Page Two
THE 'JEWISH NEWS
Heard in
The Lobbies
By ARNOLD LEVIN
(Copyright, 1944 Independent Jewish
Press Service, Inc.)
JEWISH FRONT
The organizations that participated last
week in the meeting called by the Rescue
Commission of the American Jewish
Conference to discuss measures to be
taken in behalf of the Jews trapped in
Hungary, included those who had walked
out on the Conference and organizations
that had been refused admission to it
This was the first time since the prelim-
inary meetings at which last September's
first session of the Conference was
planned that the prodigals, who had left
it in a huff, met to consult under the
auspices of the Conference. It was good
to see sitting together the Orthodox
Agudath Israel and the Zionists-Revis-
ionists, who had left the Conference be-
fore its first session was convened; the
American Jewish Committee, which left
after participating in, and voting on the
decisions of the session, and the Inter-
national Workers Order that had so per-
sistently sought and is still seeking ad-
mission into the Conference. Jewish
catastrophe had brought them together.
The most bitter battler against the in-
clusion of a Jewish Commonwealth
plank in the Democratic platform was
Breckenridge Long, the State Depart-
ment biggie whose habit of giving red
tape priority over human lives has con-
tributed greatly to the fate • that has
befallen Europe's Jews . . . Gentiles who
have dealt with the refugee problem
almost frOM the day Hitler came to
power clench their fists and grit their
teeth in impotent rage when discussing
Long's refusals and proscrastinations on
rescue matters . . He is the man who
withheld visas until is was too late, they
say. They also credit him with delay in
issuing special visas for Jewish children
in France. By the time he got around
to them, escape was impossible • . . And
yet, he apparently thinks his record is
incomplete and he has turned heaven
and earth against a Palestine plank.
We wish people would make up their
minds about Justice Rosenman, the F.
D. R. confidant. Latest rumor is that
he was responsible for the obstacles
against passage of a Palestine plank. He
was supposedly the American Jewish
Committee's private wire to the powers-
that-be at the convention. He did nod
his approval of a Palestine resolution,
but the kind that could in no way be
interpreted as an indorsement of a Jew-
ish Commonwealth and that would be
expressive of the American Jewish Com-
mittee's views on the subject.
Peter H. Bergson had lobbyists at the
Democratic Convention pressing for in-
clusion of a plank that would call for
the recognition of the Hebrew Nation • .
In other words: the Democratic Con-
vention was another occasion where
Jewish disunity was manifested, with
groups representing minority opinion
(anti-Zionism) attempting to shape
Jewry's fate, in accordance with their
conception of what that fate should be,
by using their influence with non-Jews.
*
* *
CITATIONS
We like the enteprrising spirit of the
Zionist Record of South Africa. Maurice
Samuel's "The World of Shalom Aleich-
em," has been running serially in that
publication.
Albert Basserman, famed German
actor, refugee from the - Nazis, who has
already created a niche for himself in
Hollywood, will make his debut on
Broadway in the Theater Guild produc-
tion, "Embezzled Heaven."
20 Countries Seek
Palestine Trade
TEL AVIV (JPS-Palcor) — The Tel
Aviv-Jaffa Jewish Chamber of Com-
merce has received in the past few
weeks applications for trade relations
with Palestine from 20 countries, it is
stated here. Export offers were received
from Australia, Iran (dried. fruit), Tur-
key (hides a n d leather), Argentina
(honey), Egypt, Syria, Spain, Aden
(coffee), Cyprus (wine), Switzerland
(watches), Zanzibar, Tanganyika (rub-
ber, beeswax, leather, coffee, nuts and
timber), Eritrea (timber), and India
(pearls, fish-oils, tobacco, and rubber).
Palestinian goods are sought by the
following countries: Australia (textiles
and drapery), Iran, United States, Tunis
(juices and oils), Turkey, Malta, Egypt
(textiles. leather goods, machines and
parts, glassware, cosmetics and chemi-
cals), Syria, Iraq, Spain, Ceylon and the
neighboring British island of Cyprus.
