The Jews wanted Mr. Taft's name, they wanted “a Gentile front,” and they got it. The speech con¬ tributes nothing to the discussion; it proves nothing, it disproves nothing. In parts it is a rehash of a speech delivered by a New York rabbi. Indeed, one of William Howard Taft’s most telling points was the almost verbal repetition of a point made by that rabbi.
Mr. Taft’s business now is the delivery of ad¬ dresses. Between November 1, at which time he had not read the Jewish Question at all, until .December 23, when he presumed to pronounce judgment on it for all time, he had been away a great deal on the road. Indeed, he reached Chicago without having done any of his Christmas shopping. He explained that he had “been traveling over the country so fast” that his time had all been taken up. When he found time to study the Jewish Question does not appear. It is most probable that he had no time and did no study¬ ing. If he did, he carefully concealed the fruits of it when delivering his address.
Before his address was delivered, the newspapers