Ohio Jewish Chronicle, 1918-05-31

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HELP CONSJERVB
FOOD
EAT POTATOES
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CHRONICLE
A W^JEKLY DEVOTED TQ THE INTERESTS OF JEWISH PEOPLE OF GO^^UMBUS AND VICINITY
DONT  NEGLECT
BUYirJo THRIFT STAMPS
VOL. 1
COLUMBUS, OHIO, FRIDAY, MAY 31, 1918.
No. 10
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IS THERE PREJUDICE IN THE CAMPS?
By Rabbi Louis J. Witt, Little Rock, Ark.
! The question as totanti-Jewish sentiment in the American army caihps can be answered ih no hotter way than by citing con¬ crete personal experiences .A collation of such experiences would constitute a body of facts of vital interest and value. I therefore submit^ the following facts as accurately as I can re¬ member them and with but little cominent of niy own.
It is quite natural'that being a Rabbi in a city where there an army camp, I should now and then ask the Jewish soldier: "Do .you find any prejudice against you because you are,a Jew?"    It   is   natural   that   I
¦ should ask this question,^ not ohly as a Rabbi but also as an American, for if, as compared with other lands and tithes; there is not more respect for di¬ vergent creeds and nationalities in the camps of the National Army, then is the entire stretch of our history since the Dec¬ laration of. Independence mere bombast and rtiockery! De¬ mocracy is being tested in'our the camp, military camps. The American soldier who is going across the seas to make the world safe for democracy cannot be himself less than democratic.
Of the Jewish soldier I have talked to, but few have com¬ plained of prejudice. This tes¬ timony is all the more striking in view of the fact that many of the,sJewish boys must have gone to'-%e camps expecting to encounter' prejudice—and what one looks for pne usually finds. One boy who wore the insignia
- ot a 'Bergeattrand'spolte~with"afr accent, said in answer to my question: "I find no prejudice. Our officers are very good to us. Many of the Jewish boys are being made sergeants and cor¬ porals." I haye heard many a Jewish soldier say: "We have fine officers," implying that tKe treatment' they received from their superiors was based not on their religion or nationality but on their worth as men. If for the sake of the,facts I may ob¬ trude myself, I should like to re¬
port that I was the only speaker* outside of the Governor of the State, invited by Colonel, now Major-Geheral BuUard to ad¬ dress 2506 students of the Offi¬ cers' Traitting Camp on the oc¬ casion of their taking the ^oath of allegiance to the flag. I was invited to be one of three gen¬ erals in the campaign for the Y. M. C. A. War Fund. I have been invited again and again to speak in the Y. M. C* A.'huts in the camp. When the representative of the Jewish Welfare Board ar- rived> I turned him over to the Y. M. e. A. men at the camp and he repeatedly confessed to ^ me that nothing was omitted by these men that might minister to his • personal comfort and to the efficiency of his work. On the occasion of Rosh. Hoshanah and Yom Kippur I was most gratified to see ho'vv cordial and sincere was the co-operation I received at the hand of the Com¬ mander of the camp, Major-Gen¬ eral Samuel Sturgis. The Jew¬ ish boys were just coming into They were still un- assigned. Some of them had no uniforms. Yet everything with¬ in reason was waived by the military authorities in order that the boys might come into the city to attend divine service. We could not ascertain who and where the Jewish boys were. So an order w£^s .issued, from head¬ quarters instructing the captain of ever Jr cojjipany to do that for
hood, who had known of it once as a hot bed of pacifist senti¬ ment, the spectacle was a revela¬ tion of the extent to which even the poorest of" the East Side were eager to support the Gov¬ ernment in the war against Gr- many. The peddlers' point of view on this subject was simple but logical. Here is what Simori Jaramovsky from Kiev, - a ped¬ dler of socks and suspenders, said when asked -why he took the sale of Thrift and War Savings Stainps:
'Today I am not a peddler for myself. I am a peddler for the Government—and if I could af¬ ford it, I would be a peddlei^ for the Government every dj^y until the war is' at an end. Why should I not do so? I have a boy at Yaphank—and he is helping the Government—'and I vould be ashamed of myself, if for one day I could not give up socks and suspenders for War Stamps. Don't I know what the war means? Don't tell me anything about it. It's terrible, but we g6t to end it quick. We can end it for good only if America wins. The Germans—^we thought at one time that they were lour friends—but look what they did to Russia. Friends, you call them a hearty welcome. It is said erers—enemies of mercy and humanity. Unless their armies are ¦ crushed the Germans will never be friends of the Jews or any one else. That's why today I'm a peddler for the Govern¬ ment."