Ghetto Survivors Discuss Future
By ALLEN RAYMOND
In an article "211 Survivors Arrived Today," the Saturday Evening Post correspondent,
Allen Raymond, described his meetings with refugees in Italy. Independent Jewish Press
Service has obtained the permission to syndicate the following excerpts which refer exclu-
sively to Jews.
I
visited dismal Ferramonti, that walled enclosure of 90 barracks where
hundreds of Jews from all over. Central Europe were interned in 1940 and
1941, and where they remained monotonously, at bare subsistence level, until
freed by the advancing Allies last September.
After our- troops freed them, the majority of these Jewish internees grad-
ually vanished, scattering about the King's Italy, where many are employed
now as interpreters by the Allied armies. A minority remaining at Ferra-
monti were practically destitute and were just chopping up the last sentry
boxes for firewood when I arrived.
These former prisoners, who are now at liberty to leave, but who have
nowhere to go, include displaced persons of the following nationalities:
Czech, Polish, Austrian, German, Italian, Yugoslav, Danzig Free State, Turkish,
Russian, Romanian, Hungarian, Arabian—technically British—Greek, Spanish,
Dutch, Gypsy and Chinese.
Practically every Jew whom I interviewed at Ferramonti declared he
hoped never to return to the land from which he had come, except to check
the whereabouts of parents or other relatives, who probably were dead by
now, or to try to retrieve a little of his former property which had been
seized by the Nazis.
Doctor Fischer, a former Belgrade, banker and advisor to King Peter's
government, expressed a typical viewpoint.
"For years after this war," he said, "there will be so much anti-Semitism
all over Europe that there won't be any place for a Jew to live. Hitler, in
that respect, has done his work well. We Jews have suffered too much at the
hands of our fellow countrymen all over Europe to want to go back to work
with them. We are tired of being blamed, as Jews for all the evils of the
world. We want to be Palestinians and to have a country of our own."
An exception to this Zionist attitude was expressed, however, by Louis
Martin, the chief of police at Ferramonti, who, as a former Hungarian army
officer, was wounded in the first World War. Although two successive Amer-
ican Army officers have managed this camp since our occupation of Italy,
Chief Martin is its real ruler.
I asked him if he wanted to go to Palestine.
"No, indeed," said he. "I want to go to Berlin and be a policeman there!"
Purely
Commentary
Between
You and Me
By BORIS SMOLAR
By PHILIP SLOMOVITZ
DONKEY AHEAD OF ELEPHANT •
Our prediction of July 7 has come true.
The Democratic Party has also adopted a
pro-Palestine plank, and now the two
major political parties are on equal
ground insofar as the chase for votes is
concerned.
But this is only on the surface. In real-
ity, the Donkey is a long way ahead of
the Elephant.
The Republican platform calls for un-
restricted immigration and land owner-
ship so that "Palestine may be ,consti-
tuted as a free and democratic common-
wealth."
But the Democratic platform declares:
"We favor the opening of Palestine
to unrestricted Jewish immigration and
colonization, and such a policy as to re-
sult in the establishment there of a free
and democratic Jewish commonwealth."
This statement is much briefer than the
Republicans'. The 'latter endorsement of
the Jewish position in Palestine was
couched in 101 words. The Democratic
statement numbers 30 words. But there
is just one word in the latter statement
that makes all the difference in the
world. The Democrats endorse a JEWISH
commonwealth. The Republicans, failed
to mention that simple but all-important
word.
It is known that a handful of Jews—
some charge that it is the American
Council for Judaism group — fought
against recognition of Jewish claims to
Palestine. Perhaps they were more suc-
cessful with the Republicans. In any
event, the-shorter and simpler declaration
is the more important one. Therefore, the
Donkey leads the Elephant in the attempt
to win Jewish support—and- the one word
JEWISH before commonwealth does it.
