The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-02-14
A.DANeERoUs MOVEMENT,
4 Learned Jew on the jewish Peuuon
Against the state Librarian.

luc0taNe anu DeTomDtOTy TenONhl Va ~
Melvil Dewey from his post as State Librarian
on account OF his pretended antl-Semitio
procedure In his quality as president OF the
Lake Placid Company is to be dehnitely
decided not. as was previously announced.
in the month OF April but at the meeting OF
the State Board OF Regents on Wednesday
next. nstInctively felt that a hard blow
menaced the peaceful evolution of American
Judaism
Being In a position to know at least some
OF the salient facts OF the case. wish, before
the irrepnrable wrong TO the higher interests
not only OF the Jews already settled in this
country. but also to the thousands OF poor
Hebrew immigrants who weekly seek admit
lance at Its gates, be perpetrated. TO address
an earnest appeal TO the men who. most ofthem
ignorant OF tho facts. lent the influence or
their names to the petition.
appeal-honor TO whom honor Is due
first to you. DR.. Henry NJ. LeIpz,Rer. super
visor OF public lectures OF the city OF New
York In the name OF our common iabors
on the Committee OF tho University Col
lere Of Jewish History. Literature and
Theology In remembrance OF that memorable
Judeau banquet OF May 81. 1901. where you
rs presiding officer paid glowing tribute
10 Dr.. / X. Funk and myself l. e.. tho two
Goc's advocates OF the unfortunate Albany
state official in this city. for our united
efforts in bringing about Il closer relationship
and better und erstanding between Gentle
and jew. in removing the spell OF prejudice
against thu latter. in bringing nearer the
day when the adopts OF Jahve and Christ
will NJ et In one house common house
which shal be a house OF prayer for all ma
tlons.- beseech you. the public servant of
the American metropolis. In the name OF the
lofty principles you 30 often have proclaimed
with ardent eloquence. to eItiDguish the
flrebrand before IL consume others and
yourself.
appeal 70 you. Mr.. Isidor Straus. In your
qualify as president OF the Educational Al
lance. institution founded for the very
purpose OF acceleratinF the process OF Ameri-
canization OF the Jewish immigrant. not 10
lend your moral support 70 q movement
which. II its authors should succeed. will
undoubtedly provoke revusion or feeling
that will set back for many years the assimila-
ton OF the newcomers from eastern Europe
10 American ideals. and thus undermine the
great establishment TO which you devote
with signal success your time and your energy.
/ was in 1882 witness in Austria. and ten years
later in France. OF the revival OF anti-Semit-
ism-both countries where tho volcano OF
Judeophobe passions was supposed TO be
eXtinguished long ago-and l know. there
fore. how the kind OF campaign is originated
by enemies OF social peace ever ready to profit
by any disturbance in the social organ
ism. Neither YOU nor myself con-
cerned about the personal fate OF Melvi
Dewey. What. indeed, Is Hecuba to us2
But shall we. free Jews OF America not heed
ing the lesson OF France. IN criminal light
heartedness transform the Albany State
Librarian into a kind OF Capt. Dreyfus;
appeal TO you. Mr. Joseph u. Schil. the
prince among the Jewish philanthropsts OF
this, country and undoubtedly ono OF the
noblest figures OF American Judaism, TO learn
"A Lesson from the Drpsant nOsiftOD OF the
fortunate Gar Nicholas il l.. who. believing
in the glowing reports OF his Vioeroy CON
corning Russas strength and Japan's weak-
ness in the Far East. embarked in an advent;
ure which may cost him his throne and
moe rcabe source possbe that yor rT R
Dor on that unfortunate document. Mr.. Adolph
Lewisohn, hardly took the trouble OF peruslng
II carefully. having the fullest conhdencein
your porspicacity and the we'll known scrupu-
lousness of your Investigations. But. as the
old saving runs even Homer sometimes
mods and I certainly commit no ndiscretion
in stating that some Of the most eminent and
the visest Jews OF New York. having right
strongly advised against a Jewish accusation
against n Gentile club president on the sole
PIE" that he refused to receive Hebrews S on
rate no jew having been t2r an hour or q
week guest at the Lake Plattd Club has ever
found the slightest thing 70 crticise Where
indeed are the names Of the preri5enus OF the
foremost Jewish instultone OF New YORK
Hebrew I1iied Charities He9+sw 2rphan
OF the Jewish Theological Seminary OF AUsr-
lea the district grand lodges OF the indie
pendent order OF BnHi Birth and other
orders; Why does the list Of petitioners not
contain NJ least one representative OF the
Jews of the state OF New YORK outside OF Tue
in the Empire State already been degraded
TO such a level that none OF it's representatives.
has been invited TO participate In the deiib-
erntions about the welfare OF the entire jew
ish commonwealth Where are the names or
tho rcnreaantatives OF the $50 900 downtown
he frT
harmonic rounding up Of the figure, could not
one more signer be found to reaoh the holy
/ appeal. finally. to YOU, Mr. Nathan Blur.
one of our most sympathetic communal
workers. being ever inspired IN all OF your
public and private acts by the beautiful
words of Sophocles' 8 Antigone, We are on
this earth 10 love. not to hate one another.
Have you the sharp wtted and learned
lawyer. not seen at fret glance the numerous
holes in the State paper OF your collea CUES,
Have you. only 10 mention US last TWO para
e-raphs not noticed the rldicule OF the sem
tence where you eleven private individuals
throw yourselves up as defendeTs OF the
o. sol. $50 Catholics and the 6,ip2, 4e3 Methodsts
or this country upon whom Dewey may to-
from his ciubhouses 4 he be allowed to-day
esprit should not have forgotten that ridioule
kills even the strongest man, Have you,
further not Immediately noticed the So
OF your petittonf
SO for rs we are concerned. Mr.. Dewey may
the nreEdcnt and stockhOlder OF the Lake Placid
Company, adopt whatever policy be desires, but
he must not at the same ilnrc remain tho State
Librarian or permit his subordinAtes Ia his private
enterprise TO give character 10 II, as they have
RE president "a our company, Ia Librarian of the
State OF New York"
Have you not admired the nalvete-not
TO use stronger e1pression-of Mr.. Mar
shall the president OF the board OF trustees
of the orthodox Jewish Theological Seminary.
and Messrs SChin, Lew isohn and Guggen-
heimer. lts founders and main financial sup
porters in fighting tooth and mil for q hos
pitaIty which they themselves, II they really
stood upon the platform OF their own institu-
ton. and OF certainly 500 900 OF the 7so.00o
Jews OF the State OF New York. could not ao-
cept while living in accordance with the Mosaic
md rabbinio dietary lawsY
How many Russian. Rumlnian or Cali
clan Jews. their brethren in race and faith.
are the eleven signers OF the anti-D Dewey
proplan. alton receiving throughout the year
az their tables In their winter residences,
a we'll az at their summer cottages? SO long
az this question has not been satisfactorily
answered the entire action OF these individ-
uni petitioners lacks the ring OF sincerity and
the spirit OF Jew sh fraternity.
Finally, does the Jewish public know that
the man who il accused Of anti-Iewish feel
.ngs IL admired by his many Jewish pupils
VINO are receiving the most cordial hospi-
tAlity at his private house. yea that In 1902
he advanced 10 a Gentle carpenter OF Lake
Placid a certain Emory Brewster. the suul
OF ~ 900 to build In the heart OF the village a
little synagogue for the Hebrew residents
in the neiRhborhood? That three laws
are holding real estate on the very grounds
OF the Lake Placid Club?