THE JEWISH CHRONICLE
THE JEWISH CHRONICLE
Issued Every Friday by the Jewish Chronicle Publishing Company.
General Manager
ANTON KAUFMAN
Michigan's Only Jewish Publication.
SAMUEL J. RHODES,
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Entered u second class matter March 3, 1916, at the Post Office at Detroit, Mich., under the Act of
March 3, 1879
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FRIDAY, AUGUST 11, 1916.
"The Jew in Politics" From a New Angle
A glance at the public prints during the height of a political cam-
paign cannot fail to impress the reader with the fact that among the
aspirants to the higher as well as the less important offices to be tilled,
there is always to be found a goodly proportion of Jews. Among
these is sure to be found the professional politician, whose chief ambi-
tion in life is less to serve than to feed at the public crib. lie is the
one who ALWAYS boasts that he carries the "Jewish vote" in his
vest pocket. He is, as a rule, the discredited and not incorruptible
scion of the house of Israel, whose chief interest in Jews and Judaism
manifests itself especially around election time. Then, if ever, may
his name be found among the contributors to Jewish causes. Then,
if ever, may he in other ways than by wordy proclamation, give some
evidence that he is really "proud to be a Jew."
As a general rule, such a man can hope for little support at the
hands of his fellow Jews who are self-respecting or who have regard
for the interests of the Jewish community as a whole. For it may be
fairly stated that the better class of Jews are deeply sensible of the
duty that they owe not only to the community, but to themselves, in
the choice of public officials. Given a choice of voting for a Jew of
questionable qualifications and a non-Jew of manifest fitness, the
Jews will be the very first to cast their votes for the latter. Even if a
kind of questionable sentiment might at times incline them to the
other course, a sense of self-preservation would sway their judgment
and action. They know that a single unworthy Jew in a place of re-
sponsibility and power is a menace to the well-being of the whole
Jewish community. His shortcomings are charged up to his Jewish-
ness and not to his inefficiency or crookedness. And so for the sins
of one we all suffer. This is, unfortunately, always the case with
minority peoples. They are judged by their least worthy representa-
tives. A hundred Jews may be exemplary citizens and one a rogue—
the hundred are forgotten and the one remains to many the outstand-
ing type of the Jew.
For this reason it may be safely asserted that no Jewish candidate
for public office may plume himself upon the prospect of winning the
votes of his co-religionists unless he has previously established his
fitness as to character and ability. Ile may, by lying, fool a certain
portion of his constituency, but when the votes are counted the truth
will be established. Of course, where one aspires to a mere ward-
elected office in certain neighborhoods, this condition may be some-
what modified. liut in the larger issues our contention will always
prove itself true.
And this fact has a two-fold bearing. If it takes the support
from the unscrupulous Jew who seeks for political preferment it adds
an element of strength to the cause of the upright, efficient and de-
corous Jew who has earned the right to expect that his fellow Jews,
other things being equal, will be glad to honor him in the full belief
that in doing so they will be honoring themselves. And so it may be
safely asserted that it is a fairly reliable attest to a Jew's manhood and
clean character when at the polls he wins the support of his fellow
Jews. It means that they regard him as one by whose standards they
are willing to be judged. It therefore behooves any Jew who aspires
to public _office so to conduct himself at all times as shall make it
cleatrthat he is a man of character, of ability, and endowed with proper
personal and citizenship ideals.
The Shapiro Case
Lest the Jews of this land be lulled into a false sense of security,
every once in a while some incident happens which recalls startlingly
to their attention that anti-semitism in America is not yet extinct.
Such an incident \vas the Frank case. Such an incident is also the Sha-
piro case of Highland Park. I\s reported elsewhere, Lazarus' Shapiro, an
aged Jewish resident of Highland Park, \S'ati cruelly beaten and insulted
by the police officers of the village, while James I. Milian, a local attor-
ney, who was prompted by a spirit of social interest to intercede in behalf
of Shapiro, was subjected to similar treatment at their hands.