*
WISE AHEAD OF SILVER
Dr. Abba Hillel Silver, co - chairman
with Dr. Stephen S. Wise of the Ameri-
can Zionist Emergency Committee, engi-
neered the adoption of the Republican
plank.
But Dr. Wise was responsible for the
action taken by the Democratic conven-
tion. He headed a committee composed
'of Dr. Israel Goldstein, president of the
Zionist Organization of America; Herman
Shulman of New York, Congressman
Adolph J. Sabath of Illinois, Judge Louis
E. Levinthal of Philadelphia and Judge
Harry M. Fisher of Chicago, who appear-
ed before the resolutions committee of
the Democratic convention in behalf of
Jewish aspirations in Palestine.
Wise is therefore ahead of Silver in the
latest pro-Zionist accomplishment.
But—perhaps the Republicans met a
little too soon, giving the Democrats the
advantage of better judgment after
studying the decision of the first conven-
tion.
*
*
THE EQUAL RIGHTS PLANK
The Democrats have another advantage
in their plank on racial and religious
rights. As against a Republican statement
of 64 words in which the Negroes are
mentioned, the Democrats, in 40 words,
declare as follows:
"We believe that racial and religious
minorities have the right to live, de-
*
.
,
Copyright. 1944, Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Inc.)
Friday, July 74 8, l'944
Strictly
Confidential
By PHINEAS J. BIRON
(Copyright. 1944, by Seven Arts
Feature Syndicate)
RESCUE EFFORTS
If the remaining 400,000 Jews of Hun-
gary will be saved—and that is still a
big question mark—Chaim Weizmann
will have had a hand in it, we're told . .
The Zionist leader had a heart-to-heart
talk with Anthony Eden and Winston
Churchill, and finally succeeded in- get-
ting things moving . . . We're reliably in-
formed that Stalin exercised tremendous
pressure on the Hungarian government
. . . The International Red Cross, which
negotiated with Admiral Nicholas • Hor-
thy, Regent of Hungary, had the backing
of London, Washington and Moscow .. .
In his talk with Weizmann Eden is re-
ported to have said: "Stalin's word goes
furthest in Budapest—because his mili-
tary power is so close to the scene" . . .
P. S.: Stalin said the word.
* * *
ZIONEWS
Peter -Bergson, head of the "Hebrew
Committee of National Liberation," deliv-
ered his "first major address" in Town
Hall, - New York, last week . . • Admis-
sion prices were charged, and the place
was crowded with an audience that ap-
plauded Bergson's criticism of Dr. Weiz-
mann, Dr. Wise and Jewish leadership
in America . . . Bergson's speech was
broadcast over a local radio station, and
it created a deep impression . . . We're
telling you this not because we like the
Bergson group, but because it must be
admitted that the Palestinian .boyS car-
ried it off once more both organization-
ally and technically.:-
* *.*
-• -
THIS AND THAT
We don't think it would be such a
great idea to re-issue Cecil B. DeMille's
"The Sign of the Cross" at this time .. .
Yet that is what Paramount is preparing
to do . . . A new prologue will show
American troops entering Rome • . . It
strikes us as tactless to connect Ameri-
ca's first fight again Fascism with a
crucifixion movie.
At Flushing, Long Island, in St. And-
rew's Roman Catholic Church, a mass
was recently celebrated for Pvt. Alfred
Dorfman, a Jewish boy from Flushing
killed outside Rome . . . That's good will
in action . . . Believe it or not, Gross-
inger's, the swanky Jewish hotel in the
New York mountains, has sold $5,000,000
worth of war bonds to its guests so far
this season . . . During the Shabuoth
weekend Eddie Cantor singlehanded
sold $250,000 worth in one evening there.
* * *
ABOUT PEOPLE
During General Charles de Gaulle's
visit to New York Jo Davidson made a
bust of the French leader—in a single
day, and without asking him to pose .. .
