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CLIFTON AVENUli - CINCINNATI 10, OHIO

DETROIT JEWISH' CHRONIdll and the

August 16, 1940

p urely Commentary

The Tributes to Jabotinsky

The avalanche of tributes to the memory of
Vladimir Jabotinsky from leaders of all parties
in Zionism ought to set Jews to thinking about
the futility of argument and friction and the
advisability of arbitrating differences.
It was never denied that Jabotinsky was a
great man. He rendered yeoman service to Zion-
ism. Ile was a literary genius. He was a great
poet and essayist, and he has to his credit an
excellent novel. As a linguist he ranks high, and
there were times when he was unexcelled as a
speaker in at least five tongues.
Zionist leaders with whom he differed knew
his q ualities. Sonic made serious efforts to adjust
differences with him : But unfortunately for all
concerned, and especially for the Palestine recon-
struction movement, the rift between the general
Zionists and the Revisionists widened rather than
disappeared. There was guilt in both camps, which
merely goes to prove the point we make that it
ought to be possible to sit at a conference table
and to adjust difficulties and differences rather
than to continue to encourage hatreds.
Josh Billings (Henry Wheeler Shaw), the great
American humorist, once said: "Nussing revenge
is like nursing a yung hedgehog—the older he
grows, the sharper his quills." This is how it has
been in the internecine fight among Zionists. This
is how it is in family feuds. This is how it is in
cads among nations. Billings also offered the
solution to vengefulness when he said: "Prejudice
iz a hous plant which iz very apt tew wither
if yu take it out doors amungst pholks."
Would that men and women could learn this
lesson and avoid hatreds and conflicts. Give the
conference table a chance, and a great deal of
venom will disappear.

•

But Not for Uniformity

It is not to be implied from what we have just
said that we are for uniformity. On the contrary,
we believe in variety of thinking and of the right
of people to differ. As long as there is honest
difference of opinion we can get along and permit
a majority to rule. We should be able to differ
without nursing hatred. Jabotinsky and Weizmann
could have and should have sat in the same con-
ference room, while at the same time belonging to
different parties in Zionism.
That is why we disagree with the editorial
writer for the Wisconsin Jewish Chronicle who
suggests the scrapping of the three groups in
Judaism—Orthodox, Reform and Conservative—
and forming one party in Israel. This writer
asks: "Why not one Jewish religion in America,
instead of three?" His premise is wrong. There
is only one Jewish religion. We differ only in
interpretations of symbols and practices and
ceremonials. If ov were to form, as proposed, one
party in our faith, we would merely regiment and
totalitarianize Jewry. That would be contrary
to Jewish tradition and to Jewish adherence to
democratic thinking and living. We pride our-
selves on tolerating the viewpoint of our neigh-
bor and on granting him the right to differ with
us. We must adhere to such a principle. We have
always had parties in Israel. There has never
been a time in our history when we did not have
majority and minority views. It must never be
otherwise.
Therefore we say: let us tolerate differences;
but let us attempt to iron out conflicts around
the conference table and not through internecine
wars.
•

John Steinbeck Replies to a Query

Here is an exchange of correspondence which
is of sufficient interest and importance to be
quoted.
The eminent director of the Friends of De-
mocracy, Dr. L. M. Birkhead wrote the follow-
log letter to John Steinbeck, the brilliant author
of "Grapes of Wrath":

"I hope that you will not think I am im-
pertinent, but our organization has had put
up to it the problem of your nationality.
You may consider that it is none of our busi-
ness, nor the business of anyone else in the

country. However, there is a very wide-
spread propaganda, particularly among the
extreme reactionary religionists of the coun-
try, that you are Jewish and that "Grapes
of Wrath", is Jewish propaganda.
"I wonder if you have any sort of a state-
ment that you could send me which would
clarif y this issue.
"I think you will be interested in the work
that our organization has been doing in com-
battin g the pro-Nazi and anti-Semitic propa-
ganda so widespread throughout the country.
I am sending you a copy of our most recent
publication,
'Father Coughlin: Self Con•

demned.'"