CONVENTION
Regins Important Work
EDITOR'S NOTB^MemoHai Day, coming on Thursday ot this -iveek, necessitated our closing our forms for press a day ea,rller: than usual. We are therefore unable^to publish a com¬ plete report ot the I< O. O. B. Conven¬ tion, which report'however, will be given at length, in bur next issue.
The number of Sisterhoods which have undertaken the sale of Uniongrams is increasing daily. Offices were recently opened by the following Sister¬ hoods :
The Jewish Ladies' Aid Soc¬ iety of the Temple B'nai Israel, Oklahoma City, Okla.; Ladies' Auxiliary of the Sharai Tov Congregation, Minneapolis, Min. and the Sisterhood of Temple Beth-El, Providence, R. I.
WANTS GERMAN JEWS DmANCHISED
us. We got,the"list at the last minute and special messengers were ordered to carry ouriiivita- tions to the boys, so that they mTght receive'them "in time to come to Temple or Synagogue.
Of course, there are men who find prejudice in every refusal, no matter how just, or in every slight, no matter how uninten¬ tional. One such man. com¬ plained that he was not given a ^, , ^ i „ . commission in the officers' train-^^rvative member, Deputy Heins
Ac^KggfiSilgaitBiyii^Jeiys.QtJEtitter Opposition to Submarine War- ' fare   and   Being   in   League With England and America.
During the recent debate on the Prussian Franchise Bill in the German Reichstag, a Con-
Akron, O.,—As usual, the Saturday night reception to the visiting delegates to the Grand Lodge Annual Convention, brought together the 'old timers' and the young blood, which each succeeding Grand Lqdge brings so prominently before American Jewry.,. ¦
The Conventidn opened Sun¬ day morning with an address of welcome and routine business of the Grand Lodge occupied the delegates, until a call was made for the distinguished guests of the convention,' Adolph Kraus,_ president of the Constitutional Grand Lodge, and Colonel Harry Butler, of Providence, R. I., pre¬ sident of the' Jewish Welfare Board of the United States Army and Navy.,
After "a discussion waS held on the subject of welfare work, a vote was taken which brought the B'nai B'rith and the vVelfare Board together formally, in their work for soldiers ano sail¬ ors, so that all Jews in America are operating under one head for the welfare,of the Jewish boys in the service.
NATIONAL FEDERATION OF TEMPLE SISTERHOODS
ing camp because he was a Je\v, despite the fact that other Jew¬ ish boys told me he was not com¬ petent, and that, with few ex¬ ceptions, Jewish boys in officers' . (Continued on page 6)
DR. CHAIM WEITZMAN SEEKS TO RECONCILE
PALESTINE ARABS
At a dinner given in Jerusa¬ lem in honor of the Palestine Commission, Dr. Weitzman, the leader of the commission sought to obtain the favor and consent of the Arabs to the Zionist plans' for the future of Palestine. The dinner was, attended by the Gov¬ ernor of Jerusalem, the political officers of the city and repre¬ sentatives of the various relig¬ ious, bodies in the Holy City. Dr. Weitzman, who was the principal speaker! took the op¬ portunity to explain to the aud¬ ience the significance of the British declarations and of the plans which tlie Zionist organi¬ zation has for the future up¬ building of Palestine. He said that Zienists were opposed to the plan for making Palestine international and placing it under the control of all the pow¬ ers of the world. The interest of Palestine and of its future peaceful development demand that it should be placed under the control of one power only. The Zionists, he declared, are anxious.to obtain the good will and the co-operation of the Arabs. He warned the Arabs against the false! reports spread by the f nemiea of England and of the Jews regarding the evil intentions of the Zionists in, re¬ lation to the Arab population. These reports have but one pur¬ pose — to cause disturbances and to prevent England fronji pursuing its benevolent policy
regarding Palestine and the Jews.
A Moslem divine who was present at the meeting.declared that Dr. Weitzman's assurance will go far toward gaining for him and the commission the fa¬ vor of the Arab population of Palestine.
