davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Jewish monitor. (Fort Worth-Dallas, Tex.) 191?-1921, 1919-07-11
Five

bdIlOH.
Could the lawyer give satisfactory
counsel on all ports Of law? Certain
ly not. We are sensible enough to ex-
pect him to render service only in that
restricted branch Of the law in which
he practices. Similarly we do not ask
Of the physician to master the entire
field of medicine and treat all possible
physical ailments. We 20 to the spec
ialist in case Of serious illness. Why,
then, should we expect Of the rabbi to
be the effective preacher in the pulpit;
the experienced pedagog in the relig-
ious school; the ever-ready pastor In
the congregation; the ubiquitous so
cial worker in the community; the
versatile student in Jewish and secu-
lar learning; the respected spokesman
on every occasion; and a variety OF
other things, all in one? We are sim
ply asking the impossible.
Until We learn the need of depart
mentalizing the rabbinical profession,
and engage the services Of several
specialist rabbis, as we have seen in
our former essay, we shall continue
to hear all sorts Of complaints against
the rabbi 1t is beyond the power of
one man in the larger congregations
to do all that is expected Of the Jewish
minister. And even if he could, by su-
perhuman efforts, find the needed time
and strength (Which is barely posi-.
ble) to cover the round Of duties in
volved in his profession, he could not
do all Of them successfully, becaus.
each phase Of his activity requires
special aptitude and talent. One could
only do one thing with expertness.
And even in the case OF the smaller
congregation, where one rabbi could
cover the ground, he is handicapped
by the diversity of excellence called
for the variety Of duties imposed upon
him. After all, one cannot do differ.
ent things with equal celebrity and sat
isfaction.
Perhaps the layman who, because
he does not understand the prerequis
ties Of the rabbinical profession,
thinks he realizes what the rabbi could
do, would make a success Of the Jew.
is ministry, and perform all the RAD
binical duties expected Of the rabbi OF
today. But the poor rabbi who is iniy
human must fall short in the estlma.
ton Of his congregants, so long as
present day conditions continue to
prevail. Only a layman could find the
time and possess the gift for all sorts
Of duties, and do them well; but the
rabbi-never.
Justifable, sane criticism, il seems,
would be ever welcomed by the rabbi,
who is ordinarily a gentleman, awarv
Of human limitations and imperfec
tons. But IL the truth were told, how
many are sympathetic enough to state
their criticism in a constructive man
ner! How many Of the queruious are
intelligent enough to offer helpful
suggestions? And how many have the
courage Of their conviction to speal.
out openly above board? In the las.
analysis, their grumblings are but
meally mouthings and frothy words.
At any rate, whether the faultfnd-
ings be due to constitutional" fail
ings, to temperamental differences or
TO the character Of the rabbits work
exposing It to the public gaze; or,
apain whether n no dine IN tho faultN
The Jewish monitor. (Fort Worth-Dallas, Tex.) 191?-1921, 1919-07-11


