, .14127
i
Purely
Commentary
By PHILIP SLOMOVITZ
THE FDR-IBN SAUD LETTERS
Washington correspondents comment-
ed last week that the exchange of letters
between the late President Roosevelt
and Ibn Saud "came as a surprise to
observers here (in Washington) in view
of the fact that President Truman, at a
Sept, 6 press conference, denied with a
flat no that President Roosevelt had
made any commitments to King Ibn Saud
regarding the question of Jewish migra-
tion to Palestine."
To Jews it is not a surprise but a
shocking bit of disillusionment. And
we are even more disturbed by the fact
that the State Department is utilizing
these letters as policy by which to guide
itself in its future actions.
Is Justice, already blindfolded and
deeply wounded, taking a back seat in
Washington as well as in London?
* * *
A WORD TO MRS. GILDERSLEIEVE
Dean Virginia C. Gildersleeve of New
York, who was a member of the Amer-
ican delegation at the UNCIO in San
Francisco, makes a proposal on the tragic
situation affecting the Jewish survivors
in Europe.
In a letter to the Nesv. York Times,
Mrs. Gildersleeve states that. "the con-
science of the world should recognize
the obligation of us .all to help the home-
less Jews whose persecution by Hitler
we have so bitterly denounced, Each of
the United Nations should accept its
proportionate, share of those Jews who
seek new homes, The Arab nations have
already offered to accept their share."
Perhaps, she points out, the share of
the United States should be 200,000 who
should be admitted aboVe the existing
immigration quotas, and "let us stop
evading our responsibility by urging that
our Government force Britain to force
Palestine to take in far more than its
share."
Now, now, Mrs. Gildersleeve?: Is this
the type of international politics you
learned in San Francisco?
There are several errors in this emi-
nent lady's logistics. In the first place,
during the worst periods of the Nazi
persecutions, even little children were
denied asylum either. in this country
or anywhere else.
Then, there is that blind attitude on
the score of forcing Britain -to do some-
thing in Palestine. We wonder, has
Mrs. Gildersleeve ever heard of the
Biblical injunctions, granting Palestine to
Israel, of certain legacies which must be
accepted, as mandates that antedate the
',Mandate- given • to Great Britain—that
mighty power whose strength was upheld
with U. S. lend-lease, and to whom Pales-
tine never belonged?
But the silliest blunder of all is to
speak in terms of the Arab lands offer-
ing asylum to the Jews. Mrs. Gilder-
sleeve: have you heard of the Algerian
pogroms, of the rule of the middle ages
which Makes life an inferno for Jews in
Yemen, of Moslem persecution of Jews,
of security in these Arabic lands made
possible only by force of arms or through
bakhsheesh—which is the Arabic word'
for bribery?
Dean Girdersleeve's letter belongs in
the propaganda of the Council for Jud-
aism. It certainly misses the mark in
dealing realistically with humanitarian
needs.
* * *
GREAT RELIEF EFFORTS'
The War Chest drive is not over by
a long shot. The remaining few days
in the campaign will _tell . an important
story. Many thousands of contributors
are yet to be reached; and if there is de-
lay in soliciting them, the :drive may fall
short of the goal. If that happens, it
will be a serious handicap for Jewish
philanthropic 'efforts.
But when the drive finally ends, the
reAl job will begin for Jewish commun-
ities.
What we receive—the approximately
three-quarters of a million " dollars 'for
the J. D. C. and U. P. A.—is a drop' in
the bucket. •
It is well known by this time that the
J. D. C. is $14,000,000 short . of its re-:
quirements for 1945, that the U. P. A.
needs large sums to carry on Palestine
redemption work, that the needs in Eu-
rope are so pressing that they stagger
the imagination.
One thing is certain: unless we ALL
unite to strive for the best possible re-
sults, unless there is an elimination of
rancor, unless some people stop throw-
ing mud, the American Jewish commun-
ity will not be the only group to be hurt.
