American ,etifish Periodical Center
CLIPTON AVENUE - CINCINNATI 20, OHIO
5
DETROIT JEWISH CHRONICLE and The Legal Chronicle
Commentary
p urely
Christian Front's Diabolical Tactics
Trees in Palestine
By PHILIP SLOMOVITZ
FLOWER DAY OF
NATIONAL FUND
THIS WEEK - END
adult Zionist groups will sell
flowers for the raising of funds
to redeem land in Palestine for
the settlement of persecuted and
expatriated Jews.
The solicitations for this year's
Flower Day began on Thursday
at the convention of the Jewish
National Workers' Alliance (Far-
band).
Nathan Spevakow, treasurer of
the Jewish National Fund Coun-
cil of Detroit, is advisor to the
committee in charge of this
year's Flower Day.
The Hour, that magnificent weekly bulletin
The annual Flower Day of the
A Chronicle reader has clipped and sent to us
brief item from Printers Ink of May 17, 1940, published at 11 W. 42nd St., New York, this week Jewish National Fund will be ob-
a under the heading "Trees for Palestine" which revealed the new tactics planned by the Christian served in Detroit this week-end,
reads: "The New York News last week had a Front in the following expose of the anti-Semitic Saturday night and all day Sun-
picture of Mrs. James Roosevelt, mother of the group's latest diabolical scheme:
day.
president, and Mrs. Herbert Lehman, wife of the
Under the co-chairmanship of
meeting on May 13 in the back
Secretly
Governor, showing them in animated conversation
Dorian Neimoff and Dinah Gold-
of a store near 54th Street and 9th Avenue,
at a luncheon. The announced object of the lunch-
smith, volunteers representing
20 Christian Front leaders discussed a new
eon was to raise funds for buying trees to be
youth organizations and several
method for spreading anti-Semitism in the
planted in Palestine. It would be nice for Pales-
city of New York. Briefly, the technique is
have some more trees. But can't the proj-
this: Christian Fronters will be assigned to
tine
ect to
wait for a while until some other important
busy street corners, where they will strike
matters are disposed of? How about using the
up conversations—between themselves and
tree money to help buy food for women and
with innocent bystanders—about the Jews
children in Europe who, as a result of Mr.
and their "role" in the present war. The
Hitler's war, are starving?"
regular street meetings formerly held by the
Our correspondent has appended to the clip-
Christian Front will be relegated to a sec-
ping a note of his own which reads: "The Editor
ondary importance while the new method of
fomenting racial hatred is tried out.
may be correct."
To the credit of our reader let it be said that
According to those who proposed the new
he does not hide under anonymity—as some cor-
technique, it has certain distinct advantages.
respondents unfortunately do at times—and that
In the first place the very anonymity of the
A Fine Summer Camp for Boys in
he has appended his name to the note. It is quite .
method offers benefits. At old Christian Front
evident that he is sincere in his concern over this
street meetings, the speakers were immedi-
ALGONQUIN PARK, ONTARIO
question for trees and the problem of providing
ately labeled for what they were; in the new
food for needy. Nevertheless, we wonder why he
procedure, onlookers will believe that the
• Mature staff—one Counselor to four boys in cabin-
did not, when he read the article in Printers' Ink,
vociferous anti-Semite is simply another well-
• Complete relief from hay fever-
xpressing
his
opinion.
In
the
ay
to
himself
that
in
view
of
the
negative
atti-
e
meaning
citizen
s
tude of this periodical on a Jewish question the
second place this method will be harder to
• Horseback riding and all camp activities included in the one fee.
combat than were the former tactics. Pro-
editor may be either correct or incorrect.
democratic groups, which previously held
Phone or write foi appointment or information to:
The fact is that this editor is wrong. One must
counter-meetings in order to offset the Front
understand the value of a tree and the significance
propaganda, will now be unable to antici-
of planting it before reaching a conclusion on
pate where and when the Fronters will be
tree planting. The planting of a tree in Palestine
spreading their "gospel." In other words, the
is unlike the planting of a bush in Detroit or in
Fronters will be appearing in small numbers
Cleveland or in Los Angeles. It represents life.
at unexpected but strategic points throughout
It means labor. It means a livelihood for people.
the city. A third aciyantage is that the Chris-
It means honor and dignity for a people. It rep-
tian Front itself Minot be held responsible
resents the foundation for a homeland for a
for the public disturbances that will be the
people.
