The Worker's Institute Conference of All the Central Bodies Was Held Friday Night at the Office of the United Hebrew Trades
Jewish Labor World, July 21, 1918
The City Central Workmen's Circle was represented by Shorr, United Hebrew Trades by Hanck, Etkin, and Plotkin. Worker's Institute by Abrams, Nathanson, and Holland, Joint Board-Furiers Union by Weiner, Joint Board-Cloakmakers Union by Fogel. The City Central Socialist Party by Shneide Levin. R. Yokelson was elected as chairman and Hanck as the secretary.
The committee of the Worker's Institute submitted a report of the moral and financial side of the Institute. The delegates then raised the question: What sort of educational character shall the Workers Institute hereafter carry?
2During the discussion, it was shown that the present condition of the Institute is due to the fact that it did not have a definite policy in its educational system. With every new manager, the character of the Institute changed. To insure the further existence of the Institute new life must be added.
Some delegates stressed the fact that every enterprise carrying a Socialist character is crowned with success, because the present atmosphere among the Jewish workers is Socialistic. Therefore, it is believe that when all the three bodies, United Hebrew Trades, the Workmen's Circle, and the Socialist Party will administrate the Institute injecting into the educational work, a Socialist spirit, the Institute will become the spiritual center of the life of Chicago Jewish workers.
3In answer to this, Nathanson claimed that such a policy would drive away the Nationalistic, which according to his opinion, from 50 percent of the intelligence and cultural soul of the Workers' Institute. He expressed the opinion that under the circumstances, the best policy would be to have only the United Hebrew Trades together with the joint boards of the Cloakmakers and the Amalgamated and Furriers unions take over the Institute, and use it as a labor educational temple.
Then by a unanimous vote it was determined that the United Hebrew Trades and the joint boards shall take over the Institute. After reading the financial report it was noted that within three days a sufficient sum must be raised in order to take over the Institute.
