Page Two
THE JEWISH NEWS
Purely
Commentary
By PHILIP SLOMOVITZ
YOUNG MEN AS LEADERS
If Dr. Abba Hillel Silver were thor-
oughly in the wrong in the procedure he
followed as chairman of the executive
committee of the American Zionist
Emergency Council—and HE CERTAIN-
LY WAS NOT—there would still have
been no earthly reason for driving him
into the ranks of the ordinary members
of the movement and for depriving him
of the position of leadership.
He is American Jewry's outstanding
leader and the ablest pleader for justice
for our people. He belongs ON TOP.
Furthermore, he is a young man. (He
has just turned 51). We can't speak
constantly of attracting young men to
positions of leadership in Jewish life, and
then drive away our ablest man.
For several months, Zionist leaders
have been blundering by making pos-
sible the rift_ which has resulted in the
elimination of Dr. Silver from a position
of leadership. -
How long will these erring Zionist lead-
ers continue to blunder?
.'*. * *
TEXANS AND ZIONISM
Anne O'Hare McCormick,-.one of Amer-
ica's' ablest foreign correspondents, is
writing a series of articles for the New
York Times on her experiences in Pales-
tine. Her first article came from Tel 7Aviv
and was published on the editorial page
of the New York Times under the head-
ing "American Boys Find Tel-Aviv Like
a Home Town."
There seemed to be a bit of straddling
in the article. She is, apparently, too
anxious to locate - controversies even
where they do not exist. She is search-
ing for Arabs and their views.
But in the end, Mrs. McCormick re-
veals that Palestine's Jewish achieve-
ments leave an indelible mark upon ob-
servers and visitors.
Tel-Aviv left a deep impression, as is
indicated by Mrs. McCormick's descrip-
tion of G-I Joe's visits and the declaration
by "the inevitable boy from Texas" that
Tel-Aviv "is the best place I've seen since
I waved good-by to Old Lady Liberty."
"The result of this experience," this
eminent correspondent tells us, "'is likely
to make these soldiers strongly - Zionist
when they get home." •
This seems to be the impression of ALL
who have returned-from Palestine'to re-
port the doughboy's love for. the .Jewish
land which is g4A.7ing him such a royal
reception • when he gets there on fur-
lough. It is also the impression of Col.
Edwin H. Cooper, who is bringing the
latest film from Zion, "Palestine Today,"
for a showing here on March 8. -
These favorable impressions prove
again the desirability of encouraging
people to visit Palestine. In the post-
war era, it will be one of our responsi-
bilities. We should Plan Jo send our sons
and daughters for brief visits there and
for the continuation of their studies,
even if they are to be for very short
periods. Such a policy will help not only
Palestine; it will also introduce a . new
spirit of pride and self-respect in a. bet-
ter-informed American Jewry.
* * .*
A NON-JEW'S "IM ESHKAKHEKH . . ."
The Rev. Wendell Phillips, a Rye, N:
Y., Episcopalian minister, formerly . a
teacher of English at the American Uni-
versity in Cairo, Egypt, was sensational
in his approach to the problem of Pales-
tine when he spoke in.Detroit last week.
To the non-Jews whom he addressed
during his visit here, he read- the 137th
Psalm and recited to them the 'senti-
ments of "By the rivers of Babylon" as
an admonition that while Christians think
of a captivity of 2,000 years ago they re-
fuse to recognize the captivity of Jews
enacted before their Very eyes.
His appeal, as he read to them the "Im
Eshkakhekh . . . "—"If I forget thee, 0
Jerusalem . . . "—was that Christians
should not forget on Monday what they
recite in their churches on Sunday.
"It was a most effective plea for jus-
tice and for adherence to a tradition and
a heritage, in behalf of a Jewish Pales-
tine and for justice to the Jews every-
where, in which Christians and Jews
must share.
The Rev. Phillips is a witness of the
existence of an effective- group of Chris-
tians whom Jews love to refer to as
"Hassidei Umoth Haolam"—t.he "saintly
among the nations of the world."
