AWiSil Page 4 D ETROIT JEWISH CHRONICLE • Detroit Jewish Chronicle 1313 Service Program Endorsed Published Weekly by the Jewish Chronicle Publishing Co., Inc. WOodward 1.1040 900 Lawyers' Building, Detroit 26, Michigan SUBSCRIPTION $3.00 Per Year. Single Copies. 10c; Foreign. $5.00 Per Year Entered as Second-class matter March 3. 1916. at the Post Office at Detroit, Mich., under the Act of March 3, 1819 Crime and Punishment A Voice in the Wilderness In a long letter to the N. Y. Times, Lessing J. Rosen- wald last week complained bitterly of Israelis and Zion- ists who "interfere in the domestic affairs of the United States or the lives of American Jews." "The policy Mr. Ben Gurion laid down for American Zionism," he writes, "encourages Zionists to intensify their efforts to organize American Jews as a separate political pressure bloc in the United States. This program is designed to transform American Jews into a spiritual and cultural dependency of a foreign state." Rosenwald is especially enraged over Ben Gurion's "demand" for Halutzim from America. "Any such cam- paign," Rosenwald states, "to stimulate the migration of young Americans of Jewish faith to Israel would end. if successful, by depriving us of our most precious re- source — our youth. Israel's population policies are its own concern — not the concern of American Jews." Rosenwald is head of the American Council for Juda- ism, which explains his distorted viewpoints. The Coun- cil is an agency which would like to turn back the pages of history to the good old times of charity Judaism, with no responsibilities and planning for the future. It is just as useless to argue with the Council as it is useless to argue with Gerald K. Smith or similar figures out of the pages of yesterday's life. For the record, however, we wish to state that the enthusiasm for Israel and Zionist ideals is in no way con- nected with an American Jew's loyalty toward America. Furthermore, in his recent speech at the eve of his de- parture, Ben Gurion made it clear that he did not expect any "mass Halutziut" from the United States. He only hoped that as many college gradual 3 as possible would conic to Israel to finish their studies and, at the same time, give the country the benefit of their know-how. We are satisfied that the majority of American Jews have long understood their cultural and religious ties with Israel. There is no reason to suppress their heritage in order to foster an American super-nationalism which can be taken seriously by no one except a few people who have not yet understood the signs of the times. Rosenwald, by the way, also believes that American Jews al e under no moral obligation to buy Israeli bonds. "It is wrong to suggest," he says, "to any citizen of the United States that because he is of Jewish faith he has a unique duty to buy Israel's bonds or contribute to its capital." It is a voice in the wilderness — and not a prophetic one. 'Quiet Street' Tells Agony of a State's Birth QUIET STREET, by Zelda Popkin (J. B. Lippincott Co., Philadelphia and New York, 3882 pp. $3.50). Sivan 11, 5711 The seven Nazi war criminals who were hanged last week, were convicted of their crimes nearly five years ago. They should have been long forgotten by now. • But they decided tg.fight it out. They appealed to every possible court and federal or military authority in Ger- many and in the United States to have their sentence revoked or, at least, reduced. Even until the last hour of their lifetime it looked for a mornent as if the U. S. Supreme Court might again stay .the execution. However, it finally decided to deny the application of the Nazis' lawyer. Death meted out by human beings — even though they are acting under the authority of the law — is a grim business. Most students of law and law enforce- ment agree that the death penalty is an unsatisfactory method of avenging blood, It is also an uncivilized method. But in the case of the Nazi butchers we feel that death Was the only possible answer to their crimes. The seven men — who were hanged in the same prison in which Hitler wrote his book, "Mein Kampf" — were con- victed of ordering the death of more than 200,000 Jews, a death which was administered under the most cruel and inhumane conditions, not to mention that they had no right to "eliminate" human beings because of their race or religion. The atrocities of the concentration camps, of the Warsaw ghetto and many other places of martyrdom came to life again in the trials against these degenerated men, and their only defense was that they were under orders from higher quarters. The international tribunal at Nuernberg decided that this was no excuse for atroc- ities, and we hope that this decision will become inter- national law for all future time. What is so amazing is the shamelessness of these Nazis who had no qualms whatsoever in putting thou- sands of Jews to death and even enjoying their suffer- ings, but who consider it the height of injustice when they are called upon to pay for their barbaric acts. We feel no satisfaction over their execution. Their death will not revive the victims of Nazi hatred nor can it indemnify the Jewish people for the disaster it has suffered. We do hope, however, that the end of these war criminals will be a warning to future would-be dictators and that mankind will hang its head in shame over the degradation of civilization by the Nazis. Friday, June 15, 1951 By HAROLD S. COHEN SEYMOUR TILCHIN Publisher GERHARDT NEUMANN Editor Friday, June 15, 1951 Periodical Ceh mom . Gen. George C. Marshall, secretary of defense (right), last week indorsed Bnai Brith's new service program for the armed forces and disabled veterans. He is seen here with Col. Elliott A. Niles of Boston (left), national chairman, and A. B. Kapplin of Wash- ington (standing), national director of the service committee. Give Youth a Chance to Cement Israeli Ties! This book, with an ironic title, is clearly the work of an ex- perienced and well - balanced writer. Zelda Popkin has been writing since she was seven and the results are apparent. "Quiet Street" reads more smoothly than anything we have seen in a long time. It is a pleasure to scan over her sentences, simple, direct, clear. The book deals with life in Jerusalem, on one street in par- ticular, from February, 1948, to about the end of the historic summer. Specifically it looks into the IIirsch family, Edith and Dr. Jacob and their son, Teddy, and daughter, Dinah. Helen Hirsch, the main char- acter, is of a fine old Zionist family of Boston, who immedi- ately after marrying J a c o b moved to Jerusalem. Her husband is an obstetri- cian who was born in Russia and educated in the United States. With a knowing insight into character and a personal knowl- edge of events, Zelda Popkin ex- plores the reactions and for- tunes of the Hirsch family (the girl is 18 and the boy 