The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-12-31
DR.. Calisch Decla res
Club Incident Reveals
Modern Snobacracy.
SAME CONDITIONS
IN RICHMOND, TOO
Rescnts Open and Evasivc Dis
elimination Against Jewish
People by So-Callcd Exclu-
sivc Hotels and Clubs, a
Species of Social Folly
Bencath's Ones Notice.

Touching on the refusal of the Union
League club. of New York to receive
William Loeb Jr., as u member because
of tho common understanding that
ne WAS a Jew. Or. Y. ~ Caliach. IN an
address at Beth Aliabah Temple last
night. dealt vigorously with present
day conditions, condcmnins form of
discrimination against jewish people
and deploring "the outstrctcfing
fingers OF the dead hand of medieval
religious antipathy" which is noted ut
home and abroad
DIR. Caliscli referred to the action
OF so.cailed exclusive hotels, clubs and
apartment houses in New York and
elsewhere In discriminating aHalnsi
jews adding that you do not hIve
to go Il thousand miles from Richmond
to find these conditions. We have th!s
same sort Of snobocracy in our own
fair city he said.
DIR. calisch began by saying that 1t
was obvious that tho incident of the
reflections ~ William Loeb by the Union
League Club was the occasion OF :.;e
sermon IT We likewise patent that
neither hc ncr Ills congregation as
such, ha1 any interest In this inci-
dent c.eeRs FOR the reasons assigned
therefor 1T was stated by member
OF tho club and friend of Mr.. Loeb
THAT tho probable reason for tho re-
jcction was that Mr.. Loeb was a Jew.
Tho statement was also made that no
Similar case has come up in the Union
League Club since the blackbaiiing OF
Theodore Seiigman in 1898 II was ad-
lnitted that this action was due TO
racial prejudice" and that all Jews,
who were then members of the club.
7r,tt ty- "a nd IeNg
have since sought admission.
.snabocracy'' In Richmond.
Or. Calisch continued The question
yfthethcr Mr. Loeb is or is not Jew,
Or Of jewish descent. is NOT of mo-
ment That which we are concerned
with is tho published statement that
the probable reason of his rejection
WAS the belief that he was such
an glad it has been published. 1t is n
fact that some so-called exclusive
hotels. clubs aIl apartment houses in
New York CfiS and elsewhere have
disseminated against jews. Some do
50 openly some evasively. Some try
to soften the indignity OF their Of
Tense by using the words Hebrew or
Israelite This is only adding ig-
norance to ill-will. We are Jews. We
want to be called such. for good or for
III. We arc not tickled by the evident
presumption that when we are to he
fattcred or placated we are Hebrews,
and when we are 10 be damned we are
Jews. incidentally also l wish TO add
that you do not have TO go thousand
miles from Richmond TO find tnese con-
ilitions We have this same sort of
snobocracy in our own fair city.
II shall not stop to make argument
with this species OF social folly, not
/. ~. Il
lical Injunction TO answer a fool ac-
cording to his folly lest he become wise
In his own eyes is here impossible for
the reason that those who are guilty
of this folly are not amenable to ar
guments of justice. fairness or reason.
but because mine own self-respect will
not permit. / readily admit that social
affiliations are a matter of personal
feeling, of congeniality and of incon-
testable choice. 1t is an indubitable
right that a person should control his
own social companionship, just as he
has the right to invite to his house
whom he Will and shut out whom he
Will, and none can say him nay.
Insulting and Unjust.
But precisely here is the rub. 1t is
Just here that we jews feel and resent
the insult and the injustice done to us
as a people. For the discrimination
against the Jews is not personal nor
individual. 1t is said to he racial In
reality it is religious The Jew who
abandons his religion. who proves false
to the faith of his fathers and goes
over into the arms of the church, he
and his children find wide open tho
door that is shut in the face of the
loyal and observant Jew.
ITO our Christian neighbors who
49,. sl,tn
modern form of social ostracism. I have
nothing to say further than this: We
Jews know our position. as we know
the purpose for which we exist as a
reparate people. Our prophets and
sages in olden days have outlined the
part thar VIC ar- TO play in tho great
century comprising drama of the de-
yelopment of human civilization. Ira
dition and history and our own eSpe-
rience have confirmed the teaching. ]
may add that we have learned. tho les
son. We realize, perhaps better than
you do yourselves, the mainsprings of
your actions toward us. We realize
that, in spite of a twentieth century
enlightenment, there arc still clouds
of dogmauc assumption that necl the
x horizon whore the sun of civil and re-
llgious liberty is beginning it's Journey
toward the zenith. Error dies hard,
and none so hard as religious error.
Feeling is. stronger than logic. We
know that, though your reason would
promptly deny the imputation, yet
vol, are mono the less, In your atti-
t,lde towards us. not only in this but
other things. under tho snbconscious
dominance of theological mortmain
that reaches ont from the grave of
medievalism to lay its elammy hold
ppon the heart of the living present
Part Of Our National Life,
1T is not be expected of human
nature that this hold will be shaken
4 off at once, The warming current Of
NJ growing recognition of human bro
n thcrhood must gradually release It
'nlsut meanwhile we would have you con-
Skider this We Jews arc part of your