davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune., 1918-02-10
The Voice Of Woman
Was Also Respected

Maintaining from ancient days DEM
ocratlc forms of religious life and COM
munal organizations. the Jews have
throughout their history been the up-
holders and harbingers of democratic
PRINCIPLES. The history of Jewish or
ganization is largely the history Of an
attempt to attain sclf-rule, to divide
equally the rights and obligations Of
the individuals to the group Zionism
pelnR the most potent expression Of
Jewish democracy Jews have in later
times found in the Zionist organization
the most democratic institution of its
KIND ever created. By the small nav
ment OF one shekel, equivalent to
twenty-five cents, every Jew could vote
for delegates to the Zionist CONGRESS-
and Zlonlsm anticipated by MANY wears
.he woman suffrage movement in grant
ing the same privileges to the women
as to the men with regard to all par-
tIclpation in the organization of Zion
ist work.
According to Justice Louis d. Bran
de.s, "Iheodorc Herzl's contributions
to our understanding of the Jewish
problem are these: First, the recogni-
ton of the Fundamental fact that the
the recognition of the political truth
that the emancipation of the Jews could
only, come through themselves; that il.
by democratic means. That the Jews
are q people was well-known fact
long before llerzl's time: but il had
peen submerged by the multiform indi.
yldual struggle for Jewish cXistence
mat emancipation could come onlv
through the Jews themselves had also
oeen clearly stated before Herzl's time
pue ~ was Herzl who made clear the
essential democratic means when he
called the first congress-" ''e
In this country the Zionists havo in
the organization of Jewish affairs ey-
erclsed lmmersc influence in the dirnc-
''on OF democracy, and the impetus
"hlch the Zionist organization has given
10 inc movement for the convening of
an AMERICAN Jewish Congress to deal
WIN 'he crisis created by the war has re-
suited IN the introduction Of methods
or organizat,on which arc unique even
IN long history of self rule in com
munal, religious and phianthropic af
I fairS. The election Of delegates by a
system of universal suffrage, with an
proXlmately one hundred and fftv
thousand Jewish men and women cast
ing their votes to choose three hundred
representatives. was an incident Of un-
parelleled interest among current Jew
ish events. II was in the course of the
organization CT the movement for the
American Jewish Congress that the
Jewish people made a distinct contri
button to American thought in crystal
l'zing the new conception of democ,
racy AS applied to nationalties.
Speaking at Carnegie Hall on Jan
New-York tribune., 1918-02-10

ME interest in Lafcadio Hcarn
is constantly being renewed
Either new facts concerning his
life or new original material by him,
like the lectures on literature to h's
Japanese students, appear, and the pup
lie again ponders on his fascinating
personality and amazing genius.
Elwcod Hendrick, Of Philadelphia,
who passed with him the last evening
Hearn spent in America, has just shed
new light on the unique literary char
actcr who, as Stcdman prophesied, has
become as much tradition as our own
Poe. Mr.. Hendrick spoke of Hearn's
incomprehensib shyness, his love of
socIusion. his sensitiveness and also the
story of Hcarn's reputed love for Miss
Bsland. I took the liberty of question
rg Mr. Hendrick bluntly in regard to
Hcarn's alleged love for Miss Bisland,
lis biographcr, now Mrs. Wetmore.
"a recent biographer asserts that
Ilearn was madly in love with Miss Bis
land and that she did not reciprocatc,
and that the famous love letters at the
end of the first volume Of the Life, with
the addresscc's name blank, were ad
dressed to her. Is this so?" asked.
"Hearn's love for Miss Bisland was
really idealistic worship. She was one
OF the most beautiful girls in America
at the time. They were always friendly
and he dedicated q book to her many
years afterward, when both were mar
ried. and he always had a picture Of
her in his home. / don't think he ever
dreamed he could marry her"
"Didn't he unconsciously put his love
for her into the story of 'Karma, in
which he speaks Of an idealistic love of
man for girl who asked him to
write down all about his past life, espe-
c;ally what he didn't want her to know?
The story. you remember, was written
in 1889, about the time he saw her
often in New York"
"Wcll, I know that he sent her the
story and also that he afterward did
not like the story But, after all, Miss
Bisland is living, and the fact Of
Hcarn's love for her is a matter that
rests with her alone to give forth or to
keep"
New-York tribune., 1918-02-10

