Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-12-28
Nathan Cayton Appeals for
Revival of Ancient Virtues
of Jewish Race.
HOLDS PROBLEM MUST
BE DEALT WITH AT ONCE
Urges Support for President and
His Crime Commission in
Address at Synagogue.


audience at the Adas Israel Synagogue
that almost overnight we seem to have
produced far more than our share OF
criminals of every class and descrip-
ton"
1t was the speakers opinion that
''the Jewish crime wave" has arrived
like an unwanted child on our door,
step" Judge Cayton. who holds a
place on the District Municipal Court
bench at the age Of 81 years, blamed
the average Jewish home" for not
teaching more about the Ten Com
mandments."
He pointed out that the inception of
the Canukah holidays, or Feast OF the
Lights, concentrating the men whose
heroism saved the Jewish race and re-
ligion, was an appropriate time to take
stock of dangerous modern tendencies
and to consider a remedy.
Mother Of Great Scientists.
At the beginning of his address Judge
Cayton pointed out that "the Jewish
race has always been prolific of great
and distinguished men. She Is the
mother of great scientists" he contln-
ued, statesmen, philosophers and edu-
Gators. The names of many are house
hold words throughout the world, and
will remain so for centuries and per-
haps forever"
The speaker called upon his listeners
to take fresh Joy in the victories OF the
Maccabees, to be proud Of the emf
blems they bore to victory" and 10
remember that something of the cour-
age of the Maccabees is needed today.
IT truly believe" Judge Cayton said,
~that Judaism today Is confronted with
a situation no less serious and demand
ing no less courage than that which
confronted the MaccabeeI"
Although true, he asserted, that the
Jews of this country are living In
"free and fruitful land and under PFC
lection of the greatest government In
+he world" they nevertheless are con-
fronting a problem arising from within
rather than from without" problem
which must be dealt with at once"
st refer" Judge Cayton said, TO the
crime wave-the Jewish crime wave.
s'There was a time, not so very long
ago. when the very thought OF jewish
crime wave would have been Scotted at
as an impoSsibility. There was tune
when we could rightfully have boosted
that a Jewish criminal was rarity In
deed. There was a time when prison
doors were seldom opened 10 receive
Jewish convict. Tnere was a Ciine WEI ,d
a Jewish gunman was unheard OF ana
Jewish citizenship was synonymous Win
good American citizenship.
"But that situation seems TO nave
changed overnight. Almost overnight
we seem to have produced lar more
than our share of criminals OF every
class and description, and today we
wake I'M to And the Jewish crime wave,
like an unwanted child on our door
step, an actual, shameful, awful real
ftv. 1t stares us boldly in the face,
and it Is incumbent upon us to repel II,
to stamp it out, to crush H. WIN al
the power we can command.
RNcn
wave? Why should we. IN TINS en-
1ightened age, in this magnificent coun-
try. be confronted with this blackesC
page in the history of the jewish race!
why are Jewish names spread al over
the criminal dockets and jewish Oh
land? Why do Jewish faces NIL the
roQues' galleries and Jewish ringer
prints the detective bureaus? Why are
Jewish boys-yes, and Jewish girls, TOO
prominent in bootlegg1ng, In cope
bedding, in gun toting, in white SlaV-
cry and In every racketeerfng enter
prise known to the underworld? why
ds Il that right here in the Nations
Capital we have only recently beheld
the spectacle of a Jewish boy hanged
for a daStardly murder?
ct is idle to say that 1t Is due to
the postwar let down in morals; 1t Is
futile to say that it is due to prohibi-
worked already.
BIames Lack of Training.
1.-THE answer and the solution, be-
1ieve. are TO be found right in our
homes and in our synagogueS. 1t
seems perfectly clear to me that this
situation is directly traceable to lack
of training of our boys and girls, lack
of proper training in our homes, lack
of proper training in our SynagogueS.
believe that during the past decade
we have definitely failed to perform our
duty as Jews and as Americans. be-
lieve that something is sadly lacking in
our home life. I have often wondered
what has become of the lovely, uplift-
ing atmosphere which used to prevail
in the Jewish home. I wonder what
has become Of the old-faShioned Jewish
mamma who found time to devote all
her days and nights to the successful
raising of her young ones and to the
teaching of the all-important lessons
! of honor and respect? Can 1t be that
our mothers of today are less inter-
ested in their children? Can 1t be that
they are too busy to devote themselves
TO their homes? Can 1t be that they
are so blind to our past, so hostile to
our future. that they fail to see the
evils which beSet us?
II believe that in the average Jew
fish home far too little has been said
to our growing children about the Ter
Commandments I believe far too lit.
tie has been said about the virtue oil
reSpect-respect of God, respect of par
ents, respect of our rabbis, respect OF
government, respect of laws. And wher
say laws, / mean all laws, because
recognize that it is the especial duty
of a minority people to obey all laws
to so conduct itself that the finger o.
accusation or suspicion shall never bt
pointed in its direction. This is more
than the performance of mere civic
function: it is a sacred duty, and We
as Americans must not fail to reSpec
and obey all laws. This is no idle
preachment; it is a serious appeal.
President Has Made Appeal.
"Our illustrious President in his pub
lie utterances has often made this same
appeal-the appeal for better hom'
life in America and for a more rigiC
snd vigilant observance of the laws o
the land-and / say that we must re
spect his appeal. we must follow hi
leadership. We must never forget tina
America has given us much and tina
she has a right to demand much IL
return.
we must not be alarmed. we mus
not be depressed. I am confident tina
the Jews of America can solve theS'
problems. I am confident that We ca
summon some of the courage of TIN
Maccabees and overcome the trouble
which beset us. But 1t can never b.
accomplished by idle talk or mer
speechmaFing. 1t can only be accom-
plisned by definite. intelligent and har
ccmplished by a high resolve that W
viii not fail in our duty as Jews ant
IS Americans.
I'VE must give our great Presiden