THE JEWISH NEWS

Page Two

Purely
Commentary

By PHILIP SLOMOVITZ

JOY AND SORROW OVER BRIGADE
It took years of pleading to get action
for the formation of a Jewish Brigade
Group by. -Great, Britain. The request of
the Jewish Agency for Palestine has
finally been granted and—three Pales-
tinian units will form the nucleus for
the all-Jewish fighting group.
The formation of the • Jewish Brigade
is being hailed with satisfaction in Jewish
circles ., in Palestine, England and_ the
United States; in the British press; in
democratic . countries. •
It is being opposed hi some quarters.
Joy and sorrow are thus intermingled
over an •announc'ement which should
have been recognized generally as an act
of justice.
* * *
-
OPPONENTS AND PROPONENTS
Let us take stock and take • a look at
the -opposition as well 'as at the propo-
nents of the Jewish Brigade . idea. (There
was a time when we spoke of a Jewish
Army—but we must be satisfied that
there is at least to be a Jewish Brigade).
First, let us examine the opposition:
The first word of protest against a
Jewish fighting unit came from Lessing
Rosenwald, president of the anti-Zionist
American Council for Judaism.
. Then,- the Arab press began to register
complaints. The Arab newspaper Flastin
stated that Arabs are "unconcerned"
whether a Jewish army is formed or not,
but challenged the basis for creating such
a force, Some of the Arab newspapers
said they were puzzled by the formation
of the Jewish Brigade.
Resolutions protesting the formation of
the Brigade were prepared for presenta-
tion to the Arab inter-governmental con-
ference in Alexandria.
And—the, Romanian government has
refused permission to the Zionist Organi-
zation in Bucharest to open recruiting
offices for the Jewish Brigade.
The British counterpart of the anti-
Zionist American Council for Judaism—
the Jewish Fellowship—was not silent.
Its spokesman, Sir Brunel Cohen, pub-
lished a statement in the London Times
warning that "the vast majority of the
Jews in Britain have no desire whatever
to be segregated from their comrades in
the armed forces with whom they feel
united in national loyalty." And Col.
Robert Henriques also told the London
Times that British Jews will never agree
to surrender "the distinctive honorable
flashes 'of their military units and forma-
tions for the Mogen Dovid of the Jewish
Brigade."
* * *
THE FAVORITE SIDE
An interesting debate has developed
where no debate is necessary or desirable:
Let us look at the proponents of the
Jewish Brigade idea.
The London Daily Mail has declared
editorially that "the Star of David and
the Blue-White of the Brigade will mean
much to the men wearing these emblems
of a great tradition, will mean even more
to the survivors of massacres and de-
portation who endured a crueller dis-
persion - than Nebtichadnezzar ever de-
vised, and a more ruthless persecution
than Torquemada ever planned."
- The Manchester Guardian, commend-
ing on the formation of . the : Brigade,
declares that it is no less welcome than
five years late and states in the course of
its editorial that previously "Jewish en-
thusiasm was sacrificed for political
stupidity and a great chance was lost, for
a. Jewish division would have - been a
more than useful reinforcement in the
dark days of 1941-42 and would have en-
couraged active Jewish resistance
throughout Europe."
It is natural, of course, that the Hebrew
press in Palestine should have welcomed
the formation of the Brigade. But it is
especially interesting to know that__ the
Turkish press has hailed the Brigade as
a symbol of recognition of the Jews as
allies in the democratic cause.
Furthermore, it is encouraging to know
that Allied diplomatic circles in the Mid-
dle East have received the British an-
nouncement withSatisfaction.
* * *
-
THE JEWISH OPPOSITION
The question must be raised:
Why the Jewish oppciSition?
There is a simple answer which must
be preceded by an explanation.
Five years ago, when a demand was
made for a Jewish Army, there would
undoubtedly have been many thousands
of Jews everywhere who would have
been anxious to fight under the Blue-
White banner. Today, however, the only
recruits who can be secured, in addition
to those who will be drawn from the
Palestine units, are refugees.
Thee kinsmen of these refugees are
either wearing the Star of David under
compulsion, or as a mark of protest