The Palestine comniission has already taken over all the schools that Were hitherto con¬ trolled by the German Hilfs- verein. These schools are now under the control of the Zion¬ ists and the courses of study ha,ve been. changed in accord¬ ance with the, Zionist program.
N.
Y. PEDDLERS GIVE DAY FOR THRIFT STAMPS
proposed that the Jews of the country be disfranchised, and charged them with being bitter opponents to submarine war¬ fare, and also with being in lea¬ gue with England and America. As proof of his latter conten¬ tion, he pointed to the British Declaration in favor of a Na¬ tional homeland for the Jewish people in Palestine and the strong American sentiment favoring this project.
A Radical speaker, during the same debate, revealed the fact that the German military au¬ thorities haci forbidden the Jew¬ ish press to publish any more at¬ tacks on Houston Stewart Chamberlain, the renegade Eng¬ lishman who has acquired Ger¬ man nationality and has been awarded the Iron Cross for "patriotic services" to Germany.
NOT GETTING ENOUGH .  FUNDS¦
Sell Thousands Instead of Regu¬ lar Wares.
About 500 carts crowded into the three blocks of Orchard Street between Delancey and Houston Streets last week, most of them discarding the wares they usually carried for great supplies of Thrift and War Sav¬ ings Stamps. Flushed and en¬ thusiastic for havii)g been enlist¬ ed in a real patriotic endeavor) the peddlers concentirated tjll their powers of persuasion upon the task of praising their new wares to the housewives. They did it with such success that be¬ fore the day. was over several thbusahd dollars' worth of the Thrift Stamps and War Sayings Stanips were sold in this neigh¬ borhood.
To any visitor to the neighbor-
American   Jews   in   Jerusalem Only Get 25c a Day.
'Sisterhood Engages in War ""¦¦      •¦-Servtie"' ¦ ¦'-    -
Washington—Reports have reached here that American Jews in Jerusalem are not gett¬ ing sufficient funds for subsist¬ ence from the Jerusalem Com¬ mittees. At least one Other gov¬ ernment, besides our own, has bpen interested ; in this condi¬ tion, to protect the Jewish-Am¬ erican citizens, financially and otherwise in Jerusalem. It is reported that they get only 25c a day, which, of course, is lar too little. The Joint Distribu¬ tion Committee bf New York has bpen approached with ref> erence to.this niatter, and urged that, immediate steps be taken to remedy that situation, for the United States is very anxious about its citizens in Jerusalfsm —our Jctwish citizens.
The field of War emergency activities of the Ladies Auxili¬ ary Society of Concord, Syra¬ cuse, N. Y., is expanding each day proportionately with the gQvernment's increasing -de¬ mands for , Woman's service,. Altho working untiringly for the advance of Jewish ideals, mem¬ bers of the Auxiliary are devot¬ ing every effort to the part they are playing in insuring victory for America and her Allies.
The food conservation move¬ ment in the Jewish community of Syracuse is directed by the Auxiliary.
On Tuesday afternoons and evenings, and Thursday morn¬ ings and afternoons, about 100 women of the Jewish commun¬ ity meet to produce articles re¬ quired by the Red Cross. ' The Jewish community forms ja, Red Cross unit.
A "knitting bee," which has recently been organized, meets weekly at various homes . of members.
Other war work is conducted by the Council of Jewish Wo¬ men, at. the Jewish Communal Home. In conjunction with the Council the Sisterhood arrang¬ ed lectures or musicales follow¬ ed by dances, which took place each Wednesday evening while" the soldiers were stationed near Syracuse. The Gymnasium and reading room of the Communal House were always open to the soldiers.
Representatives of the Sister¬ hood visited the sick at military hospitals.
Thirteen men from the homes of members of the Sisterhood are serving the colors.
Sisterhood Joins the Federation
Another Sisterhood has as¬ sumed a part,in the furtherance of the cause of the National Federation of Temple Sister¬ hoods.
The Ladies' Society of the 'Temple of B'nai Abraham, of Chicago, joined the Federation March 21,1918. The officers are Mrs. Lillian Inlander, President; Mrs. Clara Klein, Secretary and Mrs. Amelia Klaiisner, Corres¬ ponding Secretary.
