The Denver Jewish news., 1923-08-23
Dauid A. BrolDn Has New lob
Becomes Chief Advisor in Effort to Raise $1,000 for
Jewish Theological Seminary Endowment.
BY A. H. FRoMENsON

II is necessary to get in the qualify
ing term additional Immediately lest
the impression he created that he has
dropped everything else for the new
piece Of work he has just agreed to UNI
drrtake. He is still the chairman OF
the Sl4.O00.0OO National Appeal for
War Sufferers and. as he solemhly
pledged himself over a yenr ago at the
great Victory Conference In Detroit he
intends to stay on that job until every
dollar of the still unpaid pledge IL paid.
Until every dollar is in the till''-is
the way he puts 1t.
And now. in spite of his protests, In
spite of his resolutions he has con-
sented to aid the powerful and dis
linguished national committee, headed
by Louis Marshall, which. under the
direction of Rabbi Max Drob, will en-
deavor to raise $1.OOO.OO0 this fall for
the institution which Is the head and
the. soul of conservative Judaism
American Orthodox Judaism.
Brown Didn't Want 1t.
Brown didn't want tbis job. Months
ago. way backi the early, spring when
the Seminary and United Synagog nu-
thoritics decided that such campaign
must be had II the Seminary was to
remain n going concern. graduating
Iinl,bis who would combine Jewish ira
disior and American inspiration. who
would carry the torch OF Judaism for
ward in the spirit OF the snintel Solo
mon Schechter. Brown was npprOa chcd.
He was asked to take the chairman
ship.
He urged every reason that even his
encmies-if he has amy worth OF the
name-would have urged against the
islcn. He told the committee frankly
that II he belonged to any wing Of
Jswry. 1t was the Reform wing. He IL
trustee of Temple Bethel in Detroit.
of which Rabbi Leo NJ. Franklin, n
former president Of the Central Confer
ciice of American Rabbis. IL the spirit
unl lender. He felt that by accepting
tiie Craftsmanship. assuming that every
other objection was met, he would be
creating an anomoloiis situation.
II can't take it-I must not take II !"
he declared II have mans size job
whipping In all of the pledges that are
still outstanding. 1 must whip them
IN because unless every dollar that wns
promised for the relief of the starving.
sick. ruined Jews. to shelter the Jew
ish orphans of Eastern Europe is paid
up. the whole work of relief IL In charge
of being nullified. have given nearly
two years to campaign which i had
every reason to believe would he over
In six months. That have promised
l would see through to the finish -
They couldn't stampede him as he
was "stnmpetled' into taking the chair
manship of the $14.OOOOOO National Ap-
peal for war-Suffcrers. That time there
was big gathering of prominent men
who had come from all parts OF the
United States. Brown had come to
IL, representing Michigan. He had in
his pocket European passage for him.
self and his wife. He intended to give
the conference his views about the nee
essity for such campaign-he was
prepared to promise that on his return
from abroad he would help. But when
the conference turned on him as one
man and said to him: you must
lead !'-he could not refuse.
But the committee from the United
Synagog of America that asked him
10 lead the Seminary campaign couldn't
..draft" him In the dramatic manner he
was drafted by the Chicago conference.
Round-table discussions don't lend
themselves to that sort of thing. Espe
cinlly when one has such powerful argu-
ments for defence as Brown had.
And so. 1t seemed to David A. Brown
when the committee left him that the
matter was ended with his assurance
that he would he glad to give Rabbi
Drob and his cO-workers the benefit of
his experiences with American Jewry
in the war-relief experience and the
benent OF MS knoWieuSe as 10 now
campaign can be made to succeed-n
knowledge gain in score of campaign
including the Red Cross and the Saliva
tion Army. Analysis of the plans, sug
gestions as to methods and personnel.
his own contribution. even n little per-
sonal effort in Ms own city and State
for those things Ire was willing to he
called upon. But actually to direct the
.campaign? "Out of the question! I'm
po ;sible.'' (He told me about it shortly
afterward. and he told me that he had
definitely declined)
An Appeal to Louis Marshall
But the committee refused to accept