Page Twenty-Four
THE JEWISH NEWS
Friday, September 28, 1945
Community's "Beach Head" of Good Will
An Outline of the Objectives of
Metropolitan Detroit's War Chest
E
ACH YEAR THE SUCCESS
of the War Chest appeal has been assured by
the men who direct the business and industrial
life of this community. I would be remiss in-
deed if I did not express our gratitude—not
only of our organization but of the hundreds of
thousands of men, women and children whose
burdens have been easier because of Detroit's
generosity.
Once again we present the urgent needs of
our allies, our service men and women and the
people of our own community. In order to
finance these essential services in 1946 it has
been necessary to establish a campaign goal of
$8,490,336 after applying available surplus
funds from previous campaigns.
Their Eyes Have Seen Horror
These are two of the frightened Jewish children of Europe who
can be cared for and nursed back to health with funds of the
United Jewish Appeal—through its two major agencies, the Joint
Distribution Committee and the United Palestine Appeal. The
J.D.C. provides for them in children's homes and helps them forget
the horrors they have seen. The United Palestine Appeal estab-
lishes homes for many of them in Palestine. The National Refugee
Service cares for the refugees in this country. These great human-
itarian efforts will not be interrupted—provided you give liberally
to and work for the War Chest, which finances the U.J.A. needs
through Allied Jewish Campaign of the Jewish Welfare Federation.
Six Concentration Camps
Could Not Hold Frail Girl
The Story of a I6-Year-Old Heroine Who Defied Dangers
to Get to Palestine
R
is a frail girl of six-
teen. When she was brought to Palestine recently she
startled the people on the deck by displaying six tattoo
marks upon her arm. Many refugees who are now arriving
in Palestine bear the prison numbers which were tattooed
on their arms in the Nazi concentration camps. There have
been some who have had more than one such tattoo mark.
But E R displayed
six tattoo marks upon her arm.
She had passed through six con-
centration camps in ten months.
When the American armies in-
vaded Germany, she escaped to
the American lines and hitch-
hiked to Brussels. From there
she made her way to Naples
where she boarded a ship for
Palestine.
It may take many years be-
fore Hitler's tattoo marks disap-
pear from her forearm, but the
memory of her tragic experi-
ences in six Nazi concentration
camps is being speedily erased
S ymb o 1- of Free-
in the Jewish homeland in Pal-
dom : This child, proud
estine. Taking up a new life
to • be free once more,
with the aid of the United Pal-
hungrily eats a crust of
estine
Appeal, E
bread. Her rehabilitation
was made possible with
is now helping build a future of
funds provided by the
freedom and happiness not only
War Chest of Detroit.
for herself but for many thou-
sands of others who survived the bitter era of Hitlerism.
The United Palestine Appeal is represented together
with the Joint Distribution Committee and the National
Refugee Service in the nationwide campaign of the United
Jewish Appeal for Refugees, Overseas Needs and Palestine.
Detroit's participation in this work is completely de-
pendent upon the success of the War Chest, whose drive
will be conducted from Oct. 8 to 31. The Allied Jewish
Campaign of the Jewish Welfare Federation, of which the
United Jewish Appeal is the major beneficiary, is included
in the War Chest.
The work of the USO becomes increasingly
important as it serves the armies of occupation
and idle armed forces in process of demobiliza-
tion. General Eisenhower has expressed the
wish that USO might be quadrupled in size.
Also, the foreign relief agencies have par-
ticularly heavy obligations at this time, either
supplementing official agencies or moving
rapidly before governmental relief can be put
in motion.
President Truman, following the Potsdam
conference, spoke of the urgent need of con-.
tinuance of the private relief agencies, stating
that unless we act effectively now all that we
won at such terrible cost last spring might be
lost in the bitter winter months ahead.
It is my responsibility to discuss briefly
the needs of these local agencies which
strengthen the health and welfare of our own•
community and which make Detroit a good
place in which to live and do business.
Multitudes of 'Stateless' People
First, a brief word on the Jewish agencies
participating in our campaign. Responsible au-
thorities report scarcely more than 1,250,000
Jews remain alive out of at least 8,000,000 Jews
in Europe before the war. Hitlerism reserved
for these unfortunates the most fiendish
physical and mental tortures. Multitudes of
them are today "stateless" people, the respon-
sibility of no government. A large proportion
of them, completely destitute, depend upon
American Jewish agencies for rehabilitation
and resettlement. Peace in truth means liber-
ation, but liberation will have little meaning
unless Americans give generously and with
compassion. With its traditional generosity the
Detroit Jewish community has carried its own
particular responsibilities while contributing
wholeheartedly to the broader community-
wide programs. Through the War Chest all of
us are granted the opportunity of sharing with
them in the work of healing and restoration
of the oppressed and sadly stricken Jewish
population of Europe.
