DETROIT JEWISH CHRONICLE and The Legal Chronicle
Page Four
Detroit Jewish Chronicle
And the LEGAL CHRONICLE
Published Weekly by Jewish Chronicle Publishing Co., Inc., 525 Woodward Ave., Detroit 26, Mich., CA 1040
SUBSCRIPTION: $3.00 Per Year, Single Copies, 10c; Foreign, $5.00 Per Year
Intered as Second-class matter March 3, 1916. at the Post office at Detroit, Mich., under the Act of March 3, 1879
CY AARON, Publisher
CHARLES TAUB, Advertising Manager
Vol. 48, No. 51
GEORGE WEISWASSER, Editor.in.Chief
NATHAN J. KAUFMAN, Managing Editor
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 20, 1946 (Kislev 27, 5707)
We Can Raise $170,000,000
To allay some of the fears that the Amer-
ican Jewish community will be unable to
subscribe the $170,000,000 set as the
United Jewish Appeal goal for 1947, the
National Jewish Post pointedly quotes
from Robert Nathan's address at the UJA
Conference.
"To question the wisdom of the UJA
leaders or to prejudice the ability of
U. S. Jewry to give that much is dis-
tinctly harmful," the Post declares. "A
negative psychology will ruin the PJA
chances even before the first local drive
is held."
Because the Post is so right, we also
quote the following from Nathan's ad-
dress to show that Americans are well
able to raise the amount:
"My organization in Washington which
is engaged in economic consulting work
is now bringing to completion an econonlic
survey for the UJA which has as its pur-
pose the assembly and analysis of data to
assist the officials of the UJA in setting
goals among the different communities in
relation to each other and these data can
then be used along with other non-econo-
mic data and observations in the proper
allocation of the national goal among the
various communities.
"We believe that the UJA goal for
1946 was equal to about 6 per cent of
the aggregate savings of the Jewish
community in the preceding year. Even
this seems to be a relatively small per-
centage. Yet, if one takes account of the
tax picture and analyzes the deduction
allowance by the government for chari-
table contributions in tax computations
it appears to us that the 1946 UJA con-
tributions actually represented a drain
of only about 2 per cent of the total of
current savings of those who contrib-
uted.
"Tax rates were high in 1946 and there-
fore welfare contributions made by those
in the higher brackets in substantial part
came out of taxes and the balance out.of
retained income. Thus one could hardly
conclude that the 1946 goal represented
a severe drain on the capacity of Amer-
ican Jews to help their less fortunate co-
religionists. This conclusion appears justi-
fiable even after taking cognizance of the
fact that many individuals do not carry
their share and others make up for such
deficiencies."
Nathan is one of the nation's leading
economists. Unlike many of his colleagues
he scoffs at the prediction of a severe re-
cession in the spring of 1947. His deduc-
tions on the 1946 appeal are unimpeach-
able.
If he has advised the UJA leaders that
American Jewry economically can con-
tribute $170,000,000, to aid their helpless
brethren in 1947, he certainly knows what
he is talking about. Those who are scep-
tical about that ability and voice it pub-
licly spread mistrust in the leadership and
do harm to the drive. If they are unable
to controvert Nathans' thesis, they should
have the goodness to remain silent.
Our Newspaper Friends
Jews have two great friends in the pub-
lication field and both need our help. They
are the New York newspaper PM and the
fearless little bulletin, In Fact. We ought
not to turn a deaf ear to their appeals.
PM is the famed liberal newspaper
which countenances no injustice and vigor-
ously battles hate and prejudice wherever
it finds them. Itti enemies call it leftist or
communist, but actually it is a progressive
American paper that speaks for the mas-
ses and the downtrodden.
In Fact calls itself "an antidote for
falsehood in the daily press" and it has
done an excellent job living up to that
designation. The venality of the Amer-
ican press is disheartening. In fact
strikes out bravely to expose and de-
nounce its shortcomi.ngs which axe mag-
Detroit 26, Mich.
nified by its Big Business proclivities.
