Thursday, October 27, 1949
DETROIT JEWISH CHRONICLE
Page I
STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL
Lauds Israel's Record in Settling Immigrants
By PIIINEAS J. BIRON
THERE IS MUCH controversy in the American
Jewish press as to the condition of new immigrants
into Israel.
,
The official records which are given too little
publicity speak for themselves. About 285,000 new
immigrants have arrived in Israel since the founding
of the State. Of these, 214,000 have been accommodated
outside of camps. It is estimated that of these 40,000
have been settled in abandoned vil-
lages, and another substantial num-
ber have been given 3,000 new
housing units.
Mar than 70,000 are still in camps
but it is hoped that housing accom-
modations will be provided for them
early next year.
More than 27,000 housing units are,
at present, under construction. Not
ga a bad record if one remembers that
W the U.S. Senate refuses to vote the
admission of a little over 100,000
Bison
additional refugees to America, ostensibly because of
the risk of dislocating our economy.
•
•
•
A
THE ISRAELI GOVERNMENT is negotiating with
certain eastern European governments for loans and
emmigration facilities from these countries - to the
Jewish State.
One of the major controversial issues between the
ZOA and the Israeli government revolves around the
question of the Jewish State granting constitutional
guarantees of no interference with business, free enter-
prise and initiative.
The Knesset has unanimously passed the amount
of 3,600 Israeli pounds for the salary of the president.
In American money it amounts to less than the salary
of an average player in a major baseball league.
The Jewish Agency bulletin confirms that the
American State Department "will probably try to have
Israel accept a somewhat revised version of the original
Bernadotte Plan which was soundly defeated at the
last session of the General Assembly at the United
Nations."
When we intimated as much in one of our columns
some time ago, we were accused of spreading alarmist
rumors.
•
•
CONTRARY TO OUR belief that Hadassah has a
monopoly on hospital work in Israel, we were reliably
informed that the 1,800 new beds provided to hospitals
in Israel, are being supplied by the government, the
Joint Distribution Committee, the Kupat Holim of the
Histadrut and the municipality of Tel Aviv.
OFF THE RECORD
conducive to greater hate.
And by what right does Asch
dare to make our traditional
Mother Rachel a virtually Chris-
tian mother? If he wants to glori-
fy Christianity and its founders
he can do so if that is his inclina-
tion. But it is the height of im-
By NATHAN ZIPRIN
WHEN JAMES McDONALD, in Belgium who were isolated pudence, literary and otherwise,
WHEN
ambassador to Is- from the Jewish community be-
rael, recently visited Rome he cause they carried on business
was received by the pope. Ac- with Germans have formed a
cording to informed sources. Mc- Synagogue of their own .
Donald hinted to the pope that it
With a bit of cooperation from
would be advisable to use pres- France's political parties this
sure on behalf of internationaliz- columnist would now be boasting
ing Jerusalem. Since it is incon- a scoop of scoops ... In Septem-
ceivable that McDonald would ber, 1948 we predicted that Jules
have discussed such a delicate Moch, a Jew, may be offered the
question without the knowledge premiership in the next few years,
of the State Department and if not sooner" .
President Truman the assumption
A sacred scroll that was saved
is that official Washington may from Nazi destruction was re-
finally show a more realistic at- cently presented by Anna Katz
titude on the Jerusalem issue.
to Congregation Beth Isaac of
The sudden revival of political Brooklyn, New York. The donor
activity by the Arab League is is the mother of Aleph Katz, poet
no accident. Only the political and Yiddish editor of the Jewish
naive could believe that London's Telegraphic Agency .. .
interest in that instrument is only
for an academic nature.
• • •
DANGEROUS PATHS
SIIOLEM ASCII'S "Mary," pub-
TROUBLE FOR ABDULLAH
THE REEMERGENCE-into the lished by Putnam, is a definitely
picture of the former Mufti augurs inferior book. His Christian read-
trouble for King Abdullah. Hit- ers will find a more moving story
ler's partner in crime now insists of Mary in the New Testament.
on formation of an Arab state in His Jewish readers will only won-
conformity with the UN partition der in what direction Aach is
decision. Such a move would of finally headed since his newest
course be a death blow to Ab- volume is a full acceptance of
dullah's ambition to rule over the Christianity in spirit if not in
Old City of Jerusalem. In fact, fact.
