Page Four
DETROIT JEWISH CHRONICLE
Friday, February 13,
1948
Strangely Neutral
Detroit Jewish Chronicle
Published Weekly by Jewish Chronicle Publishing Co., Inc., 548 Woodward, Detroit 26, Mich., CA. 1090
SUBSCRIPTION: $3.00 Per Year, Single Copies, 10c; Foreign, $5.00 Per Year
March 3. 1916, at the Post Office at Detroit, Mich., under the Act of March 3, 1879
Entered au Second-claw matte'
SEYMOUR TILCHIN, President
ROBERT KRAUSE, Business Manager
GEORGE WEISWASSER, Editor-in-Chief
Vol.
50,
No. 4
Friday, February 13, 1998 (Adar 13, 5708)-
Diplomacy at Work
Despite its use of restrained diplomatic
ph raeseology, the Palestine Commission
makes it quite clear in its first reports that
the British in London and Jerusalem are
niaking every effort to wreck partition
affer publicly rejecting every recommenda-
tion of the UN Assembly to facilitate its
success. . .
The Commission could have been more
blunt, but the niceties had to be main-
tained. Britain was given a spanking when
the Commission demanded more time to
prepare for the changeover of administra-
tion and suggested that the Security Coun-
cil will be forced to consider the creation
of an international armed force to carry
out the Assembly's directives.
This international exchange would be a
childish farce were it • not for its tragic
implications. For, and let' this not be
minimized, if. the CommisSion prevails, the
UN will win enormous, prestige. But if the
Commission is overruled, it„ might .823 well
give up the ghost and take the whole UN
into the•limbo with it. •
Bnai Brith Errs
We were dismayed and saddened by Bnai
Brith's refusal to join the American Jew- .
ish Assembly,• successor to the American
Jewish Conference.
We believe that its action is a repudia-
tion of everything Henry Morlsky stood
for and is a heartless profanation of his
memory,
In a resolution explaining its policy, Bnai
Brith attributed its rejection of the As-
sembly plan to the refusal of other na-
tional bodies to accept it. "In this state of
events," the resolution read, "it is our
opinion that a substantial unity is Un-
achievable under the proposed plan."
The resolution concludes, incongruously
enough, with a statement affirming Bnai
Brith's "traditiofial commitment to the
ideal of unity in American Israel."
We regret that we cannot see the hon-
esty in these protestations of loyalty to
the ideal. We know only that in an hour
of great crisis to world Jewry, when the
United Nations and the Truman adminis-
tration should have been confronted with
an exhibition of Jewish unity never before
attained, one of the largest and most
potent segments chose that hour to pro-
claim that it would not join a national
body formed to consolidate the many di-
visions in American Jewry.
. If Bnai Brith were sincere, it would
have, instead, cited the inadequacies of
the Assembly plan to which it objected;
asked that they be corrected *nd then an-
nounced its adherence to the proposal for
the sake of brotherhood and unity, despite
the proposal's admitted weaknesses.
We cannot help but come to the conclu-
sion that the present Bnai Brith leadership
does not desire to see the establishment
of a permanent, over-all Jewish organiza-
tion which might diminish the order's in-
dependence and the authority of some of
its leaders.
We do not believe that the membership
of Bnai Brith, if the question were pre-
sented before it, would confirm the rejec-
tion.
The rank and file would be more inclined
to accept the assurance of distinguished
leaders of American Israel that adherence
would not jeopardize the independence of
constituent groups.
They would be more cordial to the As-
sembly were they to be reminded of its
predecessor's remarkable success at Wash-
ington and in Paris, at the time the axis
satellite treaties were being drawn, and of
the respect and cooperation it received
from military and civil officers because- it
was known to be the voice of a unified
American Jewry.
Its value would be judged from the part
it played before the Anglo-American Com-
mission on Palestine where Mr, Monsky,
LUCK WERE NOT
OANAM. WE
DETROIT 26, 51IC1R.
representing 60 national Jewish organiza-
tions, spoke on behalf of a majority of
American Jews and he was listened to with
deference.
It has been well said that the American
Jewish Conference—and now the Assem-
bly—is American Jewish unity on the way.
It does not yet speak for every Jew in
America but it goes a long way toward
that goal.
NpouLpN'T criT A
0140.% 13uLLET
••
Any organization which stands as a bar-
rier towards achieving the goal performs
a disservice to Israel.
Write to Vandenberg!
It is difficult to believe the reports, re-
liable as they may have seemed, that Sena-
tor Vandenberg has joined Defense Secre-
tary and State Undersecretary Lovett in a
conspiracy with Loy Henderson's cabal to
vitiate American support of the Jewish
State under the UN partition pltin.
Time after tirhe, "the. Michigan senator
has proclaimed' his sympathy with Zionist
aims. Ile has led Jewish leaders-everywhere
to believe that is on of the staunchest
friends. of the Jewish State goal.
It would ill-become the man who may be
destined to be the next President of the
United States to betray the trust that
American Jewry has placed in him.
To the Jewish cause, a reversal by Van-
-010'•
•44" •
World W. Unica. r 4444101.
,
•
denberg might mean disaster. To the in-
fant UN, it could be the starting point of
disintegration.
