A merica lavish Rexllcal Carter

CLIFTON AVENUI • CINCINNATI 20, OHIO

PAGE FIVE

THE JEWISH CHRONICLE

The B'nai Brith and The Anti- efamation Movement

BY MILTON M. ALEXANDER

Chairman, Anti-Defamation League of Detroit.

The program for combating I ganized public opinion. The lat- lin, Lou's James Rosenberg and jest: were given heed entirely the government service where in-
the writer. It has been•to this out of proportion to their know- timate contact W11.11 Illt1 President
was always necessary.
committee that hundreds of com- ledge or experience.
---
plaints and incidents, all reflect-
While Anti-Semitism has been
THE EMIGRATION BILLS.
tion movement, is as old as Ju-
It is entirely tvithin the realm ing upon the Jew, his ideas and a world-wide problem, it has for
Nloreover, the attitude of
daism itself ; for it has be e n the1 of reason to believe that the pres- ideals, have been referred.
the most part, lent itself to
.
•
lot of every progre , ,iv1;., move- ent program of Anti-Defamation
In fact, it has beeti one of the Sion 11110 two general fields. 'rhe friendliness, which has actuated
ment in the history of the world —or Pro-SemitIstn. if you will,— most discouraging factors in the first is that where it is sponsored the executive head of the Ameri-
to arouse antagonism—and in the will do More to improve the work of the Detroit committee by the public generally, as is the can government during several

prejudice against the Jews, which ter may be divided into the fob
has come to be known during re- I lowing branches: political, fin: n-
cent years as the Atiti-Defama- 'dal, civic.

case of the children of Israel this status of the Jews in all lands
antagonism has been more pro- and to remove prejudice against
nounced, more consistent, more them, than any movement yet
virulent than that ever manifest- suggested. And it is a source of

that Anti-Semitism appears to case in Poland today. 'I'he other
have a firmer and more deeply- is where it bectunes a govern-
rooted hold upon the people of ment policy, often used for the
our city than that which is gen- purpose of side-tracking real and

ed against any people or sect.

eral in American life. This rain-
interest and of pride th. cLthis
t
It is one of the most interest- movement has been largely spon- pant 2
- 1 nti-Semitism can assured-
ing commentaries upon the Jew- sored and furthered by the Anti- ly not be placed at the door of our
ish people that in spite of their Defamation League of the B'nai Detroit Jewish community. 'Very
ability to handle difficult situa- Brith.
few cities have had as loyal and

tions as they have wisen during

five thousand seven hundred
years of history, when it has

Just as the Independent Order

of IS'nai Brith maintains its repre-

sentative at \Vashington to safe-

guard the welfare of our people
in matters of national legislation,

so it maintains in Chicago, under
the chairmanship of Judge Philip

Stein, an Anti-Defamation Com-

past administrations has been in- mittee whose purpose it is to weld
dicated by their vetoes of various together the nation's forces that
emigration bills which have are seeking justice for the Jew,

sought to bar prospective. citi-
more pressing problems. The zens 011 grounds of illiteracy.
latter case finds expression in the "'he innate Americanism of these
political efforts Of the Iron Chan- presidents has assuredly not been
cellor in Germany and of the hindered by the fact that Jewish

Romanoffs in Russia.

THE NATIONAL WORK.

and to attempt to check and di-
minish all evidences of Anti-
Semitism no matter where they

[nay show their ugly heads. -
An article of this sort would

Congressmen, as well as the not be adequate in any way did it
nut pay tribute to the splendid
achievements of Judge Stein's

FINE NEW QUARTERS OF B'NAI BRITH CLUB AT 25 BROADWAY

come to the problem of combat-

Committee, both under his lead-
ership and under that of the for-

mer chairman, Honorable Sig,
Livingston of Chicago. This
committee has made the cause

ing public antagonism they have

failed dismally.

In every century of their ca-
reer — in every nation — under

of the Jew its own cause and has
beeit quick to represent Jewish

every conceivable condition—

interests against those of our
enemies, without fear or favor.

they have been the butt of the

oppressor; and oddly enough,
while their efforts have been di-

It has sponsored national and
state legislation affecting the wel-

rected toward adjusting them-

fare of the Jews ; it has influenced

selves to rapidly-changing condi-

changes of editorial policy on the
part of the newspapers ; it has

tions and toward avoiding the

pitfalls of Anti-Semitism, there

suggested and secured important
changes in theatrical and motion

has been, until recently, no con-

certed, systematic program cal-

picture productions.

culated to remove the causes.

PERSUADING DAVID W.

The "Friend at Court."

GRIFFITH.

True it is that in all times the

One of the real achievements

Jew has had his friend at court—
influential merchants, bankers,

of the Anti-Defamation League

statesmen, have been quick to

was that in which it persuaded
the great moving picture director,

tight his fight, and we arc told
that even in the days of Ferdin-

David \V. Griffith, to make im-

and and Isabella the cause of the

portant changes in his picture,

Jew was espoused by no less a
personage than the court treas-

"Intolerance."
Those who have seen this film

urer, Abarbanel. But these ef-

will remember that in the course
of the action there is a scene por-

forts were few and far between;

and lacking the organized force
of concerted propaganda they

traying the crucifixion.

