THE DETROIT JEWISH CHRONICLE

PAGE SIX

HUMAN NATURE

THE DETROIT JEWISH
CHRONICLE
HOME PUBLICATION

a child's intellectual taste be utterly misguided by the reading of
books of this sort, but that its whole moral outlook may become
MICHIGAN'S JEWISH
distorted through stories in which poverty and misfortune are ex-
alted as the inevitable conditions of a life of heroism.
Published Weekly by The Jewish Chronicle Publishing Co.. Inc.
Books that a comparatively few years ago were found in every
-
President
JOSEPH J. CUMMINS
children's library', have now for the most part been relegated to the
Secretary-Treasurer
NATHAN J. GOULD -
rubbish heap. Moreover, children's text books in the public schools
instead of containin g stupid and unmeaning jingles are now made
as
second-class
matter
March
3,
1916,
at
the
Postoffice
at
Detroit,
Entered
up of little classics by which the literary taste of the child is normally
Mich., under the Act of March 3, 1879.
developed. In all our great public libraries, a children's department
usually under the supervision . of competent persons, finds an nn
OFFICES, BOOK BUILDING
portant place. Sets of books, historical and fictional, have been pub-
Telephone Cherry 3381
fished in considerable numbers during recent times by those wh o
$2.00 per year understand the spirit of the child.
-
Subscription, in advance
The camain
p on in behalf of children's reading should
tai to be nut
To insure publication, an correspondence and news matter must reach serve-effectively to crystalize our thoughts upon the importance of
Ns office by Tuesday evening of each week.
properly directing our children's reading and of putting into their
Editorial Contributor' 'h a nds , such literature as will develop and not destroy their sense
RABBI LEO M. FRANKLIN
of what is good and what is bad alike in literature and in life.
The Jewish Chronicle invites correspondence on subiects of interest to

BY ENOCH MEBS

ll'hene;•er a prob/em, economic or social,
I try is decipher or redS011,
1 get the same warning — so dis tressingly constant—

-

! feel that I'm guilty of treason :
That I dart not be blind—
n I find,
c
In conlusions
To something they call Human Native.

They tell me Utopia is the dreamiest of dreaming — .
g.
A Phantom, elusive, beguilinpes
of correction,
/ talk of conditions, and the ho
But they, superciliously smili ng,
ons aside—
l'ut my reasons
pride-
/ expoun ded
Because I forgot Human Nature.

-

the Jewish people, but disclaims responsibility for an indorsement of the
views expressed by the writers.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 1919

Then they sell me of Laws that each man must be botind with —
Ir
,
.
Restrictions arid classes and order.
And they tell me, these days, it is really essential,
Each man to his own given border.
And the blame is all due
To that Demon in you—
That Demon we call Human Nature.