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Friday, October 6, 1944

Qnotation of the Week

"All the Zionist leaders with whom I talked eagerly anticipated
the d'ay when they Would be able to cooperate with an Arab leader-
ship which, while defending the legitimate. interests of its people,
would reject the fascist philosophy and renounce bloodshed, arson and
violence as political_ teamicraes. I found that Jewish. leaders, without
exception, were. deeply interested in the social welfare of the cruelly
eXploited Arab .workers and fellaheen.
"In my opinion, the prospects for Arab-Jewish understanding after
this war depends. less on the two peoples themselves than on the gen-
eral climate of postwar 'international relations. Only if the victorious
United Nations cooperate sincerely in the building of a free and
hurnane postwar world will it be. possible , to settle national cOnflicts
justly. The Arab-Jewish situation is no exception to this rule." .

—DR. WALTER-C. LOWDERMILK, Soil Conservation
and Forestry Expert of the U. S. Department of Agri-
culture;. Special Investigator in . Palestine for the IL S.; •
Author of `Palestine: Land of Promise.'

card

The Lobbies

Strictly
Corifidentiat

By ARNOLD 'LEVIN.

By PHINEAS J. BIRON

(Copyright, 1944- ' Independent Jewish
Press gervieec Inc.)
.

(Copyrigh•_ 1944, by Se/;en Arta
Feature. Syndicate)

INTERNATIONAL\ GRAPEVINE
Those ' seeking an • indication to the
Soviet Union's stand' on Palestine are
considerably confused by recent events.
There are the events \ in Bulgaria, • the
country which welcomed the Red *Army,
Should the Bulgarian government's stand
be taken as an indication of Russia's at-
titude toward the Jewish National Home-
land then the optimists' have reasons to'
say: "We told you so!" Because Bulgaria
has declared herself' for a Jewish State.
Should Romania's Stand there, too, the
Red Army has a say -.-- be :taken. as, an
indicatidn of Russia's attitude towar.d
Palestine, then the pessimists have a
right to. say.: -"I told you so!" Romania
has been reluctant to permit the opening
of recruiting offices for the Jewish Bri-
gade. Other political wiseacres believe
that Russia, while non-committal herself
to avoid British resentment, will en-
courage countries within the so-called
Mediterranean belt to support the Jewish
position, and that explains Bulgaria's
stand. In Romania, on the other hand,
Russia is pressed for manpower and
would rather see Jewish youth serve in
the -ranks of the Romanian Arm .
Wonder whether Zionists' hake given
serious thought to a possible getAogether
with Lebanese in the 'United StOps. Not
that the Lebanese have given ahy indica-
tion of sympathy toward the Zionist
cause but, on the other hand, a telegram
to the Beirut Chamber from Lebanese
here warned of a possible conspiracy by
the conferees in Alexandria against Le-
banon's sovereignity. That shoUld give
Zionists an-opening for negotiations . . .
* * *
ARIE'S IRISH ROSE
We have read all the installments of
Gwethalyn Graham's "Earth and High
Heaven," serialized by Collier's; a Liter-
ary Guild, choice, and Sam GolidWyn pur-
chase. ft deals with anti-Semitism in
Canada, ,but : is essentially just another
Abie's- Irish Rose.

