Friday, October 1, 1948
DETROIT JEWISH CHRONICLE
Page Forty-four
Argentine Bigotry
Shows Upsurge
Building (lie Jewish Nation
Writer Suggests Israel Adopt
British Form of Government
BUENOS AIRES (WNS)—The
anti-Semitic activities of the
"Movimiento Tradicional Sindica-
lista," followers of the Argentine
dictator Rosas, in Santa Fe
province have been increasing
steadily.
Articles castigating Dr. Chaim
Weizmann and other Jewish
leaders and leaflets of a distinct-
ly anti-Semitic character have
been distributed among the pop-
ulation of the entire province.
At the same time it was an-
nounced that an Argentine chap.
ter of the Red Mogen Dovid had
been formed. The new organiza-
tion intends to begin its activi-
ties by launching a drive for
$175,000 with which to purchase
ambulances for Israel.
By PIIILIP RUBIN
CITIZENS of Israel will soon choose a constituent assembly
T HE
to work out a constitution and for a lung time there will be
discussions with regard to the structure and spirit within which
the permanent government of
Israel should function.
hands of a cabinet, headed by
We who are not citizens of a premier, which sits in parlia-
Israel cannot, nor do we wish to, ment and can be unseated by
dictate to them as to the kind parliament through a vote of no
of government they should have. confidence.
•
But as friends who feel a close
But the cabinet, on the other
kinship to the new-born State
we have have a right, perhaps hand, hasn't the power to dis-
even a duty, to give them our solve parliament and put the
issue of its disagreement with
opinion on this grave matter.
As to the spirit which should parliament before a vote,of the
animate the . permanent Israeli people, as is the case with the
government, discussions have al- British system.
ready begun. Should there be a
This and the system of prot
state church, as in England, or portional representation makes
should church and state be sep- for a multiplicity of parties in
arated, as in the United States the French parliament and
means that the government of
and France?
Should the legal code go back the day—the cabinet—has no
to the Talmud or should the solid majority, only a temporary
more modern British-American coalition of parties, to lean upon
common law or the French Na- for support.
poleonic be adopted?
Thus French government, too,
• •
is rendered weak and its par-
AMERICAN SYSTEM
liament, like the American Con-
BUT IT IS the governmental gress, often acts as an irrespon-
structure that Israel should rear, sible body, maneuvering to
specifically the relationship be- throw out a cabinet only because
tween the executive and the thereby some small party might
legislative branches, that I wish gain an advantage.
• • •
to discuss mainly in this article.
Here, I imagine, the consti-
ENGLAND'S STRUCTURE
tution-makers of Israel, which
UNDER THE British system
will be a democratic republic,
will be guided mainly by the (and that means not only Eng-
governmental structures of the land but all the dominions as
United States, • France, and the well), parliament wields a stick
over the cabinet through its
British countries.
The American system, I should right of giving it a vote of no
say, is one of perpetual clash be- confidence, while the' cabinet
tween the executive and legisla- holds . an equal power over par-
tive powers. It keeps govern- liament through its right of dis-
ment weak, often irresponsible solving it and calling for a pop-
and sometimes leads to corrup- ular election.
Thus the cabinet is able to
tion.
There are two reasons why hold its party 'majority in line,
the American Constitution hasn't since the threat of being obliged
been changed in this respect to run again for a seat in. par-
since its adoption: First, the in- liament in mid-term is a very
fluence of Jefferson's semi-an- serious onefor he individual
archistic philosophy of "that legislator. whilerat the same time
government is best which gov- the party majority may, if it
erns least," which fitted in very wishes, vote no confidence in
well with the American agri- the government if it thinks the
cultural society of Jefferson's issue is serious enough to risk
time, and secondly, the power a new election.
of business later on, which want-
Furthermore, the British coun-
ed to keep the American gov- tries have no proportional rep-
ernment weak so that private resentation of parties in parlia-
monied interests, big corpora- ment, so that many small par-
tions, should have the upper ties are not encouraged to grow
and make the government de-
hand over it.
Some day perhaps, in the near pendent on their precarious
future, America may wake up goodwill by their adherence to
to find it needs strong, respon- a coalition of parties. Thus
sible and truly representative among all the democracies in
government and then the Con- the world the British, and those
stitution will have to be altered countries which follow their sys-
tem with different variations,
in many respects.
• • •
have the strongest—most re-
FRENCH FLAWS
UNDER THE French system
the president, who is not elected
by the people but by parlia-
ment, has no real executive
powers, his functions being
mainly ceremonial like that of
the British king.
The executive power is in the
1
Skilled workers of the Histadrut build homes and factories for
Israel through Sold Bonch, its construction agency.
A Happy New Year to You All
sponsible and most representa- is not the same thing as For-
eign Minister Bevin.
tive—government.
Rosh Hashonah Greetings
•
Citizens of Israel, examine this
matter
without
prejudice,
and
PREFERS BRITISH TYPE
then I. believe you will come to
I DO NOT THINK there is a the conclusion that the British
chance that Israel will adopt the system of mutual checks and
GIBBS & CO.
American system of perpetual balances, of mutual accounting.
legislative-executive c 1 a s h e s, between parliament and cabinet,
Worlds Larget
since most of the people there is the system you should adopt
have lived under European sys- if your government is to be
Beauty Supply House
tems of cabinet government.
strong, and as enduring and rep-
I think, however, that there resentative of the people's wishes
1265 GRISWOLD CA. 5145
is danger they might find, main- as you and so many of us Jews
ly for reasons of sentiment and abroad wish it to be.
of kinship of temperament be-
tween Jews and French, that
the French system of parliamen-
New Year's Greetings
Rosh Hashonah
tary irresponsibility and gov-
from
ernmental weakness is prefer-
Greetings
able to the British system of
mutual responsibility.
There is an understandable
dislike in Israel today toward
the British because of the atti-
tude taken toward the Jewish
State by the Attlee-Bevin Labor
Distributors of
Government during the past few
Amsterdam and Dura Paints
3227 PURITAN
years.
11810 DEXTER BLVD.
UN. 1-5100
However, in this vital matter
TO. 8-9410
of getting strong, responsible
and $ruly representative gov-
ernment may I suggest to the
citizens of Israel that they do
some hard thinking instead of
Rosh Hashonah Greetings
letting themselves be carried
away by emotion. After all, the
And Best Wishes to All
British governmental structure
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