We do not know what the village council of Highland Park, be-
fore whom the matter is up for investigation, is going to do. But we
know one thing. Shapiro and Ellman should not be left to fight the
battle alone. Behind them should be the support of a united Detroit
Jewry—a Jewry indignant and aroused, a community determined that
a thorough probe be made and the offenders brought to justice.
The reason is this. Anti-semitism is a matter Nvhich concerns the
entire Jewish people, whose well-being it threatens. And the punish-
ment of anti-Semites is a matter which should be taken up not only
by the individuals directly affected, but by the entire Jewish com-
munity whose peace they menace.
To insure a rigid investigation of the charges brought against
Chief of Police Seymour and his subordinates, to obtain a stern met-
ing out to the latter, if guilty, of a full and just measure of punishment
—that is the duty before the Jews of Detroit.
Will they do it—and do it now?
Our Young Men
Detroit Jewry should be proud of its young men. They are doing
things. Nowhere better is this fact demonstrated than in the work
of stamping out the defamation of the Jewish type on the stage or
screen. For a long time there has existed a standing committee of
the local lodge of B'Nai B'Rith, called the Anti-Defamation Com-
mittee, the function of which, as its name indicates, was to fight that
form of anti-semitism which finds expression in the vilification and
caricaturing of the . few. The committee accomplished very little until
recently. :Hien, with the infusion of new and voung blood into Pis-
gah Lodge, things began to stir. The Anti-Defamation Committee,
enriched and enlivened by the addition of several vigorous young men
awoke from the state of somnolent inactivity into NVIliC11 it had fallen,
and has since done some really useful work along the lines mentioned.
And now again the Jewish young men of the city have come to
the fore. The announcement that a "Truth" Committee has been
appointed by the Young People's Society of Temple Beth El to
combat the gross misrepresentation of the Jewish people, again proves
the readiness of our young men to assume duties which older 111(11
have failed to discharge and to carry burdens which older shoulders
have found too heavy.
We are glad to note the sane, broad attitude' of the member,s of
the "Truth" Committee. Realizing that there arc similar committees,
representing other Jewish organizations like the 11'Nai B'Rith, ad-
dressing themselves to the very situation to cope with which the
"Truth" Committee has been appointed, the members of the latter
intend to closely co-operate with all existing agencies in an endeavor
• to jointly suppress the evil of anti-semitism. In conformity with this
design, Rabbi Leo AT. Franklin, Nvho heads the newly appointed It'Nai
B'Rith Anti-Defamation Committee, has been asked to act as chair-
man of the Advisory Hoard of the "Truth" Committee.
\\That with a rejuvenated B'Nai B'Rith and a virile, aggressive
Young People's Society in the field, the Jews of Detroit will soon have
reason to sit up and take notice.
A Defense of the B'Nai B'Rith Club
Editor of the Jewish Chronicle : I read with a great deal of
interest the letter of L. M„ which appeared in the last number of the
Jewish Chronicle; in which he states that the proposed IrNai
Club will necessarily duplicate the activities of the Young Men's
febrew Association, the Young People's Societies of Temple Beth
and Shaarey Zedek and similar organizations.
The above assertion convinces me . that I,. M. is laboring under a
total misapprehension of what are the aims and purposes of the IrNai
B'Rith Club. The B'Nai B'Rith Club will not attempt to cater to the
Jewish public of Detroit generally. It is to be essentially an organi-
zation of B'Nai B'Rith, an integral part of the I. O. B. B. in Detroit.
It has been founded by members of the order for the benefit of no one
except members of the order, and only members of the I. 0. B. B. will
Ile eligible for admission to it.
The club is unique. There is not another like it in the city.
There cannot be another like it. Under the circumstances, L. M.'s
charge that it would duplicate the activities of other local oragniza-
tions must fall to the ground.
A Charter Member of the B'Nai B'Rith Club.