Food for Thought

CHESHVAN 14, 5680

There is food for thought in an article recently published by
Then the root and the source of the evils that haunt us—
Veblen in the "Political Science Monthly" and latterly
Seems apparently siinpl,' to m —
reprinted by the Academy of Political Science under the title "The
Should be shackled and trained till it stands a thing worth•—
Intellectual Pre-eminence of Jews in Modern Europe." Paying, at
If we Want to be happy and free.
But I'm wondering now,
the Jewish coat- the outset of his article, a very high tribute to the sincerity and the
If it is within the range of human possibility,
IIVien that's done, whine and how
put an end to the self-poise of the Zionists in our ranks, Mr. Veblen comes to the con.
to
this
city
should
rise
in
its
might
Will the blame be without !Inman Naturer
munity of
numberless irresponsible organizations that in the Jewish name, are elusion that however the consummation of the Zionist ideal might
the Boston public library is the as President of the American rabbin-
springing up from time to time and appealing to the general public add to the content of Jewish life, it would effectively put a quietus
first official action taken by any Jew - ate was directed toward the quench-
for funds. On the very eve of the great Patriotic Drive this week, upon the Jews' influence upon the modern intellectual world to which (.'f
ing of the fires of hate,
ish body. It reads as follows:
Dr. Berkowitz referred to the fact
one organization for which the need is very questionable and which he has through contact in every age and in every country, so notably
"To the Board of Directors of the
_
c
library,
William
F.
that
a report had recently gone forth
public
has not the endorsement of those in the community who through contributed.
throughout
the country that a million
Mass.:
Kenny, chai rman, Boston, been
lie holds that living in comparative isolation, he might develop Boston
experience and through scientific study have a right to speak as to
added
dollars
was to he spent by the Pro-
panels
Talmudic
times,
but
his
place
as
of
a
culture
corresponding
to
that
Sargent, to his testant Episcopal church in Christian-
the social needs of the cotnmunity, advertised a dance for the pttr
t1esc'
new John
i artist,
s to tit
an explorer in the realm of modern science, would be irretrievably b;1."
ble paint gs c on the izing the Jews and others so a p
series of nota Bo
pose of raising funds.
library. them
em for American citizenshi. The
cant-
lost.
We
are
not
sure
that
we
follow
Mr.
Veblen
all
of
the
wa.;,
inbl librar
Aside from the poor taste of putting on a money-raising
walls of the Boston pui
unwarranted aspersion implied could
paign of any kind on the eve of a great city-wide campaign, there is but there is certainly much suggestiveness in what he has to say. One of these is entitled, 'The Syua -
The synagogue is pictured not but kindle hatred against the
involved in such an action a serious menace to the Jewish cause as lie sums his thoughts up in this paragraph:
folded
figure
whose
crown
Jews in the hearts of their Christian
as a blind -
"As bearing Ott the Zionist enterprise in isolation and nation- vgue."
has falLm from its head, while with fellow citizens, and had naturally
such. The larger community has not yet learned to distinguish
fully between the organizations fostered by the entire community ,tilt}', this fable appears to teach a two-fold moral: If the adventure one hand it holds the tables of the aroused righteous resentment in the
Jews whose notable
because they seem to be needful and worthy, and those sponsored is carried to that consummate outcome which seems to be aimed at, law ,. close to its breast, and with the hearts of the
cause of America dur-
other, loosely grasps a broken service to the
ing the war and at all times was sec- -
by small groups who either out of pique at existing organizations or it should apparently be due to be crowned with a large national coin
out of the desire to push themselves into public notice, or out of an placency and possibly a profound and self-suflicient content on the scepter.
"The executive board of the Central and to that of no other group o
out
Dr e F.
interpretation of conditions honest but misguided, form organiza- part of the Chosen People domiciled once more in the Chosen Land; Conference of American Rabbis in citizens. Franklin had with splendid
regular
session assembled, while ad- force and wise judgment brought the
and when and in so far as the Jewish Iwo* in this way turn inward
tions and appeal for public support for them.
We believe that the time has definitely come when sorb an or- on themselves, their prospective contribution to the world's Intel- mitting that the artist has a perfect matter to the attention of the great
nay, it is his duty, to set down convention of the Protestant Episco-
ganization as the United Jewish Charities ought to come out boldly lectual output should, in the light of the historical evidence, fairly right, pictorial
way, his conception of pal church at its recent sessions in