his own way about the rabbits colngs.
Each one would like to see the min
lister follow certain peculiar method.
And as the rabbi can only be homes,
with himself and do as his conscience
and reason dictate, it is inevitable
that he will antagnonize many in the
congregation and arouse cricislm.
Furthermore, in no other profession
does the laity consider itself so com
petent to Judge as in the case OF the
ministry. The rabbits efforts are more
open to public scrutiny than that of
any other professional man. The law
yer, for instance, can easily FOO, ana
bamboozle his clients, who know
nothing of the law, and willingly lis.
ten to his counsel. Similarly, the ply.
stefan can tell his patients almost any
thing about his treatment of their
cases, who will eagerly carry out in
oIIuSIloHS' lHc bcNHHlCdl hilONleABc
of the lawyer or the doctor being Tor.
eign to the outsider, no one of the
profession will dare question the way
they 20 about their work. But il Is fan
different with the rabbi. The hard pre-
requisites for the ministry, the serious
and arduous studies the Jewish min
lister must pursue in preparation Tor
his calling, are not even vaguely sur.
missed by the laity. They are utterly
ignorant of the vast literature and the
checkered career of the Jewish people
which the rabbi must be familiar with,
at least in measure, not to mention.
his secular studies. Nor do they real
ize the multiplicity of duties he per
forms. Each one is usually egotistic
enough to imagine that the rabbi must
minister to him alone, forgetting that
thereare other egoists in the congre-
cation. And yet, the fact remains that
we judge the rabbi mainly by the man
ner of his address, and sccondarily by
his general personality, leaving out OF
consideration almost entirely his long
professional preparation and the va
riety Of duties he performs in the
community in one form or another. &C,
cordingly, each one feels justified in
giving an opinion and estimate Of the
rabbits worth; each one assumes the
role of self-appointed critic; with the
result that wherever we turn he is be.
ing judged, criticised and moderated
The real source Of the trouble, how
ever, lies in the circumstance that cor
ditions are radically wrong with pres
ent day methods Of religious minis
tration. The difficulty lies in the fac:
that the rabbi is obliged to act the
part Of factotum Of the congregation
He must be all things in one. He min
listers as preacher, teacher, pastor,
social worker, scholar, spokesman, ana
what not, to the community. Each on>
phase Of his various duties require,
special excellence and experience.
Specialization by means of division OF
labor which we have gradually learn.
ed to appreciate, as for instance, in
the case Of the sciences, and in the
medical and legal professions, we do
not as yet begin to realize the need
Of in the ministration of religion.
The rabbi expected to be all things
to all men, must, in the nature OF IN.
case, fell short in one set of duties or
another, unless he possesses extra.
ordinary power and by far more
than average ability. II he stresses
The Jewish monitor. (Fort Worth-Dallas, Tex.) 191?-1921, 1919-07-11
Nv


was established in Europe, and mon
archs were invested with absolute
power, the crowned heads labored I'M
der the conceit that they could do no
wrong. And when matters of state did
not go right, the members of the Gao
met were usually blamed for the mis-.
deeds of their sovereign, but the ru-
Ter himself-never; for, under the
theory of the divine right Of kings,
"the king can do no wrong"
This old formula referring to tn,
ruler, is apparently reversed nova
days when applied to the Jewish min
lister. It looks as thought the rabbi
can do no right And here we leave out
of consideration the so-called misft
rabbi who is in the ministry by the
sufferance of the synagog, or by
mistaken choice of profession. For,
even the very capable rabbi is harc
put to it, No matter how earnest and
sincere he may be in his efforts, no
matter how conscientious in the per-
Torrance Of his various duties, he Is
always the butt of criticism. Rarely
will one find a congregation but wnerr
some dissatisfaction is shown with
their minister. The fault finders are
everywhere. Complaints are heard
wherever we turn. The rabbi is not
this, or he is not that. Even the sue
cessful minister labors under the same
disadvantage. Obviously, the rabbi car
do no right
In Analysing this aspect of Jewish
life, we must realize that we are deaf
ing almost entirely with a modern
phenomenon. Respect for authority
and religion made for reverence In
days gone by. The rabbi of old was,
therefore, ordinarily honored as an or.
nament to the community. AS the
scholar who led a sanity life, he was
removed from the petty trivialities OF
the day. The struggles, the strivings
and the limitations Of the age did not
enter into his environment. Not that
he held himself entirely aloof, but
rather as one of and yet above his
people, who by virtue Of his position
as the inspirer of lofty examples, as
the exemplar of the life of unselifsh
ness, he was ever regarded with es
TEEN and respect, so that faultfind-
ing could not be freely INDUCED In
against him. Now that he is also the
pastor, the social worker, and what
not, in a word, acting the part Of the
general utility man of the congrega-
ton, he is almost wholly one of the
people, and thus exposes himself to
captious criticism and daily gossip
icism and comments of daily gossip
Moreover, formerly he was maintained
out Of the revenue Of the community,
and not by membership dues, thus bar,
ring the querulous from the claim that
they are the ones who "pay the piper"
And as matter Of fact, he "piped-
on very rare occasions. Now, however,
he is directly or indirectly the bene-
ficiary of the individual members of
the congregation who claim they have
a right to voice their opinion. More.
over, we live in a democratic age,
with more emphasis on rights than
on duties. And our environment OF
freedom undermines respect and au
thority. We consider ourselves at liba
erty to challenge anything and any
body Therefore,. the prevailing phe-
The Jewish monitor. (Fort Worth-Dallas, Tex.) 191?-1921, 1919-07-11
Chips From a Rabbinical Workshop
By RABBI DAVID R0SENBAUM, Austin, Texas

