The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1910-06-02

20 the dignity OF the body 10 place it,
self on record in this connection.
Delegate Joseph SaiabeS. OF Balti-
more. smiling. smooth-faced young
man, who says he has a sense OF hu-
NOR and can enjoy joke. took an
entirely different view OF the mat
ter. Whatever we may wish or
however much we may explain" said
he. the world considers us a nation,
and 10 is our national fOibles that are
burleSQued. just as those OF the Irish
anu Germans I am not talking about
criminal representations, of course.
The average performer harmlesSly at
temptS to represent our idiOsyncracies
sometimes does il very truly-and
what's more. there isn't a social club
of our race that doesn't do the same.
III we protest. we stamp ourselves as
narrow-minded and much less harm
Will be done by remaining silent than
by calling attention TO the matter.
Mr.. Salabes expressed the opinion
that theatrical managers were going
TO put on acts that brought them
money, and that their promises about
taking off the Jewish caricatures
would mean but little If such features
proved popular. But after all. he
thought that people with a sense of
hum Or-and the Jews are liberal pa
irons of the theaters-enjoyed them.
Delegate Herbert T. Ezekiel, of this
city. was Of the opinion that a protest
would be useless.
1T is our own people" said he.
who often give countenance and cir
Culation TO some OF the most Often
sive jokes. AS I take Il. we are not
going to boycott Shake~ Deare, and yet
who has been more unjust TO us than
Shakespeare in his portrayal of Shy
lock?"
Mr.. Ezekiel thought the little "2-
cent comedians were too small to
NJ h,1
matter alone.
DR.. Calisch. who next took the floor.
said he wanted the protest TO be as
loud, as emphatic and as widespread
as it could be made.
Il fully appreciate the fact" said
he, that some of the worst offenders
are our own people. But even if we
do have those who are willing to be-
foul their own nests for the sake of
wealth and for the sake of gathering
in money, as il were at the sacrifice
of the hearts blood of their fellow
men, that is no reason why we should
submit to il quietly.
LAS far as concrete examples are
concerned, the protest has been at
tempted and where properly made has
proved effective. What has been said
about Shylock is true but Shake
speare. it will be remembered. wrote
500 years ago. and in the spirit of
that age.
And we have protested against Shy
lock and are protesting against him.
know it is a positive fact that the
Merchant of Venice" at the instance
OF Jewish citizens, has been barred
from the public schools in Milwaukee
and Cleveland
And as for what Mr.. Salabes has said
about the oaricatures of our people be-
ing analogous to those of the Irish and
German, l want to add that the Irish
are protesting, too. Some of them have
shown their disapprOval by offending
a "a - Wi z
eggs and vegetables.
- We shall not do that. We shall pro-
test with dignity and propriety and
emphasis long as we have any self
respect. prolonged applauseO
The Grand Lodge, by an oVerwhelm-
ing vote, adopted that portion OF the
propaganda committees report which
bears on this subject This reads as
follows:
We recommend that local lodges
carefully investigate md handle as
heretofore. protests against often
siVe Jewish cnrtcatureS the
stage and I'm periodical pubIica-
tiOns.