*
*
*
MIKOLAJCZYK'S RETORT
The• crisis in Polish affairs throws con-
siderable light on back-stage political
maneuver ing.
It is possible that the Palestinian situa-
tion may corne- to a head by pressure
from important leaders in democratic
countries, and if our own Government
exerts pressure, in accordance with prom-
Friday, January 19, 1945
Quotation of the Week , Strictly
"The doughboys . . . like Tel-Aviv. The so-called 'Arab world' isn't
their world. They feel alien and uncomfortable in its strange sights,
Confidential
sounds and smells. Here they feel at home. 'It sure feels good to see
something like an American town,' said the inevitable boy from Texas,
mailing postcards in the Tel-Aviv post office this morning. 'This is the
best place I've seen since I waved good-by to Old Lady Liberty.'
"The result of this experience is likely to make soldiers strongly
Zionist when they get home."
—ANNE O'HARE McCORMICK, New York Times
Correspondent, in Cable to Her Newspaper
From Tel-Aviv on Jan. 5.
Heard in
The Lobbies
By ARNOLD LEVIN
(Copyright, 1945 Independent Jewish
Press Service. Inc.)
Between
You and Me
By BORIS SMOLAR
(Copyright, 1945, Jewish Telegraphic
Agency, Inc.)
FROM FRANCE
ZIONIST NOTES
American Jewish doughboys are rapid-
Now that it has been •revealed that
ly learning good Yiddish in France. In- neither the Zionists nor the Arabs have
teresting was their "yellow patch" parade succeeded in getting any promise from
through Paris streets. They lined up a Moscow with regard to the attitude of
number of "jeeps," pasted yellow patches the Kremlin towards post-war Palestine,
on them from turret to wheels and rode some of the developments around this
down the boulevards, with the French question can be disclosed . . . It has been
populace applauding. They are doing a known • in Washington for some time that
great deal in the way of morale, con- Russia's attitude is that Jews should re-
tributing from army pay, aiding Jewish main where they are and must be pro-
children, and above all, speaking Yiddish. tected by equal rights wherever they
* * *
live . . . This basic Soviet policy, which
has been successfully practiced through-
A WISE JUDGE
An interesting case was brought up be- out the USSR ever since the revolution,
fore New York Magistrate Solo, a non- dominates the Soviet • approach to the
Jew, the other day. The defendants were Palestine question. ThiS is one of the
charged with violating the Sunday law, reasons why flirtations of certain Zionist
requiring them to close their shops. They leaders with Russia, in the hope of com-_
argued that they were Sabbath observ- knitting the USSR to a pro-Zionist policy,
ers and were, therefore, in their rights have so far remained one-sided. This
keeping open Sunday. A witness testified also explains why certain Zionist leaders
that they kept open Saturday. The magis- in New York, who believed that they
trate asked: "During the day?" "No, in would get a visa to Russia, now realize
the evening," the witness replied. "When that they are not as "persona grata" in
the stars were out?" the judge queried Moscow as they hoped . . . Some import-
further. "Yes," the witness replied. "Oh, 'ant Jewish organizations in America
well," the non-Jewish judge said, "That were notified long ago from Jerusalem
was after havdalah. It's 0. K. then." How that Moscow remains cold to Zionist ap-
many Jews are that expert in Jewish re- proaches . . . There was great disappoint-
ligious lore?
ment in Palestine .when David-Gurion
* * *
was recently refused admittance even to
GUADALCANAL REPORT
Romania, visas for which must be ap-
This Christmas-services report from proved by Soviet military authorities .. .
Guadalcanal has a special flavor and This does not mean that Russia will re-
carries a profounder message than most main indifferent to the fate of Palestine
goodwill sermons. Its a sermon wrought after the war • . . The suggestion that
in life. During a Catholic mass close to Palestine be internationalized and made
the foxholes, a Jewish boy supplied the a seat of the United Nations may well fit
organ music. The only tune he could play into Russia's interests, even though at
was "Yiddishe Mamma," and Irish sons' present Moscow seems to believe that
:eyes were befogged with nostalgia as Vienna would make the best place for the
they listened to the yiddish folk tribute post-war headquarters Of the United Na-
tions.
to a mother.
