Page Two
Strictly
Confidential
By PHINEAS J. BIRON
(Copyright. • 1944, by Seven Arts
Feature Syndicate)
WE'RE TELLING YOU
Gerald L. K... Smith, America's would-
be fuehrer, has this to say, in his "The
Cross and the Flag," about the recent
disclosures of anti-Semitism in Boston:
"What has been taking place in Boston
is just a pimple on the skin of our body
politic" . . .
In Chicago anti-Semites are busily or-
ganizing for the coming elections, pre-_
cinct by precinct . . . Their aim is to
show the politicians that "it pays to be
an anti-Semite" . . . It's up to us anti-
Fascists, Jewish and non-Jewish alike,
to demonstrate that they're wrong.
* * *
COMMENT
Down on the East Side Winchell has
discovered a monument-maker who be-
lieves in preparedness , . . This fore-
sighted individual displays in his place
of business a sample gravestone en-
graved: "Adolf Hitler—died 1944" . .
Berlin papers please copy , . .
From the grapevine comes the story
that in Naziland the word whispered
from mouth to mouth is: "Enjoy the
war while you can—for the peace will
be terrible".
In the Bronx they're saying that if
Hitler phoned Hirohito 'it would be a
poison-to-poison call.
* * *
LITERARY WORLD . . .
Paul Hagn, author of "Germany Af-
ter Hitler," was born with the name
Karl Frank, but has used his non-de-
plume for many years . . . It was sug-
gested to him by the late Yiddish news-
paperman B. Charney Vladeck, he re-
veals.
With Purim looming on the horizon,
we want to call the attention of Sunday
Schools, Centers and clubs to something
novel in the line of Purim plays ... It's
a sprightly piece in charming verse, and
should make a great hit with audiences,
especially since it's written in a spirit
of fun particularly appropriate to Pur-
im . . . The title is "It Happened in
Elam," the author is Dorothy Ellin Flax,
and information and authorization can
be obtained from the Union of American
Hebrew Congregation, Cincinnati.
* * *
WAR NEWS
Dave Lipton, publicity director of
Columbia Pictures, is in the Army now
. . . Dave is a brother of Laurence Lip-
ton, the writer.
In case you've ever wondered who
first thought up those attractive corsages
made of War Stamps, we'll tell you that
the inventor was one Harry A. Perlman,
who at the time was a dollar-a-year man
in the Army.
Movie actor John Garfield's next film
will probably have him portraying a
war hero.
In the Windy City there's talk of send-
ing Marine Sergeant Barney Ross to
Congress.
* * *
ABOUT PEOPLE
Hats off to the Rev. Richard E. ,Evans,
who, to keep faith with an audience
awaiting him in Bangor, Me., chartered
a private plane at Portland . . Flying
Dick's Bangor speech was on the theme
"Open the Gates of Palestine."
Best wishes for a speedy recovery to
Isaac Carmel, veteran Zionist worker,
who recently broke his leg . . It hap-
pened at New Haven, Conn.—and a few
hours after he was put in a cast Carmel
addressed a Zionist meeting.
Now that septuagenarian Charles Mi-
chelson has retired from his Democratic
National Committee publicity duties,
he's settled down to writing his memoirs
. . We hope he includes some intimate
details concerning his late brother, the
physicist and • Nobel Prize winner Al-
bert A. Michelson.
Plan Wedgwood
Memorial Canteen
NEW YORK (JPS)—A. .,WedgWood
Memorial Committee, recently formed
here, will push the sale . of • "Testament
to Democracy," the last creative" effort
of the late Colonel Josiah - C.:WedgwOod,
the proceeds from which will go toward
the establishment of the • Wedgwood
Canteen and Rest Center for Allied
troops in Britain. The Canteen will be
in the charge of the Religious Emerg-
ency Council of the Chief Rabbi of the
United Kingdom. Among the sponsors
of the book are Lord Halifax, British
Ambassador to the United States; Sec-
retary of the Interior Harold L. Ickes;
Sir Norman Angell, and Dorothy
Thompson. Moses Schonfeld is honorary
secretary of the committee.
THE JEWISH NEWS
North African Vignette
By HAROLD U. RIBALOW
The night slanted in on stealthy feet through the city of Casablanca. It
was my first view of the French Moroccan city and the blend of Occident
and Orient has remained always with me.
It was the Sabbath.
With two friends, I entered the Chapel where Jewish services were
about to take place. Sailors and soldiers filled up the seats.
For the first time in my life-I was attending services in a foreign land.
In the street the noisy chatter of evening was making itself heard in the
chapel. In the building sat hundreds of Jews, soldiers and sailors, officers
and enlisted men—and one Moroccan' woman '— seeking comfort in an
alien city in a foreign land during a Sabbath service.
Some of the others were strange to their surroundings. They held the
prayerbook gingerly in their hands. The Hebrew script was strange to :them,
it was obvious. A Lt. Colonel sat importantly in a front pew, nodding quietly
as the men prayed.
