maim lavish Periodical Carter
December 19, 1941
CIITTON ARNIM • CINCINNATI 20, OHIO
clave. Provisions are being made
sors put it? An enterprise which
to have dates for the various so-
originally started off as a $10,-
cial events for the out-of-town
An Eye-Witness Observer Reports on the Newest
000,000 -corporation to promote
visitors.
Colonization Enterprise
Jewish colonization ends up—not
The main social feature of the
three-day parley will be the con-
unduly emphasized, however, when
By MRS. ARCHIBALD SILVERMAN
requests for funds are made—as
Fred Sorkowitz adn Lou Fried vention dance at the General Mo-
EDITOR'S NOTE: On the island of the Dominican Republic a new a "non-sectarian" colony which were named co-chairmen for the tors Ballroom on Sunday evening,
colonization scheme is being fostered as the result of an offer the Jewish communities of the Regional AZA, Jr. Bnai Brith Dec. 28, featuring the music of
by General Trujillo, its former president. Interest is now United States are asked to sup- convention, to take place in De- Ray Correll. Bnai Moshe Chap-
focussed on the colony because of what has been done there port. Why? Is it not time that a troit on Dec. 27, 28 and 29. Sub- ter 321 is taking charge of the
long-suffering Jewish public chairmen include Dave Darvin, dance. There are tickets avail-
and what is promised. American-Jewish communities are being
should ask for explanations from banquet; Wilfred Roberts, trans- able for the outsiders. Call AZA
asked to provide funds to sustain the project. Mrs. Archibald
Silverman, well-know n American-Jewish philanthropist and those Jews who, without knowl- portation; Mel Markovitz, mail- Headquarters, RA. 66533, for in-
edge or experience, without Jewish
leader, has lust returned from an extended South and Central consciousness or Jewish responsi- ing publicity; Phil Rothschild, formation.
Delegates will strive to win
American tour, including a visit to Sosua. She here gives her bility, are always prepared to city publicity; Chas. Rubin, ath-
letics; Seymour Sobole, debating regional elimination in oratory,
impressions and her predictions.
foist their pet private schemes and oratory; Harry Schwartz, debating and basketball contests.
I have just returned from special governmental background of salvation on Jewish givers Aaron Katzman, registration; Ed-
ward Bard, dating; Max Ball,
Sosua, the 55,000-acre colony in and the Jewish problem involved, everywhere?
Mr. Sumner Welles, Undersec- theater.
Every heart that has beat
the Dominican Republic which should the Jewish people—and not
Undersecretary of State Sumner merely individual Jews—finance retary of State, in his recent ad-
Over 500 delegates from Michi- strong and cheerfully has left a
Welles characterized as an ex- this uncertain experiment in Cen- dress to the Inter-American Jew- gan, Chicago and Windsor are hopeful impulse behind it in the
ish Conference, paid unstinting expected to register at hotel Web- world, and bettered the tradition
periment to determine whether tral America?
to the Sosua adventure. ster Hall for the three-day con- of mankind.—Stevenson.
large-scale colonization in the
Mr. David Schweitzer, director tribute
Americas was feasible. The basic of Sosua, tried to disarm me by It seems to be the tiny—the only
nature and purpose of this enter- saying: "Do not compare this —fragment to justify the high
prise has entered the public do- colonization project with Pales- promise held out but never
main since the Dominican Re- tine. Here we are working to cre- achieved by the Inter-Government-
public Settlement Association, Inc. ate an existence; there you are- al Committee on Refugees. His
has launched an appeal to the working to create a Jewish home- speech was intended as govern-
Jewish community of America for land." And again: "Our coloniza- mental self-justification. Surely
Mr. Welles is not to blame if, on
funds to sustain the project.
tion is non-sectarian."
the one hand, his conception of
In Sosua today there are 450
Despite the fact that on paper
settlers. Carrying out the empha- it makes sense to say that re- Jewish aspirations and needs is
and formed through in-
sized character of the coloniza- gardless of any objections in prin- based
adequate
information conveyed to
tion proiect as "non-sectarian," ciple, 450 human beings were him by his
Jewish friends. On
at least 10 per cent of the settlers "saved" by being placed in tropi- the other hand,
there are Jews
are non-Jews, not taking into ac- cal Sosua, yet we, as Jews, must who, knowing that
our govern-
count so-called "non-Aryans". This take into consideration certain ment is going forward on false
does not include members of the values which transcend mere assumptions (even if with the
staff.
statistics.
most gloriously sympathetic of
Created as a non-profit organi- History of Jewish Colonization purposes), do not have the cour-
zation for the purpose of bringing
The history of previous Jewish age to stand up and speak out.
in permanent settlers who will colonization
has its These people who fail to realize
prove useful to the Dominican bearing on the enterprises
that Jewish destiny is being
Sosua
adventure.
