The Denver Jewish news., 1920-04-07
Jewish Vote in Presi-
Dental Election
REASONS WHICH SHOULD DE-
TERMINE CHOICE OF CHIEF
EXECUTIVE.
BY LEO wOLFSON.

lens have arisen. and they must be
dealt with as the circumstances re-
quirc. Many questions which we used
| to consider from a narrow. local stand
point. present at this time questions of
| broad international character. and
| they must be considered from their
new standpoint 1t Is perhaps difficult
10 get used TO the new conditions. per-
haps more difficult TO rid ourselves or
| old conceptions and prejud.ccs: II Is
no easy task to see and understand tho
new events and TO deal with them as
they require. but tiWe brings every
thing and changes us also.
What change time has brought in
our American political life. Up to the
time Of the war our american life had
purely national and local character.
We steadfastly adhered to Washing
toms admonitiOn to beware of "cn-
| tangling alliances" Our campaigns
and elections dealt almost exclusively
with our own problems. Our interna-
| tional and diplomatic relations were
never part of any of our campaign
issues. Nobody seemed to care for or
bother about our diplomatic relations.
We left these matters to the President,
and it mattercd little whether he was
Republican or Democratic.
We Jews hid the same political con-
| ceptiOns as the other citizens of the
country. We never carried on sep
nratc Jewish politics and had no par
| ticular interests of our own to serve.
It was almost an mwritten law that
we must not mix our Jewishness with
our politics There was practically no
Jewish vote. in the sense that some
one could claim to represent 1t and
to use it in political deals. The Jew
who were active in the various political
parties did it as American citizens OIL
| ly. 1t is true that sometimes the jew
ish voters were specially appealed to
| by candidates and leaders to vote for
their parties. but such appeals had
Httle effect and could not, and did
not. create II Jewish vote. Even in the
Jewish sections of the large cities. such
us New York. Philadelphia, Chicago.
where many Jews were actively ar
filiated with the political parties and
some were candidates and were actu-
| ally elected to important offices, the
campaigns had the usual American
political character and there was
nothing particularly Jewish about
them.
What are the American political COLI
ditions now?
Besides our own internal. local ques-
tions. our political life has new and
very important problem. America Is
10 more the secluded country it used
to be. The Atlantic still divides us
from Europe and the Pacific from
Asia. but our interests are now link
ed with both continents and with their
peOples Europe now owes us about
ten billions of dollars, and bonds OF
European powers have been placed here
all over the country. This ratification
| of the Treaty of Versailles. with or
without reservations. and our becom-
ing n member of the League of Ma.
| tions, makes us Il very much inter-
ested power in questions of interna-
tiunal Importance. We are at present
the strongest power upon the face of
the globe, and nolens volens, our voice
must be heard and needed. Our inter
national position today Is very strong.
and is growing stronger every day
Now. it is not only important for Amer
lea who will be her next President
but the world at large is interested III
the event. Peoples the world over.
are watching with the greatest inter-
est the outcome of the Presidential
campaign. and the success of this or
| that candidate will have the greatest
importance. Our political horizon has
become extended-our political ques-
tions more complicated. They demand
broader understanding and thoughtful
consideration. All serious-minded citi-
zens will have to give these new prob
lens due attention and scrutiny. While
every loyal citizen in considering these
problems, should conceive them first
purely from national standpoint to
see that American interests are fully
protected. in considering the qualifica-
tions of the presidential candidates he
ought to see how they measure up
with reference to the International
problems which now face us.
For us Jews, these new questions in
cur American life are Of particular
Importance. As long as our country
concerned itself merely with its own