The Washington herald., 1906-12-10

New York. Dec. Am immense Hebrew
mass meeting in Durland's Riding Acad-
emy tonight almost ended in panic when
part Of the speakers platform collapsed,
dropping Jacob II. Schin. the presiding
officer. and about forty other persons in
a heap on the tan-bark floor.
The gathering was called for the pur-
pose Of welcoming to this country Dr.
Levin, a Hebrew member of the late
Douma, and leader of his people in
Russia. Or. levin was among the per
sons who went down. as were also Cyrus
L. SulzbergeT and Congressman Gold
fogle.
The hall was crowded to its utmost
capacity, mostly by Hebrews from the
lower East Side. DIR. Levin had finished
his address, and Mr.. Sehin was utterlng
the closing words of the meeting. when "a
rush was started toward the platform.
Everybody in the great audience appar-
emily wanted TO shake hands with the
Hebrew patriot. The crowd climbed up
on the reporters table and stepped from
it to the platform.
I
came. The northern half OF the platform
had dropped 70 the floor, a distance OF
about three feet, and nearly everybody
standing on the collapsed part was
thrown of. There We're several women in
the heap, "a number Of camp stools and
a sofa. One or two of the women
shrieked, but the crowd that went down
was comparatively calm.
The great throns in front Of the plat
form, however. began to show dangerous
/ signs Of excitement Those in the rear OF
the hall, who We're headed for the exit
heard the crash and turned. They could
not see distinctly what mad happened. and
began TO push their way toward the front
again. The police by this time had forced
! their way up to the platform and. mount
/ ing the reporters stand warned the
crowd 70 stay back and leave the hall.
Sehin Tried 10 Calm Them.
! Mr.. Schin was at the edge Of the heap.
and was quickly helped up on the part
/ Of the platform that was still standing
He was very cool. and. stepping out to-
ward the crowd. aided the police
men in warning the people 20 leave
the hall Then he jumped down on
| the reporters stand. and helped 10
straighten out the tangle in the hole Mr..
Levin also landed on the edge of the
heap.
Everybody was out Of the mix-up within
two minutes. and nobody was hurt 9th
ers on the platform, when It went down.
We're Rev Dr. Joseph c. Silverman. rabbi
of the Temple Emanuel; Rev Dr. J. l..
/ Magnes, and his assistant
/ Dr. Levin spoke in Yiddish. He said,
among other things. that his mission to
this country was 20 stiffen the sentiment
among the Hebrews fof political freedom
/ in Russia
! Incidentally he wanted to do all he
could to influence American bankers not
to lend money To Russia until she had
fulfilled her promises to improve the con-
di;ions of the Hebrews.
/ DR.. levin described the conditions in
Russia while the DOuma was sitting. The
/ Russian Hebrews. he said, want no ia
vDrs, and ask for none, but they have
/ been suffering SO long that they do want
justice. DIR. levin declared that Hebrew
/ bankers had often got promises that
there would be an Improvement. and had
/ lent Russia money, but afterward the
! Hebrews had only been treated more
/ atrociously.
Wants Hebrews 10 Organize.
/ Dr. Levin favors the union Of all He
brews under the banner of the COnstitu-
| tional Democratic party. DR.. Levin is
/ also a Zionist he said tonight that he
/ looked forward 20 developments in inter
national politics which would make the
restoration of Palestine to the Hebrews d
possibility. He declared that the real
/ purpose OF the Russian government in
/ keeping the Hebrew question Uppermost
/ in that country was to cover up the fact
( that there are millions of peasants in the
/ country starving.
! The speaker was cheered roundly at the
/ beginning and closing of his address. Mr..
/ Schin, In his speech. reflected the senti-
ment which DR. Levin had expressed in
regard to bankers lending money to Rus
sia
"The banker who will lend the Russian
/ government money" said Mr.. Schf,
will commit a crime against humanity.
] Mr.. Schiff disclosed the fact that spies
/ DR. levin. He said they were undoubt-
| edly at the meeting. He added:
Il say 10 you agents of the Russian
! government, do you wonder that the He
/ brew IN Russia becomes a revolution
/ ist?"
Mr.. Sulzberger and the Rev DR.. Mag
| nes also spoke. IL is estimated that
| there were $500 persons in the academy.