The annual meeting of the Sis¬ terhood took place the third Wednesday in April att he Tem¬ ple.
Hold Interesting Meeting .
At its last meeting, the inter¬ est of Adath Israel Sisterhood, Louisville, Ky., centered in an address, "Backing the Boys," delivered by Lieut. Walter M Briggs, Chaplain of the 335th Infantry, to the members of the organization.
A cornet solo of a medley of patriotic airs was full of spirit and evoked enthusiastic applause from the members. Several se lections were sung by a chorus of soldiers of the 334th Infantry.
The Nominating Committee presented for consideration the names ,of the following , candi¬ dates for office:
Mrs." Ernest J. Wiley, Presi¬ dent; Mrs. Louis S. Byck, First Vice-President; Mrs. Bernard Selligman, Second Vice-Presi¬ dent; Mrs. Arnold Levy, Trea¬ surer; Mrs. Isaac Trost, Mrs. Mose Grabfelder, Mrs. Edwin R. Rosenberg> Mrs. Isador Ro¬ senbaum, Mrs. Joseph Rauch, Mrs. M. S. Kohler, Mrs. Ben Straus and Mrs. Leon L. Bal- dauf. Directors.
COLUMBUS HADASSAH SOCIETY
Rabbi Shohet Speaker at Last Meetings—Next Meeting WiU Be
Held June 6th.
"Germany was the place where anti-Semitism was born. It has become the science in Ger¬ many to hate a Jew. Anti-Semi¬ tism in Germany is much stric¬ ter than in Russia. Anti-Semi¬ tism, born in Germany, was fostered there. For our own Jewish cause, alone, we wish that the Allies win for with the winning of the War by the Al¬ lies,' the Jews will have free¬ dom." This was a statement made by Rabbi D. M. Shohet of Temple Tifereth Israel speaking before the Columbus Chapter of Hadassah at their last meeting held at the Jewish Educational Alliance.
These are strenuous times," continued Rabbi Shohet, "but in spite of the fact that they are strenuous, they are the most en¬ thusiastic times. In these days at gives us a place, each and every one of us to do something greater than just for ourselves. We can no longer be self-cent¬ ered.
In" speaking of the vvomen of today, he said that women today can do more than men.
"Women can give inspiration. Who can give more inspiration than women? Women with their gentle feelings can cheer up hu¬ manity.' "The women of the future will be the mothers of humanity. This applies to all women, not only to Jewish wo¬ men."
Rabbi Shohet clearly set forth how the organization of Hadas¬ sah   has   been  doing  effective
New Uniongram Offices
Hundreds of Uniongrams cir¬ culate each I day throug:hout the country carrying messages of good cheer. The Uniongram, which is used as a substitute for telegram messages of congratu¬ latory nature, is sold at offices operated under the supervision pf members of the National Fed¬ eration of Temple Sisterhoods.
Zionism and Judaism-.
The ipurpose and aim of the Hadassah is two-fold, he told his audience. First to educate the Jews, to rear Jews for the future Jewish state and to give medical aid. Concerning the rearing of Jews for the future Jewish state, he declared that the home is the healthiest place where a child can be brought up as a Jew. It is in the home that he can see Jewish life and Jew¬ ish observances. It is in the home that a child can be brought up to be an ideal citizen in this country and to be an ideal cit¬ izen in the Jewish country. He further stated that it was the, prime duty of the Hadassah to study> Jewish literature, Jewish thought and to attend the Syna¬ gogue.,
Rabbi Shohet concluded his address with the suggestion that the Columbus Chapter of Hadas¬ sah undertake to accomplish something that would be really great, something that would in¬ dicate that the Hadassah is really in existence and, most im¬ portant, that it is endeavoring to aid the sick and needy ih Palestine.
A motion was then made to effect that a committee be ap¬ pointed to confer with Rabbi Shohet in framing up plans for the promotion of the aims and ideals of Zionism. This motion carried and the President, Mrs. , Anna Reed, accordingly ap¬ pointed Misses Reba Silverstein, Sarah Stone, Ida Danziger and Anna Kohn to serve on this com-
T!'^V?r^!^7.*''*""^*S"'^^ mittee: irabbrShohet-very kifid^ stated that Palestine would sure-
SHOWS LOYALTY TO U. S.
