The Jewish Monitor (Fort Worth-Dallas, Tex.), Vol. 10, No. 1, Ed. 1 Friday, September 24, 1920 Page: 8 of 16
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Page Eight
THE JEWISH MONITOR
Friday September 24 1920.
& IeditorialI & 1
THE JEWISH WORLD RE-
LIEF CONFERENCE.
Let's Have All the Facts!
An interesting conference
was recently held in Carlsbad
Czecho-Slovakia at which there
were about ninety delegates
representing twenty-eight coun-
tries. Some very interesting
points were brought out and
some that we think ought to be
known by those who are contrib-
uting to the fund of the Jewish
Distribution Committee.
Engineer Temkln of Russia
reported that there were 568 po-
groms in which the number of
dead exceeded 138000. There
are at present in Russia alone
over 130000 homeless orphans.
Anita Miller of Austria report-
ed that there are in Austria and
mostly in Vienna more than
400000 Jewish homeless or-
phans a number unbelievable.
We wonder whether the report
is not in error with regard to
this. The number seems alto-
gether out of reason.
A number of delegates criticis-
ed the American Jewish Distri-
bution Committee for its method
of helping the unfortunates. Es-
pecially severe in his criticism
was Chief Rabbi Ehrenpries of
Stockholm. Another severe crit-
ic of the policy of the American
Committee was Engineer Tem-
kin who agreed with Baruch
Zuckerman of New York that
the methods of the American
Committee w e re making
"schnorrers" of those whom it
was aiding.
The great objection of Rabbi
Ehrenpries was that we have
been satisfying the physical
needs of the unfortunates with-
out attending to their spiritual
wants. He stated that in Russia
and the Ukraine there are no
less than half a million children
who are absolutely without any
schooling. In Vienna 6500 stu-
dents are from Eastern Europe
while more than 1250 have Tu-
berculosis and more than 3000
are suffering from Malnutrition.
Rabbi Ehrenpries declared that
there is no reconstruction wor-
thy of the name which does not
consider the Jewish spiritual
wants.
Advocate Sliosberg of Russia
and Prof. Simonsen of Denmark
praised the work of the Ameri-
can Committee and said that it
deserves more appreciation than
accorded it. An interesting side-
light was a report from one of
the delegates that the Jews of
Lithuania have started what we
call in America a Back-to-the-Farm
Movement and 800 fami-
lies are now farming lands there.
It was decided by the confer-
ence there was no representa-
tion there from the Jewish Dis-
tribution Committee of Ameri-
ca that no cash contributions
should be made as far as possi-
ble but the definite funds should
be provided for the establish-
ment of orphan asylums hospit-
als sanitoriums and similar in-
stitutions; that credit and co-
operative societies and banks be
established which will be easily
assessible to the masses so that
these may assist in putting the
people on a self-supporting ba-
sis; that the Jews of Western
Europe be encouraged to buy
shares in these institutions ; that
trade and agricultural schools
be opened and that there be a
body which will organize schools
find homes for orphans and aid
the wounded and helpless sol-
diers. A committee was also
appointed to work out some
scheme of emigration and report
to a future conference.
To those on this side who have
been interested in the help that
America has extended to suffer-
ing Europe the proceedings of
the Carlsbad conference will
some with somewhat of a shock.
The conference regretted the ab-
sence of American Jewish Distri-
bution Committee representa-
tives. We do not know why none
were sent and we believe that
th ereasons for staying away
would make interesting reading.
We do not see why America
should not have had accredited
representatives to a world con-
ference of Jewish Relief called
by those who were suffering and
who were at the same time the
representatives of the people
who were receiving the aid of
America. We have given gener-
ously. The Jewish Distribution
Committee has had the full con-
fidence of the American Jewish
people and when men of the
prominence of Temkin and Ehr-
enpries attack our methods
there ought to be an answer
from Amercia or at least an ex-
planation by those who have
been the stewards of the Ameri-
can Jewish millions.
At this distance it looks as
though the contention that we
are making schnorrers beggars
of the people whom we are
trying to help is not without
merit. Yet the reports of the
American investigators have
touched the hearts of American
Jewry. Perhaps they can stand
more suffering that we can
and because they have grown
accustomed to it they feel that
we are beggarizing them in
bringing quick relief. Certainly
a man like Temkin who is an in-
ternational figure in Jewry
would not make comments un-
less he were sure of his grounds.
American investigators have
maintained that unless immedi-
ate aid were given the millions
would starve and we are not in-
clined to doubt the word of these
men and women. America has a
heart!
The thought that no recon-
ftruction is worth while which
does not contemplate the estab-
lishment of spiritual needs has
its merits. Yet we feel that the
first duty of the American Jew
was to save the bodies of the
wretched victims the schools
and colleges can be attended to
later. Besides this European
Jewry still has a number of. very
wealthy men who it would seem
would take care of the spiritual
wants of their people over there.
The matter does not "lie
right" with us. The report can-
not encourage either the work-
ers or the givers in this great
drive for the preservation of hu
man life. We confess that a
good deal of the ardor we had
for the collection of funds for
European destitute coreligion-
ists has cooled and before we
embark on additional campaigns
we ought to have more informa-
tion. Forty millions of dollars
have been sent to Europe. No
one can deny the inestimable
good that this great sum has ac-
complished. But new campaigns
are being planned and new
drives are to be made and if the
representatives of the recipients
are going to take an adverse
attitude to what we are trying
to do ought we to insist on
"ramming" our charity down
their throats?
It seems to us that the situa-
tion ought to be clarified. There
ought to be a thorough investi-
gation of this whole business.
No one begrudges the money
that is being sent to Europe
but we have a right to know all
the facts in the case. Are our
methods wrong? If so let us cor-
rect them. The Jewish leaders
in Europe also have a right to
their opinions and perhaps
their ideas about the whole mat-
ter are the correct ones. What
has the Jewish Distribution
Committee to say in answer to
the charges leveled against it?
Why had they no representa-
tives at a meeting called by the
representative Jews of Europe
and especially of those countries
which have been receiving our
help? If their plans are miscar-
rying who is to blame? Surely
they have less right than before
to ask for the complete co-operation
of American Jewry in the
face of the criticism passed upon
them.
Let those answer in whose
hands the stewardship of Ameri-
can millions for European relief
have been placed.
For our part we have confi-
dence in the honesty integrity
and high purposes of those who
are managing and administering
the funds that have been and are
being collected by the various
national committees in America
and which are being turned over
to the distributing body the
American Distribution Commit-
tee; but again why the seeming
lack of co-operation with those
who are on the ground and
seemingly understand their own
plight much better than do we
on this side of the Atlantic? Are
the contributors to the funds
and the men who have toiled to
get the monies not entitled to
the consideration of a reply and
an explanation? We think they
are!
ARE THE YOUNG MEN
COMING?
A noticeable feature of the
High Holidays this year was the
large attendance of young men.
It seemed to us that never be-
fore were there so many young-
er men in attendance. We seem
too too notice a greater interest
on the part of these men in con-
gregational affairs. We hope
that the time is at hand when
the coming generation is begin-
ning to recognize that upon it
depends the future of our faith.
We confess that the most de-
lightful feature of the services
this year to us at least was the
large attendance the fine spirit
and the general interest that the
younger men and women dis-
played. May it continue through the
year!
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Fox, George. The Jewish Monitor (Fort Worth-Dallas, Tex.), Vol. 10, No. 1, Ed. 1 Friday, September 24, 1920, newspaper, September 24, 1920; Fort Worth, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth296779/m1/8/?rotate=270: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; .