10
DETROIT JEWISH CHRONICLE and The Legal Chronicle
October 1, 1943
Fighting on the Home Front
The Baffle of Public Relations
by a Jewish man unafraid to ors and airmen whose deeds, ade- people, should know the Axis-aid-
speak his mind in the face of un- quately told, go far to refute the ing potentialities of wartime an-
By RICHARD E. GUTSTADT
warranted attack.
vicious propaganda which would ti-Semitism.
National Director of the Anti-Defamation League of Bnai Isrith
Later, the quiet Jewish traveler label the Jews slackers and proti-
When men in positions of lead-
so, this sergeant from killed in action, took part in more pulled from his pocket a booklet teers.
ership succumb to the temptation
Guadalcanal
akanal says to me: "Wher. than 50 combat flights and re _ which he showed to interested
Very cleverly, friends of the to make political capital of anti-
we get through with the Japs ceived the Silver Star and the fellow passengers, listing the Axis and apostles of disunity Semitism, we cannot wonder
over there, my buddies and I are Distinguished Flying Cross. I-I c names of Jewish heroes in this have hit upon a propaganda car- overmuch, that this malady of
rier second to none in effective- the mind has afflicted tens of
coming back to America to take dropped the bombs which sank war and some of their deeds.
It came from the Anti-Defa. ness. I refer to the so-called "hu- thousands of persons who in nor-
the Jap battleship Haruna — re-
care of the Jews!”
illation League of B'nai B'rith, morous" jingles and stories with mal times would be healthily
The speaker in the club car member?
"A Corporal Finkelstein re- and thereby hangs a tale of other the stay-at-home profiteering Jew- skeptical of planned campaigns of
waved a fat cigar for emphasis
as he bellowed the words in an ceived the Purple Heart after wartime activities of this agency ish stereotype as the "patsy" of hate. Blind anti-Semitism is like
intentionally loud voice for the risking his life to save a pilot and • • •
the story. Many well-meaning any other aberration of the mind;
This wartime Rosh Hashanah of communal leaders and publica- it must receive prompt and scien-
benefit of other passengers. Some- crew member after their plane
body snickered. A buzz of con- crashed in New Guinea. A Jewish 5704 finds the Jewish population tions have been taken in by this tific attention, for there is no
versation began, and some eyes , ensign from Minneapolis, Ira Jef- of the wo rld, despite the decima.. "humor ," which purports to tell
See HOME FRONT—Pag e 14
turned quizzically to a quiet davit ' erY' was killed in action in Pearl tion of one-third of its ranks, fill- a funn y story whose subject is
man who had laid aside his newss- Harbor, but a new destroyer has cd with more hope than at any an unpatriotic character with a
paper and listened to the fat been named after him to corn- time in the past four years. The Jewish name.
memorate . his valor."
successes of Allied arms against
Trade journals, newspapers and
man's discourse.
Happy New Year To All!
The quiet man leaned forward, the Axis and the growing aware _ magazines which have re-publish-
The quiet man looked at thi!
ness of Christians that anti-Semi- ed these grim jokes have express-
quizzical ones, then spoke slowly and continued:
The list is endless, my friend. tism is a social evil too hideous ed surprise, then dismay, when
but with conviction and knowl-
INDEPENDENT
I can give you facts. But perhaps to tolerate, prompt the hope that the propaganda intent behind
edge:
"I think you're misinformed, you don't want facts. Those men out of today's carnage will these stories has been exposed
BISCUIT CO.
sir. Or maybe you are intention- and thousands more, all Jewish, emerge a. World of decency and through A. D. L. representations.
_
freedom
f
rom
fear.
are
brothers-in-arms
with
Chris-
Subsequently,
editorial
explana-
ally spreading misinformation.
"Shur-Good" Brand
But despite the discrediting of tions of the harm done by the
There are Jews on all fronts in than fighting, men. Brotherhood is
this war, fighting at the side of being forged, not forgotten, i n Axis-fostered anti-Semitism, and circulation of these stories were
CRACKERS, COOKIES and
its flouting of historical accuracy. published, and many newspaper
Baptists, Lutherans, Catholics the crucible of -war."
PRETZELS
The fat man's jaw dropped. He too many persons in the United columnists and editorial writers
Confucianists and Agnostics. Set•
geant Meyer Levin, before he was squirmed in his seat uneasily as a States are spreading false stories have taken up the cudgel against
1124 OAKMAN BLVD.
buzz of approbation swept the about the Jewish role in the war this newest propaganda carrier--
car. Then he lumbered to his effort in much the same fashion diabolical humor.
TOwnsend 8-7590
sleeper, disgruntled and con- as the loud traveler mentioned
But devilish as this technique
Season's Greetings!
founded by a little quick think- above, who was countered so d- is, examples of anti-Semitism —
ine and some mastery of facts fectively by a well-informed Jew. sometimes not even thinly-dis-
Domestic nazis and fascists, guised — crop up on the floor of
taking their cue from short-wave Congress, mouthed by represen-
C. 5 H. NIELSEN
L'Shono Tovo Tikosevu!
scurrilities beamed by Axis sta- tatives and senators who, of all
tions,
sedulously
have
planted
CARTAGE CO.