IheHi' apparently ,tney must vent
their spleen at the rabbi. We have in
every community such constitutional
"kickers" who are censorious under
all circumstances. Thus, when ths
rabbi is single, they prefer a married
man; and il he be married they de-
sire single man. If he is the pastor
and makes periodic visits on his con-
gregants they express their preference
for the student and scholarly rabbi;
and if he is studiously inclined, they
argue in favor Of the pastor. II he
speaks straight from the heart ana
delivers plain sermons and actresses,
ne is blamed with considering his con
gregation as ignorant. And if his adj
dresses are couched in scholarly terms
he is accused of instructing the con
gregation as if they were his school
children. In word, they are hyper
critical, and at no time pleased.
Whatever the rabbi is, he is wrong.
Fortunately, there are not very many
Of this type in congregation.
More Of the criticisms, however,
probably spring from temperamental
differences. Psychologists tell us that
we are all atypical. No two or us are
exactly alike. We vary in dispositions,
tastes, likes and dislikes, because We
are each the product of peculiar fac.
tors entering into our being. The many
subtle forces making up our lives are
not identical in the case of two per
sons. We are each the result Of diff
ferent heredity, and of an environ
ment and education which hardly Two
experience alike. And the outcome is
that we are strikingly dissimilar III
our natures. The stimuli respondin,
in the one, may be absent in the 9th
err Two people frequently see the
same thing in a different light. IN a
word, we are singularly unlike in GU,
outlooks, in our methods. and manner
Of behavior.
And the rabbi is dealing entirely
with the human element. He works
with and labors for his congregants.
He ministers directly to men and
women; he speaks and appeals to his
fellow-men. Whatever he says is sub.
ject to scrutiny, whatever he does
must pass the discerning eye. The
policies he pursues are therefore APP
proved by some, but not necessarily
by others, because all are not consti-
tuted alike to feel and see the same.
The trouble then issues from the
fact that we are lacking in broad
minedness to realize that there il
more than one royal road. There may
be more than one way Of doing a Civ
en- thing. And because a certain meth
ed appeals to us does by no means
imply it is the only way, or even the
best way. But we at once become cap
tious in our comments and cavil AT
everything. Our criticism then leads
to mere faultfnding. 1t Is no more
just criticism than gossip is discus
sion. From such circumstances arise
many Of the judgments and opinions
we form Of the actions Of the man
in public life, They are largely sub
jective-the reflection Of our peculiar
tastes. We are impatient with the
methods of others, when in reality
they may just as good as, if not bet
ter than, our own.
Therefore, the chronic complaints
against the minister due to tempera
Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-02-26
BLACK HEROES

q INCE the return to this country
- of the famous New York regi-
ment of colored troops the peo-
pie have learned something of the
splendid character of the service of
of the black Americans in the
world war. Their heroism, devo-
ton to the ideals of the Republic
and their cheerfulness under great
hardships have embellished a new
page in the history of those who
have come up out of great tribula-
tion to have the privilege of fight
ing for the liberty which was
vouchsafed to them through the
sacrifices of an earlier generation.
Harrisburg has had distinguished
place in the history of the negro
soldier abroad and it is highly APP
propriate that every distinction
should be given these returning SOL
diers that the people of all races
may understand the gallantry and
bravery of the men who fought with
Colonel Hayward and other officers
of distinction during the supreme
conflict in Europe.
Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-02-26
Disposal of Books a Problem

Now that the American armies
are being demobiliZed, the Ameri-
can Librarians Association is con-
sidering what shall be done with
the 31k million books in the SOL
diers and sailors libraries here and
overseas. Various proposals have
been under consideration, but the
one which is getting the most sup
port, it is said is to give the books
to towns of the southern states
which have no libraries The ad-
vocates of this proposal point out
that the Northern cities and most of
the Western cities are already well
equipped with libraries. while this
is not true of many towns of the
south. When the armistice was
signed in November the American
Library Association had a total of
24O7 libraries and branches in op-
Grafton in the United States and in
France. OF these, forty-three were
full sized libraries in buildings of
their own in the cantonments and
large military reservations in the
United States. with about thirty-five
thousand books in each.-From the
New York Times.
Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-02-26
Burdening a Boy With Money

