At the Sherman Hotel, Sunday, January 23 at 10 A.M., the Jewish Congress will open. At this conference delegates from four states will introduce various problems of Jewish life in America. This will be the first time in Jewish history that radicals and orthodox will meet for one and the same purpose, to help the Jews overseas to attain equal political and cultural rights. The tragedy of the Jews in the European War has, to a great extent, spread the threat of Jews being under-privileged. The war between the great world powers placed the Jewish nation on the verge of destruction, economically and spiritually. Not only are the homes of the Russian, Austrian, Serbian, Greek and Palestine Jews being plundered, but their children, women and aged are being persecuted and exiled, while their sons, fathers and brothers shed their blood in the battlefields.

Deep in the hearts of the American Jews awakened a true human consciousness and they have adopted the struggle on behalf of the Jews in the war-torn countries who are struggling between life and death in this insane war. Here in America the Jews are in a fortunate position, not only because we are not at war but also because the Jews plan an important political part here and are able to influence the government of the United States.

The United States Government will finally be one of the most important factors in effecting an agreement between the powers, and her position will be of great importance to the Jews of the War Countries. Therefore, one of our tasks must be to interest the American government in our struggle for Jewish liberties.

But it is very important that the Jews in America shall send delegates to the Peace Conference after the war. The Jews should let the world know openly, the crime that is being committed against a nation that is doing its duty as a citizen, and who is deprived of its citizen-rights. In order that this delegation may gain the necessary influence and they must speak in the name of the Jews in America who will participate in these demands. Therefore, it is very important, first of all, to organize all the Jews so that they will clearly understand what the demands are to be. The representatives must be elected, with full power given them, as privileges cannot be gained through diplomacy or mediation, but by being organized only.

In order that the Jews in America shall be united, a Jewish congress is being organized, established on democratic basis. Various opinions exist relative to the question as to when the congress shall be called, before the war, as demanded by the Jewish masses, or after the war, as demanded by the American Jewish Committee. The working-class demand that the congress shall transact questions 3in which all are in accord, and not the political surety of a home in Palestine as demanded by the Zionists.

The conference of the Jewish congress will have to take up all these questions and work out a system which will enable them to unite all the Jewish elements, because the truth of the matter is that all the Jewish organizations are now of the opinion that a congress should and must be called. Public opinion among the Jews must be fixed at the present moment.

Other questions will be touched upon at this convention, in relation to the Jewish problems of the present moment, such as regulating immigration, the Burnett bill, and relief for the war-sufferers.

The main subject will be the Jewish Congress. The convention will have to establish a strong and powerful movement in the four states, for the congress, because until now very many Jews were not acquainted with the movement, or were just indifferent to its noble activities.

This conference will be of great importance to Jewish labor. There they will be able to adopt the resolution for the Jewish Congress that was adopted at the conference of the National Labor Committee in New York. The Jewish workers, as 4well as the other elements, sent delegates to the convention, but the working-class will come organized, conscious that the Jewish workers are the only ones carrying on the battle for Jewish rights and are establishing public sympathy toward this question.

If the convention will organize all the other Jewish elements for the same purpose, it will be a success.

This convention is expected to be in unison, because if there has been any misunderstandings before they have already been straightened out, the shadows of the dead and the tortured men and women of the war countries will create unanimity of opinion, responsibility, and duty.