New-York tribune., 1918-03-03
Many Jews Join
The British Forces


tions of the Jews and thcir LOYALTY to
the governments whose citizens they
now are. This recognition was seen to
be justification of the plan, already
undertaken, cf forming separate jew
lsh regiments and battalions to serve
with the British army. This latter
plan had been adopted by many Jews
carly in the war.
In 1915 large numbers of Jews were
compelled to flee from Palestine to
Egypt, settling chiefly in Alexandria,
and there, grateful for the protection
and championship which England af-
forded, they purposed to band them
selves together for service in her army.
The service which they could render
was quickly appreciated by General Sir
John Maxwell, the Sirdar, and he ac-
cordingly sanctioned the formation of
the zlon Mule Corps as an auxiliary to
the British transport service. Of the
prompt efficiency of this body the com
mander, Colonel Patterson, soon had
occasion to speak in terms of highest
praise. MANY of the zionists," he
said. whom l had thought somewhat
lacking IN courage showed themselves
fearless to degree when under heavy
fire.
1t was at Gallipoli that the Zion
Mule Corps did it's service, and it was
the first Jewish military unit that had
existed since the fall of Jerusalem.
eighteen centuries ago. There Colonel
Patterson, as related by him in "The
London Daily Mall" found the Jews
Gs fierce fighters as even he, a fighting
lrishman, could wish. They were SO
keen for actual fighting that they OBJ
lectcd to being made mere baggage
carriers. So they were given rifle and
bayonet and converted into a fighting
unlt-much to their delight. They
made good.
They we're through the whole bust
moss" said Colonel Patterson, "from
the landing to the final evacuation.
They We're imbued with the rare old
Maccabaan spirit. They were not fight
ers, but they displayed plenty of cool
courage under conditions which would
have upset the nerve even of Shadrach,
Meshach and Abednego in the fiery
furnace. Heavy shelltire was their con-
stant lot. | shall never forget the
GOODNESS of one of them He was in
charge Of three mules carrying ammu-
nltlon to the firing line. An enemy
battery spotted the team and let fly
INTO 1t. Isaac stuck to the rein of his
leading mule; shell came and blew
the three of them to bits, and by a
miracle he escaped. But he kept hold
Of his rein through it all, and strolled
unconcernedly into camp dragging the
head of his oeast behind him. All the
rest was mincemeat.
And that continued the colonel
with quick smile, lis the sort of stuff
the fighting Jew is made of. These
boys of nine walked Straight into the
nrlng line, raw soldiers though they
were, and Kept to it throughout. That
is the spirit we expect to find in the
new regiment am organizing.
Ihe way will be made as smooth as
POSSIBLE tor the men we want. Before
the Jewish regiment was mooted Jews
as body objected to enrolling, mainly
on the ground of racial and religious
customs which EMBODIED them. They
felt.and no doubt rightly-that they
could not surrender their immemorial
Kosher meals, and so on If they did
that by becoming part of British regi-
ments they would lose caste, life would
become misery to them and death a
problem unsolvable.
Nov all these disabilities have been
removed. Officers of their own tribes
nave been selected to lead them. They
wlll be trained by specially chosen in
Structors who can speak Yidds sh. He
DOCTORS
their nurses will be drawn from the
same class. Kosher meat will be sun
phed to them by kosher butchers and
cooked in kosher fashion. They will
get their bread just as they have it
now. None of their religious obsery
ances will be checked or hindercd and
even their intellectual recreation viii
De carefully considered. The camp in
"n'ch tney find themselves will be sup
phed with library we'll stocked with
jewish publications and served daily
with JEWISH newspapers-in word,
their mental and moral and religious
equipment will see no change from
thelr ordinary everyday life
AS race they will still be togeth.r:
thc bond, strong as death, will not be
severed. The authorities have gone To
endless trouble to sec that all their old
tIadiCl0hS and ceremOnials shall be re-
S5pected, and it is now up to themNthc
oews-to come forward and show The
STUFF they arc made Of"
Nalor in War
Dates Far Back
TO those who have come to look
up1'' the Jews chiefly as tradesmen
ana money-lcnders, the militant spirit
may seem foreign to them and the;r
active participation may be a matter
OF surprise. For this there is really
no nc occasion. History, from first to
iasl, contains many striking !lustrn-
!lohs OF the valor and prowess of Jews
IN IN war. Joshua, Gideon and King
David were great warriors, and in
later years the Maccabees were un-
surpassed among the warriors of the
world. The military valor. resource
and endurance of the Jews in the final
defence OF Jerusalem against Titus MI
most haitcd the might of Rome itself
10 Americans, especially, the mill
tary achievements of Jews should be
familiar. since there has been no war
OF this republic from the very first in
winch they have not honorably distin-
guishcd themselves. Thus in 1779 a
corps of volunteer infantry, composed
chiefly of Hebrews, was formed Mt
Charleston, S. c., under the command
OF Captain Lushington, and did gallant
work under Moultrie and Beaufort.
Manuel Mordccai Noah, of South Caro-
INA. was an efficient staff officer under
Washington himself. and also served
WIN great gallantry with Francis
Marion, the redoubtablc "Swamp Fox:
ana III addition to his services in the
field gave what then seemed an cnor-
NOUS lnm Of 100000 to further the
cause OF American independence.
Mordccai Shcftal was in July, t777,
appointed Commssary General of the