New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-08-08
LET ALL UNITE, SAYS RABBI
Mass Meeting Absolutely Nee
essary, Ayers DR.. Schulman.

The Rev. Or. Samuel Schulman. OF
Temple Beth-El. has sent the following
letter to Allan Robinson in reply to Il
request for the rabbits signature to a
call for a mass meeting at Cooper Union
70 take action with regard TO the gam
bling situation:
In reply to the letter signed by Jacob
ii. Schiff Eugene n. Outerbridge, your
self and others, beg 10 say that ! viii
gladly sign call for q public meeting
TO bo held AZ Cooper Union in the near
future. such meeting In my opinion
Is demanded by tho unprecedented sit
uatiou In the city Of New York to-day.
and ! thank you for giving me the OPP
portunity. In the torn Of an answer 20
your letter. 70 say what I have been
feeling tor some time.
The city Of New York is to-day hu-
inflated. The events Of the last few
weeks are TOO eloquent TO need any com
ment: they are disgrace to its citi-
zenBhip. Our municipal government Is
certainly failure II during the last
Twenty-Five years We have been una bic
to devise ways and means TO keep apart
some individuals OF the police force
from the criminals whom they are sup
posed TO pursue and with whom they
prefer to be In partnership. Thus the
very elements OF morality, the founda-
lions OF society and the rudiments of
Such meeting is therefore absolute
ly necessary 10 voice the Iudlguat ton OF
the civic conscience, to utilize the intel
iigence OF public opinion. and, 81 pos
slDie, set IN motlon some machinery
which VIII bring about reform OF the
administration Of our police system
This ia not an ocCasion from which TO
attempt 20 derive cheap partisan polit-
lcal proht' Nothing Is more disgusting
than the spectacle OF n preacher for
righteousness playing politics What
was zone or not done at Baltimore has
very little TO do with the situation in
New YORK Just now and can reflect no
possible light on the honesty and eth
cheney Of our officials.
Nor IL II OF great importance whether
phrases or our officials are felicitous or
not. IhOse Of us who have learned TO
think Tor ourselves have long ceased to
be elated by the fiattery of politicians
when In good humOr they give tribute to
particular races or churches-or. on the
other hand, to be impressed by their ten
dency TO use the general term foreigner
or Immigrant as Scapegoat tor the In
EQUITIES OF American Ioitics. These are
trivialiticS which need not delay ny. And
again, the revelations Of cheapness of life
in New York and OF the friendship and
cooperation between some police officials
and criminals are Of such extraordinary
character that their Importance should
not be minimized by the injection of any
discussion of race or creed There is
tic about the gambler the prostitute, the
thief. the thug, the hired murderer and
a treacherous criminal official Unfort-
unately. these types are universally hui
man, and In the underworlds Of large
cities they flourish so long as conditions
permit.
The present situation is therefore "A
matter that is not the concern OF any
party in particular or OF any sectarian
communion within the city OF New York
Civic virtue demands that all such con-
siderations DO overshadowed by a whole
souled cooperation on the part OF all
the elements In the community. And
their single mindedneses will be empha-
sized By their speaking and acting, rot
a, Jews. Protestants or Catholics, Demo
Gratis or Republicans, but "a citizens OF
New York. For the purpose OF morality.
protection OF life and property and the
nurity and efficiency of our city govern
,nent we are citizens first, last and all
The time. and we are citizens only.
I therefore welcome with enthusiasm
such meeting, that should voice what
the New York citizen has to say upon
the deplorable conditions which are our
discrace Yours very ,ruIy,
August s. SAMUEL SCHULMAN.