THE DETROIT IEWISH CHRONICLE

PAGE FOUR

tertainment given last week at Hos

illation since the outbreak of the

world war, and was sent through co-
just such a company as has now been formed to meet the situation.
pital 30. The Scouts meet every
At that time the prophecy that Detroit was facing a housing condi- Thursday evening at 7:30, under the operation with the United States
Food Administration. The ship itself
tion comparable to that of the other great cities of the country was direction of Mr. Milton Aronheitn. is an auxiliary vessel of the American
MICHIGAN'S JEWISH HOME PUBLICATION
l'he Scouts will aid with the enter-
scoffed
at
and
practically
every
newspaper
in
the
city
of
Detroit
felt
Published Weekly by The Jewish Chronicle Publishing Co.. Inc.
tainment of Sunday afternoon. .All navy and sailed under the command
that the danger had been overstated. Still, it required not the eye of boys in the community above the age of naval officers.
The distribution of the food in Po-
President prophecy to forevision the inevitable result of the overcrowding that was of 12 are welcome to join the troop.
JOSEPH J. CUMMINS -
land was without discrimination as to
Secretary-Treasurer even then permitted and of the laxity' in building laws that was then in Junior Scouts—
NATHAN J. GOULD -
race or creed, and was effected by the
vogue. None, of course, could foretell that within a decade Detroit
The J unior Scouts meet every Tues- Jewish committee acting in conjunc-
Entered as second-class matter March 3, 1916, at the Postoffice at Detroit. would leap irons the condition of an overgrown village into a great day and Thursday afternoon at four tion with the Polish government.
Mich., under the Act of March 3, 1879.
Some idea of the care taken in dis-
metropolitan center, humming and whirring with industrialism, but even o'clock under the leadership of Mr.
Cecil Sill man. The troop is making
been only along normal lines, the result splendid headway under the efficient tribution is given in the fact that in
had
the
increase
its
population
OFFICES, BOOK BUILDING
order that the instructions for use
so far as housing - conditions was concerned would have been the same. direction of Mr. Sillman, and (luring printed in English on the condensed
Telephone Cherry 3381
As Jews, we have a particular interest in the plans of the new hous- the summer months when the boys milk cans might be understood by
ing commission which has just been formed. For years now, our philan- limsh school it is expected that a very the people receiving the food, trans-
$2.00 per year
large number will enroll. All boys
-
Subscription, in advance
thropic agencies have had to battle with the problems of physical and in the community above the age of 10 lations were made in Yiddish and
l'olish and distributed with the milk.
moral disease that are inseparable from had housing conditions. Due to are eligible.
The Dead Left Without Burial.
To insure publication, all correspondence and news matter must reach peculiar and unique conditions, it is entirely normal that immigrant
Uniongrams-
I/r. Bogen in his communications
this office by Tuesday evening of each week.
Jews coming to this country should desire to live more or less in groups,
Word has come from Rabbi
tells of numerous strikes on the part
Editorial Contributor and as a result the so-called "Jewish districts" have been hopelessly Director of Synagog and School Ex- of employees of the local Gmina or
RABBI LEO M. FRANKLIN
overcrowded. Even though the most exorbitant rents have been charged tension, that Temple Beth El has Jewish relief agencies and which,
The Jewish Chronicle invites correspondence on subjects of interest to in the district of which I lastings street is the center, decent living quar- sold more Uniongrams than any con- while these societies had very little
the Jewish people, but disclaims responsibility for an indorsement of the ters have been practically unavailable for the last several years. Even gregation in the country. Are you a at their disposal to distribute. never-
If you have theless greatly accentuated the hard-
user of IThiongrams?
views expressed by the writers.
though there are comparatively few factories in this district, it is to be not yet tried a Uniongram as a means ships of the population and tremend-
hoped that it will be found feasible for the new housing organization to for sending a congratulatory message ously increased the difficulties. Even
turn its attention to this district without delay and by giving the people may we not suggest that you try one those working for the cemeteries
the next time. If you once use them, struck, not being provided with suffi-
The return to one's desk after two weeks enforced absence finds resident there, habitable quarters where light and sunshine may have free vou will always use them. Call Mrs . cient pay with which to eke out an
play,
help
to
solve
many
of
those
problems
that
have
sorely
vexed
the
Mayerberg, and have her send you a existence. Of this he says:
many things changed. History is made so rapidly in these days that one
"It was astonishing to me to find
book of four.
is reminded even more forcibly than in ordinary times of the tnith that social workers its that district.

