THE DETROIT JEWISH CHRONICLE
MICHIGAN'S JEWISH HOME PUBLICATION
VOL. VIII. NO. 3.
BUREAUS IN ITALY AND
LODGES SEEK TO
SWITZERLAND AID
An Appeal for Service
JEWISH
IMMIGRANTS
SOLVE DETROIT'S
HOUSE SHORTAGE
BY FRED M. BUTZEL.
Committee from Numerous Civic
and Fraternal Orders to
Appeal to Governor
PISGAH LODGE MEMBER-
SHIP DRIVE STILL ON
"5,000 Members for P is g a h
Lodge," Slogan of Local
Lodge, Says President
Goldsmith
Delegates of fraternal and civic or-
ders, representing many thousands of
Detroit citizens, will meet Thursday,
June 24, in the lodge rooms of Pisgah
Lodge, No. 34, I. 0. II. B., to deter-
mine upon a definite mode of proce-
dure in combating rent-gouging. Rep.
resentatives will be sent to Lansing
authorized to act in an effort to bring
about a special session of the Legis-
lature to take up profiteering.
Arrangements for the coming meet-
ing were made at a preliminary hear-
ing held last Thursday in response to
over 200 invitations sent out by Pis-
gah Lodge. Arthur E. Fine], who act-
ed as chairman, was empowered to ap-
point a committee of three to draw
up resolutions which will be present-
ed June 24.
Special Session Urged.
It is proposed that the approved
document be presented to Gov. Sleep-
er who will be urged to bring about
emergency legislation.
The courts are overflowing with
tenants fighting eviction," Lester J.
Leopold declared at the earlier meet-
ing. "Welfare societies are taxed to
the limit and everywhere are families
with no place to live. These condi-
tions constitute an emergency. There
is need of concerted action to stop
wrongful evictions from private dwell-
ings, from exacting grossly unfair and
excessive rents, and to prevent own-
ers from evicting tenants except after
substantial notice!'
The delegates agreed to take up
with their respective lodges the prop-
osition to expel any member found
guilty of profiteering or who takes
unfair advantage of his tenants.
Barnett is Secretary.
Robert L. Barnett, of the Private
Soldiers and Sailors Legion, was ap-
pointed secretary. Mr. Pixel an-
nounced that the committee to draw
up the resolution would include H. D.
Smith, of Palestine Lodge No. 357,
F. & A. M., and Martin E. Ball, of
Wayne Lodge, Knights of Pythias.
Among the organizations represent-
ed were the Detroit Federation of La-
bor, Veterans of Foreign Wars, vari-
ous lodges of Masons and Odd-fel-
lows, Private Soldiers and Sailors Le-
gion, and Knights of Pythias. It is
expected that every representative
civic and fraternal order in the city
will send delegates to the June 24th
meeting.
Membership Drive Still On.
The warm weather has marked no
abatement in the steady progress of
Pisgah's membership campaign. De-
spite the class initiation held at Elk's
Temple last Monday night at which
several hundred members were added
to the lodge, applications for member-
ship have been pouring in in sver-
increasing numbers, necessitating an-
other large class initiation next 'Mon-
day night, June 21, at a regular meet-
ing of the lodge to be held in its
rooms, 25 Broadway.
Members hold that the continued
success of the drive during the hot
weather may in a large measure be
traced to President Leon Goldsmith's
stirring appeal made at the last class
initiation. when he urged each mem-
ber to bring in at least one additional
member into Pisisali's ranks. The
large gathering arose then as one
man, pledging their support to the
campaign.
Time International Order of B'nal
Brith rings with the record achieve-
ments of Pisgah Lodge," President
Goldsmith declared at the last meet-
ing. "It is indeed gratifying to view
the zeal, the enthusiasm, the vim and
the zest with which each individual
member in the lodge worked in this
intnbership campaign. It speaks well
for the future of Pisgah.
"I look back on the tremendous
success of our campagin as in a daze,"
President Goldsmith remarked. "In a
single year to have become the larg-
est single Iniai (frith lodge in the
world is indeed an achievement, but
our possibilities have not even been
probed as yet. I look forward confi-
dently to a glorious future for Pisgah
Lodge, a future of achievement not
merely in numbers, but in constructive
accomplishments in every branch of
human activity. Let our slogan hence-
forth be '5,000 members for Pisgah
Lodge.'"