Republic, on the basis of an agree- I, for instance, was opposed to mangled by their silence are the
ment with the Republic entered the idea of Jews being brought ones to be censured.
into on January 30, 1940. Dorsa out of Russia in 1891 by Baron
With my highest appreciation
(Dominican Republic Settlement de Hirsch, who without asking of the good intent of the Inter-
Association) has insisted that them where they wanted to go Governmental Committee that is
only those who could adiust them- settled them in the wilds of the concerning itself with the refu-
selves to the purposes of the col- Argentine! Although this proiect gee problem, I must say that the
THIS NEW 1941 G-E REFRIGER-
ony could remain in its fold.
did not prove the success it might "mountain labored and begat a
ATOR PROMOTES HEALTH,
To achieve that end, the colony and should have been, consider- mouse," if, as sole result of three
is governed by a "homestead ing the millions of dollars avail- years of effort, we have only a
PREVENTS WASTE, SAVES
plan". The settlers live in bar- able—statistics proving that for Sosua.
YOU MONEY EVERY DAY!
racks for one year. For six every Jew remaining on the land
Why should it be assumed by
months they learn how to farm, today three have left—yet in all this Committee that the Jewish
take care of hens, cows, pigs, and fairness it must be said that people of America, forming less
Old-fashioned refrigeration
otherwise adjust themselves to the Baron de Hirsch was concerned than 3 per cent of its popula-
methods are too uncertain to-
land. For another six months with the creation of Jewish colo- tion, must shoulder the burden
day! Get a new G-E that
they prepare the soil, consisting of nies, where the Jewish spirit and responsibility of settling all
2 hectares of land, which is to might be developed.
refugees, regardless of religion,
makes it safe to be hungry
become their own piece of land.
The ill-fated program of Jew- race or creed, who may come into
and promotes better health.
During the period of the first ish colonization in the Russian a Sosua?
year, in addition to housing and Crimea, started in 1925, was pre-
Note these features of the
Haven't we Jews, proportion-
food, they receive $3 per month dicted to be a failure, even ately the greatest sufferers from
G-E model illustrated . .
for cash requirements.
though the same arbitrary, high- Hitler persecution, enough of a
The settler becomes indebted handed methods of Jewish we"lth responsibility to carry in our
• Cold Storage Compartment
to the colony immediately on his in America forced the scheme many-sided relief programs, our
Full family size 7 cu. ft. 1941 G-E
keeps meats in prime condition
arrival, even before his homestead upon public consideration. But work for Palestine, our local char-
model .337-C, with famous THRIFT
for days.
is secured, being given linens, even this scheme, impractical as itable and communal activities,
UNIT. Cuilt to last and to save you
work clothes and similar equip- it proved to be, was definitely Jewish and civic, without having
• High Humidity 10-Quart Veg- 1
money through the years,
ment. It is understood that the intended to help poor Jews settle to burden our givers with still
etable Drawer keeps green-
settler cannot leave the colony on the soil, there to create Jew- another appeaI—especially when
stuffs crisp and garden-fresh.
until his indebtedness is fully ish colonies.
this new appeal is net . even in-
• Giant Bottle Storage Zone.
paid.
Again, in 1935, despite the tended to be Jewish? 'I^ know I
Three Men to Every Woman
fiasco of Crimea, these same am going to be roundly criticized
• 3 1-Quart Dry Storage Bin.
One of the most serious prob- "colonizing experts," dominated for my "chauvinism," my so-called
lems facing the colony is the pre- then as they are today by only "narrow-m i ndedness," by those
ponderance of males. There are two principles as regards Jew- Jews who through their dedication
nearly three men to every woman, ish life—cold philanthropy and to the principles of non-sectarian
.9,
but this fact is not fully reflec- feverish anti-Zionism—again ig- effort believe they are fulfilling
their
Jewish
duty;
but
I
main-
tive of the situation, since most nored the work that was going
Of the women who are there are forward in Palestine and project- tain that before taking on non-
already married. Among the set- ed still another colonization proj- sectarian obligations we should
tlers there are many mixed mar- ect, still another "sure, Jew-sav- and must perform our Jewish
Mobilgas - Oil - Washing - Lubrication
ing haven"—Biro-Bidjan. Here, duty as Jews to Jews to those
riages.
