New-York tribune., 1919-05-05

full. He has put all his force behind
every blow he has struck. If the
members of his own congregation were
among the offenders, very we'll Their
minister assailed them with even more
vigor than he did outsiders.
Twice during his long service there
have been passages that disturbed the
harmony of his congregation. In
1907 he and his then assistant rabbi,
judah L. Magnes, locked horns on the
subject Of Zionism. The quarrel cul-
minated in a reproof delivered to DR..
Magnes by his superior before the
congregation and was later patched up
at a secret meeting of the board of
trustees.
Again, in 1913, just after he had
rounded out his twenty-fifth year Of
service, strife broke out over the man
ner in which he conducted the reli-
gious school Of the temple. A faction
of the congregation, headed by Louis
Marshall, demanded that he withdraw
from this work, leaving it to his as
sistant, DR.. II. G. Enelow.
Foremost Conservative
For several days the congregation
again was split into factions, but DR..
Sllverman was victorious when the
matter was thrashed out before the an
nual meeting of the members of TemDle
EMANUEL.
DIR. Silverman is perhaps the fore
most among the conservative rabbis of
this city. He has always stood
jealousy for jewish loyalty, patriotic
or religious, but he has been reluctant
to ally himself with certain advanced
movements of the present day
Zionism has had little appeal for
him in the past. He has fought bitter
ly and re!entlessly against the spread
of socialistic doctrines among his
people.
SOCIALISM, Of which anarchy is q
brother" he said some time ago, ais
a scheme that seeks by legislation or
violence to set at naught all the re-
suits of the worlds evolution. The
whole thing is based upon false
theory that the wealthy and poor are
absolutely fixed classes. Life means
competition and if the laborer has to
struggle the capitalist has no less to
struggle. Of this natural law the
socialist takes no cognizance"
opposed femlnlSm
Equally determined has been his op-
position to woman suffrage and femi-
nism.
eat all hazards" he asserted in a
recent sermon on their menace. 1--WE
must oppose these movements. They
are subversive to the interests of the
child and will destroy all that God and
man have built up.
"The ethics Of the feminist move
ment are contrary to the Fifth and
Seventh commandments. IF they are
persisted in they will destroy the re-
lationship between parent and child,
and Will put premium upon infdel-
ity."
This patriotism, this belief in the
greatness, the justice and permanence
of American institutions lies deep in
the foundations of DR.. Silverman's ma
ture. TO offend against it in any way
has been always to call forth denun-
citation from him. In Americanism, he
believes, lies world salvation.
every true American should re-
member" he said in recent address,
chat while we live In American we ali
live in the world.
Our American idea Of government
which makes local question national
and national question international,
must be transpanted to Europe, so
that the countries there will realize
that the veal and woe Of war in one
country Is the veal and woe of war in
another country"
Problems Enormous
When DR.. Silverman came to New
York to take up his great work at
Temple Emanu-El, thirty-one years
ago, the city boasted n population of
only 250,000 Jews. Since then the
number has risen above the million
mark and the problems confronting the
race have increased proportionately.
Foremost in the effort to solve these
DR.. Siverman has always stood. First
an American, he ia secondly a Jew Of
Jews, proud of their heritage, Jealous
Of their tradition and culture.
Under his guidance the great work
OF the temple has been to make better
citizens Of his people. How we'll he
has succeeded Is manifested by the re-
spect in which he is held by Christian
and Jew alike.
No one Is moro prolific In his criti
cism of the faults Of his race than DR..
Silverman, but 1t has no more stanch
defender when Jews have been unjust
ly ccnsured.
When the rush to marry began
among slackcrs at the institution of
the draft DR.. Silverman voiced at once
his attitude toward men of his faith
who sought this road out of their
duties.
"Any such act is reasonable" he as