Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-04-24
AMERICA. TO Be EUR0PE'S
FRIEND WHEN WAR IS OVER
DIR. II. n. Caliscl Speaks on Neu.
trality mt Beth Ahabah
Temple.
BASED ON PRESIDENTS SPEECH
Says Wilson'S Speech to Associated
Press Deserves to Rank With Lin
coins Famous Gettysburg Grafton,
and Should BE Regarded as Classic.

| We must think of America first. but
nor III a selfish spirit. not for America $
| sake, but that America may be i'm Il
position TO be Europc's friend when the
tltanlc struggle is over. What nobler
iachl Tor nation can there be than to
develop itself. to conserve it's energy,
us resources, it's power, not for it's own
sake, but that it may be the friend of
humanity, tho trusted guide and coun-
seior FOR others. And this spirit should
nc no less true Of an Individual than OF
- nation"
This. said DR.. Edward y. Calisch, in
an address last night ut Beth Ahabah
synagogue, strikes the keynote OF true
patriotism, and is the fairest fruitage
OF that splendid idealism that has
maze America the Mecca toward which
all the oppressed peoples of the earth
turn In earnest prayer for dclivcrance
and freedom.
Address BASED on
PRESIDENTS SPEECH
Or. Calisch's address was based on n
speech delivered by President Wilson
before the Associated Press last Tues
day, in which the President defined
Americas spirit of neutrality toward
the belliSercnt nations OF Europe In
chastencss of language. beauty of SEN
timent, and the expression OF the high
est ideals to which amy nation may
aspire. DR.. Calisch said that the presi-
dents speech deserved to rank with
Aincoln's famous gettysburg Grafton,
ana should forever he regarded as IL
classic uttcrancc.
Tho Presidents speech. DR.. Calisch
said emphasized three ideas that should
characterize our national thought
namely, that America should not think
of men as of different political parties
or of different racial or rclir ious dcriva-
tion but as fellow citizens; that it's
whole duty is summed up i'm america
first, in the sense that its energies
and power should he conserved for hu-
manity's sake, and that America is the
mediating nation OF the world.
POLITICAL DISCRIMINATION
VIOLATION or AMERICAN SPIRIT
The speaker said that the justice Of
an undiscriminatins spirit cannot be
too often emphasized. not merely at
present with respect to European
h"lligcrnnts, but AT all times, with re-
srect 10 our own internal affairs. our
governments, our schools, orr relations
with one another politically, CONNER
cialiy and socially. Too often Dr.
CaliSch said, choic" Is made or courses
determined, not through the weight Of
personal or individual merit but
through an unjust political or racial
discrimination that is in violation Of
the American spirit and Of America
ideals.
Perhaps tho Jews, as n race, suffer
most in this regard, said DR. Calisch.
but. were they not guilty OF that dis
elimination among themselves, and
should they not ponder deeply the noble
uttrraucc of their great President?
The assertion of President Wilson
that the most sublime duty Of an indi-
Nidual or nation was the dedication
OF all It's strength and all Its power to
the service of humanity was indeed
worthy OF a most revcred teacher in
Israel, for this ideal was the faircst
fruitagc OF the seed of Jewish doctrine
the Very Towering Of Jewish ethics
Jewish ethics, said Dr. calisch. are pc
culiarly social ethics, il that they seek
the welfare of mankind, of human soci-
ETY. at large, TO he attained by the high
est development of the individual in the
service of the community.
No FINER IDEAL THAN
TO SERVE TIE WORLD
America could have no finer IDEAL
said the speaker. than to serve the
nations with all the glorious power
ANA strength and possibilities with
which il is gifted. This, he said
should hc her true basis Of neutrality
Il spirit of sympathy and fairness and
good Will. Real neutrality, said DR.
( talisch, meant justice, absolute JUS
ticc, despite ones emotions or prcdi-
lactions, fairness of action to all
nations alike.
Justice. said the speaker. must begin
always with the individual and must
he Incorporated through individuals
into the larger life of the nation Of
ten, he said. men cannot control their
emotions sometimes there is hatred
without reasonable grounds-but they
can, IL they would, deal fairly and
squarcly with all men and all nations.
giving without reserve that which
they themselves seek, without regard
10 feelings or emotions.
Or. calisch said that the fact ihat
America is compounded of the nations
OF the earth made her the mcdiating
ton Of the world. She has taken
into her own body polite Il portion Of
practically all the nations and families
OF men.
ALI. NATIONS REPRESENTED
IN GREAT C0NGL0MERiTf:
lie said that he doubted If there was
any people from Iceland TO Patagonia
or from Alaska to Australia that has
not sent its quota to America 10 be
absorbed into tho great cOnglomcratc
called the American people. Natural
iy Sc said, these various threads of
our national fiber work smoothly
}enough in ordinary times, but it IS In
the stress of such abnormal condi-
tions as now faces ii that ii must re-
member its true relation to the rest
of the world IT must remember that
1T Is concerned with the welfare OF
all mankind and must not show any
discrimination between the belligerent
powers
In conclusion the speaker said that
whatever Of power or possession OF
grace or gift, Of bounty or blessing. Of
endowment or energy, of fortune or
of faith, WAS granted to any one. as
an individual or as nation. was not
for them alone, but was intended {,
thing of helpfulness to the world at
large. held in trust He said that
when their earthly life was at All end
and their conduct weighed in the
scales of Judgment. they would have to
answer before the tribunal of divine
justice as to the conduct of thciI
stewardship.
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