IMPORTANT !
Attention, Department of Justice : Fas-
cist leaders who are operating under
cover are using the following women's
'organizations ,to spread ditunity propa-
ganda: Women Investors in America —
Women Against Communism Crusad-
ing Mothers American Mothers
Mothers of the U. S. A.—We the Mothers
Mobilize for America — We. Mothers and
Women of America — National League
of 'Mothers of America . . Thousands
of innocent women with sons at the front
are being hoodWiiiked into joining: these
groups, which carry such high-sounding
patriotic names . . • And before these
women realize what is' happening they
have been indoctrinated with anti-Semi-
tism and are becoming the tools of the
Fascist and defeatist riff-raff on the
home front , . . It is' high time that the
sponsors and financers of these phoney
mother groups were investigated.
The disturbances that occurred in front
of the Coney Island Synagogue on Yom
Kippur eve were not serious except for
one terrible aspect . . . While youthful
hoodlums, on the street outside the syna-
,gogue were shrieking 'and noisily mim-
icking the religious service, a large num-
ber of adults assembled and watched this
outrage with great amusement . . . These
grbwn people cannot be laughed off as
"juvenile delinquents."
POLITICAL
There are rumors that Sidney Hillman
has beeh prevailed upon to resign from
the CIO Political Action Committee by
some Jewish leaders who are disturbed
about the anti-Semitic slant of the at-
tacks on him . . . But these rumors are
unfounded . . . On the contrary, we have
been told. that a very prominent Jewish
'leader who - is:;supporting Dewey has de-
manded 'that the Republican'. campaign
copywriters steer their stories ori Hillman
away frorn the "alien" and :.13.Ussian"
angle.
Gerald L..K. Smith has given up his
own presidential campaign and is throw-
against Nazism as fighters with the ing whateverstrength (!?!) he corn-
,
Underground 'forces.
mands into the Dewey camp.
- Is the Mogen Dovid to be made a mark BEST STORY OF THE WEEK
of shame, simply because men like Sir
An unreliable source in Naziland,
Brunel Cohen, Col. Robert Henriques clareS Winchell; repOrts that Hitler,
and Lessing Rosenwald misrepresent the beaten and crushed in spirit, called a
true facts regarding the Jewish Brigade? conferen.ce of his top men the other day
Of course, no one will either- be asked . . . "Gentlemen," he said, "we are lick-
or expected to leave the forces he is now ed . • . We haven't a chance . ... With
fighting with. The explanation is as plain forged passport : I have made plans to be
as day. But the Jewish opposition 'is sniiiggled through Argentina —into the
afraid of one thing: A Jewish -fighting United States as a citizen . . . Don't try
_unit may lead also to a Jewish State or to keep me here -+ I'm leaving!" . . .
- a Jewish Commonwealth.
"Are you mad?" exploded Goering . .
* a
"In the United States, you know as well
as I do, your life wouldn't be worth a
A STEP TOWARD A STATE
David Ben Gurion, chairman of the nickel" .. . "I know, I know," said Hit-
Executive. Committee of the Jewish ler dejectedly, -"but before I die I have
, agency for Palestine, did not hide behind made up 'my mind to do one more thing
a :„bush when he told several hundred for the Fatherland" . . . Oh, fergoodness-
JeWish soldiers in Haifa that the JeWish - akes, Adolf!" pleaded Hermann.: . .
Brigade is a major achievement in the "What /on . earth can you do . for the
program for the creation of a Jewish Fatherland in the United States?" . .
"I'll go to the newsreels and boo the
State in Palestine.
If this is truth and fact, let it be ac- Roosevelts!"
cepted • assuch without hesitancy.
ABOUT PEOPLE
And if there is anything to 'worry
Orchids are due to Dave Lax, the ar-
about, the .British Colonial Office is sure tist, of whom .- we have written several
to let itself be heard, as it has in. the past times in this column .. . Now in khaki
with decrees that placed obstacles in the and with : our overseas forces,- he has
Path of Jewish reconstruction in Palestine. painted a number Of striking oils depict-
But while the frightened Jews are ing the role of transportation in the in-
worried about the JeWish Brigade, the vasion . . . The. British edition of Yank
British government- has permitted the featured them last month.
If you are interested; in seeing Solomon.
enlistment Of Jewish civilians, now en-
gaged in. War work, as fighters in the MikhOels in the movies go and view the
Brigade; and the ' Jewish Agency has YiddiSh Soviet-released film"The, Re-
opened recruiting offices.
• urn Of Nathan Becker" . . . MikhoelS,
It is clear that there is to be no inter- you remember, is the chairman of the
ference with Jewish progress in Palestine Jewish Anti-Fascist Committee of Mos-
cow, and was in the United- _ States on a
or in behalf of a Jewish Palestine.
one4-Of' his
Will the fearful ones ever learn the ViSit••4ist year. , .Detrait
stops.
value of courage?

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Between
You and Me

By BORIS SMOLAR

.

(Copyright. 1944, JTA, Inc.)