JEWISH JOURNALISTS
OF LODS ON STRIKE
LODS, Poland—The Jewish jour-
nalists and employes of the two news-
papers, Tageblatt and the Folksblatt,
which appear in this city have gone
out on strike. Their demands were
for a 100 per cent raise in wages and
an extra 30 per cent increase for over-
time.
Both newspapers are issued by the
Kahn Bros. Publishing Co. One of
them is Zionistic, while the other is
Nationalistic.
Per Year, $3.00; Copy, 10 Cents
DETROIT, MICHIGAN, FRIDAY JUNE 18, 1920.
BASEL—A special bureau has been
established in Switzerland to aid
Jewish immigrants passing through
the country. The founder of this new
institution is the Rabbi, Dr. Cohen,
and its president is the well-known
millionaire and philanthropist, I.
Dreyfus Brodski.
The organization of Jewish com-
munities in Italy also decided to
found similar bureaus in all the larger
Italian cities.
It is a known fact that there are at
present many Jewish refugees from
l'oland and Ukrania wandering over
western Europe seeking to cross the
ocean to escape their misery. Un-
fortunately. these destitute brothers
and sisters of ours have not the
means of accomplishing this. The
newly established bureaus may be
able to extend much needed help to
these homeless Jews,
Dr. M. Benmosche
Back From Europe
Detroit Surgeon Completes Inten-
sive Study in Hospitals Abroad
—Interviews Jewish Leaders
RECEIVES HONORS FOR
POEMS ON BOARD "CELTIC"
Dr. M. Benmosche, prominent local
surgeon and member of the physi-
cians' staff of the Deaconess Hospital
of Detroit, arrived home on Tuesday
after spending two and a half months
in Europe, during which time he made
an intensive study of European meth-
ods in surgery in the interest of his
hospital. Besides his study in the
hospitals of London and Paris, Dr.
Benniosche made a careful observa-
tion of general European conditions
with particular reference to the Jew-
ish problems.
He was privileged to spend consid-
erable time with the world-famous
Jewish writer and thinker, Israel
Zangwill, and other leading interna-
tional figures. Dr. Benmosche will
make a detailed report of these con
ferences in a forthcoming issue of the
Detroit Jewish Chronicle.
Dr. Benmosche spent most of his
time in the Middlesex Hospital in
London. Here he viewed the last offi-
cial operation of the venerable and
renowned Sir John Bland-Sutton, who
retired from the hospital staff, having
reached the age of 65 years. The De-
troit surgeon also attended important
operations at the Hospital Dieu and
Hospital Cochin in Paris.
Tours Battlefields.
Dr. Benmosche was given permis-
sion to make an extended visit to the
devastated territories of France and
DR. M. BENMOSCIIE.
Belgium. the battlefields of the World
War. Ile also visited Germany. "No
modern man's education is complete
until he sees with his own eyes the
horrible desolation and destruction
that now afflicts Europe." said Dr.
Benmosche. "The devastated afeas
may truly be termed the 'Land of the
Dead.'"
Regarding anti-semitism abroad, he
said:
"I did not find the so-called anti-
semitic campaign in England as viru-
lent as I was led to believe. It has
taken on the form of an attempt to
prove that the famous Jewish leaders
of whom the Jews boast were not the
only great men in their respective
fields of endeavor. I do not believe
there is anything vicious in English
antisemitism, and am confident that
the pernicious agitation will spend
itself much as a fad and be forgotten
in the mass interest of some new
sod entirely different problem."
Writes Poem to Sir Thomas Lipton.
Readers of the Chronicle will recall
Dr. Benmosche as "Enoch Melts," the
contributor of the entertaining and
instructive poems which have appear-
ed weekly in this paper. He was hon-
ored by the passengers on hoard the
White Star liner "Celtic" on his re-
turn to America, when he was unani-
mously named "Poet Laureate of the
Celtic" in recognition of an orginal
poem written in honor of Sir Thomas
Lipton, the famous sportsman a pas-
senger on the ship. The poetic trib-
ute follows:
(Continued on Page 6.)
