THE JEWISH
Page Two
Purely
Commentary
By PHILIP SLOMOVITZ
THE "VAIN" MR. NOCK
Remember Albert Jay Nock, the
gentleman whose articles on anti-Semi-
tism in one of the most important Am-
erican magazines aroused our people's
anger?
A. J. N. has just written a book—
"Memoirs of a Superfluous Man"
(Harper)—which is arousing consider-
able interest. Some like it; others don't.
I doubt whether there will be many
Jews to approve its Jewish references.
The Belgians like the book. "News
From Belgium" likes the book sufficient-
ly to reprint a chapter under the title
"Memories of Brussels."
Orville Prescott, reviewing the book
in the New York Times, says of the
book: "The 'Memoirs of a Superfluous
Man' strikes me as one of the vainest,
most cocksure, most self-satisfied books
in• years. And this same certainty has
led 11/Ir. Nock to the fatal danger of gen-
eralizing so often and so magisterially
that he has rushed out on a number of
limbs where the view he offers to ob-
servers below is not a little ridiculous."
"ON THE LIMB" ABOUT JEWS
That explains his attitude toward Jews
and Negroes. Mr. Nock, who • expresses
admiration for Dr. Max Nordau's "De-
generation," takes a few slaps at Nord-
au's people.
Referring to Hebrew culture and tradi-
tion, he reveals , his attitude at once by
speaking of us as "this Oriental people,"
and follows it up with a "compliment"
that we "have made many important con-
tributions" to American civilization. Then
comes this typical Nockian wisdom:
, "Among other powerful incentives, our
silly notion of the 'melting-pot' and our
sillier conception of its function, en-
couraged them (the Jews) in a prepost-
erously superficial and impracticable at-
tempt to Occidentalise themselves; and
this attempt entailed a self-chosen dis-
paragment and sacrifice of their culture.
Our society has lost incaculably by this,
and aside from the cultural damage to
the Jews themselves, I believe the social
consequences of this attempt will be
most unfortunate for them."
It is no wonder, therefore, that this
"philosopher" is labeled as "vain" and
"self-satisfied." He generalizes, accuses
of trying to force ourselves into his Oc-
cidental world and resorts to typical
propaganda methods of chiding us as sac-
rificing our own culture.
*
*
ARE JEWS A MINORITY IN U. S.?
It is when he discusses Jews as a "min-
ority problem" that he shows his true
colors. He writes about "the inferior
order" of American Jew who resents
"vehemently any discussion of his peo-
ple's status as an American minority,"
and he calls such an attitude "morbid
sensitiveness." It is typical of men of his
thinking that he should find it necessary
to say that "the wiser and more intelli-
gent Jews are well aware" that such an
attitude "reacts most unfavorably upon
the Jew himself."
In view of such thinking, it appears as
if the war has rendered us some good in
that it interrupted Mr. Nock's writing
a special book about us. He had intended
to address it "to none but my own peo-
ple, the American majority, peoples of
Western Europe stock." Where did we
hear this before? Is it in Edmondson's or
Coughlin's, or Gerald L. K. Smith's voc-
abulary?
*
WHAT DOES MR. NOCK PROPOSE?
What exactly does Mr. Nock want or
propose? He favors absolute equality of
all before the law, and he amends it
with the proposal that this should be
understood as "carrying no social im-
plications of any kind whatever." By
linking a Jewish problem with a Negro
problem and raising the bogey of social-
ization about both , in the same breath,
he makes a case which quite clearly ap-
peals to hatred and to the passions in-
herent in deep-rooted prejudices.
The fact that he sets• himself apart as a
Western European superior element and
brands us as Orientals serves to expose
Mr. Nock's "Memoirs of a Superfluous
Man" as "the vainest, most cock-sure,
most self-satisfied book."
When his anti-Semitic article was pub-
lished several years ago, we thought we
could forget him. But his book indicates
that you can't change a leopard's spots.
.
NEWS
Freedom on the March
A War Chest Message
(National Chairman, United Jewish Appeal for Refugees,
Overseas Needs and Palestine)
On the occasion of the opening of the War Chest campaign, I wish
to extend best wishes to the Jewish community of Detroit. The fate of
the Jewish people throughout the world is one and indivisible, just as
the destiny of free men everywhere is inseparably linked together.
Therefore, what is done in this crucial year to rescue the remnants of
our people that are mercilessly hammered by oppression must, in a
large measure, contribute to our own security and well being.
Throughout the past ten years our people have suffered many
casualties in the war against Hitlerism. Millions have fallen and
millions of others are in peril of total
annihilation. But this is no time for
pessimism. The dawn of liberation is
at hand. The forces of freedom are on
the march. We stand on the threshold
of Victory. But as we go -forward to
the day when the monstrous rule of
Nazism will be destroyed, root and
branch, we must be prepared to assume
the greater obligations and the greater
responsibilities that will come with
VictOry and peace.
