New Britain herald., 1929-06-12
RABBI DISCUSSES
 AMERICAN IDEALS
Dr. Hidas Makes Last Public
 ApearanQ Hat

ApealanCe hdt
 Truth. justice and peace are the ideals of Americanism. according to Rabbi Gershon Hadas. who spoke to the member of the Kiwanis club today at what WAS his last public appearance in this city before going to Kansas City. where he will take over the pastorate of a larger synagogue.
 In opening his address Rabbi Hadas called attention to the saying The Pen is Mightier than the Sword"
 He said q writer in New York said this was written by some pen splinger and did not mean thing. This the speaker denied. saying that words are still the more powerful than the sword. but that the diff culty is in finding the right words.
 Gamaliel. . contemporary of Je- sus. and ono trained in the same school, according to Rabbi Hadas defined the basic principles of tho world as justice, truth and peace.
 "Justice does not mean only those things that are in court. It means the relationship between men and men, fairness in all things. It was my privilege to see justice done in New Britain. am most thank full to the civic clubs, the ministers and others with whom I have come in contact in New Britain.
 Justice is an ideal. Truth is an ideal. Is America getting too much truth? Sinclair Lewis is telling us too much truth. Others arc telling us too much truth--Boston tells us 50. I don't believe we are getting too much truth. I am glad to sec in New Britain . willingness to ex- change thoughts truthfully.
 "I am delighted to sec human in' telligence and the human mind given fair play in New Britain. have something to offer and you have something to offer. We should mol bs ashamed to exchange thoughts Truth is what VIC believe to be true Truth is noble.
 T am not fearful of the truth aa told on stage, in novel or editorial I an disturbed if the truth is cov- cred up or distorted. It has been my job to tell the truth when I saw 1t to my people. I damned them when they needed it and praised them when I could. Non-Jews as we'll and tho people of New Britain as . whole have taken kindly to the truth.
 Peace is . dynamic ideal. It h not static. You cant speak of peace in . cemetery. There h no read justmaf,t there. New Britain is nov. ing toward . broader ideal of peace among its people.
 There is one ugly. distorted men. tality the Jew has always had and will have with him for . long time It all depends upon the Christian world. That is anti-6emiticism- But prejudice dies. Il has been my job to try and eliminate small petty prejudices.
 ''The Jew is no different than any. one else. The Jew has no distinct racial traits. I am bored with state. ments that tell me the Jew has dis tinct Jewish trait. am weary oi words which tell me the Jewish his. tory is unique. am bored with words that tell men the Jew has s higher or lower standard of mentali- ty.
 T am tired of being told that we preach in our synagogues anything that is diGerent than the finest ideas of Christianity. I feel today quite Christian. wish my Christian friends felt as Jewish.
 "The Jew may move away from America and in business circles he will not be missed. But remove him from America and he will be miss. ed in . cultural sense.
 "A Jew gave the world it greatest literature-the Bible. A Jew gave the world the greatest culture Christianity. A Jew gave the world itsS greatest name remove tha, name and you remove all.
 New England has made . deer and lasting impression on me. New York made little impression but when came to New England I wal awed by its great names and great traditions. had been told thal New Englanders were hard, cold and indifferent. I shall try to tell them in the Golden West how wrong the, are.
 The civic clubs and religioui leaders of New Britain have ex. tended to me all sorts of courtesies have said things that irritated many people but they have accepted it in fne spirit.
 T want to thank the press. The newspapers in New Britain have moi pussyfoetsd. but have said thing, that will bring . finsr liberalism t. this city. The prsss in New Britain has always aided liberalism. Tht religious leaders of the city have helped. aided and abetted mo and l have helped. aided and abetted them. I am not . follower of Sin. clair Lewis. H. L. Mencken or Mir Darrow. but respect them. The ministers of New Britain are . tre- mendous power for the bettermen, of the community.
 If peace Is to come to America 1t will come through the ministry
 The pen is mightier than the sword"