anniversary is an event upon
which Judaism, both American and European, is to he congratulated.
Fortunate, indeed, is Israel that she may point to such as this as
her sons. S. S. G.
Communication
To the Editor of the Jewish. Chronicle:
Undoubtedly, as you say, the entire recent Schiff incident is re-
grettable. At the same time, however, there is little reason for you
to assume the attitude towards the Yiddish Press of New York
which you manifested in your most able editorial of last week. In
all of the criticisms which they directed towards Mr. Schiff, the 'Yid-
dish newspapers never for a moment lost sight of his position and
achievements. Certainly they did not indulge in the vituperation of
which you accuse them. The battle was one of issues, and nothing
more.
When the entire Yiddish Press, with but insignificant exceptions,
rises against a man of the standing and prominence of Mr. Schiff,
there must be sonic weight in its position. The facts show that there
is. Mr. Schiff has a perfect right to his opinions on the question of
Nationalism, Zionism and the Jewish Congress. No one questions
this. But a man of his position, who is regarded by American non-
Jews as the exponent of the views of American Jewry, should he
moderate and careful in his public utterances. And Mr. Schiff had
no right to brand those Jews who disagree with him on the question
of Jewish Nationalism as "unpatriotic" and as "traitors," as he has
repeatedly done. With all due respect to Mr. Schiff, and anyone at
all conversant with his manifold charitable and benevolent activities .
on behalf of our people cannot but respect him, he is not the spokes-
man of American Jews. The class whose views he represents com-
prehend a small minority of the Jews of this land. And neither he
nor his class can grasp the spirit and reflect the opinions of Ameri-
can Jewry.
All that the Yiddish Press did was to call the attention of Mr.
Schiff to these fundamental facts. It declared that individuals, no
matter how high or lofty their position may be, cannot with impunity
trifle with the sentiments and aspirations of an entire people, with-
out having to pay in return the penalty of a just resentment. Surely,
it is hardly fair to term such an attitude one of yellow journalism.
• CARL SUM ETZ, 666 Brush Street.
June 12, 1916. .
Judaism is not a one-day-in-the-week religion. It is a religion
that is co-extensive with life and that expresses itself in daily living
however, it must be acknowledged that an amazing ignorance of "The
rather than in credal affirmative or formal reverence on special excep-
tional occasions.