THE JEWISH CHRONICLE
4
gradually was consuming all Europe.
But the moment at last came when
we were no longer left with any choice,
when we were confronted with but the
alternative of whether or not America,
the great democracy of modern times,
should submit the sovereignty of its
people to the dictates of a government
built upon class supremacy and abso-
lutism. Had we done so, we should
have contributed in a large measure to
the extension of autocratic government
and perhaps the gradual perishing of
government 'by the people, of the peo-
ple, for the people,' among the nations
of the earth, for the victory of abso-
lutism in Europe could in time have
led to no other result.
"To us as American Jews is must
be particularly gratifying that our coun-
try enters this momentous struggle for
the liberation of the modern world from
the possible rule of those who would
make automatons of all over whom they
might gain dominion, just at the moment
when the great stronghold of autocracy—
Russian Czardom—has succumbed to the
onslaught of the people whom it had so
long oppressed and deprived of the rights
which should be the inborn possession
of all mankind. As American Jews we
are full of gratitude that Providence
has placed our lot within this great na-
, tion, and that as part of it we can and
shall willingly do our duty with our en-
tire heart, with our entire soul, and with
our entire possessions.
"The duty on our part becomes the
greater now to do our utmost to as-
suage the hard fate of those, who, for
almost three years, have been held in
the grip of the indescribable distress and
the horrors the war has produced. Even
the hardships of the greatly to be pitied
Belgians, underserved and sad as these
hardships no doubt are, are probably
not as great as the cruel sufferings to
which several millions of our co-re-
ligionists in the war zones have been
subjected, and • from which they cannot
be freed unless American Jewry fur-
nishes the means for the rescue of
these great numbers of men, women,
children, who are of our flesh and blood,
and whom we, whom Providence has
blessed so greatly, dare not permit to
perish.
"And does not our duty not become
even greater now that the gates have
been opened to Russian Jewry for en-
tering upon the undiminished enjoyment
of the happiness of life—attainable alone
where human rights are accorded to all
alike—to make it possible that these
broken-down brothers of ours shall be
helped to a recovery of their health and
their existence, not to speak of the large
requirements for aid to our co-religion-
ists in Palestine, in Poland, in Galicia, in
Rumania, in Bulgaria, and in other lands
involved in the war."
"Our Duty to Aid"—Rosenwald.
"I feel that the Jews of America have
a serious duty that they cannot evade,"
Mr. Rosenwald said. "These starving
men and women and children must de-
pend on us to do for them what we
would expect them to do for us were
the conditions reversed. We have been
successful as we view it, but there are
hundreds of thousands who have worked
harder than we have and have been just
as able, but it has been ours to have
Detroit Rug
Works
the opportunity that they lacked. And AMERICAN JEWS PLAN GIFT
OF STATUE OF LIBERTY
now it is our opportunity to aid them.
TO RUSSIA.
We have had the good luck to live in
this free country, the United States, and
it is our duty to help those whose cra- To Express Our Gratitude of Eman-
cipation of Russian Jews—Jacob
dles happened to be rocked in Russia
H. Schiff Is Temporary
instead of here. They are no more to
Treasurer of Fund.
blame for their condition than our chil-
dren would be if they were similarly
situated. \Vhat we must do is to bring
A committee of distinguished Ameri-
it home to the Jews of this country that can Jews will he organized to perfect
it is our duty to aid the Jews of Eu- plans to conduct a campaign for funds
rope."
to present to the new government of
Mr. Rosenwald said it would be im- Russia a replica of the Statue of Lib-
possible to give as much aid as was erty as an expression of gratitude from
needed. The Belgians, he said, had at the Jews of America, in commemora-
least been fed, even though unsatisfac- tion of the emancipation of the Jews
torily, while the Jews of Russia and of Russia. Mr. Jacob H. Schiff has
Poland had had less than one-fourth consented to act as temporary treas-
of the food the Belgians had received.
urer of the fund, to be known as the
Other speakers emphasized the need Liberty Fund. A contribution of $500
of reaching a larger munber of the has already been made by Mr. D.
Jews in this country with the appeals Lvovitch-Davidovitch, of New York,
for aid, and it was announced that the who conceived the idea. In a letter to
conference would take a census of all Herman Bernstein, editor of the Ameri-
the Jews in the United States and divide can Hebrew, he says:
the country in seven districts, of which
"The wonderfully stirring news that
New York and Chicago would each con- has lately come to us over from Rus-
stitute one district. There is to be a sia has no doubt inspired in all Ameri-
chairman for each district and for each can Jews a feeling of closer kinship
city. The local committee of each state in Russia. To some of us the idea has
is to campaign for a stipulated amount come that this feeling should receive
assessed to each state. New York's as- concrete expression in an inspiring
sessment was the biggest, being .$4,000,-
000. Illinois and Pennsylvania came form.
"In the past when 'the oppressed Jews
next, with assessments of $1,000,000 of Russia and other lands approached
each. Ohio's share is $750,000 and Michi- these shores in their long journey seek-
gan's $350,000.
ing freedom from persecution and a
fair chance- for a livelihood, the first
Work on the new building of the object that struck their eager gaze was
Montefiore Home for the Aged and the noble figure of Liberty in the har-
Infirm Israelites of Cleveland will be- bor of New York holding aloft her flam-
ing torch, a symbol of hope and en-
gin some time in June.
lightenment. This splendid gift to
America from the sister republic of
The heirs of Lazar Brodsky have France has always been and will con-
expended 75,000 roubles on the found- tinue to be a source of inspiration to
ing of a special section for contagious all.
diseases which has been added to the
"What more fitting testimonial to our
local Jewish hospital.
interest in the new republic of Russia
013
T is a great satisfaction to my custom-
ers that they have Michigan's largest
stock of clothing to select from. Four
large daylight floors are crowded with
the newest, smartest, most stylish clothes.
can there be; how better can we show
to our brothers there, than by a replica
of the Statue of Liberty or some similar
monument presented by American Jews
to Russia? I am confident that every
Jew in America will want to assist in
such a permanent expression of our
kinship with and interest in the new
republic."
THE BEST
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REAL ESTATE
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Phone Cadillac 6203
Cherry 1866
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Members
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Grain Dealer. National Association
Clothcraft
264-268 PENOBSCOT BUILDING
DETROIT
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M. SCHECHTER, Ph. G.
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DETROIT, MICH.
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•••• e.
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S
Phone Cadillac 3299
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396 HASTINGS ST., DETROIT
They come in all the best plain and fancy fabrics, in-
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CARPET CLEANERS
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52 Baltimore Ave. E. DETROIT, MICH.
Phone Market 6090
, MICHIGAN'S LARGEST EXCLUSIVE CLOTHIER
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511 Hastings St.
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983 MICHIGAN AYE.
PHONE CAD. 4552