Throughout the length and breadth
of the land, scores of communities have
recognized that they must --eStabliSh
new standards of service and leader-
zhip•through the • channel of the United
Jewish Appeal for Refugees, Overseas
Needs and Palestine in order to assure
the survival of the Jewish people.
Hiilel SilVer • •
Dr.
You might well derive inspiration from the courageous action of
the Jewish community of Palestine. Thousands of its men have fought
heroically to drive the Axis out of North Africa and Sicily. The Jewish
homeland is completely mobilized for war in every sphere of activity
and at this very moment it • is prepared to : receive _many .thousands of
Jewish children from the Balkans and other European countries.
The Jews who have resisted Nazism for ten long years cannot now
be abandoned as we approach the day of liberation. In recent months
we have had a stirring example of the unyielding courage of the Jews
in Nazi-held Europe. When Hitler sent his extermination squads into
the ghettos of Warsaw, the Jews fought tanks and guns with axes and
clubs. It is this spirit of courage and faith exemplified so well on the
one hand by the Jewish homeland in Palestine and on the other by the
brave stand of Jews under the Nazi heel which I know will inspire the
Jewish community of Detroit to make a maximum contribution to the
United Jewish Appeal for the three-fold program of overseas relief and
rehabilitation, the upbuilding and defense of the Jewish homeland in
Palestine and the adjustment aid to newcomers in the United States.
In the face of overwhelming tragedy, our fellow-Jews have written
a glorious page in modern history. Let their unforgettable deeds and
bravery be the measure of your response to the War Chest - of Metro-
politan Detroit.
.
By DAVID DEUTSCH
(Copyright, 1943, Independent
Jewish Press Service)
Between
You and Me
By BORIS SMOLAR
(Copyright, 1943, Jewish Telegraphic
Agency, Inc.)
DELEGATION
With religion again fully ,recognized in
Soviet Russia, don't be surprised if you
read soon in the press that a religious
delegation will shortly proceed from
Moscow to Palestine . . . This will not ex-
actly be a Jewish delegation, although
representatives of the Moscow Jewish re-
ligious community may also be included
in it . . . The delegation will be headed
by the Russian Patriarch Sergius . . . The
Jewish members of the delegation are
expected to visit the Wailing Wall, Jew-
ish colonies. and the Rabbinate . The
Christian members will make a pilgrim-
age to Jerusalem, Nazareth and Bethle-
hem.
The Iraquian Military Attache in
Washington has published an article in
the American press emphasizing that
"whatever happens in Palestine has the
strongest repercussions in Iraq" ., . He
insists that "the extreme propaganda of
certain Zionists can only have a detri-
mental effect on the good relations that
have always existed among Christian,
Moslem and Jewish Arabs" . . . Well, we
never knew that there was such a thing
as a "Jewish Arab" . .. Needless to say,
*
*
*
he
considers Palestine a country which
WRITERS
belongs to the Arabs and believes that
William C..Bullitt, who is being assail- the Arabs,. in any of their territories, will
ed as a non-liberal in his present cam- never accept what he calls "overlord-
paign for Mayor of Philadelphia, can ship from alien Zionists" in any form.
point to his preface to a book by Leon
Blum to prove his progressiveism. The QUESTION
book has been privately published in
Have you heard of the new proposal
Montreal in a French edition under the that each member of each congregation
title of "L'Histoire Jugera (history will in the Union of American Hebrew Cori
judge)." It is the answer of the im- gregations be asked to cast a vote on the
prisoned leader of the French Popular ratification of the resolution on Palestine
Front to the charge that he was res- adopted by the American Jewish Confer-
ponsible for France's fall. As far back ence? .. . This would mean that tens of
as 1935 Leon Blum was already publicly thousands would be asked to participate
accusing Pierre Laval of Fascist inclina- in the poll . • . The results, they say,
tions. The courage of this 72-year-old would serve as a clear. manila cc to the
liberal shows still unbroken through . the ITAHC convention which is to take place
pages of this book.
18 months from now,
•
...._..„
SUBVERSIVE FRONT
Walter Winchell has been promised a
list of Gerald L. K. Smith's backers.
Some Detroit tycoons must feel rather
uneasy at this announcement.
Some are surprised at the kindness
with which "Under Cover" treats Gen-
eral Moseley. "Under Cover" describes
Moseley as a dupe, but produces no evi-
dence to show that he really was no
more than a dupe.
*
* • *
PRIVATE WARS
Ezra Stone is feuding with Irving Ber-
lin. It's all due to a misunderstanding
which will be cleared up perhaps sooner
than this hits your eye.