The right of the fiction writer
private reports have it that when
Abdullah visited Franco he sought to give full sway to fantasy is
to persuade the Spanish dictator unquestioned. But when a man
into influencing the Vatican for writes about so delicate a subject
he has no right to invent situa-
partitioning of the Holy City.
There is no likelihood that the tions which are historically un-
current session of the General true and impossible.
Assembly will see a settlement of
His description of the treatment
the Palestine issue. The Palestine by early Jews of children born
Conciliation Commission's pro- out of wedlock is not only mis-
posals are as good as dead. There leading but false. The introduc-
is even belief that the whole issue tion of a theme that is not even
may come to settlement through mentioned in the New Testament
bilateral treaties between Israel can have only one purpose. It
d the Arab states rather than is a distortion that can only be
rough the roundtable talks en-
visaged by the conciliation group.
• • •
McDonald Visit to Pope
Hints at Jerusalem Shift
Incidentally the Israeli ministry of health is plan-
ning to set up a number of prefabricated hospital
buildings.
Trains between Tel Aviv and Haifa are now run-
ning on regular schedule much to the delight of
Israeli business with the exception of the private
taxi lines.
•
Rabbi Kaplan is probably the foremost Rabbinical
thinker and philosopher in America. His statement
has the ring of Stephen S. Wise's fearless voice speak-
ing out for American democracy.
to drag our traditional fathers and
mothers into his dragnet.
Arthur Koestler has been a con-
troversial figure for many years.
His latest book, "Promise and
Fulfillment," published by Mac-
millan, is destined to provoke
more controversy.
instead of a
TREATMENT...
smoke
n
AMONG THE MOST active par-
ticipants in Jewish community life
in Rome are 24 Jews who re-
turned to Judaism after conver-
sion to Christianity. The men
deserted Judaism and Jewry
shortly after the conversion of
the former Italian Chief Rabbi
Zolli . .
London Jews are wondering
whether the appointment to the
Whitechapel district of 27 police-
men who served in Palestine dur-
ing the British mandate was a
mere accident. The fact that only
27 were appointed for the district,
would seem to eliminate the ele-
ment of chance. It will be re-
called that anti-Semitism had
been imputed to British forces in
Palestine . .
Who and what was behind the
report by radio commentator
Lowell Thomas that Israel is on
the threshold of bankruptcy? ...
A number of Jewish merchInts
FBI Refutes
Use of Racial
Classifications
NEW YORK —In answer to
newspaper charges that the FBI
approved the use of religious
classifications for criminals, J.
Edgar Hoover wrote to the Bnai
Brith Anti-Defamation League as
follows:
"A recent news story stated
that the FBI approved of the use
of the word 'Jewish' as descrip-
tive of apparent nationality in
connection with a form utilized
by the St. Louis police depart-
ment. The FBI had nothing to
do with the formulation, approval
or endorsement of this form. As
a matter of fact the FBI does not
approve of such phraseology ..."
Mai Lerner to Speak Adv.
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'
and deep thinker. But when ho
assumes the role of a prophet and
soothsayer he treads on dangerous
ground. When he predicts the de-
judification of Israel within a gen-
eration or two he utters pure
nonsense and wishful thinking,
Koestler is an excellent writer perhaps.
a TREAT
FROM MANY CORNERS
•
"One of the placards is reported to have carried
the inscription: Communism is Treason. Behind Com-
munism Stands the Jew. Therefore My Country and
Against the Jew' ... When Jews can be terrorized into
such abject abandonment of all self-respect, we can
imagine the measure of intimidation to which they
must have been exposed. But we cannot condone such
cowardice,"
If you want
• • •
•
RABBI MORDECAI M. KAPLAN'S "The Recon-
structionist" has this to say about the participation of
Jewish War Veterans in the anti-Robeson riots at
Peekskill: "When Jewish War Veterans join in a
parade that carries anti-Semitic placards, we have a
picture of demoralization that is appalling.