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Page 22 The Ho uthern Israelite MARK EVERY GRAVE Florence Memorial Company Incorporate! BROWN BROS., Owner* Manufac*liiri‘rH of QUALITY MONUMENTS FLORENCE, S. C. ! ,.i Jones Auto Paint Co. Inc. IIICI! GRADE AUTOMOBILE TRIMMING AND PAINTING 156 N. Sanborn Street Hornier, S. L. Florence Ice and Fuel Co. ICE AND COAL A Clean Hank A Liquid Hank First National Bank In Florence FLORENCE, S. C. :❖ J. F. Stackly Company Fancy Groceries Florence, South Carolina In Europe the I danger of a Me* Conflict is Viewed as Possible V iennese Writer Discusses the Political Situation From a Jewish Point of View By HEINRICH YORK-STEINER The recent war swept over terri- tory thickly populated by Jews. The traces of this holocaust can never be removed. Total destruction was pre vented only by the incomparable sac rifices of the American Jew. From England came the liberating gospel, came the immortal Balfour declara tion, that expresses confidence in the Jewish will to work, and in their abil ity to build up anew a ruined land. All these factors stand and fall with the welfare of the Anglo-Saxon na tions. If England and the United States should ever go to war, all Jew ish sources of help would be exhaust ed, the Jewish future destroyed, all hope buried. It may also he anticipated that an Anglo-American war would at the same time signify the destruction of Europe. Is it necessary to mention how the phosgene gas poisoning in Hamburg gave our lungs a fearful warning of the murderous conse quences of future war. How the heart stops heating at the thought of the terror of the people of the great Han seatic city whose life’s breath was in such terrible danger. No, it has not yet been proven that Germany would be drawn into the path of war at whose end swift death is waiting. The chemical genius, Bergius, pro duces benzine out of the cheapest coal which Germany mines in over-abun dance. Yet slow death would be the certain consequence of this world war. \\ ho will forget those days when the seas were closed to us, when bread and meat, fat and sugar were lacking, when bodies deteriorated, souls languished, and hearts shrank at the sight of starving children with their exhausted bodies. Well then, an English-American war would close all the highways of the world, would starve and destroy all of Europe. Jewish policies, the hopes and fears of the Jewish people, are in close con tact with those of civilized humanity as a whole. W hen in the year 1911 the mem ber of the House of Commons, Col. Faber brought up a question whether it was true that in February of that year the entire English fleet had been massed about the British Isles in or der to attack the German coast, which the minister did not deny, none of us thought of the frightful possibili ty which, three years later, brought devastation into the world. This time, however, we should be wide awake, and to be the first to awaken the conscience of the world Wherever we gather in the name of God, or in the interest of human needs, let us remember the danger and let us plan for its prevention. We shall not fail to pray to God for His help, to send up to heaven our prayer for peace between America and Eng land. Is it possible to evoke the help of the Creator of all life? Prayer is helpful, just the same. It gr’j ps our soul, clarifies the spirit, refines our feelings and makes us capable of gentle compassion. In America and England they believe a great deal in the power of prayer. Let the European Jew bear in mind that it was the great republic beyond the sea, America, that gave shelter and refuge to his brothers at a time when murder walked through the ghettos of Eastern Europe. It is there that they have grown strong in free dom and have become economically powerful. “Protect, 0 Lord, the shores of this beautiful land from mass murder and sufferings of war.” From books by American authors we learn from day to day about the evils in the life of that country. Let us not forget, however, that it ha? introduced and made possible popu lar freedom. We are now hearing a great deal about the egoism of indi viduals and the unsavory doings of certain corporations. But we must know that the population of the Unit ed States in its great mass is easily inspired to strive for what is noble and good. These 120 million have not yet spoken their last word; they are scarcely stammering their first. “Per mit us, 0 Lord, to live to see this combination of all Europe, the rise of this nation of all nations in its completeness.” American statesmen believe in treaties because this young world power has so far seldom been in a situation where it could break them. In June, 1913, I was told by Mr. Bryan, the ex-Secretary of State, well-known pacifist who, upon com ing into office with Woodrow' Wilson a few r months previously, had wanted to unite all the countries of the won by means of arbitration treaties: “We have so far obtained the con sent of fourteen states, ^our Em peror Francis Joseph was the first w agree, and Emperor Wilhelm has as- 1 expressed his willingness.” When t e war emergency came, it became ap parent that no national obligation re suited from these letters. They * been and remained private expres sions of opinion. Mr. Bryan contm ued further: . “A few days ago, some America® mine owners came to see me. 1 mines are being interfered wit the Mexican government. They ed me to direct at the Mexican » ernment a threat of war, like * den stream of cold water. I ra P _ ‘Not even as a threat shall the cursed word be spoken in this o c • The cursed war cast its flames aS . as Washington. Mr. Bryan P a up his bundle and left his office. No; the Kellogg Pact brin «?J£ j, curity, no assured peace. ^ possible, war is probable.