(From the New York Worldly
The mother of a six-year-old New
York boy to whom a $3,000,00O trust
fund was left by his father plans
to let the fund accumulate until he
becomes twenty-one. AS estimated,
the fund, with interest compounded
annually, will then exceed $4,000, 900.
1t is to be hoped that this estimate
takes account of income and other
taxes. But assuming the realization
OF the project and granting that the
boy comes of age with his inheri-
tance multiplied, will he be any
better off with fortune of $8,000.-
600 than with fortune of $3,000,-
600? Is there anything q normal
youth on reaching manhood has less
use for than money as mere money?
The ambition which seeks to pro-
vide the largest possible endowment
for son Is, of course, creditable to
maternal affection. But it is doing
no favor to a boy to heap up un-
earned millions for his benefit. Max
ing a multimillionaire of him at the
start must necessarily duh incen-
tive and stunt the development OF
natural talent. Nor is public opin-
ion as tolerant as 1t once was of
fortunes made through the mere
breeding of money.
Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-02-26
GREAT WORK AHEAD

COMMISSIONER OF HIGHWAYS
SADLER is giving full express
sion to the sproul theory of i'm
proved roads in Pennsylvania. We
are proud that our neighboring
county of Cumberland has furnished
at this important period of road de-
velopment one so admirably equipped
in business experience and acumen
for the important work which has
been entrusted to him by the Gov
ernor. His conferences with county
delegations and his straightforward
talks without camouiage or any
thought of evasion have impressed
all who have heard them with his
sincerity and the practical character
of his policies and purposes.
Commissioner Sadler has made it
clear that the millions of dollars set
aside by the Commonwealth for gen.
eral highways will not build scores
and hundreds of connecting roads
which ought to be maintained for
the traffic that is increasing by leaps
and bounds in every community. He
knows. as does every intelligent
man who has given the subject
thought, that the only way in which
this great State can possibly secure
the road system that is necessary to
Its development is through the CO.
operation of the counties with the
State. Out of the general revenue
and through loans it is proper to
appropriate funds for the construc-
ton of main or trunk highways, but
the counties themselves must pro-
vide the means for connecting roads.
Dauphin county must not fall
back in the slightest degree In its
share in the great highway cam
paign. This county has been slow in
the past and now 1t must keep step
with the Commonwealth unless the
county which has the honor of being
the seat of the State government
shall be forced to bear the odium of
failure to maintain its place in the
Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-02-26
Berger Gets the Full Penalty
By BRIGGS
CFrom the Philadelphia Inquirer)

CFrom the Philadelphia Inquirer)
Twenty years in a federal prison
faces Victor Berger, instead of that
seat in the House of Representatives
which he intended 10 occupy. Ber-
ger and his fellow agitators have
been given the full penalty, and
Judge Lands, who imposed the SEN
tences, can have the satisfaction of
knowing that he has performed his
duty and that his drastic handling
of the defendants will have the
hearty approval of the vast majority
of the American people. There will
be no usual appeals, of course, be-
cause those who pretend to despise
the law, are nearly always the first
to seek clemency and relief from it.
The conviction and sentence of
Berger and his associates is not only
a victory for law and order and for
d-blooded patriotism, but it is also
triumph for democracy. We have
had other cases of sedition, of dis
loyalty, and of conspiracy to obstruct
the draft, and in each there has been
prompt punishment. To have made
an exception in the case of the Mil.
waukee Congressman-ele would
have been the violation of the very
principles for which he himself pro-
fesses to preach and hold. We have
no doubt that the defendants are
really very much surprised and shock
ed at the severity of the sentence.
They have been using the court room
as forum for the dissemination of
their peculiar views, and they proba-
bly, hoped for light punishment that
would enable them to pose as martyrs
with the minimum amount of person.
al discomfort and Inconvenience. But
they have received precisely what
they deserve and they may be thank
full shat they are not living in some
of the countries where the death
penalty would have been the in
evitable result of their seditious
course.
1t is folly TO attempt to reason
with man like Berger. who con-
tends that the war was "imperialis-
tic and commercial" that American
sim is now synonymous with capital
ism" and that "the so-called League
of Nations is simply n thin screen
behind which the capitalistic classes
of the winning side are dividing
the spoils." The chief and most
unforgivable offense of this misrep-
resentation who was elected to the
American congress from a Milwaukee
district. was in trying to obstruct
the draft. suppose the Bergers had
been successful in this effort, what
would have been the result? The
United States would have been dis
graced in the eyes of the world. II
would have proclaimed it's inability
to enforce its laws. That would have
| the effect upon this Country as a
! Nation. But it would have meant
even more than that 1t would
have ensured the triumph of Prus-
sianism, and sounded the deathknell
of decency, of honor and of civiliza-
ton.
The attempt failed, and for the con-
splrators to escape the penalty OF
their crime would have been a dis
grace and miscarriage of justice.
Law reigns. the government at Wash
ington still exists, and those who
would destroy the temple of true
| liberty are meeting with q just fate
Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-02-26
FOCH'S CIGAR
(From Life.)

