The San Francisco call., 1913-08-18
SPEAKE RS DISCUSS
JE WISH HISTORY
Influence of the Race Traced
by Brilliant Minds at
Chautauqua

The influence Of the Jewish race on
ancient, medieval and modern history
was the general topic discussed at the
Sunday evening session Of the third
western assembly of the Jewish Chau-
tauQua society at Temple Israel, three
distinguished speakers holding a large
audience for hours while they dilated
upon the results of Hebrew activities
The orators were ST. J. Lubin Of Sac
ramento, Aaron l.. Sapiro and Prof
Henry Morse stephens. The meeting
was presided over by Harris Weinstock
The fact that the speakers were not
entirely In accord in their opinions but
added interest to the occasion. The ad-
dresses were all brilliant, each in q diff
ferent way, and added much to local
Information as regards the Jews OF
ancient and modern times.
81. J. Lubin spoke chiefly Of the i'm
migrant problem, the effect immigrants,
particularly Jews. have upon Ameri-
can institutions. and the various atti-
tudes toward them. He held that we
should expect the immigrant to take of
the best that we have, but he should be
given to understand that he and his
children should contribute to our
wealth. art and education. The Jew S
greatest contribution to the world. he
and right living. The problem is not
how to make him less a. Jew, but how
to make him more Jew and therefore
a better American.
STANDS FOR ETHICAL SYSTEM
Aaron J. sapiro's main contention was
that the Jew stands, and has always
stood through all the ages, for the
ethical system. the relation of man to
God and man to man. The only real
genius we have produced" he said, lis
prophetic peoples genius. This
prophetic genius Is the one great mark
of our race. The world could do with
out our great business men. our great
surgeons. but it can't do without that
wonderful ethical impulse that marks
our race"
Sapiro contended that while the Jews
have produced great musicians, great
artists great politicians, ii has never
produced one who could properly be
called first class genius. 1t is the
Jewish people as a whole that Is the
Jewish genius. and that because of the
fact that 1t has always stood for that
ethical system that is the one and only
thing that makes 1t a great race.
STEPHENS CHALLENGES POINT
Professor Henry Morse Stephens, the
next speaker, promptly took issue with
aaron l.. Sapfro on the latfer's state
ment that the Jewish people have never
produced first class genius. He con-
tended that the money making instinct
OF the Jews is alone enough to make
them recognized as a great race. The
reason that we never hear of the Jews
during the middle ages and the Renais-
sance, he said, Is because the historians
up to 80 years ago looked upon the Jew
much as did the people Of medieval
times But modern history recognizes
the part the Jews played in the his
tory Of those times, and we know now
that 1t was the Jews and their money
that held civilization together during
the dark ages. 1T was even Jewish
money, strange to say, that financed
the crusades. that bound noble to
king and even pope to bishop. The
knights who embarked in the crusades
had to get the money from the Jews
The bishop who wished to send money