The unsettled conditions of the economic world' and the enormous
expansion of the field of social service, due to the war, has brought
about an enormous turn-over in the personnel of all health, charity,
prison and educational organizations. Just as these services were all
becoming standardized and professional, the war made demands for
quick and intensive training of numberless volunteers for all kinds of
social service as adjunct to the army and navy.
The armistice has brought a let-down in morale here as in so many
places.
There arc many young women with college training who have the
ability, with a slight amount of additional preparation,' to serve as in-
vestigators, probation officers, friendly visitors and office assistants.
Some of these women should welcome an opportunity to test out their
capacities to enter fields of service which are bound to become more
attractive from every point of view. It is quite apparent that we are
on the eve of an era in which the teacher, the prison-worker, the pro-
bation officer and every other kind of efficient social worker is to come
to proper recognition.
Many people are temperamentally and physically unfitted for this
kind of work and should not attempt it. But in the case of many young
women, it is just a case of self-indulgence, and lack of seriousness that
an attempt to offer a reasonable service is not made.
Domestic circumstances may prevent the offering of full-time and
the consequent entry into the ranks of paid, professional workers. Even
then a part-time service should be accorded. However, pan-time serv-
ice, to be effective, must be given regularly for a very definite period
with all the ardor and iiderest that is given its full-time service. The
objection hitherto to amateur social service has not been unintelligence
or its lack of good-will, but its irregularity and lack of conscience. Dur-
ing the war, however, our women did learn to cut and sew and cook
and wait and visit and teach and bandage and console not only with the
affections which their wards required, but with a regularity and con-
scientiousness that the most efficient factory-head could demand.
Are we our brother's keeper? Arc the maimed, widowed, sick and
ignorant of civilian life entitled to service from the intelligent, healthy,
educated and rich members of our social organization? Is there any
special obligation on the part of our young women, both married and
unmarried, who belong to the so-called "leisure class" to surrender some
part of that leisure not only to serving others but to improving them-
selves by coming in close contact with other aspects of life?
THE UNITED JEWISH CHARITIES need competent and able
workers. The number of available workers with adequate professional
training is very limited. Volunteer workers arc wanted, both to take
training with a view to becoming full-time social workers and with a
view to becoming volunteer part-time workers.
THE LEGEND OF JEWISH POWER
BY DAJEM
If Jewish seminaries and the term
can well include every variety of rab-
binical institution everywhere, gave a
course in say Mazzini and Disraeli
instead of in homiletics the course of
Jewish history would swiftly run in
a new direction. The suggestion is
not the result of any particular ob-
jection to honteletics—some other
course might just as easily he skipped
in favor of those named, except that
the inbreeding of the Jewish mind—
clerical and lay—on homiletics is re-
sponsible for one of the outstanding
differences between the Jewish and
the non-Jewish world. The Jews, col-
lectively, are not realists; they im-
pinge on the theory whatever it may
be, allowing facts merely to serve as
evidence of the correctness or other-
wise of the idea. The facts them-
selves are entirely a minor consider-
ation, of no more value than any
table use as analogue. One cause of
this must lie the Jewish ability, or
desire, to explain ideas by ideas, never
permitting two and two to make four,
and acknowledge that the sum has
been correctly added in the world of
national, political or social affairs.
Because of this it is always possible
to explain national problems by re-
ligious arguments, and to find for
religious questions answers composed
of highly polished phrases the prin-
cipal merit of which is the polish. The
remedy suggested would supply in
some measure the romanticism dearly
beloved of Jews, and all appreciation
of what Jews most need in any col-
lective grouping—from congregation
to nation—an understanding of the
positive effect of political environment
upon any group of people. In other
words, such a course would compel
the student instead of evolving man-
kind out of his inner consciousness
to face the facts. Whenever sermons
are made up of substantives instead
of adjectives the real change in Jew-
sit lite will have begun.