United Motors Service
Jews
who
without
our
help
can-
All the manual labor of the col- too, opposition was overriden as
TOWNSEND 6-9495
12430
-
12TH
ST.
ony—that is, the clearing of jun- being malicious or uninformed.
See SOSUA—Page 1,8
gles, cutting down of trees, budd- But unsuccessful as Biro-Bidian
ing of roads and houses and the proved to be, it must be admitted
like—is done by native Negroes. that it too was intended from the
It was explained that this rep- beginning as a Jewish enterprise,
resented a saving of time. The that it too aimed to create a Jew-
area is subject to malaria and ish settlement.
But the very foundations of
other tropical diseases, but a
start is being made toward clean- Sosua are based on an entirely
ing up the swamps. An American different premise. Never before
expert from the Virgin Islands is in Jewish life have so-called Jew-
soon expected to advise on pro- ish leaders so brazenly dared to
appear before the Jewish world
cedures for this work.
One of the bulletins published —after they personalily had made
Good, wholesome, nourishing food is a "must"
for the settlers in Sosua declares all the commitments and the
that "in view of the fact that at promises—to proclaim that now
these days. And it's more important than ever to
the Evian Conference the Domini- it was the obligation of the Jew-
keep it safe from spoilage in order to prevent
can Republic was the only state ish people to finance a non-sec-
waste and promote better health.
prepared to accept immigrants, tarian colonization enterprise!
the Jews of the entire world must Their previous failures as colon-
The clean, cold air of a G E Refrigerator, with its
accept the moral responsibility of izers are blandly overlooked—no
Selective Storage Zones, keeps meats and dairy
one
deems
it
necessary
to
explain
making a success of this under-
products in market-fresh condition for days. Green-
the
why
and
the
wherefore—we
taking."
stuffs stay crisp and garden-fresh.
are
simply
told
what
we
must
do!
The first question that raises
The
G-E Refrigerator protects health and your
At a time when Jews are en-
itself is this: how long will
pocketbook too! It is built to last and to save you
America Jewry permit a few pri- trapped by a tightening vise of
money through tLe years. See the new models today.
vate individual Jews, acting sole- despair, reaching out pitifully to
ly for themselves, to undertake save themselves, they are once
schemes and make contracts with again the objects of an experi-
governments, which schemes they ment to place them in a distant
subsequently turn over to the en- land, isolated from all Jewish
tire Jewish community to honor centers and contacts, deliberately
told that their life as Jews is in-
and to maintain?
The second question is: Have cidental. It is inevitable that un-
Jews a right, in the face of the der the conditions that prevail in
miserably inadequate resources at Sosua, a generation will see the
their disposal and the swelling Jewish settlers lost to Jewish
FULL 1-2 CU. FT.
number of those who need as- life—if they remain in the colony
1941 G-E MODEL LBX8-A
sistance, to appeal for funds to that long.
"Test Tube" Experiment
the Jewish community as such for
N OW ONLY
Is it not ironic that those who
non-sectarian colonization enter-
point
to
Palestine
as
being
"inade-
Prises—particularly when what is
41 43 68. 1
at stake is the survival of the quate" to solve the Jesvish prob-
Mogilgas - Oil- Washing - Lubrication
(TERMS HERE)
Jews as a people, and not merely lem find it reasonable to spend
United Motors Service
huge sums of public money for
their existence as individuals?
TOWNSEND
6.9495
12430
-
12TH
ST.
The third question is: consider- what must always be "test-tube"
ing the climatic conditions, the experiments, as one of the spon-
WHAT I FOUND IN SOSUA
t.
n
IS
11
5,
i-
n-
al
ur
in
id
i-
ef
11-
n-
of
he
II-
il-
he
of
ith
ar
m-
of
he
?n-
he
iv-
r a-
$18
GENERAL
len
ELECTRIC
—
ok
iti-
Sri-
Ind
ri-
•
urt
ate
ear
he
hat
es-
for
of
ton
In
ugh
art-
na-
vra
Visa
a
sing
the
rael
of
jetY
4 .44
David G. KURZMAN
of
fed
75
on,
.nd
•es
ril-
vas
as
)is-
[rat
A. Z. A. Regional
Convention Here
December 27 to 29
Makes It
Safe To Be
Hungry
h
t'
15
DETROIT JEWISH CHRONICLE and the Legal Chronicle
r'4 1
erisio B etterilealth!
-
GENERAL ELECTRIC
DAVID G. KURZMAN