in a
and straightforwardly with its disapproval of organizations for be expected to take on the complexion of Talmudic lore, rather than life,
however biased and false it may
seem to others, yet it asserts that Detroit with the result that an unan-
that
character
of
free-swung
skeptical
initiative
which
their
rene-
which there seems to be no need in the community, or over which,
imous vote declared it "to be far front -
gades have habitually. infused into the pursuit of the modern sciences such a presentation of the synagogue its purpose to disparage or to criti-
if the need exists, the men and women who have scientifically studied
is contrary to fact and therefore un- cize the notable American patriotism
the problem, ought to be given supervision. In social service, we abroad among the nations."
just. It nrges that inasmuch as the displayed by the Jewish people."
Whether or not, we endorse in their entirety, the sentiments ex- picture
need sanity as well as sentiment. Moreover, every dollar that is
will hurt a large section of the
The speaker gave a telling charac-
iunitpressed
by
Mr.
Veblen,
his
article
is
worthy
of
reading
by
all
who
h
community in their tenderest suscep - terization of true as opposed to false
given to the support of organizations not required by the conmy
religion.
are
interested
in
the
outworking
of
Jewish
destiny
in
these
crucial
tibilities
and
deepest
convictions,
it
way
"Out of the fires of Sinai,"
and which oftentimes represent a duplication of effort, is taken a
should not appear in a public institu- said Dr. Berkowitz, "had come forth
ported
by
public
taxation•
from some other institution that needs it. In a community there is times.
those eternal principles which are the
fon su p
only a limited amount of money, time, and energy for the support
Above
bove all, it protests against any foundations of true religion, and on
of public institutions. Such resources, therefore, must be carefully
the moral order of the world
i thei i ii i ,g g w gii, t1: nsu tc h h e a sta cIne,a p r,os h ea ci ta prrio a , n obila w s
• has been based. Out of the fires of
husbanded and not dissipated.
Nlany
of
the
old
friends
of
Dr.
Emanuel
Gerechter,
for
many
a
public
institution.
hate
kindled
in the world war has
the evil of giving dances,
All of this takes no account either of th
"We, therefore, respectfully
come the greatest deed in the history
balls, bazaars and what not, for charitable institutions, the expenses years Rabbi of the Congregation at Appleton, Wisconsin, will be earnestly petition the authorities and
of of mankind—the Covenant of the
of which eat up far more of the income than goes to the beneficiary. interested to learn of his recent retirement from the pulpit. A schol- the Boston public library to remove Lra gue of Nations. Here is religion
arty gentleman and an earnest worker in the cause of Israel and of the panel entitled 'Thin Synagog u'c cast into workable form; for the first
For all these reasons, we believe that the time is here when a fear-
Gerechter, through the long years of his service, has from its walls."
time the prayers and visions of its
less word must be spoken in this matter. The evil cannot go on. humanity, Dr.
prophets an dmartyrs translated into
never sought for notoriety or publicity but has found his satisfaction
Next Convention at Rochester.
Something must be done to stop it.
Rochester,
N.
Y.,
has
been
desig-
practical
institutions.
Let us hope that someone will have courage and conscience in the conscientious performance of his duty toward his God and
The rabbi summarized the eon-
nated as the meeting place of the ''tractive measures of the league.
his
people,
y
be
heard
b
t
o
lik
e
l
y
i
i
s
t
teak the proper word where t s ey o
on. June - to July ..
enou gh to spea
Many years ago altru)st out of the memory of the present geller tr iehit e t pctio u g w.eiiti for
c u o n i iasii itu liiliittatiofi ns," t
the next session . of I T (Ii i e act i e a7erd, tlit e iir eyli
those who ought to hear it.
anion, Dr. Gerechter was 'Rabbi of Temple Beth El in this city, and
rence
the
Confe
concerted
effort
to
set reason before
tle .ew
who still survive from ently consrt erun ccetivae s ai°1 t
f
he is still kindly remembered by I
lld diesal e vuitn ;
violen. ce; to abate the range of war
who were active in the early days of the Omgregation. many problems of vital import to adjudicating
among those w
the differences of na-
y
We join with all of Dr. Gerechter's friends in the hope that he American J ewry and to the Jewry of b lions—the
solemn pledge of 3 3 goy-
At this writing, the drive for the Patriotic Fund is in full swing.
ernments that the cause of the weak
Reports coming from the workers arc most encouraging and opti- may now enjoy to the full the fruits of his labors, and that although the world.
Rabbis
Tendered
Banquet.
Rabbis
be heard and their wrongs bn
mistic, and there can he no doubt that the full five and one-quarter he may no longer be active in pulpit work, he may yet keep in touch
The visiting Rabbis were the guests righted."