To which Mr. Steinbeck replied as follows from
his home at Los Gatos, Calif.:
" 1 am answering your letter with a good
deal of sadness. I am sad for a time when

one must know a man's race before his work
can be approved or disaooroved. It does not
seem important to m e whether I am Jewish
or not, and I know that a statement of mine
Is
useless if an interested critic wishes to
ride a preconceived thesis. I cannot se e how
the Grapes can be Jewish propaganda but then
I have heard it called communist propaganda
alto.
It happens that I am not Jewish and have
no Jewish blood but it only happens that way.
I find that I do not experience any pride
that it is so.
If you wish—here is my racial map although
you know what an intelligent anthropolo-

•
5

Legal Chronicle

By PHILIP SLOMOVITZ

gist thinks of racial theories. As you will
I am the typical American Airedale.
"My grandfather on my father's side was
German, the son of a farming family which
lived and still lives on a fairly large farm
near Dusseldorf. My grandfather came to
America in the late fifties in time to be in
the Civil War. There has been little com-
munication with the German branch since
then except for a visit to Germany about
four years ago by a second cousin of mine.
He reports that the family still lives on the
same farm and that they appear to be good
citizens, intensely blond and quite able to
prove the nonsensical thing the Nazis insist
on. Their name and ours by the way was
Grosssteinbeck but the three s's in a row
were an outrage to America so my grand-
father dropped the first syllable in the in-
terest of spelling.
"My German grandfather married a New
England woman whose family name was
Dickson who came from Leominster, Massachu-
setts where her family had lived since the
middle seventeenth century.
"On my moth'er's side my blood is all north
Irish, my grandfather, whose name was Hamil-
ton having com e from Mulkeraugh near Lon-
donderry and his wife whose name was Fea-
ghan from nearby.
'Anyway there it is. Use it or don't use it,
print it or not. Those who wish for one rea-
son or another to believe me Jewish will go
on believing it while men of good will and
good intelligence won't care one way or an-
other.
"I can prove these things of course—but
when I shall have to—the American democ-
racy will have disappeared.
"Yours is only one of many letters I have
received on the same subject. It is the first
I have answered and I think it is the last.
I fully recognize your position and do not in
the least blame you for it. I am only miserable
for the time and its prejudice that prompt it.
"Sincerely,
"(Signed) John Steinbeck.
"P. S. On both sides and for many genera-
tions we are blond and blue eyed to a de-
gree to arouse the admiration and perhaps
envy of the dark complexioned Hitler."

see,

In a sense, this type of correspondence, and
this sort of inquiry, is painful. What difference
does it make, after all, whether a man is of one
race or another, of one religious belief or a dif-
fering one? But apparently it does make a dif-
ference, since so many people, Jews and non-Jews,
call us so often to inquire whether this man is a
Jew or that man's wife a Jewess.
Will the situation ever change? Apparently it
has gotten worse in our generation. Let us hope
that the next generation will be more fortunate.

•

A Garibaldi Story

Italians who take pride in their heroes who
fought for liberty enjoy telling the following
story.
One day, while General Garibaldi and his
soldiers were passing through a country region
in Italy, they met a shepherd who was looking
for a lost lamb. The General, forgetting the trials
and demands of war, ordered some of his soldiers
to aid the shepherd in his search. After a very
long time, they returned, without having found
the lost lamb. That night Garibaldi was missed
by some of his men. At last the General was
found in a shed. He was lying upon a heap of
straw, and safe beside him lay the lost lamb.
Garibaldi's arm was thrown around the little
creature which was nestled close to him. The
tired soldier and the tired lamb were both asleep.
The General had gone himself in search of the
stray lamb, found it, and was bringing it home
to the shepherd.
This anecdote, which is similar to one related
about Moses, must set people to thinking about
the nature of the Italian people. Is it possible
that the people of Garibaldi will accept the bar-
barism of present-day Germany which repudiates
the honorable spirit of Italy? Is it possible that
the Italians will abandon the heroism of Garibaldi
for the cowardly race theories of Gayda, Musso-
lini and Ciano? We are inclined to believe that
they will not, that when the final test comes
the voice of Garibaldi will silence the shrieks of
the Duce.

