in bitter antagonism. Upon
that economic fear and resentment religious fanaticism fastened and
flourished.

Herein lies the danger of the anti-Semitic propaganda in this country
and in England. It is invoking economic fear and resentment. The
non-Jew is adjured to contemplate the spectacle of the Jews ousting
the Gentiles from one industry after another, gradually assuming
leadership and control of our industry and commerce, thanks in part to
superior intelligence, skill, and diligence, but in part also to a
lack of moral scrupulousness. So the Jew is presented as a dangerous
economic rival to be feared and guarded against. The Gentile is thus
taught to look upon Jewish prosperity as a sort of parasitism, and as
a menace to the well-being of all non-Jews, even where the withdrawal
of Jewish enterprise and activity would mean ruin for Jew and Gentile
alike--a condition long recognized in the principal Russian cities.
Now, I do not deny that some of the worst aspects of capitalism have
been developed to a special and notable extent by some Jews. Neither
do I forget that others have developed the very noblest social
idealism. The point I am now making is that hatred of the Jew, even
when it is motivated by economic fear and resentment, will inevitably
nurture every other form of anti-Jewish prejudice. If the campaign of
the anti-Semites succeeds in cultivating that fear and hatred in the
minds and hearts of our people, there can be no assurance against the
occurrence of pogroms here.

VIII

WHAT ANTI-SEMITISM IN AMERICA MEANS

In an article published in the _Dearborn Independent_, June 19, 1920,
it is argued that, transplanted in American soil, anti-Semitism will
change its character and that it will not, in this country, take the
form of mass violence. Not a single fact or historical example is
cited in support of this optimistic theory. There are fine phrases
about "the genius of Americanism" and the "innate justice of the
American mind," but that is all. And these fine phrases can be easily
and adequately disposed of by the simple observation that
anti-Semitism, like all other forms of race hatred, is incompatible
with "the genius of Americanism" and with "innate justice."

These seem to me to be self-evident truths. Nevertheless, we have had
many bitter manifestations of race hatred in this country, not a few
of which have been attended by mass violence. When I reflect upon the
savage race riots which ha