The Denver Jewish news., 1922-07-05
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come to Colorado as to their haven
of hbpe. differed in many respects
from all organizers of any other eN-
listing national Jewish philanthropic
institutions in the United States.
The usual figures in charitable en-
terprises. namely. the business man,
the millionaire. the professional phil.
anthOpist were conspicuous by their
absence They composed body char
acteriZed by three distinctive attrib'
utes which the shOrt-sighted charity
workers would consider eminently dis.
qualifying for any enterprise of such
nature First, they We're simple
workingmen. Their names could not
he found in Bradstreets or in DunS;
there was none of the halo of bust
ness rcspectability around them. n"E
the polish of the college-bred about
them. The second attribute was the
affiliation of the majority of them
with the various Jewish fraternities,
where they had received the training
in and learned the valne of organi-
zation and mutual helpfulness. But
the attribute that made them the MT
test for sympathizing with those AT
fiicted with the white plague. and
which germinated the idea that the
sick in all the stages of the disease
are entitled to receive the benefit Of
the health giving air and sunshine or
Colorado. was the fact that they them
selves were all under lasting Obliga-
tions to Colorado climate; they had
all been beneficiaries of its high al
titude and dry climate: in short. they
had all come to Colorado in search OF
their shattered health. Such n com.
hination of qualifications for organic.
ing n movement. that in n few years
after has become national in its scope.
is truly unique. but by no means in
comprehensive. Great and glorious
projects and movements are conceived
by men of lively imagination and
hopeful temperaments. The consump-
tives are characterized by being hope
fnl and possessed of imagination
they are dreamers: and hence the
Universal brotherhood. of COnsump-
tives may justly claim that the idea
of the Jewish Consumptives' Relief
Society was conceived by the con-
sumptives themselves. and for this
alone. il must he considered n uni
que organization
During the year 1903 the number
of cons,lmptives focking to Ilenver
had increased out OF all proportions
that of the previous years. The pub
lie commenced to show symptoms OF
a rapidly developing phthisiOphobia.
Private boarding houses shut their
doors against cOnsumptives, all the
hospitals came to an agreement not
to admit tubercular patients to their
wards, and later placed the han even
upon private rooms. Now and then
frightened neurotic or an aspiring
politician would rush into print with
n suggestion that the Legislature
should pass stringent laws against the
immigration of tuberculOus patients.
The newspapers reported several
deaths from hemorrhage in the streets
of Denver. some Of whom were al
legged to have been driven ont from
their boarding houses. and others be-
cause of being "fricndless and penni-
less"
The Jewish community in general
and the inhabitants of COlfax in par
ticular carried II heavy burden: col
lections had to he made daily for one
or more poor consumptives. and the
red bandana (fatsheile). the symbol
of old-fashioned Jewish charity. was
very much in evidence. On every side
the question was asked: What will
he the end of it? The small Jewish
community of Denver, more than half
of which is composed of ex-tuberculous
subjects. or who had come on account
Of some tuberculous member Of their
family, cannot take care of all the
Jewish consumptives of the land.
Something must be done. and done
without delay.
A Gathering Of Men.
On the 31st day of October. 1908,
mt p. IN. "a gathering of men, as
the first minutes read. met at West
Colfnx. situated in the western SUI
burb of the city of Denver. and known
as the Denver ghetto. for the pur'
pose of "organizating society to rem
der aid and assistance to INDECENT
connsumptiyes. whose number is in
creasing daily" and who are badly in
need of help"
Mr.. Benjamin Diamond. timer by
trade. fair Hebrew scholar, and who