Davidson just followed the General
around town, looked at him for all
angles, made notes, and then did the
sculpture.
When violin virtuoso Menuhin visited
the armed forces in the Aleutians he shed
his formal manner and became one of
the boys, playing by preference before
small groups . . . An eye-witness reports:
"It was 30 below zero . . . His hands
were blue from cold, yet he played for
us . . . When his fingers became stiff he
wrapped them in a muffler, told us
stories until they got warm, then asked
what melodies we'd like to hear."
Watch out for a new screen figure
named Tony Eden . . . No, this doesn't
mean that Britain's Foreign Minister is
going Hollywood . . . Tony Eden is the
screen name given to a pretty youngster
who was born Walda Winchell—yes,
Walter's daughter.
--
FUND-RAISING TALKS
The prospects of post war fund-raising
for Jewish needs are now being seriously
studied by the Council of Jewish Federa-
tions and Welfare Funds . . . Experts are
certain that Jewish fund-raising will not
decrease for a long time after the war
. . . They expect that the government
will take a more active part in the work
of social welfare, but the field for private
agencies will still remain wide . . They
also expect that many Jews active in
war relief activities, like Red Cross,
U.S.G., will be interested in maintaining
their activities and will easily be induced
to spend their time
energy for Jew-
ish social work
• . The question of
whether. Jewish communities after the
war should concentrate more on expand-
ing their social work, or should spend
funds on erecting new buildings for hos-
pitals, homes for aged and other institu-
tions is also the subject of study now by
the Council of Federations and Welfare
Funds . . . Many communities are in-
clined to erect new buildings for their
institutions on the assumption that once
there is a building, the institution will
somehow be supported in one way or
another.
* * *
COMMUNAL TALKS
What is behind the sudden resignation
of J. S. Pearlstein from his post as Ad-
ministrative Secretary of the American
Jewish Conference? . Mr. Pearlstein
was responsible for raising the funds for
the conference as well as for running its
office • . . His resignation was not made
public, but has nevertheless provoked a
good deal of interest, since it came just
at a time when the Conference is prepar-
ing for its next conclave.
Jewish communities throughout the
country take note: 1,000 New York
restaurants recently donated 10 per cent
of their gross receipts to the United Jew-
ish Appeal . . Any chance of Jewish
restaurants in other cities following this
example?
The decision of the National Refugee
Service to discontinue relief to refugees
who are in this country five years and
By LORD BYRON
more is welcomed even by the refugees
(Reprinted on the Occasion of Tisha b'Ab,
themselves .. . It makes them feel that
to be Observed on Sunday)
they are no longer refugees, but needy
Oh! Weep for those that wept
Jews of America.
by Babel's stream,
Whose shrines are desolate,
velop and vote. equally with all citizens
whose land a dream;
and. share the rights that are guaran-
Weep for the harp of Judah's broken
teed by our constitution. Congress
shell;
should exert its fullest constitutional
Mourn—where
their God hath dwelt,
powers to protect those rights."
the godless dwell!
Such an emphatic statement does not
And where shall Israel lave her
have to mention Negroes or anti-Semit-
bleeding feet?
ism. It does not limit itself to condemn-
And when shall Zion's songs again
ing prejudice. It declares for equality.
seem sweet?
There is greater risk to the Democrats
And Judah's melody once more rejoice
in such action, in view of the position of
The hearts that leap'd before its
the South.
heavenly voice?
Yes, the Republicans met too soon.
Tribes of the wandering foot
But the burden . of proof of the sin-
and weary breast,
cerity of their assertions lies on both
parties. It remains to be seen whether How shall ye flee away and be at rest?
their platforms represent lip service in- The wild-dove hath her nest,
the fox his cave,
tended to catch votes, or whether they
are sincere expressions of a desire to Mankind their country—Is4ael but
the grave!
guarantee justice for all humanity.
Oh! Weep for Those