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Friday, August 23, 1946

DETROIT JEWISH CHRONICLE and The Legal Chronicle

Page Five

HISTORY OF JEWS
IN MICHIGAN

Hy IRVING L KATZ
ARTICLE 26

The Voice of the
Man in the Street

HUGO HILL

Book Review

our ITT •WIEIEIr

Dr. Chaim Weizmann has long championed

the Jewish cause In
chancelleries throughout the world. Yet this untiring work for
his
The Jewish Chronicle will pay co-religionists has long overshadowed the universal prestige behind
$1.00 to the person whose question
his doctorate,—that of being one of the greatest of modern chemists.

Is used in this column. Mall your
questions to the Jewish Chronicle,
525 Woodward Ave., Detroit 26.
Photos by ERIC BENNETT
Staff Photographer
TIME: Sunday afternoon.
PLACE: Dexter Boulevard.
Hugo Hill was born in Germany in 1842 or 1843, and came to
QUESTION: What Jewish celeb-
Oxford, Michigan, in 1860. He moved to Detroit about 1863 and opened
rity do you admiire above all
a small general store. In the same year he married Bertha M. Men-
others?
delsohn, daughter of Reuben and
Minnie Mendelsohn.
THEODORE ZAKON, 12672 Mo-
nica, Salesman.
Mrs. Hill was born in Germany
Eddie Cantor. For years he has
in 1846, was brought to New York
by her parents when -she was but been one of the greatest stars in
t h e entertain-
a few months old, and moved to
ment field. Not
Detroit when she was 16. Mrs.
letting fame go
Hill was an indomitable business
to his head, he
woman and made up her mind to
has endeavored
enlarge the business. She per-
to g iv e other
suaded her husband to add a
promising en-
millinery department which she
tertainers t h e
opport unity
managed herself, and which she
needed to break
expanded to include ladies' dres-
in and succeed,
ses.
where without
From that small beginning, in
this help, they
the latter part of the last century,
might still be
obscure.
one of the best-known ladies'
His clean-cut life has been a
gown and hat shops in the middle
west developed in Detroit, and wonderful reflection upon the Jew-
was known as the Hugo Hill Com- ish people. I wouldn't hesitate a
pany. The shop, then called a second in recommending his stand-
store, was situated on the site of ard of living as a shining example
the present David Whitney Build- for others to follow.
Another thing which added to
Hugo IIII1
ing. It was four stories high and
a full block deep. Mrs. Hill made regular buying trips to Parts, his prestige was the devoted way
France, which was quite unusual for a woman in those days, and in which he entertained service-
brought back original models which were copied with precision in men in camps, hospitals and over-
the Hugo Hill Company work rooms. People from all over the coun- seas. Despite the number of years
try came to the Hugo Hill Company in Detroit: Mrs. T. B. Black- he has been in the limelight, I
stone of Chicago, Lillian Russel, Maxine Elliot, Mrs. Grover Cleve- think his popularity is still grow-
land, Mrs. David Whitney, many theatrical people, prominent tycoon's ing.
wives, governors' wives, the wives of railroad presidents and mine
owners—the richest people in the United States became the patrons MRS. A. GOODMAN, 3771 Roches-
ter, Housewife.
of the shop. The secret of the success of the company was the per-
Eddie Cantor. I think he has
sonal touch which Mrs. Hill added to all her contacts. All respected
her, her taste, her varied interests. She discussed books, law, 'drama, done a great deal :or the Jewish
politics, medical science and research with them. She was an ex- race, not so much from the enter-
tainment angle,
tremely well-read person, self-educated.
Mr. Hill was active in Jewish affairs and served as president as from the
of Pisgah Lodge Bnai Brith in 1882, secretary of the Beth El Relief way he has
Society, and as treasurer of Temple Beth El. Mrs. Hill was secre- used his popu-
tary, from 1872 to 1874, of the Ladies' Society for the Support of larity in putting
Hebrew Widows and Orphans and was very active in that organization. across charita-
Mr. and Mrs. Hugo Hill were the parents of Stella (Mrs. Rudolph ble and philan-
Freidenberg) Eugene, Arthur M. and Dr. I. L. Hill. Their grand- thropic activi-
children are Hugo and Arthur Hill of Florida, Lewis Fremont of ties. H i s re-
Buenos Aires, and Mrs. Edgar Menderson (Melanie Freidenberg) of freshing char-
Cincinnati. Another granddaughter, Mrs. Benjamin D. Welling (Elsa acter has been
a big factor in
Freidenberg) passed away in 1929.
The great grandchildren are Ruth Welling Westhelmer of Cin- building up his
cinnati, Robert Welling of Detroit, Betty Menderson Schulman of fame.
Another reason
Washington, and Edgar Menderson, Jr. of Cincinnati.
When Hugo Hill paSsed away in 1908 Mrs. Hill gave up the I admire him above all others is