AMERICAN NOTES
The American. Jewish Conference is
now beginning to show signs of life .. .
Even though this vitality expresses itself
One of these
in memorandums only .
memorandurnS . is the request submitted'
to the British Government to reconsider
its Palestine imMigration policy .. We
hope that the British. Government will
pay attention to the hint that this .re-
quest will be . .heard at ' the forthcoming
session of the .American Jewish . Confer-
ence...,
Is • it true. that the Jewish Labor Co_ rri
mittee is ready to leave the ~ranks 'Of
the American Jewish Conference should
representatiVes of Jewish. .Corrimunist ,
bodies be admitted to its forthcoming
Session as full-fledged mernbers?
A federal bill to outlaw anti-Semitism
in the' United :States will soon be intro-
duced in both Houses of CongreSs . . .
The projected bill is* the work of out-'
standing constitutional laWyers and prO. 't;
fessors prepared : under the auspices of
the National Committee to Combat Anti-
Semitism . . . It pointS out that Anti
Sernitisni is a potent weapon in the hands
of the enemies of this country and tends
to destroy the unity of :the nation,. dislo-
.
cate the economic life of the country and
creates discord among the people of the
United. States.
The bill urges that Congress , declare
it unlawful for any person to bring or
Cause to be brought into the United
States anti-Semitic literature, or use the
U. S. mail for disseminating such Mem .-
ture . . It prohibits the selling, distri-
buting, circulating, exhibiting or reading
to others of any kind of anti-Jewish
literature, and recommends a fine of no
more than $5,000 or imprisonment for
no more than five years, or both,. for
violation of any of the Bill's provisions. f; ,
* * *
CANADIAN NOTES
Jewish leaders in Canada are very
proud of the fact that they succeeded
in uniting all American Jewish organiz-
ations for the presentation of a united
front' at the ;UNRRA conference which
just concluded in Montreal . . 'Credit
for this achievement is given to Saul
Hayes, 37-Year-old lawyer, executive
director of the United Jewish Refugee
and .War Relief Agencies, which unites
all Jewish relief groups in Canada, and
also director of the Canadian Jewish
Congress . . It was the first time that
the American Jewish Confetente, the
American Jewish Committee, the World
Jewish Congress; the - Joint Distribution
Committee and the Agudas Israel agreed
on a single memorandum to an interna-
tional body '. , . This memorandum, ac-
ceptable to all groups, is said, by the
Canadian Jewish Congress to have been •
worked - out 'by Mr. Hayes.
a .*
PERSONALITY NOTES
U. S. Arrny Headquarters of the Euro-
pean Theater . of Operations does not •
neglect to , give due Credit to Jewish'
Chaplains . . . Chaplain Robert S. Marcus
of New York, who has been in the army
four years, has- been especially singled
out in an Army announcement . . As
chaplain for an air force unit, he con-
ducts services for Jewish men of the
fighter groups, and travels near the
front to provide religious services . . '
:Visiting a signal construction battalion,
he ran into an outfit composed mostly
of New Yorkers, Many from his own
neighborhood .. . "This is one of the
greatest surprises I ever had," he, said..
"In all my army experience I have never
met a unit dominated by New' Yorkers
to the point, where a visit turned out
to be old home week." . . . As a result
of this unexpected reunion, Chaplain •
Marcus will hold services for this signal
unit each week . . . Chaplain Marcus
was formerly executive direCtor of the
Joint Boycott Committee of the Ameri-
can Jewish Congress.
Another .T.ewish chaplain mentioned by
Army headquarters is Capt. Samson A.
Shain from Sunnyside, L. I. . . . He
is bringing . solace to' .Jewish soldiers
wounded in France and now , recovering
in - U. S. Army hospitals in -England.
We - congratulate Fred SChWartz on the
occasion of his • receiving . ' a LaborLMan-
agement award at -the Kaiser =shipbuild-
ing yards for his useful suggestions' . .
Schwartz Caine, to. this country - as -a .re•-•
. . This is the •
fugee five. years . ago
second award .he has received from Kais-
er's for practical suggestions. which .help-
ed in the war effort.
Alfred M.; Cohen, honorary president
and former president of Bnai• Brith will
celebrate &5th birthday on Oct. 19 . .
He looks -like :.60 -.and is as active as a

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of 60, ; - ,.,;.

WINIIMAY. : •

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