In addition, In Fact defends the little
fellow and the victims of fascism and hate
organizations. It is doing a good piece of
work week after week hammering at an-
ti-Semitism while the daily press remains
silent.
In Fact and PM are our friends. Sub-
scribe to both if you can. In Fact is only
$1 a year, but its price goes to $2 Jan. 1.
Write to 280 Lafayette street, New York
12, N. Y.
PM is, of course, more costly. If you
cannot subscribe for a year, we suggest
you take the excellent Sunday edition or
subscribe daily for 12 weeks or 6 months.
Write to Box 81, Times Square Station,
New York 18.
Best Wishes To Pisgah
Pisgah Lodge of Bnai Brith, biggest in
the United States, is celebrating its 89th
birthday this month. We join with all
friends of Bnai Brith in extending warm
congratulations and good wishes.
Beginning next week, the Jewish Chron-
icle will publish a series on Pisgah and
other Bnai Brith lodges in Michigan by
our scholarly historian, Irving I. Katz. It
is a fascinating story. Be sure to read it
in our "History of the Jews in Michigan"
column.
We could write reams on the contrib-
utions of Pisgah in fostering Judaism,
charity and brotherhood. We shall leave
that to another day. Today we pause
only to pay tribute for one great func-
tion of Pisgah and, for that matter, of
all fraternal lodges, namely the promo-
tion of good fellowship.
It is good to be able to take a night off
once or twice a month just to meet the
boys, to play a bit of cards or do a little
kibitzing. It is heart-warming to meet so-
cially with one's comrades. It is relaxing.
"It's always fair weather when jolly
good fellows get together" says the old
song. That's what Pisgah and the other
lodges strive for. May their success long
continue.
The Visiting Editor
It's Happening In Another City
A hospital is now being erected in an-
other city by Jewish money but with the
typical apologetic label of non!sectarian.
The orthodox element which is contrib-
uting its share of the funds seems unable
to get any answer to its request for a
kosher kitchen.
It certainly seems tragic that the thera-
peutic value of kosher food for those who
are accustomed to it cannot penetrate the
thick skulls of some leadership.
We don't know how much of medical
cure depends upon the mental attitude of
the patient, and we don't know how much
the will to live and get strong enters into
modern medicine. But certainly there• is
enough emphasis placed on dietary kitch-
ens in all of the hospitals in this country
to suggest that the food consumed by a
patient is important.
We submit that trefah food served to
an orthodox person violates all of the
psychological principles underlying medi-
cine. We cannot see the economy which
balks at the cost of a kosher kitchen, yet
spends all sort of sums on lamps, equip-
ment, etc., of only experimental or hypo-
thetical value.
A sick person, and especially a conva-
lescent, has a lot of time for thinking
while lying in a hospital bed. One of the
things •e thinks about most is food. Hos-
pitals make every effort to see that the
food is warm, appetizing, nicely served.
Why the indifference' to the plea that it
likewise be kosher for those who want it
that way?
AMERICAN JEWISH 01 • IIOOK
Pittsburgh, Pa.
Friday, December 20, 1946.
LETTER°
REPLY TO SULZBERGER
Dear Editor:
Arthur Hays Sulzberger In his
letter to the Jewish Chronicle
makes four principal points:
1 The Zionists have subordin-
ated refuge to statehood.
2. This subordination has placed
refuge in jeopardy.
3. There should be a concerted
attempt to empty the camps in
Europe of all displaced persons
to whom America, France and
Britain should perforce offer asy-
lum.
4. We should become imbued
with the concept of world citizen-
ship in place of confining our-
selves to Jewish parochial inter-
ests.
He is on untenable ground on
all four points.
To maintain that there Is a con-
flict between the work of build-
ing a Jewish state and the task
of Jewish refuge is to imply that
we are free to do either. But this
is wholly at variance with the
facts.
NOT OUR CHOICE
The choice is not ours to de-
termine whether, for example, 100,-
000 Jews should be admitted to
Palestine, or whether England
should live up to the terms of the
Mandate. It is yet problematic if
a shifting of emphasis would faci-
litate the achievement of refuge.
