THE JEWISH NEWS
Page Two
Strictly
Confidential
By PHINEAS J. BIRON
(Copyrigh•. 1944, by Seven Arts
Feature Syndicate)
'YOU SHOULD KNOW
A crackerjack investigator tells us:
"Notwithstanding the attempt to inter-
pret recent anti-Jewish outrages in Bos-
ton and New York as mere manifesta-
tions of juvenile delinquency, the fact is
that most of the young hoodlums who
have attacked Jewish children are pupils
in parochial and Sunday Schools . . .
Anti-Semitism cannot be cured by home
influence alone . . . It must be eradi-
cated in the religious schools, where it
originates and is nursed" .. . These are
strong words, but worth pondering.
Donald Ogden Stewart has just com-
pleted an anti-Fascist play so powerful
that Broadway producers are afraid to
handle it . . . Too hot, and too true.
Two years ago Secretary Harold L.
Ickes was the recipient of the Protestant
Award for services to democracy . . .
Two weeks ago Pierre van Paassen re-
ceived the same award for the year 1943
. . The reason: "The Forgotten Ally."
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NEWS TO YOU
Did you kiow that, because of a facial
deformation due to an illness, Charles
Proteus Steinmetz, who was to become
head of the Schenectady laboratories of
General Electric, almost was refused ad-
mission to the United States when he
came here as an immigrant? . . Tell
that to some of your anti-immigration
friends . . . We gathered this tidbit for
you from the newly published Volume
Ten (the final volume) of the Universal
Jewish Encyclopedia, from which we
also learn that Hermann Struck, the re-
nowned artist who died in Palestine last
month, was convinced that the great
Dutch painter Rembrandt was a Jew,
and had hoped to present definite proof
of this.
Marvin Loewenthal, the suave stylist
and historian, whose recent biography of
Henrietta Szold reads like a novel, will
devote -much of his time to the Zionist
Emergency Council.
While Emanuel Neumann and Louis
Lipsky were in Mexico, a short time ago,
they had a very interesting conversation
with Constantine Oumansky, Soviet Am-
bassador to that country . . . Oumansky
amazed them with his familiarity with
the Palestine question.
Rabbi Barnett R. Brickner of Cleve-
land, now on a tour of Army camps in
the Middle East, Italy and North Africa,
is receiving so ankh publicity in the
American press that another nationally
known rabbi is contemplating an inspec-
tion tour of our armed forces on foreign
soil.
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TRUE STORY
There's a clerk at Tiffany's, the famed
jewelry shop, who's still blushing . .
It seems a seedy-looking little soldier
wandered over to that clerk's counter
and asked to see some bracelets . . ..The
salesman restrained an impulse to direct
his customer to the nearest -Woolworth's,
and, just for a gag, brought out a tray
of sparkling armbands . . . The soldier
studied the jewels carefully, made his
selection, pulled a battered checkbook
out of his p icket and wrote out a check
for the price asked—$5,000 . .But Tif-
fany clerks are smart guys who don't
accept checks from strangers . . . So this
clerk told the soldier his check would
have to be sent to the bank for certifi-
cation before he could have the brace-
let . . . And then the clerk looked at the
signature on the check . • . His customer
was Carl Laemmle Jr., son of the late
mo.fie tycoon.
A Doctor's Religion
"What are the resources of life on
which man can draw for psychic and
physical help?"
Dr. Louis Berman, New York physi-
cian, gives the answer to this and other
questions in his well-written "Behind
the Universe: A Doctor's Religion," pub-
lished by Harper & Bros.
Dr. Berman is a well-known gland
specialist. Seaching for the religious ele-
ments in modern science, he provides in-
formation, in this book, on the synthesis
of our knowledge combining the rela-
tionships of the individual to the species.
Universal science and universal relig-
ion are not polar opposites, Dr. Berman
maintains. Thus, men of science and
leaders in religion will find much of in-
terest in this most interesting volume.
The average layman will find consider-
able food for thought in "Behind the
Universe," which comes to the conclu-
sion:
"Religion and philosophy and science
. can be conjoined in a union that will re-
verse the separative differentiations of
the civilized ego."
Quotation of the Week
TO PRESIDENT FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT:
"The American Jewish Committee hails with profound satisfac-
tion and heartfelt gratitude the establishment by you of the War
Refugee Board which is authorized to do everything in its power to
rescue the surviving victims of Nazi terror. This step is in complete
harmony with the humanitarian tradition of the American Government
almost since its inception. For over one hundred years, the Presidents
and Secretaries of State have expressed the sympathy of the American
people with victims of oppression in other lands, and their abhorrence
of barbarity and persecution. Whenever possible, our Government
has also taken practical measures to extend a helping hand to such
victims. Your latest step is the logical successor to other measures
previously taken by you in this direction.