THE DETROIT JEWISH CHRONICLE

What Now?

that all the district bureaus of the

lies in the sage's warning that one knows not what a day may bring forth.
Philomathic Debating Club. war re,iief societies had been closed a
By far the most significant event in world history that these recent times
for alrfiost a month on account of
have accomplished is the practical completion of the Covenant of the
strike among the employees, during
Arguing that the Philippines de- which the poor received no assist-
proposed League of Nations. The tremendous significance of this docu-
sired independence, that they were fit ance and the entire work was at a
The congregation at Little Rock, Arkansas, of which Rabbi Louis for it politically and socially, that
ment and its probable influence upon the outworking of human destinies
standstill. The employees explained
through all time to come, can scarcely be overestimated. Its acceptance Witt is the rabbi, has taken a long step in the direction of the democrati- their standard of education was high to me that their salaries were abso-
zation
of
the
synagogue
in
its
adoption
of
a
new
constitution
based
upon
and
that
they
are
practically
self-gov-
by the nations signatory to the League implies that it is for them the
lutely inadequate and made it impos-
erning now, the affirmative side of the
embodiment of the principles upon which the new humanity is to be the model constitution adopted several years ago by the Central Con- question "Resolved, That the Philip- sible for them to obtain even a mere
ference of American Rabbis. According to this new plan, membership
existence. I'eople working at the
pines be Granted Their Indepen-
budded.
•
cemeteries struck so that the dead
Nor would we align ourselves with those who for partisan or political its the congregation becomes to all intents and purposes individual, the dence" debated at last Sunday's meet- could not be buried. a horrible situa-
reasons, find the Covenant an insufficient statement of the principles women of the household having every right that is now accorded to men. ing of the Philomathic Debating Club, tion, but one which had happened be-
There is, however, much to be said its favor of the family member- consisting of Charles Terris and fore and which the public, even the
upon which a new world is to be created. We recognize the difficulties
ship in congregations and it is possible that the introduction of individual Maurice Meyers, overwhelmed their poor, seemed to take quite lightly."
under which the framers of this document have had to work. \Ve
membership under the guise of the enfranchisement of woman is its fact opponents, Nathan Kapitansky and These strikes have since been set-
Leo Kallman, by the sweeping vote
realize that compromises have had to be made and see are entirely
the weakest point in the new plan. This seems to have been recognized of 17 to 7. The latter sought to prove tled.
sure that had the desires and the convictions and the ideals of the Presi-
by the framers of the constitution who assert that the family is still to the unfitness, as yet, of the Filipinos Children Used to One Scanty Meal.
dent of the United States been permitted to sway his confreres, the
Describing a typical school, known
remain the unit of membership in the synagogue. On the other hand, for self-government and emphasized as a froble school, or school for small
Covenant would in many respects have been couched in different terms.
that four of the seventeen members of the Board of Trustees of the the danger of the Japanese peril once children, Dr. Bogen says: "The school
However, with full recognition of the difficulties under which the
the islands were free. Mr. Meyers
Congregation should be women may be commended for many reasons. was voted the hest speaker of the de- is situated on the third floor in a
framers of the Covenant were compelled to carry on their important
'Ile constitution provides unequivocally. for the unassigned seating bate, while Mr. Terris, a probation- tenement house. There are three
task, we must confess not only to a sense of disappointment but of abso-
system, a departure its which Temple Beth El of Detroit was the pioneer. ary member, agreeably surprised the teachers. The teachers are one man
lute dismay at the fact that in this new Constitution upon which future
and two women, earnest and sympa-
The new law also does away entirely with all fees to the congregation club by his splendid showing, this thetic, but the children are miserably
governments are to lie builded—for it is nothing less than that—the one
for the services of the rabbi for the burial or marriage of non-members. being his first appearance on the dressed and sickly looking, with
great thing for which the Jews of the world have hoped and worked and
Philomathic floor. Oscar Skolnek, the
Rabbi Witt, dealing with this question, writes: "It was felt that a con- critic of the evening, declared the de- flabby, what seemed to be, swollen
prayed—yes, the one great thing which they had a right to expect and
gregation can and should raise sufficient for its support from the mem- bate to be one of the very best of faces. They spoke Yiddish and asked
even to demand in the Covenant, is utterly missing. \Ve refer, of course,
bership without resorting to a tax for the rise of the rabbi in the spiritual this term. questions about America and w et -
to some reference or better, to some guarantee, of civil rights and of
A mock trial is the nature of the er we had brought food. They used
crisis of a man's life." This is entirely true its principle and yet there
religious freedom for minor groups in the nations signatory to the treaty