Party genius Elsa Maxwell took to
task Nazi Foe Number 1, Dorothy
Thompson,' for championing justice for
postwar Germany. Elsa advises Dorothy
to leave the German settlement to those
who suffered at the hands of the Ger-
mans. Incidentally, how does the new
Mr. Thompson feel about Dorothy's
views on postwar Germany? He is re-
putedly a Czech anti-Nazi.
Strictly
Confidential
By PHINEAS J. BIRON
By DR. ALBA HILLEL SILVER
Heard in
The Lobbies
Friday, October 29, 1943
(Copyright, 1943, Seven Arts Feature
Syndicate)
LISTEN HERE
We're glad to supply you with some
information, Mr. Winchell . . . Paul
Scheffer, Goebbels' pet foreign corre-
spondent, whom you mentioned as con-
tributing, under another name, to a New
York Sunday supplement, is persona
grata in government circles in Washing-
ton . . . This man, who once was exposed
as being a key agent of the German mili-
tary intelligence; was the author of an
article called "The Spectre of 1918 Walks
in Germany," published in the New York
Times of Sept. 19, 1943.
London held five receptions of wel-
come in honor of the Jewish delegation
from the Soviet Union, but at none of
these receptions were the delegates pres-
ent—because of unavoidable delay in
getting air transportation from this coun-
try to England . . . At one function H. G.
Welles was the main speaker, and tried
to atone for some of his anti-Jewish
comments of years ago . . Now that
Prof. Solomon Michoels and Lt.-Col.
Itzik Feffer have actually 'reached Eng-
land, we wonder whether they will be
given a public reception that they can
attend in person after having received
so much public acclaim in absentia.
* -*
.
READER'S GUIDE
..`The Forgotten Ally," Pierre van
Paassen's new book, which made its ap-
pearance last week, is enjoying a faster
sale than any of Van Paassen's previous
books, which is going some . . . It has al-
ready passed the 100,000 mark.
- Lewis Browne's "See What I Mean?"
is rapidly becoming one of the country's
best sellers . .. This volume, you should
know, contains as much "undercover"
material as the widely heralded book en-
titled "Under Cover" . . . Browne used,
for his novel, the findings of some of the
best undercover men in California and
New York.
Dr. Saul Padover, former Detroiter,
who is going to London as a specialist on
broadcasts to Central Europe and Po-
land, has edited the collected works of
Thomas Jefferson . . . The collection is
being published in the very near future.
*
*
*
ABOUT PEOPLE
Twenty-eight-year-old Larry Leonard
is doing okay for a plain, ordinary Army
corporal . . . He just married Hazel Gug- •
genheim, 40 - year - old daughter of the
late millionaire, Benjamin Guggenheim.
Radio commentator Gabriel Heatter is
playing Mohammed in a new version of
the mountain story . . • Wanted for a
film part in Hollywood, Heatter declared
that he couldn't possibly go to the screen
capital . . . So a Hollywood director is
coming East to shoot the scenes involv-
ing Gabriel. -
The once dashing and romantic and al-
ways erratic Maxwell BO denheim,
Greenwich Village poet laureate, cele-
brated his 60th birthday the other day.
He's a shriveled-up old man now and
openly confesses his terrible need for a
job . . . His nine books of poetry, which
discerning critics consider among the
best verse produced in this country,
aren't bringing him sufficient royalties to
buy an apple a day.
To The Jews
By WLADYSLAW BRONIEWSKI
To the Memory of Szmul Zygielbojni
From Polish towns and cities are heard no cries
of despair
For the Warsaw ghetto defenders fell like an
army guard.
My words I soak in blood, my heart I drench
with tears
For you, 0 Polish Jews, a Polish errant bard.
Not people but blood-stained beasts, not soldiers
but executioners,
Carry the scourge of death for you, your chil-
dren and wives.
They choke you in lethal chambers, they slay
you in lye-filled-i'cars,
Deriding your helpless mien, as they take away
your lives.
You lifted up a stone, to hurl at the canonier
Who with precision and skill aimed at you
his gun.
Oh, all ye Sons of Maccabees, you too know
how to die,
In this hopeless war, four years ago begun.
It should be deeply engraved, in every Polish
heart,
That ottr ,.-home was 'invaded', that our brother:S
were killed.
That we have been united by the firing squad
and Oswiecim
By each nameless grave, and each human heart
.r
stilled.
Above the Warsaw ruins, one peaceful sun will
rise
when strife of many years will end with victory.
To each man will be given life, liberty and law.
One race alone will rule, of men noble and free.
(Translated from the Polish
Christina- Swiniarska).
by