The Denver Jewish news., 1918-12-19
Nathan Strauss Opens
Jewish Congress
SOUNDS KEY NOTE WHEN HE
SAYS, NOT TOLERATION. But
LIBERATION FOR OUR BRETH-
REN IN ALL LANDS.
"H0w Good and How Pleasant 1t Is
For Brethren to Dwell in Unity"
psalm 1871

| Az l1SI we can VOICE tnc ueSlre oi
our hearts and the determination of
| our will to help our brothers in necI
| while we stand united.
The realization of our plans for this
Consress-satisfactor to all the ele-
ments of American Jcwry-is-a great
| triumph.
1 want to begin by thanking all
| those who have made the personal sac
rifice-of sinking their differences OF
opinion for the sake of unity. without
which we could not hope for success
| in our tremendous task. We 1nve at
last unity Of mind and purpose, as we
always had Of heart.
We have proved that the Jew cannot
only serve the world by his seif-sac-
| rificc. by his talents; hut that he has
the capacity for organization to help
himself. Democracy and Intellectual
liberty are Unborn in the Jewish blood.
We are meeting in the happicst hour
Of American history-the hour which
finds America not only victorious by
tnt Sluc VI l!tI but hcFas Wv
torious for the noblest OF ends. y vic
tory has been won by America that is
equal to Americas deserts. The cause
for which We entered the war has
triumphed and triumphcd abaundnrt-
~. and America today stands upon the
pinnacle of international emincncc.
honOrcd and loved by all nations save
her defeated enemies. and even thcy in
time will come to understand that
America did much to liberatc the Ger.
man-speaking peoples from the curse
of autocracy and militarism.
Great is our joy in the triumph Of
America and the Allies. We take the
deepest satisfaction in the circum-
| stance that America has had the op-
pOrtunity and privilege to play u de-
cisive part in the war.
The enormous reinforcement of
strength. moral as well as military
which the advent of America into the
war brought to England, France, italy
and all the Allies has enabled them
to, bring to its triumphant conclusion
the struggle for human liberty. in
which they had already made enorn-
Gus and unparalleled sacrifices.
Greatest of all is our joy in the cir
cumstance that America has been able
to fulfil n part of her immartal des-
tiny: that America which up to April
2nd. 1917. was sheltering refuge and
land of opportunity to the people
who have come to her shores has now
become symbol of hope and even of
realiza ton of liberty to all nations.
America in one word has become NOT
simply n wOrld-pOwer; but power for
world good and for world liberty.
We meet today not only as Amcri-
cans but as Jews to give thanks to
Almighty God for the part it has
been our solemn privilege to play in
the war that is won. For Jews have
done their full duty and done it glad
ly and eagerly on behalf of America
and American principles.
From the greatest to the least of us.
American Jews have understood that
all they priced in life was at stake.
and that no sacrifice that America
could ask of them would be equal to
the measure of our devotion to the
Allied cause.
In all lands. Jews have acquitted
themselves bravely and well. Even in
the lands of darkness and injustice
Jews have blcd and died tho they have
been denied those blessings of liber-
ty and citizenship which are our own.
As American Jews, it became clear
to us some years ago that the time
had come for Jews to stand together
who are still deprived of these human
rights, for which America and her
Allies have been fighting. Those Of
us who have for years urged the con:
vening of the American Jewish Con-
ercss have been of the conviction. that
inasmuch as the days of secret COM
pact had vanished, and the day of
open and daylight councils had come.
II was the duty of the Jew'"h people
in America. as in all lands, to utter
their call to humanity and secure the
liberation of the oppressed.
In America. above all. it is our sol.
emn duty because we are surrounded
by one hundred million friends and
wcll-wishers. In America. men Of all
faiths, Jews. Catholics, Protestnnts
are brothers and fellow-citizens. shar-
ing the privileges of freedom and op-
portunity and sharing the obligation to
exercise those privileges worthily.
CONTINUED on Page Two