The American form 'of government places
inordinate power and influence over foreign
affairs in the hands of the chairman of the
Senate foreign relations committee. But
Senator Vandenberg is more than chair-
man. He is president pro-tempore of the
Senate and his party's most authoritative
•spokesman in the foreign field inside and
out of the UN.
One word from the senator, one unequi-
vocal word and the doubts and suspicions
and limitations of American support of the
UN decision could be wiped away in view
of President Truman's outspoken indorse-
ment.
Letters to the Editor I
•
AID HAGANAH!
Dear Editor:
Permit me, through the col-
umns of your valuable publi-
cation, to offer a suggestion on
one metho4 to help provide for
the embattled Yishuv.
In the face of the mounting
toll of our defenders, we here
must do all in our power to
afford such assistance as we can.
I propose that wherever social
games are indulged in, boxes be
placed and that the players
make it a point to cofitribute
in that way to the fund for
the Jewish fighters.
JACOB MOHR,
2739 Tuxedo.
TO VANDENBERG
Senator Vandenberg, let it be pointed
out, has never publicly revealed himself Dear Editor:
In connection with your front
as an avowed backer of the UN partition
page story headlined "Plotters
program.
Turn Vandenberg From Parti-
In a letter to the Jewish Chronicle at
tion, Report says," the following
the time of the UN Assembly debate,, he in- quotation from Senator Vanden-
formed us that' he was waiting for the berg's letter of Feb. 2 may be of
propitious moment to voice his support.
great interest:
"I agree with you that the
We respectfully point out that that mo-
United Nation's Security Council
ment has arrived.
should give immediate attention
We urge every reader to write or wire to implementing the new Pales-
Senator Vandenberg and appeal to him to tine partition decision.
make that statement of support at once.
"Inasmuch as the United Na-
We advise them to request that he act tions has now complete jurisdic-
to implement his indorsement with a de- tion I would not think that the
mand for an international force from small United States could act unilater-
ally in any phase of the problem.
UN states to carry out the UN decision
But I agree that the United Na-
and that he urge-the President to modify tions Security Council should
the arms embargo to permit the shipment give immediate attention to the
of arms in defense of that program.
situation to which you refer and
I ,have so indicated to our gov-
ernment."
From the above it can be seen
that Henderson has not as yet
converted Senator Vandenberg to
his point of view. But it is also
evident that the Senator does not
Why Jews Do Not Seek Converts see that the United‘ States gov-
"Your question, why I do not try to ernment did act unilaterally by
make converts, hais I must say, somewhat imposing an embargo which indi-
rectly helps the Arab aggressors
surprised me.
who are in defiance of the UN
"The duty to proselytize springs clear- decision and authority and who
ly from the idea that outside a certain threaten world peace.
• • *
belief there is no salvation. I, as a Jew,
The senator, as well as other
am not bound to accept that dogma, be-
cause, according to the teachings of the men of, standing in the govern-
Rabbis, the Righteous of all nations shall ment (namely: Senator Ferguson,
Secretary of State Marshall, Sec-
have part in the rewards of the future
retary of Defense Forrestal, the
world.
U. S. delegate to the UN, Warren
"Your motive, therefore, is foreign to Austin, and—without fail—Presi-
me; nay, as a Jew, I am not allowed to dent Truman) must immediately
attack any religion which is sound in its be apprised of our feelings and
views in the matter of Palestine.
moral teachings."
It is imperative that they be
MOSES MENDELSOHN, 1729-86 flooded with letters, postcards,
Shaarey Zedek 'Recorder. and telegrams telling' . them to
•
The Visiting Editor
urge our government to follow a
decisive program of action which
will include:
1. Revoking the embargo on
arms shipment to Palestine Jews.
2. Entering into a lend-lease
agreement with the authorized
institutions of Palestine Jews to
provide them with the necessary
arms to protect their lives and
property.
3. Insisting that the Security
Council declare the Arabs aggres-
sors and defiers of the IJN de-
cision and, therefore to be dealt
with according to UN rules.
4. Insisting that the Security
Council request the British gov-
ernment . to implement the UN
recommendation and immediately
open the port of Tel Aviv to un-
restricted Jewish immigration,
and to prepare the hinterland for
the accommodation of Jewish re-
patriates.
5. Insisting that the UN Pales-
tine Commission immediately
proceed to .Palestine to lay the
groundwork for the establishment
of the Jewish State, organization
of Jewish militia and a provi-
sional government and—in gen-
eral—implement the partition de-
cision.
6. Condemnation of the British
policy in Palestine and demand-
ing its immediate abolition.
7. Taking action to transfer
Jewish DP's from American Oc-
cupation zones to Palestine b
Oct. 1. Urging the support of'
House Somers-Scott Resolutio
• • •
Our task as far as Palestine ie
concerned is really just beginning.
We must. fight the old policy of
procrastination, equivocation and
appeasement of Arab murderers
whit again is in vogue in Wash-
ington.
It is time to get down to work
and to do it without delay. We
have been through it all before.
But there is no time to lose now.
It must be organized mass ac-
tion; the danger is real.
LOUIS PANUSH.
EDUCATION LEAGUE
Dear Editor;
Please accept the very sincere
thanks and appreciation of the
Youth Education League for the
assistance and cooperation you
have at all times extended with
respect to its publicity. Unques-
tionably this played a substantial
part in the successful pledge
fund drive and luncheon just
concluded.
MRS. J. SKLAR,
Publicity Chairman.