Record Crowd Marks 40th Anniversary of Workmen’s Circle; Group’s American Ideals Laude

The greatest turnout of members in the history of the Workmen’s Circle, packing Madison Sq. Garden today to celebrate the fortieth anniversary of the national Jewish fraternal organization, heard Mayor LaGuardia and other speakers praise the Circle as an example of practical application of American ideals.

Twenty-four thousand members of the organization, from New York and points as far away as New England and Pennsylvania, had crowded into the Garden when police closed the doors forty minutes before the program was to begin. Eighteen thousand more were turned away.

Entering the arena as the Circle’s children’s choir was singing the national anthem, the Mayor in his address remarked that "I wish I had all those ‘hundred percent patriotic’ organizations here to hear ‘The Star Spangled Banner’ sung as it should be sung." Declaring that the ideas of social, family and health welfare and cultural opportunities for the masses, which the Circle began implementing 40 years ago, had become the program of government nearly 35 years later, LaGuardia said: "You have contributed in great measure to the social welfare program of our government."

"Your organization may well serve as a model for real American fraternal organizations," he added.

Abraham Cahan, editor of the Jewish Daily Forward, declaring in his address that the Workmen’s Circle was "anti-Communist heart and soul," said: "Hitler must be defeated. Hitlerism is the great curse of the world. Now that Stalin and Hitler are one, both must be defeated."

An elaborate program of entertainment by the Circle’s musical groups was climaxed by a children’s ballet, "Flowers of Flame," by Mark Schweid, depicting the awakening of the oppressed masses, their emigration across the sea, and their final liberation. Other speakers included President Reuben Guskin, Morris Feinstone, secretary of the United Hebrew Trades, and Joseph Baskin, general secretary of the Workmen’s Circle.