New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-12-22
Crowds Sob as Woes
of Sufferers Are
Told at Meeting
WOMEN THROW
GEMS INTO FUND
Magnes. Schiff and StrauS
Outline Plans for
S10,000,000 Aid

The Jews Of the United States gave
e 10000 for their suffering breth-
zen in the European war zone at
meeting held in Carnegie Hall last
night This was the start Of cam
rsign which will be conducted in 1917
fora permanent s1O,OOO,oOo fund.
In 1916 the Jews Of the country had
gwen S5.OOO.OOO They came last
,irbt-manv OF them from the Pacific
Coast and the Middle West-to raise
twice as much. And in the same hall
With their co-religionists from the far
cities were those who had tramped
from the East Side 70 give their nick
els 20 the great fund.
The meeting was held on the ami
ursarv Of a meeting for the same
sgrpose in 1915, and in the same hall.
A, on December q. 1918 DR.. Judah L
Vsrnes stirred his audience. so he STIR
r.d IL last night. A year ago. men,
women and children weeping came to
t;r and offered their money. their
,edges. their jevelry. This they did
lsst night
Crowds Pack Street
Long before the doors OF the hall
we're opened Fifty-seventh Street was
hacked The crowd on the steps
Of the auditorium was so dense that
l. vas with difficulty that the special
corps OF police assigned 20 the meet
irg could hold them back until the
tsors were opened.
Even after the hall was filed ana
II us jammed to capacity as II by
nsrie 4 vast crowd fingered outside
Milling about and protesting TO the po-
lie. who held them back. Three hun
sred broke awav from the main throng
and souch. the stage door on Fifty
,1tb Street While Deputy Sheriff
John ] NcGrath tried 10 hold them
back. a pickpocket snatched hand-
bar from a woman. The crowd al
irsc,ed bv her cries, abandoned their
,iemrt 10 force their way INTO the
meeting 20 chase the thief, VINO es-.
eaped
Cheers for Speakers
Lone before the first of the holders
o. reserved seats arrived. the seats IN
the galleries were nlled. BY the time
Jacob n. SchiF. Nathan Straus ana Us
ears. Straus entered there was not room
FOR another person in the body OF the
hall. Applause allied the building when
these men appeared on the stage. mayor
Mitchell. who followed shortly after,
vas also loudly cheered.
Il was after the opening address OF
Nathan Straus the temporary cnalr-
man. and his introduction Of Jacob h.
Schf. the chairman Of the meeting,
Nho also spoke briefly, that the climax
q the meeting came.
Dr.. Magnes arose 20 speak Dr.
Nsgnes has just returned from tour
o. the Eastern battle fronts and the de-
ysststed country that lies behind them.
me memory Of the conditions under
which he has seen his people living
vas fresh In his mind and he spared
The audience nothing in describing
them Before ne had finished his plct-
ure OF the homeless. starving, diseased,
rnwashed. unclothed, Jews whom war
had trampled 20 mercilessly upon,
many Of MS audience were weeping
Sobs rose loudly here and there
through the audience and once or twice
ne speaker was interrupted by He
brew exclamation OF woe.
Hundreds Eager TO Give
Then came the big moment Of the
uenlng. DR.. MaRnes. with his picture
. the suffering Of the war refugees
y their race still fresh in the minds
v The audience, turned upon them ana
nisd:
We have raised nearly $4,000 900, a.
cose as we can estimate, for our relief
work next year. But there is S7,00O,OOO
nore that must come from you. You
All have 20 sweat blood 20 give it,
hnow, but / believe that you Will be
generous
This relief fund is not a charity
Is tax imposed on the jews OF
.ais country by themselves. ] know
ma, you will pay H."
from the orchestra clear up TO the
'oof Of the hall there swept great
ioat Of sound. Men and women rose
80 hhOlltQ. some OF thtm N'pN.
.shers then passed down the sisles
aslrg Up a collection.
The baskets in which the offerlnx
vas gathered had 20 be emptied time
.he time again. IL was not all money
mat composed the Offering. There
we're bracelets and jewelled pins. rings
sne necklaces. stripped from women
present By their own eager hands, for
he sake Of the suffering Of their race
VI The other side Of the Atlantic.
Nathan Straus opened the meeting
me crowd had been waiting for almost
"a hour. When he raised his hand.
1s audience broke into handclapping
Continued on page Q. column