The Savannah morning news., 1902-11-16

gets satisfaction in the strenuous abuse
of the Jews of the Ghetto.
Three years ago schwartzberg came
to this country with a great idea in
his head. He had little money, and
he decided he would establish jour-
nal in the interests of the Hebrew
language and literature. No laws
would prevent him here from speak
ing his mind in his beloved tongue.
He would bring into vivid being again
the national spirit of the people, make
them love with the old fervor their
ancient traditions and language. 1t
was the races spirit of humanity and
| feeling for the ethical beauty, not the
| special creed of Judaism, for which
he and the other scholars care little,
that filled him with the enthusiasm
of an apostle. In his monthly maya
zine. The Western Light. he put his
| best efforts, his best thoughts about
| ethical truths and literature. The
| poet Dolitsk contributed in purest He
| brew verse, as did many other Ghetto
lights. But IL received no support,
few bought 1t and II lasted only a
year. Then he gave It UP. bankrupt
in money and hope.
The failure left in Schwartzberg's
soul a passionate hatred of what he
calls the materialism of the Jews in
America. Only in Europe, he thinks.
does the love of the spiritual remain
with them. OF the rabbits of the Ghet-
to he spoke with bitterness. They
he said, ARE the natural teachers of
the people. They could do much for
the Hebrew language and literature.
Why don't they2 Because they know
no Hebrew, and have no culture. In
Russia the Jews demand that their
rabbis should be learned and spiritual,
but here they are ignorant and ma
terialistic." So Mr.. Schwartzberg
wrote pamphlet which is now fla
nous in the Ghetto II wrote 1t with
my hearts blood" he said, with snap
ping eyes. I'm it l painted the spir-
itual condition of the Jews in New
York in the gloomiest colors."
Mr.. Hapgood tells also of the sub
merged scholar of the Canal street
printing shop, who sits waiting for his
children to grow up in order that they
may add their mite of savings to his
for the purpose of publishing his mag
nus opus, a cyclopedia of biblical lit
erature. All the Ghetto scholars speak
of this work with bated breath as a
tremendously learned affair, yet the
old man has been able thus far to is
sue only two volumes because of q
lack of money
The New York Ghetto conceals many
artists. musicians and writer's of whom
the world will yet hear. MIR. Hapgood
has done real service in recording.
among other things, a criticism of
American writer's by a Ghetto crafts
man.
at is a vast and fruitful land" he
says, "but there Is no order and little
sincerity as far as art Is concerned.
Your writer's try to amuse the read
ers, to entertain them merely, rather
than to give them serious and vital
truth. Why is 1t that race which is
clever and progressive in all mechan-
ical and Industrial matters, which in
such things has no overpowering re-
spect for the past. is weighed down in
art by a regard for all the literary
ghosts of bygone times? Look at the
books put forth In any one year in the
United Statesi What a senseless
hodge-podge 1t Isl Variety of all kinds.
historical novels, short stories, social
plays, costume plays, bindings, Illus
trations, editions de luxe, new edi-
tions of books written in all ages
alongside of the latest productions of
the day. The Americans have great
tact in most things. They are the clev-
crest people in the world and yet they
are backward IN literature,
Indeed, the whole Anglo-Saxon race,
great economically and practically as
IL 10, Is curlOuSly dL sea ana CndOtlc III
all that pertains to literary art. There
are men of genius, great artists among
them, but they are artists only in part,
fragmentarily, artists without being
aware of 1t. with no consistent and
clear understanding of what art is.
Your great men are hindered by their
environment. America and England
are the most difficult countries In the
world for real art to get hearing; for
all the people insist on being amused
by their authors. They treat them as
they do their actors merely as public
servants whose duty is to amuse the
public when II is tired.
Another indication OF what I mean
is the way you all talk about style over
here, as II style had anything to do
with art. Some OF the great Russian
realists have no style, but they are
great artists. There was a time when
to write well WAS an exception, and
people who aid Il were supposed 10 be
great. Now so many write well that
"a contributes no longer any partcu-
lar distinction. Real art consists ia
the presentation Of IDEAS IN images,
and In the power OF seeing IN images.
and of rfnrodilgfuq i'm 4 Gin q fftsal.rs ..,k.t