of their philosophy. The whole theory
of adjustment rcckoned mainly with
the conditions of things as they were
and failed to look sufficiently forward.
But it is futile now to cavil at OBJ
stacles which were previously placed
on the way to Zionism, and the con-
trcVersy is ceasinS to be timely,
though it will undoubtedly in the fut-
ure add dramatic effect to the story
of the struggle: But as matter of
record it should be set down that the
Mendelsohnian conception of dena-
tionaized Judaism was born in an era
of cosmopolitanism when it was thought
shat national boundaries would uti-
mately be abolished, and when the Jews
became intoxicated with the first fruits
of civil emancipation, which, while
solving the problem of individuals.
never solved the problems of groups,
and even as far as giving political
rights to the Jews failed to extend to
the larger Jewish populations, in Rus
sia, Rumania, Galicia, etc. The fear
Ct the ugly apparition of German anti
Semitism and the hope Of ultimately
overcoming it had no small part in the
work Of those who advocated the mod-
ticatons of Jewish rites and ceremonies
with view of becoming more accept
able to the non-Jewish neighbors.
What stronger motive could have
been in the mind of DR.. David Fried
lander. who, in 1912, published
pamphlet urging the elimination from
the prayer book of all references to
Zion and the abolition of the Hebrew
language? Government authorities took
note Of the pamphlet, and Hardenberg,
Prussian Chancellor, in presenting the
booklet to King Frederick Wilhelm III
wrote long memorandum in its favor
ut is not surprising" says the Chan
ccllor chat the Jews long for a re-
storation to Palestine, since they are
so much oppressed by the peoples
among whom they live. But when
equal rights have been granted to them
they will no longer pray for their re-
naturalization in Palestine, but rather
for the peace and prosperity of the
Prussian government; they will give
up the hope of the coming of Mes
siah, and will pray for the welfare Of
the king whom they love and respect
with all their souls" But the Jews
were never one whit less loyal to their
adopted country or sovereign because
of their attachment to Zion and Ju-
daism, which, indeed, enioined such
loyalty.
New-York tribune., 1918-02-10
War Has Burned
Away Old Preiudices

possessions of Israel and emphasizing
the mission of justice and brotherho ID
which the Jews were to carry to the
peoples Of the world Reformed
Judaism, at least in Its extreme
radical forms, rejected Zion, accepted
the dispersion as the greater oppor-
tunity for spreading the mission and
denied the future Of the Jews as a
nationality.
The great changes of The war demol
ished many long cherished conceptions,
and with them the theory of carrying
the Jewish mission without having the
power to carry it sufficiently far, with
out enjoying the dignified position
among the nations, is also fast yield
ing to the newer conception of estab-
universal acceptance of democracy with
the recognition of the rights Of all
nationalities. This is not a time to be-
come elated over the triumph of ones
own particular view, nor should it be
forgotten that the opposing reform
elements have by their continued ad-
hesion to Judaism helped to preserve
the Jewish people and thus indirectly
to assure national restoration. 1t
should also be remembered that many
leading eXponents of reform have to-
gether with considerable numbers of
followers throughout favored the Ii
onist ideal. "Our feelings and our af-
fections are wiser than we are" said
Stevenson, and Notwithstanding their
professions and opposition toward Iii
onism, many influential Jews Of the
reform school of thought have from
time to time given effective aid toward
the maintenance of Jewish institutions
in Palestine, thus aiding also in keep
ing alive the interest in the Land of
Israel.
They explained their acts by stating
that they assisted Palestinian enter
prscs on purely religious grounds, but
read as recltas as curious incidents in
Jewish history the institutions which
they have established in the Holy Land
Will remain the corncrstoneS of the
New Zion. Perhaps the gravest error
of reform teachers and preachers and
of old-timc Jewish leaders, acting in
concert with them. WAS that in enunc-
ating their individual opinions or the
views OF comparatively small group
in Jewry they assumed the tone Of
spokesmen of the whole Jewish peo-
pie, numbering some 11,000,00O of
souls and from the great bulk of which
these preachers and leaders were sep
arated by oceans and distances of
thousands of miles, "Therc is no lew
ish nation" says Il rabbi in Chicago
AS far as Chicago is concerned the
Jewish nation is mere abstraction {;
the newspaper reporter, at any rate,
cannot sec it. but he has front seat
in the temple and he can hear the so
norous voice Of the fashionable rabbi
and his striking pronouncement sug-
gests sensational headline. The next
day a large Jewish community feels
outraged by this usurpation Of power
TO speak for the Jewish people, but
the Jewish masses, though they have
already found new leaders to express
their feelings and thoughts, arc still
to u large extent. left inarticulatc.
New-York tribune., 1918-02-10
Discussion Ran
Through Generations