million dollars sought for to carry on the beneficent work of the with his colleagues who sincerely honor and respect him.
of the Board of Directors of Temple
various social agencies of Detroit, will be gathered during the five
B eth El to whom a vote of thank
Noted Yiddish Critic Arrives.
was extended. On Tuesday evening
days set for the Drive.
II , o ,iat r h d ti o , f , 11 ) ,, i x re ec o tio ti rseof se tla ie rdT,e,f m t p il , (: ‘
•
the
To be sure, there will he those who will find excuses for not
Samuel
giving. A few people may have legitimate excuses for &dining to
pointed to confer with the heads of Conference for an elaborate dinner at noN te1: : 1"1 . 'idl (liO sIR
-
I K ci:i—
share in the great privilege of giving to this noble cause. But there
ropean war correspondent for a mum-
tare of the evening was a symposium bet of Yiddish dailies and weeklies,
are not many in this city who can honestly claim ekemption. Some
-
participated thiiin t by membersof both a:7,i Til l ii i i it 1, this
i , s , C country,.. aboard ,t c la w s
there are, no doubt, as there have been heretofore, who will pledge
Can
. COMMITTEE
the Federation of the Churches of the Hotel Staler. A pleasant fea-
but not pay. But these, too, will be an insignificant minority, and
the Rabbi?" Prior I
CONFERENCE OF
Christ with a view to obtaining the the Laymen Help
influence of that organization with to the dinner, Rabbi Clifton IL Levy towed in port
last i g Saturday
the essential effect of the breaking of their vow will be less upon the
under
i nel lel
ug ne(r 1 was t Mr.
v w . .rio
o n.u. wrote
i t.:a liTa n re
AMERICAN RABBIS
met
Fund than upon themselves, for if they have in them a spark of man-
the denominations represented in the of New York City, said that the Jew-
n eoyf, 'Samuel
---
ish synagogues of the liberal class
.
-
I
eretz
Federation
to
put
an
end
to
mission
the pier. by members of the
hood or womanhood, they will feel themselves degraded in their
(Continued from page one.)
W . riters' ('huh of Brooklyn, and by his
tio ryeieff i or sto afta nroia ig s tItii e li.y Jewn 'siaa ynd ot a h ls eo r will soon put Into operation the c lain at
Sunday school plan to spread relig-
eyes.
Merman B. Charney N la-
tices under the law, that all Jews who
The great majority of the people of Detroit, and we believe that desire to use wine for religious per- ; forms of discrimination against the ions teaching to Jewish groups not brother, A ,
served by the synagogues. Temple deck of New 1 ork. With him were
we May safely say it, the overwhelming majority of the Jewish poses be required to sign a card or Jew.
his wife and two small children.
The following resolution was pre- Beth El is planning such a move-
people of this city, will do their duty gladly and eagerly and they register, which shall be in charge of
to the Committee
will do it with a sense of gratitude in their hearts for the privilege the person authorized to distribute rented and referred
OFFICIAL LODGE NOTICES.
Dr. Berkowitz Speaks.
wine for religious purposes. This on Survey of Religious Conditions:
that is theirs.
"That the President appoint a com- met: Henry Berkowitz, of Philadel-
register shall be examined periodic -
PISGAH LODGE, 1. 0. B. B.
happen
that
when
this
editorial
reaches
one
or
the
ally by an agent of the department. mince of five which shall take into
should it so
A regular meeting of Pisgah Lodge,
other of our readers, they may not yet have matte their pledge. it will The Conference holds itself ready to consideration the subject of strength- tanqua, who arriv . ed here a few d . ays
34, Independent Order of B'nai
lv into tou ch with arrange a list of such occasions on ening the Jewish religious work and phia, chancellor of the Jewish Chau-
Let them put themselves
not be too late to do so. L
of the
and a educational
gathering Brith, wil be held on Monday evening,
which Jewish people are accustomed influence
"n order
to social
present
con- struck the keynote of the gathering
the Patriotic Fund or with any of the workers in the great campaign to use wine ceremonially.
agencies in the Jewish communities. before the opening
of
the
session,
on
"Quench-
.
November
10, at 7:30 P. M. at the
to of
that is now on. While it is true that "he gives twice who gives
morn- lodge rooms, 25 Broadway.
That i
This Record shall lie open to public
ay.
The nest Forum Luncheon will be
quickly'," it is also true that it is never too late to do good.
inspection. This Registration shall structive plan for this work, this M a remarkable
be
valid
for
the
period
of
one
year
Committee
shall
gather
data
of
few-
ing
the
Fires
of
Hate,"
Sunday
hatred
in
the
.
held
on
Tuesday
noon,
November
II, at
dared that the vice of
If you have not given, think this over. Let not your name be
only and shall be required at tlw be- ish social and religious work done by ing. at Temple Beth El when he de- the club rooms, 25 Broadway. Dr. I. Z.
missing on Detroit's roll of honor.
light
these agencies and that, in the
Taub, assistant superintendent of the
ginning of each fiscal year.

