Friday, October 20, 1911
DETROIT JEWISH CHRONICLE and The Legal Chronicle
Page 12
STUDY
(Continued from Page 1)
Specific conclusions of the
study of the relationships be-
tween the two groups follow.
Since most of the conflict seemed
to come from commercial rela-
tionships between them, the study
deals largely with these in the
Hastings St., Oakland Ave., and
West Warren Ave. districts. The
results of studies of mutual at-
titudes of Negroes and Jews are
also included.
1. Jewish business does not
have a monopoly on Hastings,
Oakland or Warren. Negro busi-
ness is increasingly important in
all three areas. On Hastings 27
per cent of the Negro business
concerns studied, as contrasted
with but five per cent of the
Jewish, had come into the area
in the past five years; on Oak-
land 100, per cent of the Negro
as contrasted with but 14 per
cent of the Jewish concerns had
come in during the same period.
2. More and more Negroes
are developing buying habits sim-
ilar to those of the larger com-
munity. Since more negroes do
not feel that they have to buy
locally, this fact should tend to
eliminate their feeling that they
are forced to patronize Jewish
merchants, and this should cut
down the conflict.
3. Jewish business is found in
the Hastings and Oakland areas
largely because Jews formerly
resided in these areas. Jewish
businessmen are not moving into
these areas because Negroes are
alleged to be easy marks as cus-
tomers. However, 50 per cent
more Jews than Negroes believe
that Negroes are more easily
persuaded to pay regular prices
for inferior goods.
4. None of the Jewish mer-
chants and only 25 per cent of
the Negro merchants live in the
Hastings area. The Negro com-
plaint that "Jews make money
out of us, then live and spend
their money over there" does not
seem to be justified, as all mer-
chants, whether Jewish or Negro,
who can afford to do so, live
elsewhere.
5. Mixed customers do not
create conflict. This is shown by
the fact that Warren Ave. com-
mercial establishments which have
the greatest mixture of custom-
ers had the least conflict report-
ed.
6. Least satisfaction with cus-
tomers was shown by both Jew-
ish and Negro merchants in the
Hastings area, both shoving but
73 per cent satisfactidc. This
indicates that the type of cus-
tomer rather than his race de-
termines dissatisfaction.
7. While Jewish and white
gentile stores give more credit
than Negro stores, very few run
on a credit or mostly credit
basis. The giving of credit as a
factor in Negro-Jewish conflict
seems to 1,, highly over-rated.
8. Customer transiency seems
to bear an important relationship
to Negro-Jewish conflict, with the
Hastings area showing the great-
est conflict and the greatest
amount of customer transiency.
9. The factor of mixed racial
employees does not lead to con-
flict, but more often to friendly
relationships.
10. Competition between Ne-
gro and Jewish merchants does
not lead to conflict. Conflict
seems to be present where Negro
merchants are found in the less
profitable, smaller and personal
service commercial establish-
ments, while more profitable,
larger and non-service stores are
Jewish-owned. (By personal ser-
vice we mean shoe-shine parlors,
By
cleaners, restaurants, etc.
non-service we mean drug stores,
groceries, department stores, etc.)
11. Jewish exploitation as
shown by prices charged is high-
ly exaggerated; as, in general,
prices charged by Negro and
white gentile stores tend to be
higher for the same articles.
12. More Jews than white gen-
tiles reject the stereotype notion
that the Negro is an inferior
moral and racial type.
13. Jews show a greater tol-
erance 'Ian white gentiles with
reference both to personal and
impersonal contacts with Ne-
groes. The tolerance is depend-
ent upon the nature of the con-
tact and varies with it. Both
Jews and white gentiles show
least tolerance for the Negroes
as neighbors.
14. Over 70 per cent of the
Jews believe that they have an
obligation to treat Negroes well
since they too have known per-
secution. Only 50 per cent of
the Jews think that they actually
treat the Negro better, however.
15. Over 90 per cent of the
Jews had pleasant experiences
with Negroes as domestics, over
70 per cent as customers, and
59 per cent as neighbors. Rum-
ors about conflicts in these rela-
tionships seem to be highly ex-
aggerated.