The discussion was carried on for
many years and in the course Of t;mc
took various forms. lIoldheim, Geigor
Elnhorn, Franklin, Salomon and others
Of note, all great scholars and men Of
extraordinary talent, continuing stimuli.
taneously their scientific studies Of
Judaism and the gradual modification
of religious observances and cere-
monies TO bring them into greater har
mony with the environment, elaborated
with great skill apd intellectual force
upon various aspects of the relations
between the Jews and the other ma
aons; and it shall be to their eternal
credit that they laid 50 much stress
upon the things of the soul, upon the
spiritual message of Judaism.
In graphing. however. with the per
picked problem presented by the per
sistence of the Jewish nationality with
out possessing soil upon which to
New-York tribune., 1918-02-10

flourish they were, it appears through
out consciously or unconsciously
haunted by the fear of prejudice and
prosecutions, which, despite German
emancipation and thanks to class dis
t'nctlons created by autocratic rule,
was ever present; and philosophy so
perceptibly influenced by dread is a
philosophy to be dreaded. Even in
their own day these men who were SO
fascinated hy the wll-o- the -wisp of an
impossible oosmopoltanism as to be
ready to rcnouncc the Jewish nation
allty saw a rcvcrsion to earlier and
more wholesome ideas, though the
creed of democracy among national
ties, anticipated by Jewish seers of
old, was net to be formulated in mod
ern terms until later time.
Europe was gradually discarding the
theNles that had been instrumental
in bringing about the French Revolu-
tlon. Cosmopolitan ideals were re-
Jectcd as opposed to the nature of
man, and national solidarity became
the watchword of many European ma
tons. In 1852 Greece, after a hard
struggle, wrcsted her independence
from Turkey Italy threw off the yoke
of Austria, and tho Pope and the
Italian nation were unified under Victor
Emmanuel in 1870 Bismarck sue
cceded in uniting the various German
rrlncipa!ities into a powerful nation.
After the Russo-Turkish War in 1878
by the treaty Of Berlin, Rumania, Ser
bla,, Montenegro and Bulgaria were
made independent of Turkish rule,
Everywhere national feeling was
strengthened, and even in Poland and
Hungary it was only partially subdue ID
By the hand of tyrants.
There was never any real conflict be-
tween Zionism and the allegiance
winch the Jews everywhere owed to
ther adopted countries, and the rec
ords OF all lands, sustained by the most
authoritative non Jewish testimony
proves this beyond the shadow of a
doubt. Centuries of history tell an un-
mlstakablc story, and if any further
proof were required the great war
came, and Jewish loyalty was tested by
ire and sword and, according to all
true accounts. not found wanting.
And the great confagration which
has burned away many old prejudces
lsconceptlons and even cherishec
IDEAS, has by its flames also lighted
the path to new future, has revealed
a new vision Of the part to be played
by nationalities in the regeneration OF
humanity. Zionism, the right Of &
people TO its national home and free
dom to live its own life, is what ir
a larger sense the Allies are fighting
for, and among them America has be.
come the greatest champion of libert,
Tor all peoples, great and small SO thai
discussion of any possible conflict be
tween Alonism and patriotism has be-
come one OF the discarded utilities OF
the age.
New-York tribune., 1918-02-10
Old Dream Now
A State Document