shop, but she could not relinquish her love for business even after because of the success he has
the closing of the Hugo Hill Company. In the same pioneer spirit made of his married life. There
which had prompted her earlier career she realized that Detroit was has been no scandal whatsoever
booming and became interested in real estate. She died in 1937. Her connected with his name, some-
business skill, her interest in human . beings, in world politics, her thing unusual for a person in that
tolerance in and understanding of the unparalleled changes in hu- field.
man affairs which had come in her four score and twelve years made
DOROTHY PFEIFFER, 9953
her an outstanding personality.
McQuade, Clerical 1Vorker.
Hank Greenberg. I guess the
reason I chose him is because I
am a baseball fan. Despite that,
I feel that he
By LEON SAUNDERS
has done a
great deal for
the Jewish peo-
R. C. Duffus of the New York Times Book Reviews, came out
ple. He is al-
with a confession entitled "The Last half hour of the Day" in the
ways willing to
form of an article in the last Sunday Literary supplement. This vet-
talk to fans,
eran reviewer devotes his article to the old subject of what one
give out auto-
would choose had one, been compelled to limit oneself to 10 books.
graphs, etc. and
that together
Mr. Duffus has read many books. He is familiar with the best
with his out-
in literature, and his selection of the 10 books he prefers is not a
standing play-
reflection on his knowledge or his taste. His selection of 10 books
ing ability, has
is based on the following: If he were shipwrecked on an overpopu.
made him one
lated island containing libraries and book stores from which he
could afford to buy any number of them; secondly, he limits his of the most popular players in
choice to those books he could read one-half an hour before going the game.
He is idolized by Jewish chil-
to sleep, which means "reading for pure pleasure" and not for edifi-
cation. The books he chooses for this purpose are: "Huckleberry dren. They will probably miss him
Finn," "Sung Harbor," by W. Jacobs, "Sailing Alone Around The more than anyone else should he
World," by Captain Joshua Slocum, "The Oregon Trail," "Two Years decide to retire from baseball next
Before The Mast," "Kim," "Pickwick Papers," "Pendenis," "Travels year. I hope he plays at least an-
other year, for I'm sure his popu-
With A Donkey," by Robert Stevenson, and "Lorna Doon."
As his selection is for a special purpose and time, we will not larity will increase even more.
When not in uniform, Hank is
enter into a discussion about his taste. We would like to take up
the-.much-controversial subject of what one should choose out of perhaps the neatest dresser of all
the thousands of books if one had to limit oneself to 10. it is of major league players. This, too,
course a thankless undertaking, albeit a fascinating one. One could adds many to his list of admirers.
argue that it depends upon one's taste, background and intelligence.
And still it would be indicative of one's taste and that is the pur- MORRIS SINGER, 3265 Boston,
Salesman.
pose of the problem provided one is honest with oneself.
Danny Kaye. I think he is one
Having for a long time associated with books and being afflicted of the greatest entertainers of the
with the pernicious desease called Bibliophilia, e.g. being imbued present day. Coming up the hard
with an instinct of a book worm, we do like to find out for ourself way, he knows
what we would select had we been compelled to choose 10 books what the aver-
from the mass of printed material. We could, of course, insist that age person
10 books is too small a number for that purpose, that we would wants and he's
need at least a hundred, but if we must, we must.
a specialist
Even having promised oneself to be honest about the choice, one
1 3 apt to be a little hypocritical about It. As Edmonds expresses it, when it comes
c.
to handing out
"Even great men in a spirit of dumb loyalty admire all things that laughs. When-
were said to be admirable".
ever you feel
We promise not to be swayed by authority, by fame of the author,
or popularity of the book but adhere purely to our sincere taste and down in the
dumps, he's the
attempt to give reasons for such preference.
For sheer pleasure of reading, I would choose Cervantes' "Don. man who can
Quijote", for its humor, while broad, is simple and homely not un- make you for- .-
like that of "Gil Blast' another epic about Spain. Although I promised get your troubles.
not to be swayed by authority, I must say that my taste agrees
I try to see every movie he
with that of Macaulay who considered it as "certainly the best novel makes and never seem to tire of
beyond all comparison." I would pick any volume of Maupassant's them. His popularity gets great-
er with each new picture.
(Continued on page 7)