16. Fifty per cent of the Ne-
gro youth interviewed believed
that Jews treat Negroes better
than do non-Jewish whites, but
60 per cent said that they ex-
pected better treatment since
Jews know what it is to be per-
secuted.
17. Less than 25 per cent of
the Negro youth thought Jewish
merchants should keep their
stores open on Jewish holidays
to accommodate Negro custom-
ers—thus showing great toler-
ance.
18. Over 40 per cent of the
Negro adult customers had trad-
ed with one Jewish store for a
long period of time. With the
great amount of choice offered
in a large city and the 'factor of
frequent change of address, this
seems to indicate much less con-
flict than is popularly rumored.
19. Sixty-two per cent of the
Negroes felt that they were treat-
ed fairly by Jewish landlords;
80. per cent felt that they had
had pleasant relationships in do-
mestic service in Jewish families.
20. The amount of merchant-
customer conflict is more related
to the general economic and so-
cial character of the area than
to the factor of racial ownership.
The lower the economic and so-
cial conditions in a given area,
the greater the amount of con-
flict engendered. In Detroit, this
is illustrated by the presence of
the greatest amount of Negro-
Jewish conflict in the Hastings
area, which is the poorest of the
three areas studied.,
This study is another demon-
stration of the falsehood of wide-
ly-spread prejudices, and of the
groundlessness of the reasons as-
signed for prejudice. Prejudice
cannot stand up under the search-
ing light of scientific analysis.
The conclusions summarized
above, to quote Marsh's Fore-
word again, "should serve to cor-
rect many prevailing false im-
pressions as to the relationships
between the two groups."
Saving Polish Jews
(Continued from Page 4)
to the War Chest and to many other they do not receive help as soon as it is
worthy causes not covered by the War humanly possible to bring it to them.
Detroit Jewry should greet Dr. Ten-
Chest. But this is an urgent matter. These
nenbaum
with the assurance that it Will
people are the special sufferers among
send its quota of food packages without
a nation of specialists in suffering.
These people may actually starve if delay.
gather first-hand information con-
cerning the plight of the Jen
in Poland, will address the con-
ference, together with Dr. Sh.
Margoshes, editor of "The Day."
and Albert Brown, executive di-
rector of -.the Chicago district.
All above mentioned organiza-
tions are requested to attend, I•.7
appointed delegates, or through
their respective presidents and
secretaries. Individuals who ark ,
interested in helping the unfor-
tunate Jews in Poland are also
urged to attend.
The office of the Federatio n
is located at 9124 Linwood Ave..
and is open every day except
Saturday from 10 a. m. until 9
p. m., and on Sunday from 1
p. m. till 5 p. m. More info•
motion can be obtained by. call-
ing Tyler 7-9650.
Jericho Lodge Makes
Gift to Rescue Fund
On Monday, Oct. 16, Mrs. Rose
Feldstein turned over to Mrs.
Esther Gersuk, chairman of the
Child Rescue Fund of the Louis
Brandeis branch of the Pioneer
Women's Organization, a cheek
for $240.00, which was received
from Jericho Lodge No. 490.
I.O.O.F.
Ernesnie Children's Aid
Installs Its Officers
Bnai David Officers
To be Installed Oct. 22
The Ernespie Children's Aid
held n meeting at the home of
Mrs. Gumenick, 2492 Tyler. The
following officers were elected
co- the coming year: Mrs. M.
Gold. tmesident! Mrs. M. Shiff-
, "”n. vice president; Mrs. M. Go-
llob. secretary; Mrs. B. Smilove,
troasurer; Mrs. S. Levine. sun-
rhino fund: Mrs. M. Goldberg,
chai•an of packing parcels.
The officers were installed at
omen meeting held Oct. 16 at
cue home of Mrs. Silver, 2684
Ri‘•1-ten.
M•inv activities have been
• lanned for the coming year. A
sho ■ yer and card party will be
he" Monday evening. Oct. 30.
st the home of Mrs. J. Brindze.