Justice demanded that the great
masses Of the Jews, the millions in
Israel, decide their own destiny, and
thanks to the epoch making unfoldment
Of events the saving word OF sclf-dc
termination, long ago heard in Jewish
conferences. in time became the most
significant term in state papers.
The day of deliverance having
Cawncd, the fate Of all subject peo-
pies having become world issue, the
most grievously wronged of these peo-
pies at last had the opportunity of
stating its case; and Zionism. speak
ing aud laborinS in behalf of the larg
New-York tribune., 1918-02-10

journey downtown together. His re-
sponse was as though some great good
news had been brought to him. We en-
acted little comedy then and there,
assuring him that my time was wholly
at his disposal and that could easily
wait an hour longer before starting,
while he insisted that he would not
think of taking up my time and that
he was ready to go Immediately.
Ready to go? He would have given all
he possessed. even his most cherished
books, to be out of that room. Mrs.
Rollins understood. and within five
minutes we were on our way down
town. 1t was a lovely night, and we
walked. On the corner Of Twenty
fourth Street and Sixth Avenue there
was a none too reputable beer house,
but the beer was good, and lured him
in. He was willing to come, except
for the fear Of my other engagement,
and as soon as | was able to set his
mind at rest on that score he was at
ease
New-York tribune., 1918-02-10
Hearn Worked Here
In Dire Poverty

AS many readers are aware, Lafcadio
Hearn was the son Of an Irish officer,
Surgeon Major Charles Hearn, and a
Greek mother, and came to America
penniless when he was about nineteen
years old. He suffered the most horri-
Bile privations both in Cincinnati and
New Orleans, in both of which cities he
did newspaper work He travelled in
the West Indies for two years and in
1890, at the age of forty, he went to
Japan. where he taught literature and
died in 1904. There he married Jap
anese woman, became a Japanese citi-
zen and left four children. Contrary
to the general impression, Hearn had
never been an American citizen, though
he lived here twenty-one years. His
first five books, though written before
he went to Japan, consisted Of two
collections Of adaptations of foreign
tales, and volume of travels in the
West Indies in superb prose. About /.
dozen volumes ON Japan were published
later, and in recent years Captain
Mitchell Mcdonald, Hearn's literary
executor, has published his lectures to
Japanese students on English literature.
"Iow did you meet Hearn?" I asked
Mr.. Hendrick. 81 do not think there is
any mention of this circumstance in the
biography"
Mr.. Hendrick leaned back in his
chair and proceeded to entertain me
with his fascinating "reminiscences.
81 met him through Miss Bisland in
the fall of 1889. after he had come
back from the West Indies.
New-York tribune., 1918-02-10
The Great Mass
Was Inarticulate

1 uo STedt MASSES OIL CHc jewish peO-
rle remained inarticulate, living in the
largest numbers under the iron rule
OF oppression, their societies pro-
hbited, their newspapers suppressed,
their activities restricted. Up to the
time Of the first Zionist Congress, IN
1897, they had no effective public
means of making their national aspira-
tions known to the world. Only occa-
having access to the organs of publica-
tion Of the larger world voice their
yearning for restored Judea
For centuries the desire of millions
Of Jewish men and women remained
smouldering, unknown, their prayers
unheard, their songs sounding like far
off, dying echoes in waste places.
And vet the busy, distracted. con-
fused world has heard and hardened
to the call of the Jewish people, the
koW sh0fdr. the great sounding Of the
trumpet summoning a nation to new
life. Amid wars alarms, amid deafen-
ing and overwhelming roaring and
boom OF cannon, amid the cata-
clysmic tumult of the world in up
heaval was heard the muf1ed cry Of an
oppressed and struggling people, and
over the clangor of battle rose that
faint cry until it reached the highest
forums and council chambers Of the
world.
Do you ask how this has come to
pass? The answer is that it was the
cry Of an oppressed people, and that
1t was for the cause of this people and
OF other nationalities which, in viola
tion Of Israel's law, had been subjected
and disenfranchised, that the great ma
tlons were now engaged in the throes
of life and death struggle.
The great principle first laid down in
Biblical law and then enforced in the
pronouncements of the Hebrew
prophets, the principle Of democracy
now assuming new depth and meaning
was perhaps for the last time being
sands of Jewish communities had been
devastated and destroyed and their
millions of inhabitants had gone
through all the agony of the great up
heaval; hundreds Of thousands of Jews
sons Of the common people, wero shed
ding their blood on ali battle fronts
The future of a whole. long suffering
people hallowed by new martyrdom
was hanging in the balance, and whc
should have decided its fate? Was il
for some we'll meaning but short
sighted Jewish magnate in London OF
Petrograd or Paris or New York; was
1t for some prosperous. safely en-
sconced, select group distinctly de
tached from the living source of Jew
ish life to say as to what disposition
should be made Of the vexing Jewish
problem? No, that could not be. The
voice of the ghettos Of Russia and Ru
mania, Galicia, Salonica, England, Can
ada and the United States, in the face
of tho great struggle for democracy
could neither be suppressed nor super
seded; it had to be heard, and was
heard, above the din OF the world con.
fiict.
New-York tribune., 1918-02-10
Chief Principle
Was Violated