Stop It

-

-

A

Dr. Gerechter's Retirement

-

(1 11■■' ' i e

The Drive Is On

Armistice Day

. ' On Tuesday next, will occur the first anniversary of the signing
of the armistice. The day was one, as will be recalled. of wild jubila-
leti thought that by the
tion and unrestrained, riotous celebration.
mere signing of a bit Of paper, the war was done. I low utterly mis ,
taken they Were, events have proved. Often, we have thought and
said that on November 1 lilt, 01 8, the real war began. It was the
War of class against class and of group against group. it was a war
though bloodless in the main, which carried in its wake, perhaps
more suffering and more sorrow than that which was fought an
Flanders fields and that war is not yet ended.
lay' it not be hoped that Armistice Day, unlike that of a Year
ago, may sound the deeper note of earnest meditation upon" the
problems that now Confront a confused and a depressed humanity?
If, as sonic would have it, Armistice Day is to be celebrated, let it
not he as a holiday but as a holy day. Perhaps in year: to come, it
may legitimately take on its character as a day tit joy. But for the
present, it should he a time of solemn reflection; of earnest medita-
tion ; and of high restdution for the American people and for all the
peoples of the earth.

-

Children's Book Week

From November Inth to I:nh. a nation-wide campaign is to be
waged in behalf of better reading for the children of this nation.
Coming as it does, at a time when there are so many great money-
raising campaigns on. this, which has a purely educational and
idealistic end in view, is likely to be fin - the most part neglected and
forgotten. And yet, its importance cannot be overemphasized.
In these last years we have begun to pay much more attention
to our children's reading than in the earlier years of the century had
been the case. It is not so long ago that parents and teachers alike
at complacently hack while their children regaled themselves on
stories of the "Ragged Dick" and "Tattered Tom" variety. Only
comparatively recently did we awake to the fact that not only may

■

fliat we advise the establishmeot of this data, this committee report to modern
world D outweighs
even
the
cited
in
. r.. Berkowitz
and s ololatry.
by the Commissioner of Internal Rev- the President. who, in turn, shall three cardinal
sins, murder,
adultery
denunciation
the forms
in
roue, of a Joint Committee of the communicate to the members of the ringing
which these three cardinal sins had
Central Conference of American Executive Committee, their findings I polluted the world in our (lay and
Rabbis and the Union of Orthodox and their recommendations . in what
.. P ellincg im°, five in
Rabbis, which Committee shall sub- ways the Conference can and should that hat,': was an 1,m
1 them a"• " .."' "' es o ' 'm ' e now
min to the Government the names of assist in this constructive work."
burning in many lands threaten to
responsible persons in each locality
Protest Sargent's Panel.
consume the world," said Dr. Berko-
o ne force if it
to certify proper persons to be auth-
At Wednesday's session a spirited w i t , "There i s b u t
orized to sign applications for wine protest was framed against the erec-
o .' were to dominate the human heart
that
could
ouench
those
fires—the
under t he law.
be non in. th. e Boston public library t
That a registration ',record
. ohn S. Sargent s new panel,
maintained of those who are author- J
1 he matter has aro"Urseh(el force Tribute
of true Religion.
to Dr. Franklin.
ized to validate applications for sa(- Synagogue.
. in the east
opened his discourse
ramental wine, and that applications a storm
of
controversy
Dr.
Berkowitz
Jews
and
Christians.
lint
the
.
Dr. Franklin
a local among
the signature of president
shall have
rabbi
and congregational
resolution adopted Wednesday and with a high tribute to
forwarded to the Board of Directors in that the first act of his leadership
and secretary designated by the Gen -
eral Committee of the Central Con
ference of American Rabbis and the
Union of Orthodox Rabbis.
OLSEV.
LOUIS
AX C. CURRICK.
LOUIS GROSSMAN.

Detroit House of Correction, will be
promptly
the speaker. Luncheon begins pr
at 12. Ladies are especially invited.

KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS, NO. 55.
To the Officers and Members of Detroit

Lodge:
You are hereby notified to be present
on Wednesday evening, November 12,
1919, at Castle Hall, 533 Cass Ave.
Detroit Lodge Degree Team will es-
emplify the Rank of Page in long form.
Also other important business. Do not
fail to be present.
Frank Berman, C. C.
N. S. Shellfish, K. of R. AS

DON'T WAIT - FILLYOUR BIN NOW WITH OUR

Conversionist Activities.

President Leo NI. Franklin called
the attention of the Executive Board
to the resolutions recently adopted
fly the General Convention of the
Episcopal Church in regard to mis-
sionary efforts among the Jesus.. The
action of the Episcopal Church was
regarded as a distinct step forward
toward a better understanding be-
tween the two great religious organ-
izations and in the direction of
church unity. flowerer, it was dis-
tinctly felt that further efforts along
this line must be made, and. accord-
ingly. a committee consisting of
Rabbi Franklin, Rabbi Clifton if.
Levy, of New York, Rabbi Max C.
Currick, of Erie. Pa., and Rabbi Isaac
E. Marcuson, of Macon, Ga., was ap- I

AIAFON% HAN LED
o O
_ Ail
v COKE ^

HOTTER
CLEANER **

Lower
Priced

g©ILD
OM' Mr

EASILY

Sizes

)_ ©QM
V.-Yff:. GU GSM