Turning now to our local agencies, analysis
indicates 47.4% of the campaign goal has been
earmarked to maintain these home community
services. There may be a tendency to forget
that in large part, social services have marked
time during the war years. Automobiles, nylon
hose and electric irons have not been the only
victims of an economy geared for military vic-
tory. We, no less than our allies, are survivors
of a devastating conflict which reached into
every home in America. This is a time to con-
sider the strengthening and extension of the
social services. Yet the proposal presented in
our campaign makes no provision for the ex-
pansion of these services. It contemplates
rather a "hold the line" policy, realizing the
needs abroad and of our servicemen mutt have
the priority of available funds.
Lists 4 Significant Factors
We are prepared to base our appeal for sup-
port upon four significant factors. First, recon-
version with attending unemployment and dis-
locations of families will inevitably give rise
to greatly increased demands for services..
While the industrial genius of Detroit will
probably limit unemployment, a drastic change
from a war to a peace economy cannot be ac-
complished without severe strain. Early this
year we observed statistically a slight upward
trend in the demand for certain services. In my.
judgment, it is a trend which will continue - to
rise for some months before it begins to level
off. Our agencies must be ready to meet these
demands.
The second factor supporting our appeal is
the waiting list of youngsters wishing to par-
ticipate in our youth agencies. Like Alice we
run and run but only seem to hold our own.
Twenty-thousand boys want to be Boy Scouts,
but can't be accommodated. Half as many girls
are waiting to be Girl Scouts but cannot be
served. Every youth agency has unfilled de-
mands for service. Historically, war has been
followed by a period of restlessness on the
part of youth. We should be ready for it.
Third, we base our appeal upon a knowledge
that the inevitable aftermath of war will be a
breakdown of family life. Evidence already in
supports our belief. In • 1944 illegitamacy,
Dr. ROBERT
H. MacRAE
Managing
Director
of the
War Chest
reached an all-time high in Wayne county, ac-
counting for 4% of the births. This is a 58%
increase over the pre-war years. In February
and. March 1945, divorce petitions filed actually
exceeded marriage licenses granted. Again,
venereal disease among youth 17 to 24 years
of age reached an all-time high in 1944. All
of these problems are grist for the social service
agencies of our community.
Vets to Need Use of Agencies
As a fourth factor, we believe as substantial
number of the 250,000 men and women of this
area returning from service in the armed
forces will need to make use of our agencies.
Already practically 50% of the client load of
the Legal Aid Bureau is composed of veterans
or their dependents. Our Servicemen's Bureau,
already serving hundreds of veterans in the
preparation and prosecution of just claims
against the Veterans' Administration, will very
probably soon be serving thousands. The Vet-
erans' Psychiatric Clinic, made possible by the
cooperation of the psychiatrists of the area, is
one of the very finest clinics of its kind in the
United States. It provides without any fee a
high grade professional service for veterans
with severe emotional problems. Numerous
other agencies have served and will continue
to serve the 'veteran as he faces the difficult_
probleMs of adjustment. We cairTo177177.""
In further support of our appeal we present
the 'following data. Between 1930 and 1945 the
population of Detroit increased by 400,000 and
our allocations to agencies by $263,000. How-
ever, during this same period the purchasing
power of the dollar declined so the available
dollar actually purchased slightly less than in
1930. During this interval our allocations on a
per 'capita basis dropped from $1.26 in 1930. to
$1.06 in 1945. In other words with a bigger job
to do, more people to serve we have had less
money this year than in 1930 on the basis of
purchasing power. This is not offered in a
spirit of complaint, but merely to demonstrate
the local agencies have not been fattened ex-
cessively by the greatly increased giving dur-
ing the period of the war.
60% Devoted to Children's Care
One further significant fact. Sixty percent
of the Community Fund dollar is devoted to
the service of children and yoUth. Care of de-
pendent and neglected children, retraining of
delinquents, restoration of - the sick and crip-
pled, and provision of wholesome and character
building leisure time activities are a part of
this expenditure for our coming generation.
These are constructive investments in the
future.
A final word on our stewardship of the funds
you have placed in our hands. This past year
our campaign and year around administrative
expenses were 3.6% of the pledged amount. It
is our express intention, insofar as possible, to
continue to operate with an overhead expense
of less than 4%. This figure will compare favor-
ably with any large city in the country.
. The shooting war is over, but in a very real
sense the war is not over. While human misery,
sickness and hunger remain in the homes of
our allies the. war will not be over. Until the
service flags come down from the windows of
American homes the war will not be over.
Even then we must be responsive to the com-
pelling human needs of our own home com-
munity. This is the call to civic responsibility
expressed.. of our War Chest campaign.
The war has added to our vocabulary many
new words. Among the most expressive, full
of rich overtones, is the word "beach head".
The War Chest is an organized, community-
wide effort to secure a beach head of good will
—a commodity tragically short in these days
of bitterness and hatred. This spirit of good
will is a spirit which we must not let die in
America. With it we are enriched. Without it
we are poor indeed. We urge you to join with
us in consolidating this beach head, in making
it secure that peace may come with healing in
its wings.