10) and their neighbors, through the fight with the British, war with the Arabs, the siege of Jerusa- lem and the uneasy truces be- tween hostilities. With a wealth of intimate de- tail, the plain people of Jeru- salem, going about their busi- ness under a hail of lead and debris, doing without food, wa- ter and every amenity of life, By GERHARDT NEUMANN Prime Minister David Ben Gurion had a* few important things to say before he ended his visit to the United States. Among the many interesting (and highly controversial) remarks he made, there was one which struck us as most vital to Israel's development. We refer to his hope that American Jewish college students might come to the Jewish state and finish their studies at the Hebrew University. Ben Gurion acknowledged that Halutziut, as it was known and necessary in Europe, cannot be expected from America, "since the need which brings about such mass migration does not exist in the United States." However, Ben Gurion ',loped that American Jews may supply Israel with the technical know-how so badly needed there, and he expressed the idea U at Jewish college students or graduates may spend a few years In Israel, which would not only benefit the Jewish state but cement Israel's relationships with Ameri- can Jewry. Ben Gurion's suggestion is excellent and should be followed begin to assume the proportion up. The acquaintance with Israel does not come out of books but out of heroes. of living and working together. Most American Jews know so little Dinah Hirsch, the daughter, about Israel because they have no personal ties with the Jewish is a thorough-going sabra who state and little opportunity to acquire them. has abandoned the comforts of However, it costs money to go to Israel, and very few students her parents' wealthy home and or recent graduates have it. Either through the government of Israel joined a new kibbutz in the Ne- or through the Zionist Organization of America (possibly in co- gev. operation with other groups) such a movement has to be organized. With a handful of comrades First of all, students should be given special low transporta- she joins in repelling an Egyp- tion rates, be it by plane or ship, because the fare is the biggest tian tank-led attack, equipped item in a trip to Israel. only with home-made Molotov Secondly, all housing preparations must be made so that the cocktails and a few guns. student will have a roof over his head the moment he enters Meanwhile the members of Israel. her family risk their lives each Thirdly, a job must await the traveler. We suppose it is time they step into the street. mainly engineers, chemists and similar professions that Israel From the Old City of Jerusalem is interested in. It should not be difficult to place these young the Arab Legion pours down a professionals in the cities or the settlements, where they can rain of death day and night. familiarize themselves with Israeli life and, at the same time, One by one each family on instruct others in new methods in their respective fields. the street suffers the loss of Undoubtedly, there are many thousands of Jewish students who one or more members. How would welcome an opportunity to complete their studies in Israel or each faces its own personal grief transmit their knowledge to, or exchange it with, their Israeli col- and how the news is received leagues. Most of them are hampered by financial difficulties. We see by the other families makes for no reason why it should be impossible to overcome them. the most compelling reading. Of course, we would also like to see Israeli students in our midst. The author by no means Not enough of them are coming to the United States. We believe shows unalloyed virtues among that the American Jewish community could make similar arrange- the Israelis. In one of the most ments for them as for Americans going to Israel. moving chapters, she tells of the There is a definite need for such an exchange. Its advantages arrest and hasty execution of a are too obvious to enumerate. We hope that this suggestion will Jew by his compatriots on the cause a few energetic people to put their heads together and work completely false charge of spy- out a system which, in the long run, may revolutionize the pattern ing. She also is at pains to give of relationships between Israeli and American Jews. a balanced picture of both the Arabs and the British. If there is the slightest flaw in the novel, it is that it is al- most too smoothly done. One en to all ventures that tend to comes to miss the rough edges By ERNEST ASCIINER Economic Department, Jewish earn foreign exchange through of the beginner's work or of the ''invisible exports," such as ship- writer with a cruder and more Agency for Palestine powerful style. Her characters The tour of Prime Minister ping, aviation and tourism, Vigorous efforts in this direc- are a little too contrived to be David Ben Gurion and other cab- inet ministers through the United tion are being made both by the entirely believable. States brought Israel's economic government and by private in- But this is a minor matter in problems closer to the American vestors. El Al, the Israel National the overall book. One thinks public than at any time since the Airlines is enlarging its fleet and again of that eventful moment establishment of the state three adding to the number of sched- when a battered but unbroken uled flights and foreign ports of group of average dwellers in the years ago. Holy City gather before a bat- The main problem facing Israel call. In the field of shipping, Israel's tery-powered radio to hear the is the fact that the country must continue to import at the approx- merchant marine, which started future prime minister, David imate annual rate of $300,000,000 out in 1948 with five obsolete Ben Gurion, read the declara- while exports continue at a rate steamers totaling 21,000 tons, has tion of independence of the new of only about $40,000,000 per grown to 20 vessels with an ag- state of Israel. At that moment each one an- gregate deadweight of 117,000 year. swers the question which has The resulting gap must be cov- tons. Similarly, promising opportun- tormented them from the start ered through loans, gifts, and transfer of private capital. To the ities exist in he field of tourism of hostilities, "I have given my extent that new export indus- through the establishment of ad- son or daughter to make this tries are developed with the help ditional hotel facilities in Israel. state, was it worth it?" And somehow the reader must of foreign investments and loans, The number of tourists who the need for gift and loan dollars visited Israel last year totaled agree with the author that, cost ip future years will be decreased. 30,000, a 50 per cent increase over what it may, the state of Israel was worth it. Equal importance must be giv- 1949. Israel Seeks to Earn Dollars