All this musing has been suggested
by first, a position of a wonderful
myth and, second, a stern fact. First
the fact: A patient reading of hun-
dreds of abstracts of sermons deliv-
ered during the war shows that hard-
ly a Rabbi has contributed anything
to the world of thinking produced by
the war. View it as a Jewish ques-
tion, or a world question, a religious
or a moral problem, what is there to
show of Jewish definite thought, in-
genuity or originality? Practically no
rabbi has said a commanding word;
most limp well behind the tone of the
non-Jewish world which is on the
average equally ambling and undis-
tinguished. This is not a criticism of
the paucity of rabbinic genius. The
explanation is at hand. The Jews are
everywhere a minority, practically
forceless, and distinctly and delib-
erately non-cohesive. Even the most
orthodox Jew is an assimilator when
it conies to world affairs for such are
mostly new to him. He has not "mix-
ed in" where his opinion has not been
sought. The socialists who do not
want to be Jews are just as Jewish
as the orthodox when it comes to
imitation, they merely imitate some-
thing different, but with more fervor
and more assurance that because it
is imitation it is best.
Over against these facts, sad to
those who desire Jewish unity and all
it might produce, is the world myth
of Jewish solidarity. The world,
which means statesmen, politicians,
publicists and journalists, believes that
Disraeli's romantic character "Si-
(Ionia" really exists and guides the
courses of this planet. "Like peas in
a pod" is the world view of the Jews.
Bright men, thoroughly used to noting
the differences that prevail among, say
the Irish, believe that the difference
between a Jewish nationalist and an
assimilator is merely that the Irish
says what he thinks, and that the
latter has some obscure reason for
disguising his real thoughts. That
there are Jewish pro-allies, Jews who
are pro-German, and some Jewish
neutral pacifists, this, says the wise
non-Jew, is merely another exhibition
of Jewish cleverness, apparently to
divide forces so as to be in every
camp, and still maintaining in some in-
visible corner a mechanism that auto-
matically controls everything. Though
thoroughly familiar with the Jewish
ability to meet every attack with a
world penetrating outcry there is a
distinct belief in Jewish insensibility
to mere human passions in the affairs
of the world at large. Prevision, say
these non-Jews, is the great Oriental
asset in the Jewish character. The
Jew sees ahead and leaves nothing to
chance. And his internationalism pro-
vides the ropes of the net whereby he
can hold the world in a prison of his
determination.
It is most fascinating to listen to
this gospel of the great Jewish power,
an all determining influence that has
made the Russian revolution, main-
tains the Russian chaos and is now
playing a three-cornered game in
Lithuania, l'oland and Ruthenia. l'ass
over that fact that no one can explain
just what purpose is embraced in this
mysterious game and you still have a
remarkable legend to which all man-
ner of men pay fearful tribute.
The Jew knows otherwise. Ile
knows that Jewish effort is individual,
local and eccentric. Still by the end-
less correlation of names—Jewish
statesmen, judges, writers, musicians,
etc., he himself, helps to make a pic-
ture. His interest in the recognition
of Jews makes to the outside world
a semblance of that cohesiveness
which no nation really possesses,
which any one will ascribe to the oth-
er, and which all ascribe to the Jews.
But seeing that the Jews have in
reality played only the small parts
in the great world drama of the mod-
ern ages it is remarkable that there
should exist this conviction in Jewish
solidarity and in the impertuahle mys-
terious Jew on top who is settling the
fate of nations. In the modern Eng-
lish speaking world there may be an
explanation in the character of Dis-
raeli. He not only created the pic-
ture of the mysterious omnipresent
omniscient "Sidonia," but he essayed
to be it himself. Bismark and Beacon-
field were the only two modern
statesmen who thought of the world
as a chess board with the nations as
pawns. Bismarck played a "blood and
iron" game which is hateful, while
Disraeli fascinated more than one
(Continued on Page 6.)
ZIONISTS ESTABLISH
FELLOWSHIP TO CARRY
ON RESEARCH WORK
NEW YORK—To carry on re-
search work in one of the social, in-
dustrial, economic, sanitary or engi-
neering problems incident of the
Jewish National Homeland in Pales-
tine, the Intercollegiate Zionist Asso-
ciation of America announces the es-
tablishment of a fellowship in Pales-
tine for the academic year of 1920.21,
open to American college graduates
or students. The fellowship carries
with it $2,000 a year.
Applications will be received until
July 21st. The committee of re-
wards consists of 'Prof. David S.