•

Center Outdoor
Concert Aug. 19

The Jewish Community Center,
Woodward at Holbrook, will pre-
sent the Michigan Symphony Or-
chestra, directed by Valter Poole,
in an outdoor concert to be held
Monday, Aug. 19, at 8:30 p. m.
The Michigan Symphony Orches-
tra has received much praise for
its excellent performances be-
fore many public audiences. Dur-
ing the past season, it was pre-
sented by the Center in a series
of concerts, which attracted a
large number of people.
The orchestra of 68 men will
offer the following program: Star
Spangled Banner, Overture Ober-
on by Weber, Symphony in G
Minor by Mozart (four move-
ments), Spanish Caprice by Rim-
sky-Korsakov.
The concert will be held on the
Holbrook Ave. side of the Center.
Special permission has been
granted by the Traffic Engineer-
ing Bureau of the city and the
Fire Department to close Hal-
brook Ave. from traffic during
the program. In case of inclem-
ent weather, the concert will be
given indoors in the Center au-
ditorium.
The community is invited to

attend this public performance.
Admission is free.

REFUGEE FAMILY HERE
SEEKS EMPLOYMENT

Among the refugees seeking
employment here is a family of
three—Mr. and Mrs. Eric Hoff-
mann and son, John, 17, who ar-
rived here three months ago. They
left Belgium a week before the
Nazi invasion.
Mr. Hoffmann is an automobile
driver and can do odd jobs and
repairs. Mrs. Hoffmann, a gov-
erness and teacher, is pre-
pared to take on work sewing,
teaching, as governess or to take
care of a household. Mr. and
Mrs. Hoffmann jointly will be
glad to take on work to manage
a home and garage. Mrs. Hoff-
mann speaks German, French and
English. John Hoffmann speaks
Italian, French, German and
English. He was in Italy for a
year and a half and in England
for a year. He, too, is prepared
to take on odd jobs. He is at
present attending school here.
Those wishing to offer employ-
ment to this family, singly or
collectively, are asked to com-
municate with them at 12108
Cherrylawn, Davison 4755.

KADIMAH HEBREW SCHOOLS I

ONE OF THE MOST MODERN IN THE STATE

NEW PUPILS NOW BEING ENROLLED
at 11812 Linwood Ave., corner Tuxedo, upstairs
SIMON RICHARDSON, Principal
Private Lessons Can Be Arranged

Transportation furnished for children who live at a
distance from the school.
For information call TOwnsand 6.1698

Will Their Standard of
Living Endure?

All too often, the unexpected death of the
breadwinner means that the standard of living
to which he has accustomed his family and
dependents will have to be radically revised.
Most families under the circumstances would
have to come down too suddenly to a lower
standard of living. To guard against this dan-
ger, The Great-West Life has worked out a
practical readjustment income plan. Let me give
you full particulars—you will be interested.

HARRY H1MELSTEIN

1512 Union Guardian Building
Telephone — Randolph 0446

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Hitler Was Blundered Into Power

Hermann Ullstein was the head of the largest
publishing house/in Germany. Some say it was
the largest newspaper and magazine publishing
firm in the world. Ullstein, now in this country,
had to follow the way of all wealthy Jews in
Germany. Now, in the calm atmosphere of these
great United States, he tells the story of his
experiences and makes the admission that Hitler
was blundered into power.
In the recent article he wrote for the Saturday
Evening Post, Hermann Ullstein described the nu-
merous betrayals of the Republic in Germany, of
the hesitancy on the part of liberals and Jews to
act in time of impending crisis. Now, the exiles
are reading eight-year old newspapers to find
out the blunders they made.
The Ullstein story is a forceful and convincing
warning to all libertarians, and especially to
Americans, not to repeat the blunders of Ger-
many. If there is a threat to America from Naz-
ism, it can still be avoided—provided we act
fearlessly and determinedly to prevent the rise of
a tyrannical menace.

.

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