The Washington times., 1911-06-06
RACE PREJUDICE AND SNOB-
Berry REBUKED.

secretary OF war TO administer TO Sol
Joseph Garrard, commanding the cav
airy post at Fort Myer, Va. When il
was called to the attention of thu
Commander in Chief of the Army ant
Navy by Simon Wolf, a distinguished
citizen of Washington, that upon the
application papers of Frank Bloom
a private in Battery F, Third Field
Artillery, who sought a Ieutenacy
Colonel Garrard had made an indorse,
ment which reflected upon the Jewish
race, the President set on foot an in
vestigation. The facts bore out the
statements of Mr.. Wolf. 1t was found
that Colonel Garrard had written: 81
would not desire him in my command
as an officer and a social and personal
associate" He added that in few COM
munities were the Jews received as de-
sirable social associates.
The President not only took issue
with this latter statement, in the
clearest and strongest terms, but or
dered that Colonel Garrard be dis
ciplined for the expressions used in his
Endorsement of young Blooms appli-
cation. President Taft's course in dis
countenancing as far as possible these
manifestations of race prejudice has
met with hearty Endorsement, regard
less of political affiliations, and the
effect of his efforts to do justice to the
Jewish race, which in every period of
our history has numbered some of our
most valuable and patriotic citizens, is
bound to be far reaching. He is teach
ing the great lesson that personal
merit, in this land of freedom and
democracy, is the only badge of no
bility, and that the men who set them
selves up as social arbiters are more
than apt to overreach themselves.
1t would be easy enough to appeal to
the record in literature, science, and art
to ehow how poor the world would be
without the contributions of the Jewish
race. 1t is uncontested that during the
long night of ignorance which hung over
Europe before the Renaissance, it was
the Jews-together with the Arabs
who preserved the ancient learning
from destruction and handed on the
torch of intellectual liberty and en-
lightenment. 1t is more to the purpose
to show how extensive and how glor
ious a part the Jews have borne in the
art of war, to which young Bloom
hopes to devote his life, and how
heroically they fought here in our own
country, to whose cause the private in
Battery F would dedicate his services.
In a recent lecture in Washington,
attended by President Taft, Rev. Madi-
son C. Peters dwelt upon the sacrifice
made by Haym Solomon, who gave
$65s,O00 to the cause of the American
Revolution, was thrown into prison, and
died before he could take any steps to
secure reimbursement, leaving a wife
and four children in want. In his
work. of standard authority, Justice
to the jew" DR.. Peters has shown by
facts and figures how great a service
the Jews have rendered in all the wars
in which this country has been engaged.
Surely the army of the United States
today could well afford to include
Jewish officers on its roster when
there were twenty-four officers of that
race in the struggle for independence.
Mordecai Shetall was among the most
heroic defenders of Savannah, and Major
Benjamin Nones was on the staffs of
both Washington and Lafayette, and
legion of 400 men, COM
posed almost entirely of Jews. Philip
Moses Russell, who enlisted as a
surgeons mate, received warm COM
mendation from George Washington for
his "assiduous and faithful attentions
to the sick and wounded" The name
of Judah Tauro shines as one of many
brilliant names in the history of the
war of 1872. Although he had amassed
a large fortune in New Orleans, he |
enlisted as a common soldier during |
defense of that city, and was
left for dead on the battlefield. He
subscribed $4,000 toward
the completion of Bunker Hill monu-
ment. Among the dozen officers in the
war, Lieut.. Henry Seligson
was complimented for bravery at Mont
morency by General Taylor. Major
Alfred Mordecai is known as military
of the highest standing, and
his SON and namesake has been an
instructor at West Point. Commodore
Uriah Philips Levy attained the rank
of flag officer, which was the highest
rank of his day. Adolf Mark reached
the rank of commander, and was Judge
advocate of the Maine disaster board |
of inquiry. J.
The Jews distinguished themselves
on both sides, of the great civil con-
fict. Seven of them received medals
at the hands of President Lincoln
himself for distinguished service in the
field. Eight thousand of them took .
mart in the strupple alfbouoh tboro