* *
COMMUNITY PROBLEMS
ANONYMOUS RABBI
Jewish leaders in the United States
- ation of the would do well to look into the situation
In a recent radio dramati L
life of the late Justice Brandeis reference in the rabbinical seminaries in view of
was made to "a rabbi" who was influen- the grave charges which are now being
tial in converting him to Zionism. All made against rabbinical students who
other "dramatis personae," but the rabbi, are to be graduated into positions of lead-
were mentioned by name. More to the ership in the American Jewish community
point, why did the script writer keep . . To enumerate just a few of these
charges .. Most students are convinced
him anonymous?
that Jewish studies are of little practical
value in their work in comparison with
HOLLYWOOD
If the reason they turned down offers speaking ability . . • There is no love of
Jewish learning among seminary stu-
to write the movie script of "The Robe"
is the novel's Jew-baiting passages, then dents . . . Books of sermons published by
leading rabbis are more familiar to the
orchids are in order to Jewish scripters
Sam Behrman, Moss Hart, Lillian Hell- average student than the source of books
man and Rose Franker', and to non- from which Jewish knowledge tradition-
Jewish Robert Sherwood. We got a ally springs . . • Much more interest is
displayed in the quality of a student's
laugh from advance Hollywood blurbs
that the movie will prove a great docu- voice than in the quality of his mind .. .
ment on behalf of tolerance . . . Unless Most of the students have no organiza-
tional ability to qualify them for future
the movie will be entirely unlike the
leadership . . Nor are they religious .. .
novel . . . Certain passages stick in your
Few
of them, particularly in the more
memory and you hope that it is shelved.
"liberal" schools, are regular attendants
at the synagogue and Jewish functions
ises made by President Roosevelt and at which they will later preside
both political parties, we may soon see a There are some in the upper classes of
favorable solution to the problem.
the seminaries who can count their Sat-
An interesting incident is worth re- urday visits to synagogues during the
cording.
course of a year on the fingers of both
Donald Bell, correspondent for the hands . . . Hardly any Jewish theological
Overseas News Agency, relates an inter- student will work with any organization
esting story about Stanislaw Mikolajczyk, without satisfactory monetary remunera-
who recently resigned as Polish Premier. tion . . . These and other charges are
voiced by one who is himself a rabbinical
Mr. Bell writes:
"When Churchill went to Moscow re- student and who would be grateful if his
contentions could be refuted .
cently he took the Polish question in MEN AND DEEDS
hand. He reached a complete agreement
Dr. Leon Roth . rector of the Hebrew
with Stalin, I am informed, and invited
University,
came, saw and. conquered
Mikolajczyk to join him in the conversa-
. . • He has been in this country for less
tions. I have an inside report of what
than a month, but we hear that he has
happened on that occasion. When Miko-
lajczyk arrived, he was told by Churchill already succeeded in securing $260,000
from a wealthy .American Jew for the
that everything was settled. The Polish
Premier only had 'to sign. on the dotted expansion of the activities of. the Uni-
line. Mikolajczyk resented this and re- versity . . . And has many more such
prospects for substantial contributions.
marked that he was not 'Mr.' Schuschnigg
Congratulations to James N. Rosenberg,•
in Berchtesgaden'. What would he do
with. the Polish nationalists it his army? active leader of the Joint Distribution,
Churchill replied that a disobedient army Committee, on the occasion of his 70th
birthday on Nov. 20 . . . Here is a Jewish
must be disbanded."
leader who has a record not only in
We hope it will never come to a point humanitarian activities, but also as a
when Dr. .Weizmarm may have to say to painter, writer, theatrical producer and
a British . leader that he is not "Mr. as , one of the most brilliant lawyers in
Schnschnigg ire Berchtesgaden."
the country.
