David A. Brown Reviews Progress to Date of the United Jewish Campaign

Drives are in progress in many hundred cities and towns in this country to raise local quotas accepted by them in the $15,000,000 United Jewish Campaign, according to a report addressed by Chairman David A. Brown, to the 1200 members of the national committee in which he predicts that the original objective of the campaign will be left far behind and that the amount that will be raised will run close to $25,000,000.

“Never in all the history of Jewish philanthropic effort in this country,” says Mr. Brown in his report, “has there been such an outpouring of service and self-sacrifice, of loyalty and devotion, as has been displayed in this campaign. The great cry which has come to us from over the seas seems to have penetrated every Jewish heart and every Jewish soul to such an extent that all differences of opinion, all controversial questions which usually divide the Jews of this country into distinct groups, have been wiped out and the Jews of America present a solid front in a concerted movement to save their brethren of Eastern Europe.

“During the past six months, it has been my privilege to meet the representative Jews of forty-five states. I have seen how they reacted to this appeal. I have heard the words that have fallen from their lips–eloquent, burning words in which they have pledged time, effort, service, money to this cause. Scores and scores of men have thrust all their business aside to make this campaign their major business, until that business has been successfully accomplished.”

Calling attention to the million dollars raised in Chicago, and the Campaign now in progress in New York City to raise $6,000,000, Mr. Brown’s report continues:

“Alabama, which has a quota of $100,000, is organizing for a campaign toward the end of April; Arizona has already raised $15,000 toward its quota of $25,000; in California the campaign to raise $750,000 starts in Los Angeles on April 15th; (the California Campaign is being conducted jointly with the United Palestine Appeal.) Throughout Canada, from the Atlantic to the Pacific, the Jews have been mobilized to raise $250,000 between the first and the fifteenth of May.

“Colorado, New Mexico and Wyoming, which have decided to run their campaign as a joint effort, get into action on April 26th, to raise a joint total of $190,000. The many Jewish communities of Connecticut; with a quota of $350,000, are already in line, with local drives in actual progress. The Florida quota of $350,000 seems to be assured, if one may judge by the results already obtained by the local drives now in progress,” Mr. Brown states.

“On May 2nd, Georgia will set out to raise $200,000 with a drive in Atlanta, with the understanding that all of the local drives must be over by June 1st. The handful of Jews in Idaho are working hard to raise their quota of $10,000. The sixteen zones of Illinois, exclusive of Chicago, which have accepted a quota of a half million dollars, are preparing for early action, and five of the zones are having their local drives at the present time. Indiana’s campaign for $300,000 begins the first week in June.

“States which hold their campaign this month are Kentucky, with a quota of $200,000, April 11-17; Louisiana, $350,000, April 11-17; Massachusetts, $1,000,000; Mississippi, $50,000; Montana, $15,000; Nevada, $10,000; North Carolina, $200,000; North Dakota, $50,000; Ohio, with the exception of Cincinnati, $1,000,000; Oklahoma, $175,000; Pennsylvania, $3,000,000; South Carolina. $50,000; Tennessee, $125,000; Texas. $350,000, with $250,000 already raised; Kansas, $100,000; Virginia, $200,000; Wisconsin, $300,000; West Virginia, $100,000; where campaigns are under way in the Wheeling zone, and preparations are now being made for campaigns in the Charleston zone.

“In May the following campaigns will take place: in Delaware with a quota of $100,000, May 7-9; Iowa, $200,000, May 1-14; Michigan, $400,000, beginning with Detroit on May 3; Minnesota, $300,000, May 2-9; Missouri, with the exception of St. Louis, $700,000 and South Dakota, $50,000, May 1-15,” the report states.

“The New Jersey campaign, with a quota of $750,000, swings into action in Newark on April 29th. Other local drives will be held simultaneously or during the early part of May.

“Arrangements are now under way to organize conferences preliminary to campaigns in the following states: Maine with a quota of $40,000; Maryland, $500,000; New Hampshire, $25,000, New York State, outside of New York City. $1,000,000, conference April 18; Oregon, $200,000: Rhode Island, $150,000: Vermont, $10,000; Washington, $150,000.

“I feel that I ought to comment also on the very fine response we have received at this office up to date to the S.O.S. which I broadcasted on March 17th, appealing to the National Committee, State and local committees to forward to this office at once at least 10 per cent of their first year’s quota, in order that the startling conditions in Eastern Europe should be met immediately by some measure of relief. Up to the time this report is issued the actual total received in response to this call is $491,141.17.

“A great part of this money has come from communities where campaigns have not yet been organized, and where the men to whom I have appealed have either personally advanced their own checks, or have negotiated loans from local banks. This is a splendid showing, but yet, I feel compelled to say that the response does not yet measure up to what we have the right to expect from the Jews of this country at this time.

“A large number of communities are still to be heard from and it is gratifying to know that many of them are making arrangements adequately to respond to this S.O.S. appeal at the earliest feasible moment.

“But, let it be distinctly understood that, whatever the Jews of this country may give, be it $15,000,000 or $50,000,000, we will still not have enough for the millions overseas who are going through all of the ortures of hell, and who, without our help, are doomed,” the report concludes.