A spirited plea that President Roosevelt lift his voice in protest against persecution of Jews and mistreatment of Christians who do not adhere to the Nazi doctrine; was made here last night by Rabbi Stephen S. Wise, addressing the National Jewish Forum.
Rabbi Wise termed Hitlerism “a threat to world civilization”. Hitler’s glorification of the Aryan race is laying the ground work for a new type of war and strife among men, he said. The treatment Jews are undergoing is only incidental to the real objectives of the Nazi regime, Rabbi Wise asserted. “Nazism is staging a revolt against Christianity greater than any known in more than 1,000 years. If Hitlerism triumphs, Christianity goes.”
ROOSEVELT IN KEY POST
Affirming that world peace depends upon the course of action followed in the next few months, he cited Germany with its objective of “oneness” – Aryan purity. Only President Roosevelt is in a position to avert a new world war, the speaker said. When the President spoke of peace a few months go, Hitler listened and gave assuronces of peace, Dr. Wise pointed out.
Rabbi Wise expressed the hope tht President Roosevelt might soon “lift his voice to bring justice and peace. Whenever the governments of the world, led by our own, decree that the barbarity of the Hitlerite treatment of the Jews end, there will be a response of compliance.”
Addressing the Jews of the nation, Rabbi Wise urged united asction. “The failure of the Jewish people in this and other lands to reach complete and effective unity in the field of self-defence in the sight of the Hitler war is treasonable not only to Jewish interests, but to those interests of humanity and civilization which it has become the lot of the Jew to defend and preserve. Any Jew, whether in or out of office, who, for the sake of self-aggrandizement or to satisfy an insatiable passion for public notice, projects himself into this strike without thought of subordinating self to the needs of an unutherably grave situation, ought to find no tolerance in Jewish life.” Jews must fight their own battles and not depend on Christians to do combat on their be half, Rabbi Wise concluded.
More than 500 persons had to be retused admission to hear Rabbi Wise because of lack of room in the auditorium of the Jewish Community House where 1,500 heard him speak. Among those present were Clarence Darrow, noted attorney; Mr. and Mrs. Charles E. Russel, and other educational, civic, religious ond business leaders of the city.
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.
