Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-09-14
MEMBER OF DOUMA
TALKS OF WAR ASST
CONCERNS THE JEWS
Doctor Levin, Here to Raise
Fund for Destitute in
Palesine, Says Crisis
Was Needed to Arouse
Russia.

Or. Shmaryahu Levin. member of the
First Russian Douma and leading Zion
list. is in Germany, and who was stranded
in this country. is here and will be the
principal speaker tonight, at mass meet
ing arranged by the zonists for the pur-
pose Of raising a fund for the Jews in
Palestine, who are suffering starvation as
a result of the European war.
Oscar straus is the initiator of the
movement to raise S25o.OOo and Louis d.
Rrandeis, the noted Boston lawyer, is the
chairman of the National Committee The
latter also will be here tonight to address
the mass meeting in Musical Fund Hall.
DR. solomon Soils Cohen will be chair
man of the meeting. and many of the
most prominent Jews in the city are ex-
pected to attend and contribute.
This Is the first of a series of meetings
that will be held in the leading cities Of
America where the attitude of the Jews
toward the war will be discussed
Il do not care to discuss the question
as to who is right and who is wrong in
this war" said DR.. Levin. Nor do |
hold that public opinion is always right
That is a separate question. What do
wish to point out. however, is how far
the nations are forced. when they find
themselves in dangerous position, to
take into consideration the power of the
worlds opinion. You may go contrary
to it in times of peace but when catas-
trophe comes, one becomes more plant
because the entire world sits in judg-
mcnt and history may come to collect
old debts
"As an example we see that even the
Russian Government has suddenly be-
come sensitive and alive to the fact that
Jewish soldiers are sacrificing their lives
in this war. This war was necessary in
order TO open its eyes to see that seven
million Jews in its domains are also
human beings. At present. however. the
Russian Government is making only
promises, and these under a hlind adj
dress. She has them announced through
anonymous sources in Copenhagen. But
this is characteristic of war times Even
the great bear has bestirred itself and
begun to heed public opinion"
Speaking of the attitude OF the Jews
throughout the world to the war. he
said:
"But as the Jews are scattered through
out the world, and they must fight
brother against brother 1t is quite hard
to apportion their sympathies 1t is al
most commendahe that Germany is not
angered with the Russian Jewish sol
diers, and Russia with its German and
Austrian Jewish soldiers. England, how
ever, desires greatly that all Jews who
are not taking a definite side in the war
should sympathi2e with England and
with England's cause.
TT appears strange that at this time
there is no united Jewish public opinion
on the present war. The Jewish opinion
is greatly scattered because the Jewish
nation Is scattered"
DR.. Levin also spoke OF the terrible
conditions in Palestine as a result of the
war Palestine is dependent for its ex-
istence upon the rest Of the world. And
when the rest Of the world Is at war
there is nothing left for the Jews in
Palestine except starvation