The wrong that was done consisted
chiefly in a violation of the democratic
principle which prohibits the misreprc-
sentation of the feelings and beliefs
of people, but the founders of Reform
Judaism sought means for warding
off the blows of the enemy, without
striking at the root of oppression and
persecution, and did not anticipate the
changes that would be wrought by the
larger freedom Of the people, and dc
mocrary was not an important feature
New-York tribune., 1918-02-10


Literary Editor Of The Maccobacar Ma1a-
sine" and Erccuttvc Secretary Of The
.ime-icun Jetctsh Congress.
ARTICLE V
fCop, right, 1918. by Ito Tribune AssodauouI
HERE were eminent and dis
tinguished men, Jewish leaders
and spokesman, playing i'm
portant roles in world affairs, who were
either indifferent or entirely opposed
to Zionism; favored by fortune or gift
ed by nature or endowed with a heri
tage of unquenchable Jewish genius,
they sat in high places and had free
access to the great organs of public ex-
preston and to the discussions in in
ncr ruling or guiding circles. Their
views were widely quoted and the bur
den Of their message was that the Jews
had better leave i'll enough alone; thpt
they should not raise The question of
nationalism, lest it do them harm, and
that they content themselves with 1.e
naming scattered among the peoples Ct
the earth.
There we're influential preachers and
expoucnts Of a new Judaism who gave
spiritual sanction to tho policy of ne
cation, propounding all imposing, if
ponderous, theory to the effect that the
mission of Israel required Israel to re-
main in misery, to continue to be scat
tered among the nations Of the world
without 81 centre of its own. and con-
ferences Of rabbis and congregations
in impressive session adopted official
resolutions emphasizing chiefly the re-
ligious identity Of the Jews and en-
bodying the belief that Israel now rep
resented spiritual sect only and did
not seek to have future as nation
ality.
New-York tribune., 1918-02-10
Zionism Yields Spirit of Democracy
I'm World-Sundered Jewish People
World War Burning
Away Old Prejudices
and Expressions That
Cunbered the Road
to the Restoration
BY Bernard G. Richards

Autho- Of "Ths DtscourSes Of heiddmsky,"
Literary Editor Of "Thc Maccabucar Md0a-
sine and Erccuttvc Secretary Of The
.imc-icun Jetlrsh Congress.
New-York tribune., 1918-02-10
Irish-G Greek Writer Left Liter
ary Tradition as Unique as
That of Americas Edgar
Allan Poe
By Albert Mordell

ME interest in Lafcadio Hcarn
is constantly being renewed.
EitLor r,cu. fact q CONGO ruinf, hi g
The Bridgeport times and evening farmer. (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1918-1924, 1918-05-02
union OFFICIAL!
WON'T SANCTION
STRIKE OF men

Washington, May "A strike of
union telegraph operators, while ad-
justment by the war labor board of
the operators differences with the
Western Union and the Postal Tele-
graph companies, are pending, will
not be sane toned by S. ]. Konen-
kamp, international president of the
Commercial Telegraphers' union.
In an announcement issued last
night the union leader said that in
compliance with the request of the
board he would not approve a strike
and declared the men appreciate that
this is not the time to accept a chaI
lenge to fight
Mr.. Konenkamp's statement was
made after the war labor board had
received word from Newcomb Carl
ton, president of the Western Uniol1,
refusing to comply with the boards
request that the company refrain from
discharging employees, who join the
union, until. after the board could
hear both sides of the controversy.
Mr.. Carlton agreed to appear be-
fore the board on May s and the
board agreed to adjourn. until that
date. No reply has been received
from the Postal company.