novelty program that has been ar- to get two meals a day, but lately
is sinnething to be said on the other side of the question. When one has ranged for next Sunday's meeting. have received only one. The teach-
and in the new states that are to be created by the League. Failing to
lived its a community for a great many years and has never contributed The charge will lie violation of the ers thought, however, that this was
give this assurance to the Jews in the various lands of persecution as
a penny to the maintenance of a religious institution, as is frequently "bone-dry" law and an interesting enough. and said in explanation "The
well as to other minor groups situated like them, the Covenant falls
the case in large communities, there seems no good reason why in the evening is assured. children are used to going hungry
short in the very thing, the achievement of which was the inspiration
and can now stand much better the
hour of his need, the congregation should be called upon to put at his
consequences." The rooms were ter-
and the goal of many of those who laid down their treasure and their
service all of its good offices. The truth is that experience proves that MILLIONS OF JEWS
ribly cold for there was no coal. Coal
lives in the great conflict. -
is now about ten marks for a pod
the non-members of a congregation usually are far more unreasonable
It is not our purpose at this time to fix the responsibility for the
FACE
STARVATION
(40 lbs.), and then it is almost impos-
its their demands upon the good offices of the congregation and its rabbi
omission of all reference to religious freedom, have as humorously or
sible to get."
The foregoing descriptions apply to
tragically enough, it bears upon the condition of some heathen tribes in than are the members themselves.
From
Page
One.)
(Continued
This is, however, a matter which might be discussed from various
Warsaw itself, conditions in the prov-
Central Africa. There are those who believe that they know where the
angles and at greater length than can be permitted its this editorial. We glitters, begging in a pitiful sing song inces of Poland are even more ter-
responsibility belongs and their belief is strengthened by certain cryptic
shall have occasion to recur to it'again its the near future. All its all, in Yiddish -- dirty, with exposed rible and distressing. Under date of
, messages that have come from overseas. There are those who believe
the spirit of the new constitution adopted by the Little Rock congrega- bodies, looking through the rags in February 19, 1)r. Bogen says some-
that the Japanese question had something to do with the failure of the
which they are attired. Begging, I
tion is democratic and it indicates considerable social vision as well as a am told, is becoming a children's thing of these and dwells particular-
framers of the Covenant to include the one guarantee that would have
ly upon Brest-Litovsk. He writes:
proper religious spirit on the part. of those who framed it. None the profession, the child chooses to re-
Plight of Jews in Brest - Litovsk.
gladdened the hearts of the Jews the world over. But if this is so, it
less, as we study the situation in detail, we feel that in the democratiza- main begging rather than to go to
"We have released the amounts ap-
can only be because the men at Versailles had been persistently impressed
tion of the synagogue, Congregation Beth El of Detroit has set a school and get a scant meal there. propriated for the provinces. I had a
with the idea that the Jew was to be treated from the standpoint of a
And you should sec their faces—only delegation from a special section deal-
standard beyond which it is of course possible to go but which, on the
the eyes reflect hope—the rest is mis- ing with refugees. They report ex-
nation and not front that of a religious community. \Ve will not pass
whole, seems fairly sufficient to meet the needs of a rapidly growing ery personified. And then the wo-
judgment upon this but we believe that the day cannot be far off when
ceedingly bad conditions at Brest-
community where membership in a congregation must be construed both men with their careworn faces, dress- Litovsk. Before the war the popula-
those who have in season and out of season emphasized the nationality
as a privilege and as an honor. It should not be forgotten that it is a ed in God knows how many gar- tion was 7(1,000, of whom 36,000 were
of the Jew and derided his religious mission, will confess before their
part of human nature to esteem lightly. those things which are received ments, all rags, and still not protected Jews. The population now is 15,000
own consciences if they are not manful enough to confess it before the
from the cold. The men standing or of whom 13,000 are Jews. The dele-
as free gifts and without expenditure of effort, time, or money.
walking aimlessly—every type, Gali- gation reports terrible conditions.
world, that they have however unintentionally, done their people a great
cian, Russian, etc. It is only inci- The Jews have no place to use nor
harm. Certainly, none dare minimize the tragedy of the situation of the
dentally that you meet a properly clad any means of a livelihood. Mr. Sheri...
Jew in Poland today—a situation that might have been immeasurably
individual, probably the newly rich shovski, a Jew, has been appointed
bettered, had a guarantee of religious freedom for all minor groups been
"paszkoc" (obnoxious) as they call to act as food commissioner in that
included in the Covenant as a condition of the creation of Poland into
them here. There are other streets city. Ile is expected to arrive in a

