The Denver Jewish news., 1918-12-19
First American Jewish
Congress Historical Fact
WORK OF CONVENTION MARKED
BY GREAT ENTHUSIASM.
Nathan Stra,,s.. Elected Temporary
Speaker and Judge Julian w. Mack
Permanent Chairman.


The American Jewish Congress.
which for the last three and a half
years has occupied the mind of the
Jewish people not only in America
hut also all over the world, is mt last
an accomplished fact Four hundred
elected delegates representing the
united will of the American Jewish
people, with mandates from every ex-
listing Jewish party and faction. ma
t:onal or local, convened ut Philadel-
rha on December II, 1918, to dcliber-
ate upon the task confronting the Jew
ish people of securing for itself full
and equal civil. political and national
rights all over the world, and Of re
asserting its desire for Il national cS-
iStcncc.
Philadelphia was in gala array to
receive the delegates, and the thous-
nnds of visitors who filled the city
for this momcntous event. American
and Jewish flags floated everywhere,
The venerable Nathan Straus, the
temporary chairman. opened the meet
ing. at l o'clock. on Sunday afternoon.
His speech. which sounded the key note
of the convention, is printed in full in
another column. He asked that Jews
stand together and speak with united
voice for those who are still deprived
of these human rights, for which
America and her allies have been fight
ing. 1t was the duty of the jewish
people in America as in all lands. To
utter tncir call to humanity and Sc
cure the liberation of the oppressed
We must act together in the spirit OF
liberty and democracy, so far as we
can divine and interpret it.
Mr.. Straus. at the conclusion of his
address received great ovation.
Reports were read OH the aims and
hopes of the race in many countries.
Prof. Isaac HOurwich, New York, re
porting on affairs in Russia. said the
mnny factions of Jews In that country
are all agreed that they want. in ad-
dition to liberty and equal rights. to
be recognized as nationality and Ia
be entitled TO minority representa-
ton.
Joseph BarondesS. commissioner of
education, New York. in report on
Rumania. said the Jews there also
want recognition ms nationality with
minority representation, but also want
the peace conference to give an ah,
solutc guarantee that Rumania VIII
carry out the promises it will make IN
the future.
1t was stated by Leo Wolfson. rep
resenting the American Union of Ru-
n;anian Jews, that Rumania is making
claims that it has emancipatcd the
Jews. lie urged that the peace con.
ference annul the clause in the recent
treaty of Bucharest relating to jew
ish naturalization on the ground that
it cnfranchises but 20 per cent of the
race in that country and that the
peace delegates substitute another CIV
ing the Jews equal rights.
The report on Galieia recommended
that the Jews in that territory he rec
Ognizcd as separate nationality or
entity.
Rabbi Berlin spoke of the spiritual
aspiration of the Jews, and Louis Mar
shall made statcsmanlikc address on
the Jews demand at the coming peace
conference. He declared the plan OF
liberty indorsed by our allies and ap-
proved by our president convinccs that
Zionism is reality, no longer ro-
nance, one of the fine fruits of the
tragic triumphant world war.
Judge Mack was directed to request
the state department at Washington
to cable to the British government
pledge of cooperation of the Jews Of
the United States in establishing q
national home for Jews in Palestine.
Copies of the cablegram will be sent
to France, Italy, Greece. Serbia and
Holland.
Judge Julian 7. Mack of Chicago
was elected president of the congress
by a majority of $50. About sixty del
PSaicS Nttcu III IuNoI VI Nhe Jt"ish
poet. Sol Bloomgarden (Yehoash). n
former resident of Denver. Judge
Mack's election was made unanimous.
Chairman Mack, in outlining the
work of the American congress. spoke
for the right of the Jew, not that
liberation be asked at the world peace
conference at Versailles He said that
with united voice we must voice the
united hope that Palestine be given
back to the Jews"
The following resolution was adopt