SEASON'S GREETINGS!
seeds of suspicion and distrust of
the Jews, with special emphasis
HAPI'Y NEW YEAR TO ALL!
GENERAL CARTAGE
on the evasion of responsibility
Factory Work a Specialty
PLUMBING and HEATING
by Jews in war, etc. The same
whispered attacks were made in Telephone 'Answering'
CONTRACTOR
World War I, despite incontro-
1464 E. FERRY
vertible records of the War De-
1410 Wilson St., Lincoln Park
Service
TR. 2-2212
partment which showed the names
ATlantic 1202
of some 200,000 Jews in the
24-Hour Service
American
forces
of
1918.
Of
this
Authorized Dealer for
number, 15,000 were casualties—
600 Michigan Theater Bldg.
Rock of Ages Memorials
and because the present conflict
CHERRY 2234
Le Shono Tovo Tikosevu
dwarfs the so-called "Great War,"
we apprehend that Jewish partici-
23436 GRAND RIVER
SEASON'S GREETINGS!
pation in the Global War will
Onn. Grand Lawn Cemetery
considerably exceed the previous
figure.
Le Shone Tovo Tikosevu
Redford 0458
Yet we must wait until after
die war for the release of final
figures on Jews in the armed
FRIGID FOOD
196 FERRIS AVE.
forces. and at' the same time con-
fute those spreaders of hate and
PRODUCTS
Highland Park
A Happy New Year
disunity who would have our
INCORPORATED
TO. 8.8718
Christian fellow-citizens believe
the worst of us. The anti-Defa-
Mr.
and
Mrs.
Wm,
R.
Roth
Berkower
A. J. SIHLER, Prop.
illation League since Pearl Har-
Mr. and Mrs. Julius Green
bor has pursued a policy of dig-
12707 DEXTER BLVD.
nified publicizing of Jewish men
1599 E. WARREN
who acquit themselves. with valor
HOGARTH 5550
TEmple 1-7900
12221 Dexter
HO. 3380 and distinction in this war. We
have ascertained that bringing
the name of a Meyer Levin or
Mame Epstein before the public,
alongside heroes of other faiths
impresses people, often subcon-
Happy New Year To All!
A Quick Victory and
sciously, with the falsity of
HOLIDAY
GREETINGS
SEASON'S GREETINGS!
charges that the Jews are not
"doing their part."
And a Happy
Mere figures do not tell an
adequate story. Only to the ob-
jective and analytical mind are
New Year .. .
&Imes convincing.
But everybody is interested hi
a tale of man against the ele-
ments — or man against unequal WHOLESALE FRUITS AND
VEGETABLES
odds
— or man saving his buddy
COAL and COKE
Dwight I.. Wolfe, Mgr.
at the risk or cost of his own life.
Exclusive Distributors of
Dr. Maurice
There already is a wealth of
HONOR BRAND FRESH
such accounts in the annals of
SCHLEY
FROSTED FOODS
this war — and many of then
17400 RYAN ROAD
HOgarth 0828
center about Jewish soldiers, sail-
“-
Everett Bennett
Redford
Granite Works
FERRIS FURNACE
REPAIR CO.
•
Bowl-O-Drome
Fur Shop
City Fruit &
Produce Col
RYAN COAL
Contractors Oil
Grease Co.
COMPANY
8880 ALPINE AVE.
TW. 2-3530
•
•
Le Shone Toro Tikosevu
1301 Winder St.
CH. 6570
EASTERN MARKET
RIDAL'S SERVICE
A New Light . . . Over the World
Today
at war people everywhere are locking
A now bond of understanding
STATION
"That Good Gulf Gas"
upward . . .
Brakes Lined and
Adjusted
Cars Washed
and
brotherhood is being
forged that holds promise of great things to come . . .
A Year of Peace and Happiness to
Ccr. Milwaukee and John R.
A1111
PETER RIDAL
BACK UP OUR BOYS . . . BUY WAR BONDS
Jules R. Schubot
•
TRINITY 2.9698
Le Shono Tovo Tikosevu—A Happy New Year
WALKER GAGE and DIE CO.
PRECISION GAGES—TOOLS—DIES
1343 WYOMING AVE.
HOGARTH 2316
ROSH HASHONAII GREETINGS
FOREMAN—OPPENHEIM 8 CO.
CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS
SIDNEY W. FOREMAN
LEE W. OPPENHEIM
807 ME'1OPOLITAN BLDG.
Rosh II«shonah Greetings!
GREETINGS OF THE SEASON
DAUBERGER
PATRICK H. O'BRIEN
SHIRTMAKER
—DAVID GOLDBERG, Pres.
JUDGE OF PROBATE
Detroit. Wayne County. Michigan
East Side Coal Co.
154 W. LAFAYETTE
CADILLAC 5574
"A FUEL WITHOUT A FAULT"
PLAZA 9200
INSTANT SERVICE ON FUEL OIL
•
•