A Further Step Toward Democratization
of the Synagogue

an independent state.
Now, the most that cats be expected is that it shall be written into a
treaty—and treaties, as our experience with Roumania, to mention a
single instance, has proved—may at the will of peoples become so many
scraps of paper. What is true of l'oland is true of all the other nations
in which the Jew has been the target for malevolence and hate and

injustice.
Facing the situation as it now stands, the Jew must feel that his
cause has not been properly presented to the powers in whose hands is
the shaping of our future destinies. It is no time to throw stones. But
we cannot fail to exprss regret that those wlso were in position to state
the case of the Jew accurately. either sat in complete silence or for their
own purposes, so pictured the situation of the Jew as to lead inevitably
to those misunderstandings of his place and part its the modern world as
to make inevitable the very condition that has arisen. In the light of
all this, we can only prayerfully wait for better things its the future and
with troubled hearts ask the question that the Jew has so often been

• compelled to ask, "What now ?"

dered. After this program the audi-
ence will adjourn to the gym. for
IllOre dancing, which will continue to
a late hour. The young people are
Services—
:Sabbath Services arc held every cordially invited to participate in the
Saturday morning, at 10:30. The ser- entire entertainment, and all stran-
mon this week will be delivered by gers, soldiers and sailors in the city
are urgently requested to be present.
Rabbi Franklin.

Temple Beth El Notes

Sabbath

Sunday Services—
Especial attention is drawn to the
services this week at 11:00. in C011-
with the Soldier, Sailor, Stu-
ittlICII01 1
dent, Stranger Day, a special service
will be held. The sermon will be de-
livered by Rabbi Franklin. His sub-
ject is, ''The Readjustment of Life to
Peace Conditions." The public is cor-
dially invited to attend the service.

Confirmation Class.

A Community Loss

In the retirement from the Prosecuting Attorney's office of Mr.
harry B. Keidan, the entire conummity suffers a real loss. Few omen
who have served the public of this city and county its recent years have
brought to their task a loyalty as deep, a consciousness as proved, or an
ability of such high order as Mr. Keidan. After serving the county
with splendid efficiency for a long period and having retired to resume
his private practice, Mr. Keidan at the urgent insistence of the late Mr.
Jasnowski, at great personal sacrifice gave up his private interests to
assume the full responsibility of Prosecuting Attorney during the long
illness that preceded Mr. Jasnowski's death.
Absolutely no word of criticism against Mr. Keidan personally nor
against the conduct of the office during the term of his incumbency has
been heard. lie leaves the office with a fine record and after having set
up a standard that it will be difficult for those who may succeed him

The Confirmation Class meets with
Rabbi Franklin every Saturday morn-
ing at 9:30.
Hebrew Class—
The Hebrew Class meets with
Rabbi Mayerberg every Saturday
morning at 9:30, and will continue to
meet until the last Saturday in May.

Junior Young People's Society—

The regular meeting of the Junior
Young People's Society will be held
on Sunday afternoon with the mem-
bers assisting in the entertainment
given by the Adult Society. All mem-
bers of the Society are invited to at-
tend the affair ran Sunday.

Girls' Patriotic League—

'Ile Girls' l'atriotic League of Tem-
ple Beth El gave an entertainment
last Sunday afternoon for the benefit
of soldiers at Hospital No. 36. The
soldiers appreciated and enjoyed the
entertainment and the members of
the League look forward to an oppor-
tunity later in the season of returning
to the hospital with another program
for the "Boys." The League meets
at the Temple every Tuesday after-
noon at four o'clock, under the lead-
Miss
ership of Miss Ella Stillman.
Stillman has worked diligently to
make each meeting interesting for her
young friends, and the interest man-
ifested is Kneen by the steady growth
of the Society.

where this species of humanity pre-
vails. There you see them in large
number, seemingly well fed and per-
fectly satisfied with themselves—in
furs and fine leather boots—doing
business while smoking their cigar-
ettes. The houses here look also more
fit for human habitation—there are
stores and numerous little tailor
shops. But in the poorest district the
houses are a horrible sight—the win-
dows without panes, covered with
rags and paper—impossible streets
and still more impossible courts, dirty
dilapidated entrances, broken steps
—Poverty is King here.
"I know my description may strike
you as a poor attempt at being dra-
matic, but when I recall what I saw
today, I am all shaking and feel like
crying. These conditions cannot re-
main as they are and our people in
America will have to apply them-
selves in helping these unfortunates,
not only with money but with men
and women who must come here with
our own methods and start the work
of real construction."

