In the presence of over 200 representatives of many faiths from various points in the country gathered at a dinner concluding the Seminar on Human Relations between Protestants, Catholics and Jews, held at the Hotel McAlpin, Newton D. Baker, former Secretary of War, was presented on Tuesday night with the American Hebrew Medal for the Promotion of Better Understanding between Christian and Jew in America. Mr. Baker was the guest of honor and principal speaker at the dinner. Rabbi Isaac Landman, editor of the American Hebrew, presented the medal, which is the first award of its kind and will from now on be presented each year to the American who has done the most to promote amity between the three major faiths in this country.
The Seminar began its sessions in the morning and lasted all day. It was held under the auspices of the National Conference of Jews and Christians and its purpose was to “acquire a better understanding, more intelligent appreciation and friendlier cooperation of cultural groups living creatively in a democracy.”
The first morning session, at which Felix M. Warburg presided, heard addresses on the problems of religious prejudices and their elimination by Chancellor Elmer E. Brown of New York University, Dr. Ralph W. Sock-man, president of the New York Federation of Churches, and Mrs. Estelle M. Sternberger, executive secretary of the National Council of Jewish Women.
SEE DEPARTURE FROM IDEALS
The second morning session was devoted to a round table discussion of the particular “sore spots” which developed as a result of religious prejudices. The discussion was preceded by an introductory talk by Professor William H. Kilpatrick of Columbia University who presided. What may be termed the worst “sore spot” was indicated by one of the speakers to be “a departure from the original American ideals,” as voiced in the Declaration of Independence, that all men were born free and equal and that Church separated from the State made religion the private affair of the individuals. A man is thus considered a good man, irrespective of his religious beliefs, if he abides by the laws of the land.
The two afternoon sessions were devoted (1) to addresses on the Problems of Human Relations and (2) to a round table on Specific Problems. James M. Speers presided at the first session which was addressed by Dr. John Haynes Holmes, pastor of the Community Church, and by Professor Reinhold Niebuhr of the Union Theological Seminary. The second session was addressed by Harry A. Overstreet of the College of the City of New York and many representatives of the various groups.
The final session was again devoted to a round table discussion and the various topics touched upon during the day were thrashed out, many speakers laying before the audience quite frankly and openly the reasons for intolerance and prejudice and possible solutions for eliminating them. Dr. Kilpatrick, who presided at this session, also summed up the discussions of the day at the dinner.
The audience as well as the speakers represented a colorful picture of religious as well as racial representatives. There were Catholic priests, Protestant pastors, rabbis and several representatives of Negro groups and also lay and professional persons of all occupations and officers and leaders of educational groups.
LANDMAN BESTOWS MEDAL
In presenting the medal, Rabbi Landman said, among other things: “I bestow this on you, Newton D. Baker, as a symbol. It is in recognition of your preeminent services in breaking down barriers of bigotry and in building bridges of better understanding, fear of each other will cease, prejudices vanish, and hatred will be uprooted. Men who understand each other cannot hate each other.”
In accepting the award Mr. Baket pointed out the danger of indulging in prejudices which imperil the success of democratic government. “Democracy as a form of political organization can only succeed in an educated people. I have long believed that the more religion a man had of his own kind, the more tolerance he would have for people who had other kinds. The world needs more religion, not less, but it needs less religious controversy, not more.”
General John F. O’Ryan presided at the dinner. The other speakers included Roger W. Straus, Michael Williams and former Supreme Court Justice Joseph Proskauer.
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