have failed to win for the Jew

course of preparation word
reached the Anti - Defamation

Soon after the picture was in

the friendship of other peoples.
In discussing Anti-Setnitism

League that the crucifixion scene

and the forces which are aiming
to cause its diminution, the sub-

had been photographed under

ject resolves itself largely into a
problem of psychology. For it is

The story was, that a band of
bearded patriarchs from the ghet-

in the final analysis, with the

to of Los Angeles had responded

minds of the Jew and his neigh-

to a want advertisement and had
been given a day's outing; while

rather unusual circumstances.

bor that we have to deal.
It has often been said that the
basis of prejudice is ignorance

arrayed in ancient costumes they

had been photographed as a mob,
intent upon securing the execu-

but during the course of many
years it has taken on a far more
subtle character. Prejudice, as
it manifests itself in American
life today, is oftentimes not as

tion of the Christian Saviour.
The Anti-Defamation League im-

mediately, before the release of

much a matter of ignorance as of

the film, called the attention of
Mr. Griffith to the historical in-

instinct. The scoffs and scorn of
ages, the organized Anti-Semi-

accuracy of his film, explaining
to hint that the crucifixion was

tism of the Church, the distrust

carried out under the direction,
not of the Jews (who had no such

and lack of understanding of

those who have seen but the su-

powers) by of the Roman sol-

perficial distinctions of the Jew
have all played their parts in pro-
ducing a type which regards the

diers.
Mr. Griffith, with characteristic

broadness and honesty, was
quick to see the justice of the
complaint and personally came to

Jew with mistrust and makes him

the victim of bigotry.

NEW QUARTERS SHOW THAT NEW CLUB FILLED GENUINE NEED.

ORGANIZATION AND

WORK. OF THE , LOCAL ; as worth-while citizens of Jew- AMERICAN GOVERNMENT
ish faith as has had Detroit—its
• LIBERAL.'
COMMITTEE.
The Anti-Defamation move-
Jews and Jewesses have played
It
is
with
the
work
and
work-
Fortunately for the Jews of
ment aims to counteract this feel-
ings of the Anti - Defamation an increasingly-important part in America, Anti - Semitism has
ing by an organized program of
League—and especially of it's the development of the city. Nor never become a national problem
education and by a systematic
Detroit committee—that this ar- is this Anti-Semitism restricted and has never been adopted as a
vigilance for Anti-Semitism evi-
ticle will deal principallx ; and to the poorer classes. It is equal- government policy. Certain pow-
dences. Generally speaking, the
because of the restrictions of ly general, unfortunately, among erful influences from time to time
program of information or edu-
space it will be manifestly im- many of the well-to-do and pros- —notably emanating from the
cation must be developed alom„
possible to do so adequately perous.
Ness: England states—have spon-
the following avenues of publi
The many phases of the problem, •
sored Anti-Semitic intolerance,
city—avenues which have, by the
and all of its developments,
ANTI-SEMITISM AMONG
but for the most part they were
way, rendered loyal service to
would fill volumes. Even at the
LEADERS.
quickly rebuffed by the broad,
our government in checking pro
present time the fullest possibili-
It finds frequent expression by tolerant, humanitarian attitude
Germanism and furthering the
ties are not yet appreciated.
leading clergymen, by successful of the nation's leaders.
cause of democracy.
The Detroit committee which business men, by civic leaders.
The splendid feeling of toler-
These avenues of information
has had many problems of a de- Perhaps the answer lies, as has ance and of understanding which
may be classified as follows: the
famatory nature to solve has long
been suggested, in the sudden has been a part of the mental
press, the church, the schools, the
consisted of Rabbi Leo M. Frank- rise of wealth of many uninformed make-up of America's executives
stage, the screen, and finally, or

INFORMATION.

This Page Contributed to the Welfare of the
B'nai Brith by
Leon Goldsmith
King Amusement Co.
Edward
A. Atlas
David Marymont
Nathan Friedman
Krell Bros.
I. Rosenberg

and poorly-educated men who is indicated by the fact that
rode to prosperity on the wheels Presidents Cleveland, McKinley,
of the automobile industry. In Roosevelt, Taft and Wilson have
some cases, these men, devoid of all included Jews in their official
education or social vision, found families, giving to them positions

Chicago where he authorized
Rabbi Emil G. Hirsch to re-write
American Jewish Committee, and that part of the scenario to
the able representative of the which the Anti - Defamation
Brith in Washington, the Lerigue hail taken objection.

Honorable Simon Wolf, all urged

the executives to action.

It was these same forces which
caused the American protest to
Russia at the time of the Kish-
ineff massacres—and the same
Jc.wish forces which persuaded
President Taft to abrogat.e our

A LOCAL INCIDENT.

By this single action millions

of people who might have gained
false impressions of the part that

the Jew has played in history,

were given a more accurate and
more just picturization. What is

commercial treaty with Russia more important, is the fact that
following the failure of that na- untold numbers of people who
tion to recognize American pass- had long believed the Jews re-
ports.
sponsible for this master crime

Very few official actions by the were informed authoritatively of
American government have their innocence. The picture
served to do more to improve the "Intolerance" has undoubtedly
standing of the Jewish citizens done a great deal to improve the

with their neighbors than these condition of the Jewish people,
two positive constructive acts, in a subtle and effective manner.
An achievement of a similar
and it is a source of pride to the
members of the B'nai Brith that nature was that of the Detroit
their organization furthered each committee which recently,

themselves in positions of power of trust and responsibility in the action with its organized moral
where their words on many sub- cabinet and in other branches of force.

through the co-operation of Mr:
Philip Gleichman, of the Broad-