By PHINEAS J. BIRON
(Copyright, 1945. Seven Arts Feature Syndicate):
JEWISH NEWS
King Ibn Saud of Saudi Arabia has
joined forces with the ruler of Iraq as the
spearhead of Arab anti-Zionist action—
and that with the blessing of the British
Colonial office.
Anne O'Hare McCormick, New York
Times correspondent now in Jerusalem,
wrote a story for her paper about the
"forgotten ally," meaning the Jews . .
Her editor, however, changed the phrase
to "forgotten partners" because the Times
doesn't like Pierre van Paassen's book
"The Forgotten Ally".
In this country the Zionist split is
widening . . . The supporters of Rabbi
Abba Hillel Silver are corralling all their
forces within the Zionist Organization,
and are right now' setting the stage for
the 1945 convention.
*
*
THERE AND HERE
Our hat is off to a Dutch woman, a.
shopkeeper, of Maastricht, Holland . •
Early in the war she took into her home
two Jewish children whose parents had
been deported to Poland • . . To avoid
discovery of her kind deed she dyed the
youngsters' hair a bright buttery yellow
for four years, and thus prevented their
capture by the Gestapo.
Father Charles Coughlin is reported to
be preparing a big blast on the Polish-
Soviet boundary issue, with the support
of "distinguished" Polish statesmen.
Recent secret polls show that while
anti-Semitism is on the decrease in the
Army it is on the increase in civilian life
in the U. S. A.
- Miles Standish Seidman, now three and
a half years old, already plays the piano
so well that he can accompany his
father's cello—and that by ear.
* * *
BOOK DEPT.
"No Soft Peace" is the title of a forth-
coming book by Albert E. Kahn and
Michael Sayers . . This is the com1Dina-
tion that wrote "Sabotage".
You'll enjoy Oscar Leonard's "Amer-
icans All," a book that teaches you more
about Jewish history in the United States
than many a textbook—and it's enter-
taining to boot.
The literary critics will wake up some
day and hail Norman Corwin's poem "Pe-
tition after 'Victory," published in col-
lier's Magazine last November.
The Borden Publishing Company of
Los Angeles announces that it will soon
bring out "The Art of Max Band," by
Arthur Millier—a whole- volume on this
great painter.
* *
LISTEN TO THIS
Winchell tells this one about an Air'
Force gunner, Sgt. Harry Goldberg, who
hails from the Bronx . . . After umpteen
bombing missions over Germany this
former lingerie salesman approached his
crew chief and asked: "When do I get
my diversionary dog tags?" . . . "Whad-
dya mean"? queried the chief .. . "What
are diversionary dog tags?" .. . "The dog
tags," explained Goldberg, "that say on
them 'Jim Kelly'—in case I have to bail
out over Germany.
Henrietta Szold:
An Apostrophe
Tribute to Founder of Hadassah
Who Celebrated Her 84th
Birthday Dec. 18
By 'DR. NOAH E. ARONSTAM
Thou hast healed the hurt , of the daughter
of my people,
0, Mother in Israel!
Stirred by the Anguish of the afflicted,
Thou hast gathered strength
And girded thyself with mercy
To assuage their pangs of suffering.
And like the Migdal-Eder of yore
Thou hast scaled the heights
To rear unto the world an edifice
For the healing of all mankind.
And like the Prophets of old,
In words of profound compassion
Thou hast proclaimed:,
"Peace, peace unto the strangers
And to those that are near,
Come ye to us and we shall heal ye!"
Thou hast taken unto thy bosom
The young, motherless, fatherless • and
. homeless, • -
' •
Knowing that out of youth
Shall spring strength and success.
In thee, oh mother in Israel,
All the mothers shall be blessed;
In thee, oh daughter of
people
All our daughters shall be blessed.
May the Lord turn His countenance unto
thee
And give thee healing'eirid. peace!