The Army chaplain, with an accent best described as "Brooklynese,"
presided over us. The prayers said were heartfelt. A Navy chaplain, natty
and resplendent in his blue dress, delivered the sermon. He spoke of a
Jewish community in Surinam, which he had visited during his travels as a
Navy chaplain. He spoke feelingly, Warmly and in an un-sermonic manner.
He won his audience quickly, and as he spoke I noted the rapt expressions
on the faces of the men, and I thought to myself: These men are not soldiers
now; they are Jews at prayer; listening to their rabbi.
The sermon ended. The crowd moved, aimlessly for a moment, as
crowds do immediately upon dispersal. We found the streets of Casablanca
again. Urchins begged for a cigarette. Street vendors offered trinkets at
exorbitant prices. Soldiers walked in threes, saluting officers regularly.
Military police walked their beats as American cops do at home, in the States.
Suddenly, the Sabbath seemed at an end. The cheap commercialism of the
streets put a period to the nostalgic dreams of holiness and home. Then
two old men walked past. us. Unmistakably they were Jews in the ancient
orthodox tradition. We looked at them wonderingly. I stopped them and
asked: "Are you Jews?" I spoke in Hebrew. They answered, in French, that
they were. Then one muttered angrily, as they walked on: "These Americans
speak the Holy Tongue as an everyday language." No wonder in their
hearts that Hebrew was spoken by an American., only contempt and anger
that Hebrew was, according to them, misused.
But two young men overheard us. They were Moroccan Jews. They spoke
Hebrew. Both were dark-skinned and looked like Arabs. They gesticulated
like Arabs. They smelled like natives. They were Jews. Their Hebrew was
poor. Noticing that we spoke fluently they looked uncomfortable and
moved along.
Night enveloped the city. A crescent moon was the only guide we had.
We found the road to camp and found our way back.
Sabbath in Casablanca. Smells and sounds . . . Jews and Arabs and
French and English and Americans—all blended to make a city. Religion
was with us as we reached our tent. How odd it was to find Sabbath away
from home.
• —Front Congress Weekly
Purely
Commentary
Heard in
The Lobbies
By PHILIP SLOMOVITZ
By ARNOLD LEVIN
HORE-BELISHA AS JEWISH LEADER
Leslie Hore-Belisha, one-time stormy
petrel in British politics, is assuming a
role of leadership in Jewish ranks. His
recent acceptance of membership on the
executive of the British Board of Jewish
Deputies aroused wide interest, and his
presence at several events at which the
Zionist cause was encouraged, were sig-
nals for rejoicing among Jews.
- Mrs. Archibald Silverman of Provi-
dence, R. I., upon her return from an
eventful tour of England in behalf of
Palestine's redemption, brought word
that Mr. Hore-Belisha is evincing deep
interest in Jewish movements, and re-
cent events appear to corroborate it.
(Copyright, 1944, Independent Jewish
Press Service, Inc.)
We Would Rather Not Report This
Every so often a reporter hits upon a
bit of news so painful that he would
rather not report it, but then he feels
that is for the common good for him
to do so . . . As, for instance, the fol-
lowing: At a confab of leaders, it was
charged that a certain revered person
gave priority to other engagements over
an invitation to the White House to dis-
cuss vital Jewish matters. This fact was
later reported in a confidential bulletin
of a responsible Jewish organization . . .
There is talk in Zionist lobbies that the
presentation of the case for the Jewish
* * *
Commonwealth resolution at recent
hearings of the House Foreign Affairs
NATION'S "SPIRITUAL TREASURY"
Committee consisted of too much impro-
Here ' is a specific example of this
visation and too little preparation. The
British statesman's
case stood up well because of its own
new concern over
moral and legal merits and because
Jewish matters. A re-
Zionism in America has a number of
cent meeting of the
personalities who can present an effect-
Council of the United
ive case any time of day or night, at a
Synagogues, conven-
moment's notice. .
ed in London for the
* * *
purpose of discussing
ANTI-ZIONIST PICNIC
the future of religious
Rabbi William Fineshriber of the
Jewish education in
American Council for Judaism, one of
England, received the
the gentlemen who sought to convert
following message
the House hearings on the Jewish Com-
from Mr. Hore-Beli-
monwealth ,resolution into an anti-Zion-
sha:
Mr. Hore-Belisha
ist picnic, is reported to have approved,
"It is good that you should have in
at a recent meeting of a Jewish wom-
mind strengthening the contribution
en's organization in Philadelphia, t h e
which Jews can make to the spirit-
action of the Beth Israel Congregation
ual treasury of the nation. They have
of Houston, Texas, in barring Kashruth
given to the world the priceless asset
observers and Zionists. He is reported to
of their religious message, which has
have said that this action was a defense
moulded Western civilization, but the
against Orthodox Jews "infiltrating" in-
Nazis have endeavored to counter-
to Reform temples. It has long been
attack it with their heathenism. I
charged that the American Council for
wish people realized more the good
Judaism is behind the Texas congre-
which they owe to the Jews and
gation's action . . .