TYLER 5-2259, Evenings
hoped-fur result of the arguments started.
2516 PINGREE, DETROIT
Let us, at the outset, understand the interpre-
TYLER 5-8600, Days
(And
this
is
an
important
consideration,
in
tation given by Jewish tradition to true charity
view of the fact that the Christian Front has
—to Zedakah which means not alms-giving but
been advised by influential parties not to
justice. Maimonides described it as a gradation
openly cause too much trouble until the pres-
in eight steps. The first degree is a gift made
ent Federal trial of their fellows is con-
with reluctance and representing the donation
cluded.)
of the hand and not of the heart. The second
step is to give cheerfully but not proportion-
It is pointed out that a successful test case
ately to the distress of the sufferer. The third
has already been made of the technique. On
step is to give proportionately and cheerfully but
Sunday, the day previous to the secret gather-
not until solicited. The fourth step involves the
ing, a selected pair of Front adherents ex-
putting of the gift in the receiver's hand thus
perimented at Times Square. The results ob-
inciting in him the painful emotion of shame. The
tained were "highly satisfactory." And so
fifth step, marking commendable conduct, involves
it was decided to put into effect immediately
the tieing of alms in the poor men's cloaks so
the new method, on a wide scale. "Discus-
There is no need for your family ever to be faced
that the needy may take the gifts unperceived.
sions" are to be started within the next few
with the handicap of unpaid bills and accumulated
The sixth grade rises even higher, the benefactor
days in and around Times. Square, at 96th
debts if you should die unexpectedly. The Great-
remaining unknown. Even more meritorious is
Street and Broadway, at Willis Avenue and
the seventh step, involving the bestowing of kind-
West Life can provide you with a policy—plan
59th, and at other advantageous p o ints around
ness by an unknown benefactor to whom the
adjusted to suit your needs and your earning power
the
city.
needy also remains unknown. But the eighth step
—that will give your family a fair start in the
is the most commendable of all. It anticipates
This revelation spells warning. The big danger
struggle which would face them if you should be
charity by preventing poverty, by assisting the that may result from such a dastardly program is
called away unexpectedly. See me for particulars.
reduced fellow-man by teaching him a trade, or that it will either create panic in Jewish ranks,
by putting him in business so that he may earn a
or that it will so un-nerve some Jews that they
livelihood and not be forced to the alternative will turn hot-heads and will offer battle. Both
must be avoided. A great deal of tact will have
of holding out his hand for charity.
to be exercised, and Jews will have to control
This is the principle that must guide us in
1512 Union Guardian Building
their tempers. At the same time, it would be
considering the value of a tree which means so
calamitous to ignore the threats of such a scheme
much to Palestine. When a person orders the
Telephone — Randolph 0446
planting of trees in Eretz Israel he does not and not to plan to offset its impending menace.
Our leaders are put to the test by such diabolical
merely buy a sapling and have it planted. He
does more than that: He helps redeem land for tactics. They must think of the future and know
ASBUNANCE COMPANY
hISAO OPPICII• •ININNIPIO
how to face the issue that will be created by
the colonization of harassed Jews; he buys the
such an un-American and hate-breeding plan.
seed for cultivating this land; he employs labor
Time will of course, solve all problems, in-
to work the land; he saves lives by giving people
a home and by providing the means of a livelihood cluding this one. But time may be on our side
now, and later it may work against us. Let our
for these people. In brief, he rises to the highest
leaders plan for action before it is too late.
degree of kindness as prescribed by Maimonides.
Ile reaches "the summit of charity's golden
ladder," as the Maimonidean code is described.
One important point must not be forgotten.
