imperfect assimilation. Recognizing these problems clearly and
fully, I am quite certain that racial hatred and antagonism is no
solvent for any one of them. The complete success of the appeals that
are being made against the Jews would not benefit the Gentiles in this
country in any particular. There never has been an organized
propaganda of race antagonism and hatred, anywhere in the world, which
benefited either race. In Russia and in Rumania--to cite only two
examples--anti-Semitism has injured the Christians fully as much as it
has injured the Jews. Turkish hatred and persecution of Armenians has
invariably injured the Turks quite as much as it has injured their
victims. In opposing the propaganda of anti-Semitism I am defending
equally the interest of Jew and non-Jew. I hold no brief for the
Jewish "race," so-called, or for Judaism. The only brief I hold is for
the democratic and humanitarian ideals of America. That brief I hold
by reason of my citizenship, voluntarily assumed, and the freeman's
oath with which that citizenship was consecrated.

The solution of the problems arising out of the massing of so many
Jewish people in our large cities requires the unity and co-operation
of all men and women of good will, both Jews and Gentiles, in
precisely the same way, and for precisely the same reasons, as the
solution of all our other problems does. There is nothing in our
history which justifies the fear that our citizens of Jewish birth
will be less ready than their Christian neighbors to give their
whole-hearted service to that end. There never has been a call for
service to this nation which found the Jewish citizens less patriotic,
less willing to serve the nation, and even to sacrifice for it, than
other sections of our citizenry. From Valley Forge to Chateau-Thierry
that record is written. I remember well that memorable day in July,
1918, when I heard from the lips of M. Clemenceau the news, just
received by him, that our American soldiers were victorious at
Chateau-Thierry. Later, on the way to Chateau-Thierry, I passed the
long lines of ambulances bearing away the wounded men, many of whom
were beyond all hope of recovery. Then, still later, in the great,
wonderful hospital at Neuilly, I talked with many of those who fell
wounded in that terrible fight. There were Jews as well as Gentiles
among those men, but there was no difference in the quality of their
Americanism, in their patriotism, their fortitude,