Marshal Foch was putting q large
cigar as he arrived, suggestive of
General Grant.-Associated Press
Dispatch from Paris.
And if the contemporary historian
will but do his duty, and the Peace
Conference runs on long enough, we
may pick up our paper one morn
ing to learn that
when Premier Lloyd George
reached the council chamber he was
persniring freely, suggestive of the
Village Blacksmith.
president Polncare trlpped as be
reached the top landings of the for
etgn office steps to-day. and In fall
ing was painfully bruised. quantity
recalling the fall of Jack. the COM
panion of jill, in Mother Goose"
Or:
premier Orlando, who is. recovar-
ing from an attack OF influenza. was
observed to sneeze upon checking
his coat In the lobby, remindInP
many of Lewis Carols immortal
lines: .a
Speak roughly TO your little boy.
And spank him when he
sneeZes;
He only does 1t to annoy.
Because he knows 1t teases.'"
Or
President Wilson. IL has beeoue a
known. has three times declined tha
honorary presidency of the French
Society for the Establishment of
Permanent Peace. This is sugees-
tive of julius Caesar"
The lives Of great mon cannot too
often remind us of som ethlng.
Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-02-26
PEACE

There is no peace, no peace" the
big guns shout
To drown the little voice that
ev'ry hour, 49,.
Persistent as the Muezzin from his
tower,
Proclaims that all is we'll. Yet who
shall doubt
The deep sea thunder in dim moon
lit caves,
The green hills singing to the
morning sun. st,
The wild flowers Haunting till the
day is done,
Or plaintive sea gull cries DER twilit
waves?- t,.
mo peace" they growl! The little
voice pleads on;
A lark high singing DER the bar
rage blast,
A moonbeam on the lakes dark
bosom cast,
10! beauty. beauty may not, can
not cease,
And beauty's thrice-starred crown is
peace, is peace"
PVT. ]. peterson. Seaforth High
landers, in More Songs by the
Fighting Men"
Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-02-26
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 2e, 1919
SEND IN YOUR PROTESTS

DAYLIGHT saving appeals to mil
J lions of people who are not
being heard in the unfair at
tempt at Washington to repeal the
daylight saving law without hearing
and through the means of rider
attached to an appropriation bill by
committee which does not have
jurisdiction regarding such matters
as daylight saving.
This rider has been hung on to
the agricultural, appropriation bill
by committee without notice and
with no sense of fair treatment for
the millions of industrial workers
who want a continuance of the day
light saving plan which was inaug-
nrated last year with widespread d
favor.
The bill, which was approved by
The President on March 10, 1913, in
augurated daylight saving in the
United States during seven months
of each year, beginning with the last
Sunday of March and ending with
the last Sunday of october. Nobody
ever dreamed that an underhand at
tempt would be made to repeal the
law which proved so popular during
the first year of its trial and it is
now up to the people to make their
protest heard at Washington before
it is too late.
1t appears that farmers in some
sections or the country are opposed
TO the law, but as the farmer regu-
lates his activities by the sun and
not by the clock he is less to be con-
sidered in this respect than the in
dustrial workers who regulate their
activities entirely by the clock. These
are in favor of the daylight saving
plan.