"The task lying ahead of the new War Refugee Board will not be
an easy one. You recognized this by instructing the State Department
to appoint special attaches with diplomatic status who are to be sta-
tioned abroad at strategic places. Furthermore, you are to be com-
mended for instruction to the War Refugee Board and the State,
Treasury and War Departments, 'to accept the services or contribu-
tions of any private persons, -private organizations, state agencies, or
agencies of foreign governments in carrying out the purposes' of your
order.
"Nothing less than the cooperation of all individuals and organiza-
tions, which believe in working to achieve this sublime errand of
mercy, can assure even partial success. The American Jewish Com-
mittee wholeheartedly pledges its aid and will vigorously cooperate in
mobilizing private individuals and organizations in support of this
vital project of saving human life."
- —JUDGE JOSEPH M. PROSKAUER,
President, American Jewish Committee.
Between
You and Me
By BORIS SMOLAR
(Copyright, 1944, Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Inc.)
COMPETITION
Various Jewish organizations are now
claiming credit for President Roosevelt's
order establishing the War Refugee
Board with powers to save Jews and
other persecuted minorities . . . But
there is ground to believe that the pro-
ject was born way back in June when
President Roosevelt received Dr. Stephen
S. Wise and discussed with him to po-
sition of Jews in occupied. Europe . . .
WatchJewish organizations compete
with each other in sending delegations
to the War Refugee Board when its of-
fice is established . . . The feeling of
responsible officials in Washington is
that Jewish organizations ought to get
together and divide the field of relief
and rescue work among themselves . .
ACTION
Zionists in America may be interested
in learning that a new joint American-
British declaration on Palestine will soon
be issued in Washington and in London
. This declaration will, however, not
be similar to the one which was pre-
pared sometime ago and which was con-
sidered detrimental to Jewish interests
in Palestine . . . I would not be surprised
if the State Department calls in Zionist
leaders to inform them of the contents of
the new declaration prior to issuing it
. . . It can also be expected that Presi-
. dent Roosevelt will soon receive a Zion-
ist delegation at the White House for a
friendly talk .. . This is all the result of
new international trends, very favorable
to the Zionist cause, which have devel-
oped recently and concerning which not
much can be said in public at present.
The pro-Palestine resolution which
was introduced this week in Congress is
the result of effective work by Dr. Abba
Hillel Silver, chairman of the American
Zionist Council • . While the pro-Zion-
ist front is gaining more and more
ground in Washington, it is important
to realize that the fight for Jewish rights
in Palestine must not be carried on in
such a manner that it can be misinter-
preted as anti-British propaganda.
VARIETY
We can now reveal that the Zionist
delegation which will soon proceed to
London will be headed by Dr. Abba
Hillel Silver . . . It will include Dr.
Israel Goldstein, representing the ZOA,
Rabbi Wolf Gold, representing the Miz-
rachi, David Wertheim of the Labor-
Zionist Party and Mrs. Halperin of the
Hadassah . . I can also reveal that Dr.
Weizmann is not pleased with the fact
that the American Zionist delegation
was composed on a party basis . . . He
has indicated that he would have pre-
ferred to have personalities rather than
representatives of the various factions in
the American Zionist movement on the
delegation . .The various factions al-
ready have their representatives in Lon-
don through • the respective branches of
the Zionist movement in England. What
Dr. Weizmann wanted was American
Jewish leaders, and not delegates of
Zionist groups . . . He especially asked
for Dr. Silver and Dr. Stephen S. Wise
. . But Dr. Wise must remain in Am-
erica to watch the Zionist home front
during Dr. Silver's stay in London.
Purely
Commentary
By PHILIP SLOMOVITZ
Friday, February 4, 1944-
Heard in
The Lobbies
By ARNOLD LEVIN
(Copyright, 1944. Independent Jewish
Press Service, Inc.)
YIDDISH PRESS
The Jewish Morning Journal, oldest
Yiddish daily, about whose change of
ownership there were many rumors, is
now in the hands of the son-in-law of
Morris Weinberg, publisher of The Day.
Assurances were given that this does
not mean a merger of the two papers,
but a unification of the advertising and
circulation departments will take place
in the interests of efficiency, we hear.
* * *
MORE OF THE FRINGE PEOPLE
Pushkin was a great Russian poet, but
a concert being arranged by a society in
this country bearing his name has among
its sponsors one Boris Brasol who first
palmed off the Protocols of Zion for-
geries on Henry Ford. Brascil is one of
the "Under Cover" gentlemen . . Re-
member the headlines when George W.
Robnett of Chicago, one of those men-
tioned in "Under Cover," brought a mill-
ion dollar libel suit against Walter Win-
chell, his sponsors, the radio station car-
rying his program and the publishers of
"Under Cover"? Well, the case was dis-
missed last week by Federal Judge Wil-
liam H. Holly in Chicago ... Give credit
where credit belongs for the expose of
the Peace Now Movement. The first to
expose this movement was the Inde-
pendent Jewish Press Service through
an article released to its subscribing
newspapers several weeks ago. The In-
dependent Jewish Press Service also
was the first to carry an interview with
Dr. Ehrenhaft, the physicist who discov-
ered new energies. Articles have since
appeared in other newspapers . . . And
this publicity for a refugee certainly
doesn't make the fringe happy!
