The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1921-01-03
SUNDAY EVENING
FORUM HEARD
. MR.. JOHN SPARG0.
New Record Of Attendance Set
by This Gathering
AUDITORIUM WAS FILLED
Mr.. Spargo Gave an Interesting Ad-
dress on Christian Civilization
and tho Jew.

John Spargo was the speaker at the
Sunday night Forum at the Second
Congregational church before the
largest audience that has attended
these popular gatherings since they
were established. The big auditorium
Of the church was practically filled
and the keenest attention was paid
to the words of Mr.. Spargo.
His subject was Christian Civiliz-
alton and the Jew and the audience
Sunday night included large pro-
portion of the Hebrews resident In
Bennington. The address was pre-
ceded by the singing Of several hymns
and prayer by Rev. Vincent Ravi-
Booth Rev. George s. Mills introduce
ed the speaker of the evening
Mr.. Spargo outlined the historical
situation OF the Jewish people now
numbering somewhere about fifteen
millions, or less than one per cent OF
the population of the earth and scat
tered all over the surface of the globe.
OF the total number of Jews In the
world, considerably more than half are
living In poverty and under conditions
which do not give them more than the
barest necessities Of life. Except in a
few countries they are exposed to OPP
preston and sometimes to massacre.
Even in some of the countries of west
ern Europe the Jews have been free
from oppression only in comparatively
recent years.
Now the story is going around the
world that the Jewish leaders in many
nations are plotting to crush Christian
civilization and replace It with that of
the Hebrew. Mr.. Spargo said that 1t
was not strange to find this sort OF
propaganda abroad In Russia. Poland.
Germany and other countries Of east
ern Europe where tie Jews have
always been the victims Of cruel po.
groms and almost constant repression.
He was. however, surprised to find the
same agitation under way in Great
Britain and in the United States
AS the tale Is told, said the speaker,
the Jewish leaders are charged with
conspiring with certain elements of
the Masonic orders. particularly in for
eign countries and with the Socialists
and Bolshevists and other forces to
bring great dream of world control to
fruition. Mr., Spargo gave some OF the
agencies through which the anti-Sem.
itic doctrines are spread abroad, the
chief among them being Henry Ford's
Dearborn Independent, in this country
and the London Morning Post In
England.
In an Intensely interesting and dra.
matte address Mr.. Spargo traces this
anti-Semitic propaganda and scare
which has alarmed some timid people
back to Russia in the old days of Czar-
dom when 1t was used to divide the
revolutionary forces along racial and
religious lines TO prevent them from
working together to overthrow the au.
torcarcy Of Russia.
He showed how trivial is the foun.
dation on which this great worldwide
rumor has bees reared and warned his
audience to beware of this and other
efforts to sow dissension along reli.
gious and race lines in this country
where there is absolutely no reason
for such teachings
In closing Mr.. Spargo paid tribute
to the patriotic services of many Jews
to the United States In time of need,
from the days of Washington down to
the present moment He also said that
it is up to the Jews and other foreign
people coming to this country. not to
take undue advantage of the liberty
with which they are here endowed and
to seek to make themselves a service.
able part of this free nation rather
than an alien group with alien ideas.