Suspension of Gottheil Medal
What the miserably-treated Jewish people needs
is a home. Ask the average German Jew for an
Writing in behalf of the trustees of the Gottheil
GET IN TOUCH WITH
explanation of the policy adopted in the past
Medal, which had been offered annually by Zeta
seven years of taking the young people out of
Beta Tau Fraternity to the person who had done
Germany, and he will tell you that he and his
the most for Jewry during the past year, James
fellow-Jews were primarily concerned that the
R. Katzman, chairman of the trustees, writes:
youth should be saved and given a home. That
"The trustees of the Gottheil Medal at a
thought came before the urge for food for them-
meeting held on May 4th, 1940, received from the
selves. More important than charity involving
editors of the Anglo-,Jewish press a large number
food for the starvation is self-respect for the
of worthy nominees for the 1939 award by the
living. Dignity and self-respect are possible only
Zeta Beta Tau Fraternity of the medal for dis-
when people are at home and are beginning to
tinguished service to Jewry.
acquire freedom. If the attitude expressed in
"The trustees are of the opinion that at a
Printers' Ink were adopted by peoples and gov-
time when millions of Jews are undergoing in-
I Wyandotte
Detroit Phone I
ernments, then we would have to stop building
credible privation, when thousands of acts of
Phone 0650
Vinewood 2-3060
schools and universities, we would be called upon
heroism are being performed by Jews and non-
SALES AND SERVICE
to abandon better housing programs, we would Jews in the cause of humanity, and Americans
forget the need for impriving health conditions;
Wyandotte, Mich.
have contributed so richly of their wisdom and
2400 Biddle Avenue
through adequate hospitals.
their means to the solution of the problem of
What is a tree? It is a symbol of life and
the Jew, which is the problem of civilization, the
growth and happiness. It represents toil and the
selection of any one individual for the Gottheil
joy of working for a living. It is an emblem of
award is neither feasible nor desirable. The
self-respect and a nation's dignity. In Palestine
award of the medal is, therefore, suspended this
it means all of that, and more: it means, for
year."
the Jewish people, the reconstruction of a self-
It took a long time to reach this decision. The
respecting existence away from the misery of
fact is that adults are not children, that there
the ghetto and the degradation of oppression. It
ought not to be a need for "rewards" for Jews
means self-help and a return to a national crea-
who come forth to serve their people.
tive life. It is much better to plant a tree and
Nevertheless, the reason advanced sounds weak.
thereby to help rebuild a home for Israel and
After all it has been true for a decade, and is
to provide means for earning a livelihood to the
not peculiar to the present year. On the con-
hordes fleeing from persecution, than merely to
w e believe that it is more difficult to select
We invite your mortgage business.
hand out alms without planning and thus to per- trary,
an awardee today than it has been in years. The
petuate poverty and despair. The poor must be
It will receive our careful considera-
crushing of the Jewish spirit abroad has also
fed, and the needy must be helped; but a people
affected us here, and it has hurt our standing
tion from inception to completion.
with vision must not limit itself to hand-outs but
as a creative force. It is something to think
must plan for the future. A broken mart's life
about seriously.
must be reconstructed; a broken people's existence
We are in favor of the complete abandonment
must be made secure. That is why we are seeking
of the practice of distributing medals, and favor
colonization centers for Jews, in Santo Domingo
instead the spread of greater concern over our
and in the Philippines and in Alaska, as well as
status as an ethnical and ethical entity. kt there
General Discount Corporation
In Palestine. To abandon the planting of trees
be less thinking of awards and more concern over
f-
would
mean also the abandonment of colonization
the need of creating values for ourselves and our
1605 BARLUM TOWER
ood for the starving is self-respect for the
neighbors. Let us start building our defenses cul-
people can not and will not do. Palestine will have
turally and spiritually. When we have done that
trees because the people settling in Palestine must
we will once again have given more than we
have life. The tree remains the symbol of life—
are giving now to America and to the world.
and life goes on.
Camp
[TAMAKWA
LOU HANDLER
DIRECTOR
Assure Them
of a Clear Start
HARRY 01MELSTEIN
".GREAT-WEST LIFE
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