Schechita Question Looms Large in Europe; Jews Seek to Check Hostile Movement

(Jewish Telegraphic Agency)

Jewish as well as non-Jewish circles are displaying renewed interest in the Schechita question in connection with the increasing number of attemipts at Schechita prohibition and the recent invention of the casting machine which would remove the charge of cruelty in the Schechita method of slaughtering animals.

At the present time, the Shechita is prohibited in Switzerland and prohibition is imminent in Norway and Bavaria. In England and in Austria there are vigorous campaigns in progress against Schechita.

One of the most important grounds for the opposition to Shechita is that the casting involves cruelty. Casting means the throwing down of the animai on its back and the holding of its head and extending of the neck in a fixed position so that it should be ready to receive the cut from the Shochet. Jewish law goes into the fullest details in regard to Shechita itself, the actual cutting; the preliminary training of the Shochet; the keenness of the blade and so forth, but it lays down no rules regarding the method of getting the animal into position. All that it says in a general way is that the method adopted should be as speedy and humane as possible so as to avoid “Zaar baale chaim.” The problem of casting has troubled the Shechita authorities in this country for many years, but in spite of many efforts, no satisfactory method was discovered until the Weinberg Pen was invented.

H. Weinberg is a tailor in Leeds, who has made a life-lung study of the methods of climinating cruelty in casting. His patent casting pen was first tried in London two years ago and again in a much improved form a few weeks ago, representatives of the Veterinary profession, the Royal Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the London Board of Shechita, the ex-Minister of Agriculture, Noel Buxton and other persons interested being present. The demonstration was a success. In 10 seconds the animal was cast and its throat cut. The time taken by the present methods varies from 21/2 to 27 minutes.

The Weinberg Pen is made of heavy wrought iron and is in the form of a horse-box or stall with an opening through which the head pro?es. The sides are adjustable and can be made to hold a small or large animal. The top of the pen is padded and is automatically adjusted to fit the height of the animal As soon as the animal is in the pen, with its head protruding through the opening, the pen, which stands within a steel ring on each side, is made to revolve half a revolution, either by hand or motor, thus bringing the animal on its back against the padded wall with its head out and a little dazed so that it is a simple matter for the head to be extended and the cut given. The method is speedy, efficient and painless.

Several members of Parliament are interested in the Weinberg Pen and the question is likely to be brought up in Parliament at an early date.

The London Shechita Board considered the Weinberg Pen at a recent meeting. The Board, which had the casting machine put to a test at Islington in February, at first reported unfavorably on it.

Not only did they have great trouble to get the non-Jewish slaughtermen to use it because they claimed that they were entitled to a considerable rise in wages for alleged extra labor, but the carcass butchers, as well as the Market Superintendent, expressed themselves unfavorably as to the value of the machine as a humane instrument for casting. In addition to this, the Board had had a complaint from the Carcass Butchers’ Association that, in their view the use of Mr. Weinberg’s machine in the killing of an animal caused its blood to heat, and that thereby the quality of the meat was depreciated. The Board decided it was unable to proceed further with a machine that was condemned both by their expert adviser, L. A. Legros, who had examined it, and the trade.

Following the approval of the machine by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals the Board asked Mr. Weinberg to forward specifications of his machine, with any improvements which he might have effected since it was tested under the Board’s auspices. The Shechita instructed their engineering expert to examine the machine and render an opinion as to whether, with any improvements which might have been effected, the apparatus would now answer the purpose.

The Shechita Board decided that the Executive Committee take such action as was deemed necessary to make further tests of the casting machine.

Funeral services for Sam Bernard, actor who died May 18 aboard the liner Columbus on the way to Germany, will be held today at 10 A. M. from Temple Emanu El. New York. Dr. Nathan Krass will officiate.

The body is being returned on the Berlin. Honorary bearers will be Joe Weber. Lew Fields. David Belasco, William Collier. David Warfield. Julius P. Witmark. William Morris. Harry Cooper, William D. Weinberger. Fred Block, Magistrate August Dreyer. Sime Silverman, George M. Cohan. Felix Isman, Tom Wise Brandon Tynan, the Rev. Randolph Ray, Armin H. Mittleman, Sam Harris, Representative Sol Bloom, Daniel Frohman. Joe Leblang. Dr. Leo Michel and Bernard Sandler. Rurial will be in the Mount Hope Cemetery. Cypress Hills.

Arthur Schnitzler, famous Austrian Jewish dramatist and poet, celebrated his sixty-fifth birthday in Vienna on May 16. Schnitzler is in excellent health and is engaged on new works, which will shortly be published.