Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-02-03
RABBI WISE URGES
CIVIC BETTERMENT
Head of Free Synagogue, New
York, Speaks in "Old
First"
DECLARES u. S. WILL NEVER
WAR ON FOREIGN POWERS
Asserts Character of Man
Makes Politics-Takes Place
of Gov. Hadley.

w NONs E1dhiCys
The large audience which gathered
in the First Presbyterian Church last
night for the sixth lecture in the
church course was moved to applause
frequently by the address on Civic
righteousness" delivered by Rabbi
Stephen S. Wise, head of the Free
Synagogue, New York. Governor Her.
bert S. Hadley, who was scheduled
to speak, was prevented from appear
ing by illness in his family, but Rabbi
Wise made more than capable sub
stitute.
Rabbi Wises subject might have
been called 1.-THE New Religion" for
he urged his hearers to fight corrupt
influences in civic life and battle for
the betterment of the community with
the same zeal they would use in fur
thering the cause of religion.
In the opening sentence of his talk
Rabbi Wise told several short anec-
dotes which gained him instant favor,
Every pew in the church was filled,
as were the seats in the balcony.
About one-quarter of the audience
was composed of persons of the Jew
ish faith.
Rabbi Wise said in part:
"On my way over to Newark from
New York tonight | took note of the
advertisements in the tube trains. The
prevailing spirit of these advertise
mentS was Beware of substitutes.
Insist on the genuine This evening
the genuine is in Kansas City. 1
mean Governor Hadley; / am the
substitute, SO beware.
For the last generation we have
suffered from a debauch of civic
righteousness At times we did not
realize it. There is a relationship be-
tween religion and civic government.
We should make civic government our
religion.
Proud of Being An American.
THE democracy of America as we'll
as the teachings of Israel is my re-
ligion. Although I am not a native
American, if anyone ever intlmated
that I am an alien, or ever was an
alien, l think I would be forced to for
get my calling and demonstrate in a
forcible manner where the person was
mistaken. I was born in continental
Europe, and / brought my mother,
father and six brothers and sisters to
this country when | was sixteen Years
old. Since that time my own pride has
lea and that l was an American
THE other day we again heard of
the call for greater navy and a
larger army to protect our interest
against foreign enemies. America
has no foreign enemies.
There is talk of possible war
" III Japan. The American people
never will be Hobsonized into war
with Japan or China or any other
European power. The people of this
glorious country will never forget
themselves so far as to enter into a
war with foreign powers. Why?
Because the real and only enemies
of America are the men who live in
its cities and it's States, the unscrupu-
lous rnen-some of them-who have
charge of the civic affairs and are at
the root of the municipal evil
Tammany in Rev York
Take New York, for instance
There are more contemplate things
in New York than Tammany Hall,
contemplate though it is. The body
of rich and powerful men who are
backing Tammany Hall is the last
word in that direction. The reason
Tammany Hall has ruled for such
long time is that whatever it decides
to do it does in dead earnest, while
We the people, are earnestly dead.
"Tammany Hall, to use the lam
guage of New York, is always on
the job,' while we are only on the
job systematically We do not rage
and gather our forces of righteous
ness as does Tammany its corrupted
forces when anything goes wrong.
If we did, or had, Tammany would
be thing of the past today. At pres
ent there is a period of wakefulness
in the civic government of New York
Tammany is being hammered and
New York will be better for it.
Charles Murphy is the so-called
leader of Tammany, and the man
who has the reputation of being
feared Who is he? Why should he
be feared? No reason at all. He is
nothing more than an errand boy
"a corrupted errand boy doing the
foul work of corrupted body of rich
men, many of whom are known as
captains of industry"
Applause Greets Remarks.
Rabbi Wise was frequently inter
rupted by the bursts of applause that
greeted some of his remarks.
AT times a fond mother would
come to me and ask: 'Dosyou think
Jim or Joe-or whatever her sons
name might be-should go into poll
tics? / think it would ruin his char
acter.' Do l think any young man
should go into politics? Yes. 1t is
not politics that ruins mans char
acter. it's the mans character that
ruins politics.
1.-THE man who can't keep his hands
clean in politics cannot keep them
clean in any profession. l know three
Presidents of the United States who
have gone into politics and their
hands are unstained. They are the
present President, Wilson, and Tatt'
before him, and Theodore Roosevelt,
before him."
Rabbi Wise was forced to pause at
this point until the applause had sub
sided. Continuing, he said:
For $50 years the so-called lg-
norant and discriminating people
have elected a President for this
country, and not once have they
fundamentally erred.
Americas Need.
what America needs today is a
civic religion, civic righteousness.
In New York or Newark there Is no
reason for a man to vote for Re
publican or Democratic candidate
simply because he has been lifelong
Republican or lifelong Democrat The
Thought should be that the parties
are not to be served by you. The par
ties should serve you. If you think
the Democratic candidate is the man
YOU want for the office vote the
Democratic ticket and the same with
the other parties. Do not bind your
self with that foolish idea tnat you
must always vote with the same
party.
1--WE hear a great deal about the
Sons of the American Revolution. l
wonder if their forefathers who
fought for this country in its infancy