Once Accused, of Disloyalty
New, York.—Mr. Alexander Fichlander, principal of one of the Brooklyn schools, remitted his income t^x, amounting to $22, some time ago. It was re¬ turned tb him by the govern¬ ment, stating that he "was ex¬ empt as a municipal officer. Mr. Fichlander, however, insisted upon the government accepting the tax, as a matter of patrio¬ tism to the United States. The Treasury Department notified him that he might donate it to the government, which sugges¬ tion he followed.   ,
This is the same Alexander Fichlander, it is said, who at the beginning of the war was accus¬ ed by-the New York Board of Education of disloyalty and who was for this reason deprived of deserved promotion.
ly be the future home of the Jews. It will also be the spirit¬ ual center of the Jews.
"Zionism is no longer a dream," he said, "it has become a recognized fact that Palestine will be the Jewish homeland. Zionism has received the ap¬ proval of such countries as Great Britain and our own United States. The medical units of the Hadassah are on a par with the medical units of Italy, France and other leading countries of the world."
He then emphasized the neces¬ sity of educating our people and stated that in order to do so it was necessary for members of Zionist organizations to educate themselves first. He suggested that study and reading circles be formed where each and every one could study and learn about
ly accepted the chairmanship of this committee.
Next in order at this meeting of the Columbus Chapter of Hadassah was the discussion of the next Zionist convention to be held at Pittsburg during the lat¬ ter part of June. Miss Anna Kohn was unanimously elected to represent this chapter at the convention and it was moved and carried th^t the organization de¬ fray the traveling expenses of the delegate.
Upon motion the meeting ad¬ journed until June 6 when the next regular meeting of the Co¬ lumbus Chapter of Hadassah will be held. The meeting place will be the Jewish Educational Alliance., Members are request¬ ed, to be present promptly at eight o'clock and friends of the Hadassah are cordially invited to attend this.meeting.
C. C. A. R. TO MEET IN JUNE
Twenty - ninth Conference o f Central- Confei-ence of Ameri¬ can Rabbis to Meet June 28th to July 4th in Chicago. Im¬ portant Discussions Will Mark Sessions.
UKRANIAN   JEWS   OPPOSE NEW   MINISTRY
The failure of the new Ukrain¬ ian Ministry to express itself in itj9 official' proclamations con¬ cerning national autonomy for the Jews as granted by the prev¬ ious government, has ranged the Jews in opposition to that body, especially since the new govern¬ ment abolished the ministry for Jewish affairs. The Jews of Uk¬ raine are hostile to Germany be¬ cause of its anti-Jewish policy, the object of which is to foster '•pogrom" movements and create hatred between the Jews and the peasants in order to distract the attention otthe matter from the conduct of the invaders.
The Central Conference of American Rabbis will meet in the twenty-ninth conference of the organization from June 28th to July 4th in Chicago, 111. This conference will be marked by many important discussions, among which will be "Religious Work in the United States Army and Na'vy," "Religious Work in Universities," and many,other topics of vital interest to Jewry today. A tentative program has been arranged as follows:
PROGRAM
Friday, June 28—Temple Sha¬ lom, Pine Grove and Grace Sts 8:15 P.M.
Opening Prayer.
Reading of Service.
Conference Lecture — Rabbi Abram Simon, Washington, D. C.
Saturday,  June  ^9—^Temple
Emanuel, Broadway and Buck¬ ingham Place, 10:00 A. M.
Opening Prayer.
Reading of Service. "   .
Torah Reading.
Sermon—Rabbi S. >H. Gold¬ enson, Pittsburgh, Pa.
Benediction.
Saturday, June 29, 2:30 P. M. Talmudic Discourse—Rabbi Ja¬ cob Z. Lauterbach, Cincinnati, Ohio.
Saturday, June 29, 8:15 P. M.
Prayer.
Reading of Service.
Address of Welcome.
Response — Rabbi    Leo    M. Franklin, Detroit, Mich. (Continued on page 2)
AUSTRIA FORBIDS HEBREW
The Austrian authorities have forbidden correspondence ip He¬ brew characters, and according to the Judishe Presse of Berlin, the protests of representative Jewish organizations are with¬ out avail.
Minor Government officials have on many occasions arbit¬ rarily extended this restriction even in localities where censor¬ ship does not apply.