Therefore, to berate those who
appear to be contending for a
Jewish State is wholly to miss the
point. For the essence of the
tragedy of the Jewish people has
been this terrible situation, that
we had been exposed to the plight
of having things done to us or
for us.
The noblest spirits amongst us
have come to realize that our sal-
vation lies in redressing this evil
balance; we must find means for
determining our own destiny.
The distinguished publisher is all
for admitting the displaced Jews
into Palestine. And who, within
or without Jewish ranks, with
reason and decency in his mind
and heart is against it?
ZIONISTS BUILT HAVEN
But it should be noted that if
the Zionists had not labored to
build a Jewish community in Pal-
estine, while the Sulzbergers had
thrown stones in their path, there
should not now have been facili-
ties in the Land of Israel to re-
ceive refugees.
It may not be amiss also to
point out that, on reliable informa-
Box
tion, the Jewish DP's are more
concerned with the problem of
building a Jewish State than with
their immediate refuge.
These grievously maltreated
brethren of ours realize bette
than we here do that the root °fu g
the Jewish tragedy has been our w
homelessness. It, furthermore, scar-
cely requires the lively imagina-
tion of a prominent publisher to
appreciate the simple proposition
that if there had been at the war's
outbreak 3,000,000 more Jews in
Palestine there should have been
that many less to be devoured by
the German beasts.
2 ,KINDS OF REFUGEES
Would that America opened her
doors to Jewish and other DP's.
But it would be well to caution
here that there are two kinds of
refugees. There are those, like the
Jews, whom no one would have,
and there are others who dare not
return to their native land because
If their records as Nazi collabora-
tionists.
It could hardly be expected that
American Jews should plead for
Gen. Anders' Poles, whose com-
patriots in Poland are carrying
on in approved Nazi fashion.
The Jews have always placed
service to mankind above their
own interests, and look what they
are getting for it. Is it not about
time Mr. Sulzberger, we tended
our own garden?
M. MANUEL MERZON
YOUNG ISRAEL'S THANKS
Dear Editor:
The board of directors of Young
Israel of Detroit, at its last meet-
ing on Dec. 4, 1946, has instructed
me to forward the following com-
munication to you, which was
made in the form of a motion and
passed unanimously.
The board of directors of Young
Israel of Detroit extends its
thanks and appreciation to the
Detroit Jewish chronicle for the
extensive publicity granted the
organization in connection with
the building fund drive for its
proposed Youth Center on Dexter
and Fullerton. We make parti-
cular reference to the editorial ap-
pearing in the columns of the De-
troit Jewish Chronicle on Nov.
29, 1946.
It is our hope and prayer that
we do not fail the trust placed
in us by the community in support
of our building project.
SAMUEL W. PLATT
Hoover Asked to Expose Hate Groups
(Continued from Page 3)
democratic forces, who saved
thousands of Jewish lives during
the Nazi occupation, are today be-
trig persecuted and terrorized by
the Greek government. Jewish
DP's can expect no sanctuary from
such a government.
• • •
WELCOME BACK, CARL
IT'S GOOD TO HAVE Carl Al-
pert back In the New Palestine.
Don't miss, in the Dec. 13 issue,
the prophetic voice of Max Nor-
dau speaking from the past into
the very acute present.
"Burning Lights," by Bella Cha-
gall is distinguished by 36 draw-
ings of Marc Chagall, which makes
it attractive under any circum-
stances. It is published by Shock-
en Books.
Yeshiva College, New York Rab-
binical Seminary, will play a 21-
game basketball schedule this year,
opening against New York Uni-
versity and closing against Brook-
lyn College ... The future rabbis
have produced many upsets in
past seasons . . .
Designs for Chanukah
These illustrations for Chanukah are taken from a manual, Jewish
Deals-net published by the National Jewish Welfare Board, which
contains illustrations and decorations for all Jewish festivals. They
are designed for reproduction in publications issued by Jewish
centers, YM-YWHAs and other groups.