Blondheim, Johns Hopkins; Prof.
Harry Friedenwald, University of
Maryland; Prof. Nathan Isaacs, Har-
vard; l'rof. Milton J. Rosenau, liar-
yard, and L. Mossieff, consulting en-
gineer, New York.
It is probable that part of the
University of Jerusalem, the Hebrew
university, included in the Zionist
restoration program which l'rof. Pat-
rick Geddes of the University of
Edinburgh is now building, will be
completed in time for the experi-
mental work of the scholarship to be
carried on in its laboratories.
England Announces
Palestine Policy
Holy Land Open to All Faiths;
Complete Religious Liberty
Will Be Maintained
SIR HERBERT SAMUEL
HIGH COMMISSIONER
L 0 N DON .— General principles
which will be followed by the new ad-
ministration in Palestine have been
announced by Sir Herbert Samuel,
High Commissioner for Palestine. Sir
Herbert said:
"Complete religious liberty will be
maintained in Palestine. Places sacred
to the great religions will remain in
control of the adherents of those re-
ligions. Civilian administration for
the country will be established imme-
diately. The higher ranks will consist
of British officials of ability and ex-
perience. The other ranks will be
open to the local population, irrespec-
tive of creed. Order will be firmly en-
forced. The economic development of
the country will be actively promoted.
"In accordance with the decision of
the allied and associated powers,
measures will be adopted to recon-
struct the Jewish national home in
Palestine. The yearnings of the Jew-
ish people for two thousand yearns, of
which the Zionist movement is the lat-
est expression, will at last be realized.
The steps taken to this end will be
consistent with scrupulous respect for
the right of the present non-Jewish
inhabitants.
NEW LEAGUE OF
RELIGIONS MEETS
RABBI'S APPROVAL
Proposal by Episcopal B i a h op
Bury Hailed as "Successor
of League of Nations"
WILL BRIDGE GULF OF
RELIGIOUS PREJUDICE
Dr. Krass Declares Movement it
Noblest Born in the Last
Twenty Centuries
NEW YORK.—A League of Relig-
ions, which should supersede the
League of Nations, said by speakers
to be dying at present, was heralded
by the leading Jewish ministers of this
city at the Temple Israel of llarlem,
as the noblest and finest undertaking
in the last twenty centuries. Declar-
ing that the gulf between Christianity
and Judaism must now be bridged, the
Rt. Rev. Herbert Bury, Episcopal
Bishop for Northern and Central Eu-
rope, proposed the scheme and told of
its need. Addresses of appreciation
were then delivered by Dr. Stephen S.
Wise, Dr. Maurice H. Harris and Dr.
Nathan Krass, leading reformed rab-
bis in this city. Dr. Bernard Drach-
man, an orthodox minister, voiced his
approval also, in the closing prayer,
'I hope that the League of Relig-
ions will have an easier and a happier
birth than the League of Nations,"
said Rabbi Wise of the Free Syna-
gague, "and that no national conven-
tion will, after a year or two pro-
nounce the funeral rites over its re-
mains. We should resolve as Jews,
representing the various elements and
groups within the grand Jewry, to or-
ganize as far as it lies in our power
into a League of Religions as explain-
ed by Bishop Bury."
Morgenthau For It.
Before introducing the principal
speaker, Henry Morgenthau, Ambas-
sador to Mexico, the chairman, said he
looked to the proposed league as one
which might supplant the League of
Nations. "We all feel sadly disap-
pointed that as a result of this war
there has not been accomplished that
high aim for which America entered,
the establishing a League of Nations
so that justice and brotherly love
might exist between the vraious na-
tions of the earth. The proposed
league of Red Cross societies has also
fallen short of expectations and so we
look to this union of religious beliefs
to promote universal righteousness,
brotherhood and peace."
Bishop Bury told of his duties in
Europe and narrated some of his ex-
periences in the fighting areas during
the World 1Var.
