Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-06-03
JEWS PROTEST
TREATMENT OF
: THEIR PEOPLES
In Parade and Mass Meeting They
Make Public Demonstration
Against Massacres.

jews VI LIZ LIt-CILleS sGSLGIudy
united in protest against the mas
sacre of the Jewish peoples of Po-
land and Rumania, and in large
parade through the streets of Rock
Island during the afternoon and a
mass meeting last night at Odd
Fellows hall, expressed their pro-
test in a public demonstration
against the inhumanities and cru
elites which their race is reported
to be suffering in the countries of
eastern Europe.
Prominent speakers of the tri-
cities and Chicago addressed the
meeting at the hall, which was at
tended by approximately 1900 peo
pie, and resolutions were drawn
up and unanimously adopted, ex-
Pressing the grounds for their COM
plant and appealing to the nations
of the world to bring an end to the
persecution Of the Jews by the
governments of Poland and Ruma-
MIA. The resolutions will be join
ed with these of hundreds of 9TH
er communities of the country and
sent to President Wilson at Paris,
to be presented to the allied ma
lions.
Forming at Ninth street and
Seventh avenue shortly after 2
o'clock, the parade, with several
hundred men, women and children
in line, marched north on Ninth
street to Third avenue, and then
came east, making its way through
the business district, and winding
up at $50 at Odd Fellows hall on
Fourth avenue. The procession
was led by a band and was divided
into three sections, each of which
was preceded by an American flag
and a large banner carrying the
inscription, In protest against the
massacre OF Jews in Poland and
Rumania-" The arrangements for
HE parade were made by the Jew
ish Defense league Of Rock Island,
which is a branch of the fnterna-
tional organization.
Hear Prominent Speakers.
Speakers at the mass meeting
were Mayor Harry NJ. Schriver,
City Attorney ]. K. Scott, Rabbi
Julius Rappaport of Chicago, Rev
Mr.. Van Alstyne of Milan, Judge
N. A. Larson, H. A Weld, Cyrus
Dietz. Andrew Olson, and Rabbi
Jerome Mark of Davenport Ben
A Stewart presided.
Rabbi Rappaport, the principal
speaker OF the evening, delivered
powerful address, presenting the
cause of the Jews, not only in Po-
land and Rumania, but through
out the world, and asking that JUS
tice be given. He said in part;
I'VE are here to tell-not the
Jews; they know it; they know it
only too Well-to you men to whom
the Jews have given Jesus Christ;
to you we have come to ask you
not for pity. we ask Justice To
you we come to appeal, not for
mercy; we ask fairness and
sarareneas. nothing less. nothing:
no privileges but human rights.
We have come to tell our friends,
the good Americans, of these aw-
full murders, massacres.
These people who have Just re-
Gently been made free by the aid
and generosity and liberality OF
the American people, these same
people now turn to the Jews and
piilage and plumber, and massacre
and kill, and cripple and slaughter
men, women and children without
pity and mercy. This is what we
want to call your attention to. For
1900 years the Jewish people have
been the victims OF abuse and per-
secution all over the world, except
In the United States, except in this
great and glorious country of ours,
and you need not tell US to be good
citizens. This land has no better
citizens than the Jews. This land
has no people that love the stars
and stripes better than the Jewish
people, but we ask you to consider
that for 1900 years the Jew has
been curtailed in his freedom, re-
strained in his liberties, restricted
in his rights, and wherever he liv-
ed. east or west, north or south.
he has been treated with utmost
severity, barbarfsm and savagery.
DO you expect of ME to tell you
the details? The very stones would
cry If l could detail to you the
outrageous treatment that the Jew
has been accorded for the last cou-
pie of years.
This government, which we
love with all the ferver of our
hearts. has told US when we en-
tered into the war, has proclaim
ed and pledged and promised to us
that we go and enter into this war
to protect the rights of the smaller |
nations; to promote the self-deter- ,
mination of peoples that have been |
suppressed and oppressed and |
prosecuted for centuries and CEN
turtles, and the Jewish people went !
forth with ardoF, with love, devo- |
ton, passion and enthusiasm, sac |
rificing their lives, their means |
and time in order TO help Poland !
to become free; for il 1t had not |
been for America Poland would |
never have been free; and now
that our sons have gone forth to
the battle fields of Europe, what
do they do? These same people
whom we have helped to become
free turn upon the Jew, pilIaging,
plundering, massacring, killing,
Gripping and starving them right
and left in every city and town
that they can. What can you ex-
pect no, you can't expect me 10
tell you in detail all those out
Fage6us treatments that the Jew
has been accorded for years and
centuries and centuries. Open the
books of history, every page there
of is written with the red blood Of
innocent victims of the Jewish peo-
pie. Open the books Of Jewish
history AMI you will see from every
riS NJ