Workmen's advocate. (New Haven, Conn.) 1883-1891, 1889-04-13
WHEN GREEK MEETS GREEK.
Michael COhn, of Boston. to Solomon
SCHNEIDER. of Boston.

Last week we published letter from
Rabbi SCHNEIDER to the Jewish Work
ingmen's Educational Club, in which he
mades some structures upon that organ
ization. Mr., Michael Cohn replied to
the Rabbi, and we take the following
from his long letter:
THE Jew, you say, ought not to
have such educational clubs of has 0,cn.'
Now, you are also Jew and you have
such club of our own, with the only
difference that you call it temple and
pulpit instead of club and platform
as we call it. Your efforts are also
educational, at least you say so, and
why do yOu separate from others and
preach to Jewish congregation?
Why not come together with the min
listers of other nations? You all have
the same object and aim-to educate q
the people. Why separate?
Among our Jewish-speaking people
you will undoubtedly find many thou
| sand that are more intelligent than so
I many English, German or Russian
speaking people. The language does not
not make any body intelligent. There
are people who know many languages
and are stupid and undeveloped. 1t is
easy for you to assert that the Jewish
jargon is spoken by the unintelligent
only, but the fact that our members
undertake to debate with you on So
ciaism shows the reverse, and re.
veals to you how mistaken your harsh
statement is. But how do you know
whether our jargon is spoken by the
unlntelligent only, since you do not I'M
derstand that tongue at all? Did you
converse with those unintelligen, Jew
ish-speaking people, In what language
then! In jargon, which you do not
understand, or in your language, which,
as you say, they know not? Our broad
literature on socialism will serve as fair
proof that we are able to express all we
want in our Jewish tongue, or, as you
prefer to call it, jargon.
You ask us why we do not come to
hear your lectures But why should we
attend those lectures, since you. main
tain that we do not understand the Ian
guage in which they are delivered? Do
you mean to further our education by
means of magic? Do you really believe
that your sermons will make us ripe to
grapple with social questions? Ser
mons of a nationalist will make people
ripe for socialism And sermons that
are not understood by the people,
either?
That we are not ripe for social ques-
tions you assume by the narrowness of
the name of our club. Now, sir, ask
us first why we called our club jew
ish." and then decide as to the ignor-
ance of our members.
We call our club Jewish" because 1t
as such. We do not meet together with
the English or German workers, whose
aim is the same as ours, because we
want to talk to our unfortunate brethren
who understand not our mother tongue
only, and If we had given them to I'M
derstand that our club was Jewish,
they would never have entered it.
The majority of our members under
stand other languages besides the jew
ish; but we want to make ourselves I'M
derstood by all of our visitors, and this
we can never accomplish unless we use
our mother tongue, and even those of
our people who speak English will al
ways far better understand their own
tongue than any other one.
Now, then, is it reason and logic that
makes us call our club "Jewish,n or is
it narrowness of mind, superstition or
separation? We want you to know that
we are inJernatiOnalists to the highest
extent of that word. We separate at
our meetings for the sake of our cause,
which does not in the least distinguish
between languages and jargons. DO
not look at the vessel, but at what there
is in it, The sooner we get rid of lead
ers the better. We want all to be equal
citizens, but not leaders. But how in
in the world could you think for mo-
ment that we would follow the lead
of one whom we do not understand,
and whose jargOn he knows not:
You refuse to address us because we
do not know your language, but at the
same time wish to lead us, educate us,
and even prepare us for socialism, re-
gardless of the obstacle of not under
standing each other! Here | refer you
to Prof. Garsides opinion about the
Jews and their tongue. Garside is right
when he says that our own tongue sup
plies us plentifully with literature. He
seems to know more than the Jewish
Rabbi about the socialistic literature of
our tongue. MICHAEL COIN.
Rabbi SCHNEIDER, after reading the an
swer Of his friend. no doubt changed his
mind as to the intelligence of the Jews
who don't happen to attend his temple.