Biographical Sketches
of Detroit Jews

MAN

With the Holy Land in a state of turmoil today, Dr. Weizmann
is again a bulwark behind the Jewish fight for a national home-
land in Palestine. He was pre•
dominate in selling the British on
the idea after the first World
War. Now, he's attempting to re.
sell it to the same customer.
During World War I, - Dr.
Weizmann was perhaps the great-
est of all chemists in the service
of England and the most ardent
fighter for his race. In 1934, David
Lloyd George, war-time prime
minister of Britain, described him
as a "self-sacrificing and incre-
dibly patient worker for the great
cause which claims his chief de-
votion." George added, "He has
altered the map of the world and
written his name as that of a
second Nehemiah on the pages of
history."

Born In Russia
Weizmann was born on Nov.
26, 1873, in the town of Motyll,
near Pinsk, then within Czarist
Russia and now in eastern Poland.
DR. CHAI31 1VEIZMANN
After receiving the traditional re-
ligious education. he studied in technical school in Pinsk, then went
to the University of Berlin, and then to the University of Freiburg,
from which he received his degree in chemistry. In 1901 he became
a private lecturer at the University of Geneva and in 1904 went to
England as a lecturer in biological chemistry at Manchester Uni-
versity. It was there that he became distinguished as a discoverer
of organic colors and ferments.
An active Zionist propagandist, he was catapulted into the in-
ternational limelight by obtaining official British help for the project.
In July, 1918, he and Field Marshal Allenby, liberator or Palestine.
laid the foundation stone at Jerusalem of the world's first Hebrew
University.
In 1919, Dr. Welzmann and three other leaders pleaded the cause
of Zionism at the Versailles peace conference. He was credited with
the leading role in negotiations for the establishment of a British
mandate over Palestine.
Out as Zionist President
Between 1931 and 1935, he was out as president of the Zionist
Organization. Eight years previously he took an active part in
launching the Extehded Jewish Agency for Palestine. This body in-
cluded Zionists and non-Zionists on an equal basis in administra-
tion of rebuilding Palestine as a Jewish homeland. Because he as.
sisted this agency and had allegedly compromised with Arabs and
the British authorities in his political program, he was criticized so
severely that he declined re-election. During these four years he
remained active In the inner circles of the organization and accepted
re-election in 1935.
Weizmann had definite goals in view for Zionism and he held
to them through changing conditions and despite criticisms from
various factions and national groups within the world-wide organi-
zation which he headed. Soon after the Balfour declaration was
formulated he said that Palestine must be as Jewish as England was
English and later he coined the famous phrase:
"Israel was a people In its own land with its own high civiliza.
tion when London was a marsh."
But he always strove for an understanding with the Arabs of
Palestine and on several occasions tried to organize a round table
conference with Moslem leaders.
He went out to Palestine in 1918 as head of a Zionist commission,
officially reorganized by the British government, to act as liaison
between the military authorities and the Jews of the country. One
of his acts in that capacity was to visit in the desert Emir Feisal,
one of the leaders of the Arab revolt with the famous Lawrence of
Arabia and afterwards king of Iraq. The Arabian prince and the
Manchester chemist reached an agreement whereby Feisal acquiesced
in the Zionist plans for Palestine, an understanding which was a
factor in the later division of the territory into Iraq, Palestine and
Transjordan.
Declaration Endorsed by America
Zionism, which before the war had been largely a philanthropic
and sociological movement for the relief of refugees from ghetto
pogroms, was drawn Into the mdelstrom of international politics by
the developments of the conflict. The Balfour declaration had been
supported officially by France and Italy and praised by President
Woodrow Wilson and in 1922 resolutions by both houses of congress
formally associated the U. S. with the policy.
Weizmann, chief factor in the initial issuance of this allied policy,
was a "natural" for the presidency of the World Zionist Organiza-
tion at this stage of its development, but not the least of his tasks
was steering the organiiation through shoals of factionalism which
developed from splits in pre-war days between "practical" and
"political" Zilonists. The former had advocated immediate start of
colonization projects, the latter had favored first obtaining a charter
for the movement from the sultan of Turkey. Both schools of thought
found opportunity to push their ideas in the immediate post-war
years.
Weizmann took the office virtually coincidentally with the de-
cision of the supreme council of the allies at Sam Remo that Pal.
estine should be placed under British mandate, This was submitted
to the council of the League of Nations in Dec. 1920, for confirma-
tion, but final League action was not obtained until July, 1922, and
the mandate did not come in full operation until the end of Sept.
1923. Meanwhile the Zionists were occupied with relief work among
the Jews who had been settled in the national homeland prior to
the war.

Staked Much on England
No Zionist has staked so much on England as Chaim Welzmann.
Today, with his eyesight so bad, that he can recognize people only
a few feet away, he might call that country the greatest of all blind
spots. Weizmann loved England with a love that surpassed the love
even of an Englishman for his own country. Perhaps an adopted
child loves the mother that chose him better than a child loves its
natural mother. Perhaps the immigrant always loves the country of
his adoption better then the native born son. At any rate, he did.
And as he slowly goes blind, he wonders what the outcome of
the great Jewish-England battle will be. He finds little good to be
seen in the world now.
The greatekt moment in Weizmann's career came a long tims
ago—in 1916—when he was summoned to the British admiralty in
London to supervise a branch of munitions work based upon his
own invention of obtaining certain material for high explosives from
wood insects. He was then asked what he wanted for his invention
and replied: "Something for my people." That "something" eventuated
into the Balfour Declaration.
England has changed since the days of Lloyd George; the Balfour
declaration is now a scrap of paper—and Dr. Chaim Welzmann is
still fighting "for his people."

