A statement sworn to before a notary public, charging that racial prejudice is responsible for the closing of the Body and Soul Clinic in the Church of St. Mark’s in the Bowerie was made public on Friday by Dr. Edward S. Cowles, founder of the clinic, its director and financial supporter.
Dr. Cowles charges Bishop William T. Manning is behind the eviction of the clinic on the ground that the majority of the patients treated are Jews inasmuch as the Jews comprise the largest part of the population in the vicinity of the church, according to a report in the “Herald-Tribune” of July 22.
Dr. Cowles quotes Bishop Manning as stating five years ago: “I do not want Jews in my church,” while urging that courtesy be shown to Samuel Untermyer, who “is rich and powerful and a terrible fighter.”
Mr. Cowles refers to an incident in connection with a meeting which took place on November 2nd, 1927 in the Protestant Episcopal Church of Holy Apostles, arranged to launch a clinic, at the invitation of the rector, Rev. Lucius A. Edelblute. Speakers scheduled were Samuel Untermyer, Dr. S. Parkes Cadman, the Rev. E. Clowes Chorley, historiographer of the Protestant Episcopal Church, and Harry Berkowitz, a patient of the clinic.
Mr. Untermyer had just concluded his address and Dr. Cowles was about to introduce Mr. Berkowitz when Mr. Edelblute rushed to him and stated: “I am sorry, but Bishop Manning has just ordered that Harry Berkowitz cannot speak in this church because he is a Jew,” Dr. Cowles’s statement asserts.
“I said: ‘That is absurd. Mr. Samuel Untermyer has just spoken and he is a Jew.’ Mr. Edelblute said: ‘I told the Bishop that Mr. Untermyer was speaking and the Bishop replied: ‘Never mind about Mr. Untermyer, he is rich and powerful and a terrible fighter; show him every courtesy,’ said Mr. Edelblute. But the Rev. Mr. Edelblute said (quoting Bishop Manning) ‘I do not want Jews in my church,’ the statement declares.
“The next morning I received word from the Rev. Edelblute that there would be no clinic work in his church,” Dr. Cowles asserts.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
