History of the Jews in America: From the Period of the Discovery of the New World to the Present TimeWiernik, Peter
History
History of the Jews in America: From the Period of the Discovery of the New World to the Present Time
Wiernik, Peter
Jews -- America -- History; Jews -- United States -- History
On two other occasions about the same time the friendly disposition
of the people and the Government of the United States towards the Jews
was manifested to the world. The first occasion was only semi-official,
when the Jews of the country celebrated the Two Hundred and Fiftieth
Anniversary of the Settlement of the Jews in the United States, on
Thanksgiving Day (November 30), 1905. Meetings and special services
were held in more than seventy localities between November 24 and
December 10, but the principal celebration was in New York on the
above mentioned date, in Carnegie Hall, where notable addresses were
delivered by former President Grover Cleveland, Governor Francis W.
Higgins of the State of New York, Mayor George B. McClellan of New
York City, and Bishop David Greer. Cordial letters were received
from President Roosevelt and Vice-President Charles W. Fairbanks.
The principal oration at that memorable meeting was delivered by
Judge Mayer Sulzberger of Philadelphia. Our present Ambassador to
Russia, Curtis Guild, Jr., who was at that time Lieutenant-Governor
of Massachusetts, was one of the speakers at the celebration meeting
which was held in Boston, a day before the New York meeting.[56]
The second occasion attracted less attention, but was strictly
official. The International Conference about Morocco, which was held in
Algeciras, Spain, from January 6 to April 7, 1906, was participated in
by the United States, and its first delegate, Henry White (Ambassador
to Italy), received instruction by a special letter from Secretary of
State (now Senator) Elihu Root to work for the protection of the Jews
of Morocco. These instructions were accompanied by a letter received
by Secretary Root from Mr. Jacob H. Schiff, setting forth the pitiable
condition of the Jews of that country and enumerating the legal
restrictions to which they were subject. Through the exertion of Mr.
White, a provision was inserted, on April 2, in the treaty, with which
the Conference was concluded, according to which the signatory nations
guarantee the security and equal privileges of the Jews in Morocco,
both those living in the ports and those living in the interior. (See
“American-Jewish Year Book” for 5667, pp. 92–98.) The chief value of
this provision, however, consists only in its indication of the good
will of the Government of the United States. Its practical value for
the Jews of Morocco, as far as protection from riots and massacres
are concerned, is hardly more than that of the well known “Article 44”
of the Treaty of Berlin regarding the Jews of Roumania. The Jews of
Morocco probably never heard of that provision, and the credit of
ameliorating their condition rightfully belongs to France, which has,
according to the latest agreement among European Powers, become the
protector, or ruler of the Shereefian Empire.
Illustration: Hon. Oscar S. Straus.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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