The Raymer enterprise., 1913-09-25

custom OF certain old world
n governments to confine the
Jewish population to definite
section OF the cities where the
Jewish population has been large.
These Jewish confines have been
known as Ghettos. When the exodus
OF Jews from Russia. from Poland,
from Roumania. and Hungary was at
its height these old world Hebrews
took unto themselves that section OF
The lower East side OF New YoA
which lies east OF the Bowery clear
down to the East river and In the
course OF time this district became so
wellnigh universally Jewish that the
word Ghetto came TO be applied to II.
II was In reality a veritable Ghetto.
comparable to the greatest Ghettos
OF the old world, only vaster 1t Is
still today greater city OF Jews than
the world has ever known. Accus.
toned through the centuries which
have gone to be !orcibly confined
within a given area. transplanted 10
the new world. where no such re.
strictions have ever existed these
people have yet adhered very large
ly to their traditional habits. Held
together not only by the bonds OF
orthodoxy, but by the scars OF ancient
political bondage. they have brought
with them not only their religion.
their racial traits and customs, but
the forms OF life and habits which
their previous existence had imposed
upon them. II would seem mis-.
nomer. perhaps. to characterize any
section OF this wonderful city as "un.
changing" but the Ghetto represents
more nearly unchanging New York
than any other.
Street Merchants.
In the perspective OF 80 years, or
even 20 years. the lower East side
has completely altered. Immigrants
from Great Britain and Ireland and
from Germany. who at that time prac.
GCally possessed this section, have
departed. Their exodus began with
the advent OF the Jewish population.
Certain streets were. however re.
tanned by these natiOnalitics until
very recently. but now even this old
guard has given up and the section
Is altogether Jewish. with a slight
fringe OF Italians. In other words.
the great orthodox Ghetto OF ten
years ago Is the self.samc Ghetto to.
day. only more 20 Here and there
towering office building has taken
the place OF tenement house or n
ramshackle business building, Ger.
tain magnificent schoolhOuscs. the
largest In the world. have been erect.
ed. but the drift OF life through all
the old streets Is Just the same. Push.
carts line the streets TO the incon.
venience and decentralization OF traf.
&c, whole blocks o. them. solid. in
certain streets. and on these carts
are displayed every conceivable ar.
ticle OF necessity to human existence.
At the corner ~ Essex and Hester
streets Is the same old Jewish labor
market. where loiter the Workmen
waiting to be employed. carpenters
with their saws and hammers. lock.
smiths with their huge rings OF keys,
plasterers, bricklaycrs. men OF every
grade. representatives Of every trade,
standing hour after hour. and from
time to time bargaining. with n pros.
pective employer over the price OF
their time and their labor The pea.
nut stands, the old women peddllnc
strings OF garlic and bags OF onions,
the fruit vendors and the pickle mer.
chants with their pals OF luscious
cucumbers, picked apples and toma
toes, and down under the shadow OF
the new bridge the FISH women, whose
wares are exposed TO all the dus,
and dirt and filth that flies through
this miserably uncared.tor section OF
the city.
On almost every corner and scat
tered through many blocks. are tn,
pavement soda water fountains. where
soda OF many bright hucs Ia dis
pensed at one and two cents glass
The doorways are blocked by fat olt
women, whose chief occupation II