WHO MAKES ANTI-SEMITES?
When the Council of Jewish Federa-
tions and Welfare Funds convenes in
Pittsburgh this week-end, the movement
should be pushed to a finish to coordi-
nate all civic-protective activities so that
duplication of effort should be avoided
* * *
in the battle against anti-Semitism.
SOUTH OF THE BORDER
Unity of effort in the civic-protective
Now that Argentina has made an
field is especially needed now in view of about-face in much the same way as
the outrages that have been experienced some Arab countries did when they
by many communities in this country.
saw who was getting in the blows, we
Furthermore, it is necessary that there wonder whether our Government will
should be a common platform in the blow the lid off the activities of some
fight on anti-Semitism in view of the Argentina bank interests with whom
charges made by newspapers and col- Nazi bigwigs are reported to have in-
umnists, as well as members of Congress, vested monies for safekeeping after the
that responsibility for the rise of Jew- war. Much of this money was looted
baiting lies with those who have been from occupied territories . . . American
shouting the most against it. Congress- concerns that have traded with black-
man Hamilton Fish, We ,i-brook Pegler I listed South American concerns are also
and the New York Daily News have ac- mentioned in connection with this blast -
cused Walter Winchell, PM and Marshall which may never come off,.
Field as being guilty of exaggerating
anti-Semitic occurrences and have in-
ferred—or stated outright—that. they are
the makers of anti-Semitism.
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THE RIGHT TO COMPLAIN
On Jan. 19, on the floor of the U. S.
House of Representatives, Rep. Fish
charged that Walter Winchell "is doing
more than anyone in America to create
racial disunity and anti-Semitism."
The following day, Rep. Fish inserted
in the Congressional Record Westbrook
Pegler's article accusing Marshall Field,
publisher of PM, of fomenting otherwise
non-existent anti-Semitism and ques-
tioning the publisher's motives.
Thus, the instigators of anti-Semitic
crimes in New York and in Boston and
in other communities are made to ap-
pear as saints. If it were not for the
complaints of PM and Winchell, there
would—thus the impression is given—
be no anti-Semitism and no anti-Semites.
It is a stupid argument that is refuted
by facts. The report of Commissioner
of Investigation William B. Herlands is
sufficient to brand the Fish-Pegler
claims as ridiculous.
But we must be prepared to deal with
such attitudes properly—and that can
not be done well if our ranks are di-
vided.
Therefore, your Commentator advo-
cates unity of action and elimination of
all possible duplication of effort.
IT IS TIME FOR ACTION
It is regrettable that the Council of
Jewish Federations and Welfare Funds
has not acted firmly in the past. Until
now it has been an advisory body. Its
Assemblies have never taken action on
matters involving issues other than fund-
raising. It is time to adopt a militant
stand on problems in the civic-protective
field.
Detroit's Jewish Community Council
last year took a stand in favor of a uni-
fied program in the fight against anti-
Semitism. It has just reaffirmed this
stand. Implementation of such a pro-
gram should be demanded by our and
other communities. Perhaps we shall get
I somewhere with firm demands.
'Messiahs: Their Role
In Civilization'
Prof. Wallis Makes Study of Every
Type of Racial Culture
One of the most interesting books
published in many months is Prof. D.
Wallis' "Messiahs: Their Role in Civili-
zation," published by American Council
on Public Affairs, 2153 Florida Ave.,
Washington, D. C.
Head of the Anthropology Department
at the University of Minnesota, Prof.
Wallis emerges an authority on the sub-
ject of the Messianic aspirations of vari-
ous peoples in this splendid volume.
Crossing the centuries and making a
study of every type of national and ra-
cial culture, his new volume presents a
birdseye view of the Messiah idea in Ju-
daism, Christianity and Mohammedanism.
The Jewish conception of the Messiah
as outlined in this book is brilliantly por-
trayed and is supplemented by historical
material dating back to Biblical times,
covering the period of Bar Kochba (Ko-
keba. "Son of a Star") who is also re-
ferred to as Bar Kozeba ("Son of a Lie"),
the eras of the false Messiahs of the Mid-
dle Ages and the hopes of Jews in mod-
ern times.
Superbly scholarly, Prof. Wallis' "Mes-
siahs" contains a chapter on "Cultural
Aspects of Messianism" which contains
a chart on the frequency of known Mes-
siahs in the three major religions. It
shows that there were 49 "Messiahs" in
Jewish history from the first century
to the present time; 49 plus in Moham-
medanism from the 8th to the 20th cen-
turies and 46 in Christianity from the
13th to 20th centuries.
Dealing with the political aspects of the
subject, the author points to the Nazi
danger, analyzes the destructive ele-
ments of "Mein Kampf" and declares
that "western civilization has witnessed
no parallel to the Nazi accomplishment;
and never have our cherished ways of
life been so suddenly or disastrously im-
perilled." Thus, the "messianism" of Hit-
lerism stands debunked. -