2732 Pasadena. Admission, food
and clothing.
Ernesnie Hostel is in Kerkud-
lwightshire. Scotland, and houses
100 Jewish children and women
who have been evacuated from
Europe. Ernespie club sends
food and clothing to these chil-
dren.
Anyone wishing to make con-
tributions of food, money or
clothing are urged to contact
Mr'. Prindze, 2732 Pasadena, TO.
6-6800.
At the last annual meeting of
Congregation Brad David, Elm-
hurst and 14th, Joseph A. Block
was re-elected president. Hyman
Rottenberg was elected vice pres-
ident; Sidney Gorman, treasurer,
and David J. Cohen, secretary.
These officers will be installed
at a special congregational din-
ner to be given on Sunday, Oct.
22, at 6 p. m. The installation
ceremonies will take place in the
main auditorium of the syna-
gogue. After the installation of
officers, the entire Congregation
will go to the Social Hall for
dinner. A special program has
been prepared at which Rabbi
Sperka and Cantor Ga•tenhaus
will participate. In addition
there will be Miss Rosina Bet-
man, well known soprano, who
has participated in various Jew-
ish affairs; Mrs. Eva ;Misters
of Boston Blvd., a teacher of
dramatics, who will render sev-
eral dramatic selections, and
Mrs. Dora Bregman, pianist. In-
stallation cotnmittee, Saul Wax-
man, chairman; Myron J. Solo-
mon, co-chairman; Joseph Gor-
man, Ed Kreske, Charles Rogers
and Abraham Sampson.
RE-ELECT
LEAGUE
(Continued from Page 1)
arranged by Mrs. Joshua Sperka
entitled "Queen Sabbath." In it
the entire cycle of the Sabbath
day will be presented by a group
of outstanding voices under the
direction of Dan Frohman. Rab-
bis J. S. Sperka and M. J. Wohl-
gelernter will greet Rabbi Gold
and the audience.
Mrs. M. Weiser, chairman of
the event, announces that a num-
ber of guests can still be accom-
modated and urges anyone in-
terested to call Mrs. A. 0. Bar-
sky at TO. 8-8822 for reserva-
tions. Sisterhoods and syna-
gogues are asked to call the
chairman and arrange to have
their representatives attend. The
Women's Sabbath League plans
a wide program of activity to
bring the Jewish woman back to
the Sabbath and Synagogue and
proceeds of the event will help
assure the continuation of this
vital work.
POLISH
(Contnued from page 1)
food and medicine packages to
the Jewish survivors in liberated
Poland. This action was taken'
in response to the telegraphic
appeal of Dr. Emil Somerstein,
chairman of the Jewish Relief
Committee in Lublin, who cabled
to American Jewry to send im-
mediately, food and medicine to
the Jew's in liberated Poland who
are in great distress and want.
The Detroit District of the
American Federation for Polish
Jews, of which Morris Mohr is
president, is calling a special con-
ference of all Landsmanshaften
Synagogues, Workmen's Ordans,
Ladies' Auxiliaries, and all other
organizations to be held Sunday,
Oct. 22, at 1 p. m., at the audi-
torium of the Jericho Temple,
Joy Rd. and Linwood.
The conference will discuss
ways and means of raising mon-
ey for at least 10,000 packages
as Detroit's share to the national
quota.
Henry 111. Abramovitz, prom-
inent local leader, has accepted
the chairmanship of this cam-
paign.
Dr. Joseph Tennenbaum, na-
tional president of the American
Federation for Polish Jews, who
is leaving soon for Lublin to
CONGRESSMAN
John D.
DINGELL
On His Competent and Faithful Record
Majority Leader of the Ways and Means Committee
VOTE DEMOCRATIC
15TH DISTRICT
WARDS 10-12.14-16
PROGRESSIVE - AGGRESSIVE
FEARLESS - FAIR
ELECTION TUESDAY, NOV.
7
• This Ad paid for by a Jewish friend.