*
how more good their good would be
if its precepts were followed: How-
TIDBIT
ever, the main service Jews can
Many Jews try to camouflage 'their
render to the world and to them-
Jewish identification. But Lauritz Mel-
selves is to be perfect Jews."
chior, the Danish opera star, proudly
It is clear that this , able 48-year-old tells that his late wife was Jewish, and
British leader is taking a positive stand "our two children have Jewish blood
which will be welcomed widely.
in their veins. God knows what has be-
* * *
come of my daughter in territory occu-
pied by the foe. My son is serving with
HIS PREVIOUS ATTITUDES
In justice to Mr. Hore-Belisha it the United States Army."
should be stated that he never had been
indifferent to Jewish causes, even though self from the discussions in the House
he was remote from active participation of Commons. It was reported that he had
in important causes. He serves as War- deliberately disregarded a three-line whip
den of the Spanish-Portugese Synagogue of government spokesmen in order to
in London and as a member of the Board show his disapproval of the dastardly at-
of Deputies. But like his "sympathetic tempts to stop Jewish progress in Pales-
attitude" on Zionism, he had been in- tine and to put an end to Jewish im-
active in the sense that his help was migration.
needed for effective results.
Will he speak up now? It will be in-
For instance, when the British White teresting to watch • his future' activities.
Paper was issued in 1939, although a His message on Jewish education seems
member of the Cabinet he absented him- to indicate a firmer stand.
Friday, February 25, IVO
Between
You and Me
By BORIS SMOLAR
_
(Copyright, 1944, Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Ine.)1
WASHINGTON ECHOES
An important meeting between Presi-
dent Roosevelt and Jewish leaders was
scheduled to have taken place this week
but was suddenly postponed by the Pres-
ident . • . Those who were to be re-
ceived by the President included leaders
of the American Zionist movement and
of the American Jewish Committee . . .
It seems that President Roosevelt want-
ed to have a clear picture on the attitude
of American Jews towards the Palestine
problem and wanted to have the picture
presented to him from every angle . . .
No new date for the meeting was set by
the President, but there is no doubt tha
it will take place in the near future . . •
In the meantime Washington may he
the voice of Christian America on th
Palestine question . . . On March 9—o
the day of Purim—leaders of Americ
non-Jewish organizations, including la
bor unions and political and soci
groups, will hold a conference in Wash-
ington to voice their .support of Jewish
demands for Palestine . . . It can be pre-
dicted now that prominent figures in
American national life will address the
conference on such ticklish questions
the Jewish Commonwealth, the illegalit
of the White Paper, Arab-Jewish rela-
tions, and the absorptive capacity o
Palestine . . . It is possible that the Con-
gressional resolution on Palestine may
be passed in both houses by the time
the leaders of the non-Jewish organiza-
tions hold their conference . . In that
case, it is expected that Presiden
Roosevelt will see the Jewish leaders
early in March, the month during which
the White Paper ban on immigratio
goes into effect . . . The legal right of
the U. S. Government to intervene with
the British Government for the abroga-
tion of the White Paper has long since
been established by Washington experts,
and British officials are aware of it.
A Hint to America
Lord Wedgwood's "Testament to
Democracy" Contains Vital
Message on Palestine
Can you visualize the United States
becoming the holder of the Palestine
Mandate? ... The late Lord Wedgwood,
whom Churchill called "an example of
unselfish courage," has visualized it . . .
In fact, he pleads for it in his book
"Testament to Democracy" just pub-
lished, simultaneously, in England and
in this country, by American Chapter,
Religious Emergency Council of Great
Britain, 55 Leonard St., New York 13,'
N. Y. -
This is what the great English parlia-
mentarian says: "Should Palestine and
Transjordan and Sinai not be merged
into a federated stated policed by Jews
and open to Jewish immigration, then
America better take the place of Brit-
ain as Mandatory for Palestine" . . .1
Because, he goes on to explain, England
has failed utterly as Mandatory . . . He 1
emphasizes that he knows that this is
not what the Palestine. administration
wants. . . What they want, he says, is
an Arab Federation which will be pro-
British and "which can be outlined red
on the map and provide employment
for British advisers" . .. In such a Fed-
eration, he points out, Jews will be
"tolerated" in the way they have been
up to now . . He hopes, however, that
this will not take place . . . America
would not like it, he predicts . . . The
Atlantic Charter hardly envisages such
"pleasant imperialism" . . Prime Min-
ister Churchill, too, has a way of fright-
ening men of little minds.
Lord Wedgwood is very bitter about
the policy of the Palestine Administra-
tion . . . This Administration "and their
abettors in London" are wrecking Jew-
ish life in Palestine, he charges . . • They
claim that this is done "in the interests
of the natives" . . . Let the natives of
Kenya and Rhodesia explain how the'
British Colonial Office looks after their
interests, he suggests . . . "God forbid
that we, or the Jews, should ever look
after the interests of Palestine natives
as the British Colonial Office looks after
the interests of African natives," he ex-
claims . . . He then goes on to picture
what the Jews have achieved in Pales-
tine despite the fact that the British
administrtion denies them justice . . •
"Had the Jewish settlers in Palestine
been British, how proud Britain should
have been of them," he says . . . The
Administration, he writes, would have
helped them with loans, advice and
arms and would see to it that they were
safe' from Arab murderers.