First Food from U. S. Arrives.

Under date of March 10 Dr. Bogen
tells of the arrival in Poland of the
Adult Bible Class—
$2.000,000
cargo of food of the steam-
The Adult Bible Class has closed
ship "Westward Ho," sent jointly by
its work for the season. Rabbi Frank-
the Joint Distribution Committee and
lin will reconvene the class in the tall.
time Relief Committee of the yolish
Woman's Auxiliary—
National Department in America, an
The Woman's Auxiliary will hold a
event which he declares "marks an
very important meeting on Monday
•
epoch
in the history of Poland." This
afternoon, May 12th, at the usual Boy Scouts--
Members of Troop 76 assisted the was the first food ship from America
hour. This is the Annual Meeting,
and every member is urgently re- Girls' Patriotic League with their en- sent for the relief of the Polish pop-
quested to be present. Directors for
the year will be elected. In addition
to attain.
to the regular meeting a splendid un-
undoubtedly, the circuit judges who had the responsibility for filling social program will be presented.

day or two in Warsaw, and then we
shall have to decide what can be
done.
"The Rabbi from Kalish visited me
today. He claims that Kalish suf-
fered much more than the surround-
ing cities. Their industry, knitting,
in which a large proportion of Jews
are engaged, is absolutely at a stand-
still."

Conditions in Provinces Still Worse.

Under date of February 30, Dr. Bo-
gen describes conditions in Krakow,
Lodz, Dabrow, Bedrin, Soswonice,
Cztochowa and Padjanice. Dr. Bo-
gen also tells of conditions in Lem-
berg, as described to him in a letter
from one of the officers of the United
States Food Commission:
"Visited Krakow. Am traveling as
a member of the regular staff of the
U. S. Food Mission, and consequent-
ly get the accommodations, includ-
ing special trains. Without this ar-
rangement the moving from place to
place is almost impossible. The pur-
pose of this trip is to arrange the
method of distribution of food, that
is now coming from the United
s.
States.
food is sold to the Polish
government and the later arranges
for proper distribution. This food is
sold to private individuals in accord-
ance with the allowance stipulated in
the cards. This allowance is insuf-
ficient and the better classes obtain
food at a higher price in the open
market; these prices are exceedingly
high.

._............

the place made vacant by the deaths of Mr. Jasnowski, had good and
sufficient reasons for passing over the head of Mr. Keidan and, contrary
to all precedent, selecting someone not at the time connected with the
Prosecutor's office for the place. But to the mere layman who cannot
enter fully into their reasons, it seems strange that with a man so
efficient and so clean as Mr. Keidan at hand, they should not have given
the county the benefit of his continued service.

The Housing Problem in Detroit

•

At last the housing problem in Detroit seems about to be solved.
Business men of ability and of means and not without civic and social
ideals have taken up the problem of Detroit's inadequate housing facili-
ties and of the tremendous menace to the physical and moral well-being
of the people that such a condition entails. It may be interesting to
recall that as far back as nineteen years ago the writer of this editorial,
in a paper presented to the Social Conference Club at the Art Museum,
predicted the inevitable coming of the very condition which now con-
fronts the people of Detroit, and at that time he urged the formation of

.

Young People's Society—

The Young People's Society has
arranged a fine program for Soldier.
Sailor, Student and Stranger Day at
the Temple, Sunday, May 11th. The
program of the day will begin with
the services in the morning at II
o'clock. A sermon befitting the occa-
sion will be delivered by Rabbi Frank-
lin. The Students. Soldiers and Sail-
ors will he entertained at dinner by
the members of the congregation. In
the afternoon beginning at three
o'clock. a dance will he held in the
gymnasium. This dance is given es-
pecially for the benefit of students
who will have to catch an early even-
ing train for Ann Arbor. A plate
supper will he served by the Woman's
Auxiliary, after which the assemblage
will proceed to the large Auditorium
where a musical program will he ren-

_____,

OWN A HOME -1,

SAVE RENT
SECURE COMFORT

For the Wife and Kiddies

MO
'ft:0C

,

MEE

II -

ii-V--,

11

'-'1'

____

-

OWN A HOME

.

A SAFE INVESTMENT
GROWING IN VALUE

Be Independent

Etal1
- IZEgit M9

RA