The Twin City star. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1910-19??, 1911-01-21
NATION WIDE
PHILANTHROPY.
Big Sums Offered to Aid Afro
American 7. N. c. A.
RACE HAS BRIGHT FUTURE.

Donate $4,000 Toward Movement to
Erect and Equip Building For Young
Mems Christian Association In Chi.
esso-Plan and Scope Outlined.
Chicago Widespread interest Is be-
ing manifested In Young Mems Chris
tan association circles throughout the
country over the recent announcement
Of gifts amounting to $4,000 each
from Messrs julius ROsenwald and
N. w. Harris toward the fund which
has already been started for the cree.
ton of suitable building for Y. Nj.
@. A. work among Afro-Americans In
this city.
The announcement of the gifts was
made at meeting In Odd Fellows
hall, on State street. at which q stere-
opticon address on 1.-The Worldwide
Work of the Young Mems Christian
Association" was delivered by L. VIII
bur Messer, general secretary Of the
Chicago association. At the close OF
this address Mr.. Rosenwald and Mr..
Harris announced their proposals.
1t was particularly appropriate, Mr..
Rosenwald pointed out In announcing
his gift, that in movement Of this
kind one of the leaders should be a
Jew. A race which has suffered GEN.
turtles Of persecution, he said, should
show practical sympathy for people
but recently released from actual slav-
cry and now trammeled on every side
by race prejudice and actual II not
nominal social ostracism.
In making the gifts throuGhs-thc y.
M. G. A. the two men said they had
distinct purposes In view. They feel
that the Y. M. @. A. Is the organiza-
ton best fitted to fight the evils that
exist among the cOlored people them
selves, for the Y. M. q. A. not only
provides It's members with healthy
sports and amusements. but affords
them opportunities for moral and re.
ligious advancement.
Although the two offers are equal In
their amounts, they differ to some ex-
tent as to their terms, end that Of Mr..
Rosenwald is not confined to Chicago,
but is extended to every city of the
United States where Negroes evince
enough race spirit to raise part Of
the sum necessary to erect building.
His offer to Chicago IL of $4,000 on
condition that $4,000 more is raised
by popular subscription. This same
offer holds good to every other city In
America. The time set for raising the
ST., 900 by Mr.. Rosenwald Is FIVE years.
Mr.. Harris offer Is Of $4,000 for
Chicago building, provided that $685.
600 is raised within six months.
Taking these two offers together, the
local Y. NJ. @. A. has decided to at
tempt to raise $4,000. Fifty thou
sand dollars Of this will come from
Mr.. Rosenwald and Mr.. Harris. $50, 900
will be raised among the Negroes of
Chicago, and the remainder will be
sought from the general public.
In addressing the meeting. at which
were present upward Of 900 repre-
sentative Afro Americans. Mr.. Rosen-
valid said:
This. as you know. Is the season which
u proclaimed to be the season or peace on
earth and good will to men. 1t sounds
mo, anu 90 not UeiIcNc tnoTo Souiu 10
better ideal to work to than that one, but
I am afraid up to this time 1t has been
only an ideal.
You probably imagine that the colored
people are the only people who don't get
their rights. but II It IL any consolation to
you I want to say to you that there are
white people who suffer great deal more.
Tho Jewish race. which dates back thou
sands Of years and. like yours. dates back
to O time when they were known to be In
slavery. has been prosecuted and legis-
lated against In all countries Of the world
since the beginning Of time.
In Russia today the Jews are persecut-
ed In q way that you would not believe
It is not q question Of color. but Of re-
iigion.
And when these people have suffered for
thousands Of years you ought not to feel
very badly at the progress you have made
In the last thirty or forty years. You have
got q great deal moro to hope for than
the Jews Of the world have had since the
time they were in slavery.
You would probably be surprised to
know that there are clubs In Chicago. rep
resenting what you might call the best
type Of citizenship. that do not admit
Jews to membership, although one Of
them Is called a club Of university men.
do not want you to feel have an ak to
grind because ! couldn't get In. Even II
they admitted Jews / am not q university
man. ] am not at all hurt by the stand
this club takes. Personally I have no
quarrel with any man who takes that po-
sition. ! believe that the Jew has a good
chance In this country and that II he be-
havss himself properly he will some day