"The great gulf that has long sev-
Plans for Large Population,
ered us and Jewry," he continued,
"The country has room for a larger
"will he bridged through this league,
population than it contains, and Pales- and I hope to
See it come about in my
tine, properly provided with roads, lifetime."
railways, harbors and electric power,
"Noblest Project of Century."
with the soil more highly cultivated,
the waste lands reclaimed, forests
"If this movement is really a serious
planted and malaria exterpated, with one and not a scheme seeking Jewish
town and village industries encour- converts into Protestantism, Catholi-
aged, can maintain a large additional cism, Episcopalianism or Seventh Day
population not only without hurt, but Adventism; if its Jewish members be-
with much advantage to the present come loyal, God-fearing Jews and its
inhabitants.
Christian adherents remain or become
"Immigration of the character that loyal, God-fearing Christians, then this
is needed will be admitted into the is the noblest and finest thing born in
country in proportion as its develop- the twentieth century, aye, even in the
ment allows employment to be found. past twenty centuries," said Dr. Na-
Above all, educational and spiritual than Krass.
influences will be fostered in the hope
On the committee which called the
that once more there may radiate from meeting were Oscar S. Straus, Abram
the Holy Land the moral forces of I. Elkus, Louis Marshall, Mrs. Charles
service to mankind. These are the I. Hoffman. Dr. Etas S. Soloman,
purposes which, under superintend- S. Ochs, Daniel P. Hays, Sam-
ence of the League of Nations, the son Lachman, Henry Morgenthau,
British government in the exercise of Jacob H. Schiff, Ntrs. m. D. Spor-
its mandate for Palestine, will seek to berg, Dr. Nathan Stern, Dr. Stephen
promote."
S. Wise, Dr. Joseph Silverman, Dr.
Cvrus Adler, Benjamin Altheimer,
Mr , . Joseph Mayor Asher, Nathan J.
CHRISTIANS STRIKE
Miller and Dr. Maurice H. Harris.
AGAINST SUNDAY LAW
LEMBERG—The Joys are not the
only ones to express dissatisfaction
with the stringent Sunday law im-
posed by the Government upon the
people of Poland. Resentment against
this measure is expressed by the
Christian population as well. Quite
recently thousands of Christian wo-
men organized a demonstration on a
Sunday afternoon to protest against
the Sunday law because of which. so
they claim, they cannot buy sufficient
provisions for the family.
JEW KEPT AT
PRISON WALL
WARSAW—A provincial Jew in
his long flowing garments stepped on
the sidewalk of the military prison
on Jika street, ignorant of the fact
that he was before such an' institu-
tion and that it is forbidden to walk
on its sidewalk. He was immediate-
ly noticed by the sentinel who grab
bed him and forced him to stand
with his face to the prison wall.
Not knowing what to expect next.
the Jew wept and fainted from fear
Hundreds were soon gathered upon
the scene. Passing policemen were
asked to intervene, but they claimed
that it was none of their business.
Someone called up the Jewish deputy
of the Polish Parliament, Dr. Farb-
stein, and he at once communicated
with the city administration and with
the heads of the prison. in the next
half hour an order was issv;c1 that
'he Jewish prisoner be freed.
ANTI-SEMITISM IN THE
POLISH UNIVERSITIES
WARSAW, Poland—Prof. Farness,
a lecturer on chemistry at
Warsaw Univers.t,. was suddenly
dismissed from his position. Since
no other reason was given, it may
be assumed that the peculiar Jewish
sound of his name might have had
something to do with it. Professor
Bandinsky of Lemberg University
was called upon to take his place.
The latter immediately accepted the
offer and made a public statement
in which he declared his satisfaction
with the policy of Warsaw Univer-
sity of replacing Jewish teachers
with Poles.
This meant that the position left
by Professor Bandinsky at Lemberg
University had to be filled. At a
meeting for this purpose, a resolution
was offered to invite Professor Par-
ness to Lemberg University to take
this scat of learning. Quite unin-
vited, Dr. Bandinsky cane to this
meeting and protested against the
candidacy of a Jew for a professorial
position at a Polish University. All
his protests were of no avail. By a
vast majority the resolution to re-
quest Professor l'arness to come to
Lemberg University was adopted.
Now this resolution must be passed
upon by the Polish Government at
Warsaw. To all appearances it will
not receive its favorable approval.
At Lemberg University as well as
at Warsaw no Jewish professors are
wanted.