The Denver Jewish news., 1924-09-25
WHY | DECLINED TO PAR
TICIPATE IN DEF FEM Sc
TEST DAY.
by DIR. STEPHEN $. WISE

explaining his attitude toward the pro
posed defense test day:
Il have your very courteous letter
Of August 2Sth In which you suggest
that l urge the Rabbis of the Syna-
Gogs Of New York to hold in their
Temples, September 18th, patriotic
service in sympathy with the purpose
Of Defense Test Day. You ask that
you be allowed to make an announce
ment Of the fact at once and you in
form me that Cardinal Hayes and Bis
hop Manning of New York have done
what ycu ask of me
II regret, dear General Bullard,
that l cannot accede to your sugges-
tion. Apart from the strictly con-
gregational policy of the synagog,
which denies to any rabbi the preor-
gative of command, or even of request
to fcllow.rabbis and sister congrega-
tions to his own, | find myself under
the necessity of registering my pro-
test ns an American against the pro-
gram and purposes of Defense Test
Day. AS an American and relgionlst,
| cant and will have no part in De-
fense Test Day, the institution Of which
| hold to be moral catastropc to the
entire world as well as to our country
Tc marshal our strength in the way
| that is proposed on and for September
18th, in the sight of shattered and
unrcpaired world, is UNANIMOUSLY to
vaunt the strength of n giant.
There need be no argument against
Mobilization Day, which the War De
partment yielding to unwithstandable
nationwide pressure, deemed il cxpe-
dent to cancel or in some degree to
qualify. For Mobilization Day is re-
crudesence of what from the American
point of view is an alien and abhorent
Institution, Mobilization Day is, or
would he, "A revival of some of the
worst and most tragic phases of that
0id-wOrid militarist regime. fer which
| pray there may never really be place
or even tolerance in our land. | am
prepared to assume. however. that
nothing more nor worse than De-
fcnse Test Day is planned for Scptem-
her Eth Far from giving my personal
approval or sanction thereto, | object
to ii in itself, and, again, because Of
the implications to which it is bound
to give rise at home and abroad. In
itself 1t is bad, because it costs doubt
ON and would test the patriotism of our
citizenship which, it is not too much
to say, was thoroughly and satisfac-
tcrily tested in the years 1917 and
) 1918.
but there is something gravcr.
Mobilization or Defense Test Day is
bound to lead the mind of the nation
to the fields of war rather than to
move it to consider the ways which
lead to peace. Whether or not we
have willcd and deserved it, we have
n most eminent rather than merely
conspicuous place in the sight Of the
nations. September 10Th appears to
me, as to many Of my honored com
rades in Christian pulpits. to be a
most lamentabe gesture, tokcning TO
the world that, despite half hearted
governmental adherence TO some agcn-
cies of peace, if duly limited and
MANNED, America thinks the thoughts
of war rather than Of peace. | believe
that Is not true or will cease to be
true only if September 18th and sim
liar devices make it so.
September 10Th is crushing answer
to the world which has long fixed its
hope on our country as alone able,
because of outward circumstances and
I alone willing, because Of inward res
olutiOn to give "A new lead to the ma
tions in their yearning to achieve the
arts of peace and fellowship. To
world crying for the bread of moral
and spiritual leadership we offer the
stone Of Defense Test Day. Instead
of hold up light to guide the paths
of the nations, we have dug up dis
carded device Of militarism, which can
have and serve but Gne purpose, to
stir the war-mood Of men, to evoke
the admittedly potential war passions
But there is something graver still!
protest against Defense Test Day
accepting the cuphuistic name belated-
| ly conferred on September 10Th. be
cause it will inevitably serve as an
/ inctcment to and excuse for ever
growing military preparedness in Amer
lean, European and Asiatic lands It
serves notice that, despite the supreme
advantage Of being cngirt East and
West by the involatc seas, America
places its reliance, not finally but prl-
marily in the matter of international
relations in the methods and agencies