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CANADIAN JEWISH REVIEW
Ftbnutfy S, 1*23
Canada. Where is the danger or "menace to the social and economic life of Canada that has caused various prominent members of both parties to be alarmedT ? Surely nine million people can absorb and Canadianize in the truer senses of these terms a handful of people who are acknowledged to possess a genius for adjustment to their environment.
It is further inveighed � against these immigrants that "they all gravitate to the already crowded cities, making still worse the disparity that exists between the rural and the urban population of Canada."
2. That they increase the number of low-paid workers and low-standard livers.
3. That they throw, Canadians out of work and create unemployment.
4. That they do not know either of the official languages of Canada.
5. That tbey do not engage in any productive activity that adds to the wealth of the nation.
6. That they are the outcasts of Europe and therefore "undesirables."
The recommendations are, "let us have even more restrictive legislation" that will build a Chinese wall around Canada so that it will be as difficult for an immigrant to get into Canada as it was for the proverbial camel to get through the eye of the needle.
We have endeavored to present the arguments of these so-called news items, which the readers see for themselves are but unsuccessful "copy" of articles circulated by those who are clamoring to keep Canada a small nation of a few millions of people. These restrictionists are as blind as the bat in regard to vision concerning the future of Canada. To translate their advice into a national policy would be maniacal and suicidal. Canada needs the immigrant more so than the immigrant needs Canada. This was the vision of Laurier and his government. To be sure, Canada may even be compelled to create the type of immigrant she desires out of the available human immigrant material to be had, if the kind of immigrant she is seeking does not come. Why should the farmer and the peasant, who are the only prosperous, well fed and thriving element in Europe to-day, leave his happy home and well-paying farm to settle on the lonely prairie, or to try to cover the stark naked rocks of our northern lands? When the United States needed industrial workers she turned the agrarian and peasant material, which composed the vast majority of her immigrants, into industrials. So Canada may have to convert the industrial immigrant of Europe, who is strong of body and sound of mind, into agricultural workers.
Having stated the correspondent's side of the case, for we are not inclined to believe that the Globe agrees with its correspondent's views, we will leave it for our next editorial to make further reply. Meanwhile we ask our readers to think the matter over and to send us their answers to the objections raised. We will gladly print such letters as are concise and to the point.
PERSONALITIES
BY OBSERVER (New York Special to The Canadian Jewish Review)
New York recently celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of Jacob P. Adler's stage activities. The celebration was held in the Manhattan Opera House, an ill-fated theatre that was built to realize the late Oscar Hammerstein's dearest hopes in opera, and degenerated into a make-shift house for any passing entertainment. It was recently sold and rumor had it that it was to be converted or rebuilt into a factory.
Thus pass the dispositions of man.
It may not be revelant here, but nevertheless interesting, to remark that Hammerstein's other two theatres, designed for opera houses, the Lexington Opera House in New York and a magnificent theatre in London, said to have cost a million dollars, are both theatrical outcasts. The London theatre has been turned into a movie house, but the beautiful Lexington Opera House shares the same fate as the Manhattan, deserted three parts of the year and housing remnants from the theatrical bargain counter the remaining months.
About two weeks ago, some scatter-brains put Julia Adler, Jacob V. Adler's daughter, in an English play at the Lexington, The play was called "Rosa Machree," billed as "a direct answer to Henry Ford," and told a tale of an Irish-Jewish intermarriage. Rosa preached her moral for just one week. Perhaps this was just as well, for it saved the company expense of reprinting its advertising paper, due to Ford's sudden change of heart�or plans.
To return to the Adler benefit, or let us use a more tasteful word, testimonial. There were innumerable stars of the English and Yiddish stage to testify to the fame of the old stage soldier. The committee was made up of as many distinguished names as could be culled from "Who's Who," including Otto H. Kahn and Adolf Lewisohn among the lay division. There was also "Boris" ThomashevsW, but without his buxom chorus girls, who tread the boards on East Houston street, with such creaking success.
ERNST LUBITSCH
A formidable array of comedians were presented to do honor to the tragedian: Al Jolson, Barney Bernard, Ted Lewis, Sophie Tucker, Belle Baker. The last named of course sung "Eili Eili," and it would have been appropriate to have had on the stage at the same time another old man who has unconsciously as,, many admirers as Adler, and who would welcome a testimonial with great eagerness. We refer to the composer of the song� the hoary-headed veteran of the Jewish stage, Jacob K. Sandler, who now trudges the streets of New York on clerical errands.
Among the other entertainments were an act from Andreyev's "He Who Gets Slapped," now running at the Garrick Theatre, New York, and the evening was given its climax by a performance of an excerpt from Adler's Yiddish version of "King Lear." With him were Bertha Kalisch, Ludwig Satz, Joseph Schoengold and Mine, Verkauf. This was probably Ludwig Satz' first taste* of palatable fare in some years. He is playing now on the Bowery in whatever comes to hand; he has even gone as far�or is it in another direction? �as to lithograph many-colored posters of himself bearing the informative caption:
Ludwig Sa.tz
The man who makes you laugh with a tear and cry with a smile.
The Adler testimonial realized the large sum of $15,000,000, part of which the actor will use to finance a European tour.
The'testimonial brought out the fact that Adler has played Lear in New York alone 585 times. Probably this performance of Lear at the Manhattan was his last in America and it is also likely that America" will see him no more if he decides to remain in Europe. And bo will disappear from the Jewish theatrical life of this country one of its most prominent figures.
When all is said and done, it must be admitted that it was a disappearance forced by natural circumstances. Mr. Adler has served his day. His type of acting is passing from the Yiddish stage.
There is no bare emotionalism, two-fisted realism; bombast, no matter how attractively coated, is no longer popular. The Yiddish stage to-day is full of young people who are more sparing of emotion and more liberal in balanced dramatic expression. Stalking tragedy belongs to yesterday and with it such artists as Mr. Adler.
Gradually, year by year, Mr. Adler's lessening power on the Yiddish stage has been noticeable. Things began taking definite shape with him when he lost his theatre on Grand Street, New York. We remember one of his last performances there. It was a ' 'two-star'' season, Adler and the late David Kessler; the play was Gordin's "God, Man and Devil." It was truly a union of two dejected spirits, Adler was about to give up his theatre; Kessler had just lost his. Both representatives of a wandering school made curtain speeches and their words were bitter. Kessler was without a theatrical home and Adler had given him hospitality, the Utter said, and added, "but not for lon^jr '
We do not know the exact quality of Jewish theatrical taste in the European countries. It may be possible that the old school still flourishes in the old world and Adler's popularity will take on fresh color there.
Ernst Lubitsch is here in New York to confer with the Moguls of the Famous Players-Lasky interests.
Whatever Lubitsch's fame was in Germany, a year ago he was absolutely unknown to the American public To-day Lubitsch is classed with Griffith as a directorial power in motion pictures �and, there have been warm arguments among those who can qualify for the argument, as to whether Lubitsch is not the greater power.
When Pola Negri first cast the brilliancy of her artistic halo over motion picture goers in America in "Passion*' (Madame Dubarry) critic* began to look around for the man who directed her, and stowed away in a corner of the theatre programs tbey
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