The entire relief structure may collapse
if some -fellows do not put an end to
a stupid campaign 'of belittling •the Des-
'cue and reconstruction efforts,
Y
T-Ht . JEWISH NEWS
Page Two
Help for the Survivors
Polish Jews and other displaced persons from the liberated German
concentration camp in Ebensee (upper AuStria) recently sent the following
acknowledgment of help received from the Joint Distribution
Committee
i i
which receives its funds from the United Jewish Appeal for Refugees. Over-
seas Needs and Palestine:
"The Polish Committee in Ebensee, being representative of political
ex-prisoners, takes the liberty to send the heartiest thanks for the gift
of 15,000 kilos (17 tons) of food we got. -
"The food in question will help to strengthen the prisoners; to im-
prove the health of those who on account of their sufferings in the con-
centration camp lost their strength.
"We hope that the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee,
that showed us their humanity and their heart, will also in the future
take care of Us, for which we shall be very. grateful.
"You will be interested to know that the writer is of the Jewish
religion and that among those who have been helped in this camp, there
are about 1,500 other Jews."
Picture these ex-internees! You have seen pictures of them—bodies
starved to skin and bones, heads shaven, half-clad in worn striped prison
suits; staring blankly ahead, too apathetic and starved to move.
After the liberation of the camps, thousands of Jews were able to be
moved to Italy and Hungary, but thousands more remained behind in Austria.
"One cannot describe these poverty-stricken, stunned, half-clad people as
displaced persons or even refugees," a JDC representative cabled after a
first-hand survey on July 16. "They are a pitiful lot who have for five years,
and in some cases even longer, half-lived and half-hoped in the foul camps."
Immediately after liberation, JDC, with funds provided by the United
Jewish Appeal, rushed supplementary food from Switzerland, and arrange-.
ments were made for shipping clothing and medicines as well as additional
food from Switzerland,
The JDC is represented together with the United Palestine Appeal and
National Refugee Service in the nationwide campaign of the United Jewish
Appeal for relief and rehabilitation overseas, upbuilding . and mass settlement
in the Jewish National Home in Palestine and refugee adjustment in the
U. S. The United Jewish Appeal receives its funds locally from the War Chest,
Heard in
The Lobbies
By ARNOLD LEVIN
Between
You and Me
By BORIS SMOLAR
(Copyright, 1945, Independent Jewish
Press Service. Inc.)
(Copyright, 1945, Jewish Telegraphic
Agency. Inc.)
NEWSPAPERMEN'S GOSSIP,
Victor Bernstein of PM and Raymond
Daniel of the New York Times are pow-
erful contendents for the Pulitzer Prize,
for their expose of the bogging down of
our de-Nazification program; their re-
ports aroused public opinion and made
General Eisenhower aware of the verit-
able insubordination of some of his near-
est men . . , Bernstein was the first to
fire the guns, but Daniel's staid tone
may be more to the liking of the jury.
The fairest thing would be to award the
Prize to both . . . These two men proved
that the Lincoln Steffens tradition in
newswork is not over by any means.
THE PALESTINE ISSUE
Zionist leaders in this country fear
that Secretary of State Byrnes has fallen
under British influence with regard to
the Palestine question • . . Nothing is
known as yet of the report which Byrnes
made to President Truman on the Pal-
estine issue . . . But it is believed that
the British tried to sell Byrnes the idea
that the Arabs must not be antagonized,
otherwise they will turn pro-Soviet . . .
This "pro-Soviet bogey" seems to play
an important part in British policy in
the Middle East, since Britain is afraid
of Soviet- influence in the Moslem world
now that Egypt, Iraq, and other Moslem
countries have established diplomatic
relations with Moscow.
• We learn that a very prominent and
influential Jew in Washington, one who
has never been connected with the Zion-
ist movement or had any pro-Zionist
feelings, is now trying to impress Secre-
tary. Byrnes with the necessity of secur-
ing the abrogation of the White Paper.
The full story of what the Jews can
'expect from the Labor Government will
be told by Dr. Weizmann, who is expect-
ed in this country at the end of this
month. Zionist leaders in America have
advised Dr. Weizmann to proceed to Pal-
.estine rather than the United States .. .
Their argument is that in this decisive
period for Palestine, it would bolster
the morale of the Yishuv if Dr. Weiz-
mann were in Palestine •• but Dr.
Weizmann's present visit to • the United
States may turn into something more
than an ordinary call . An official
welcome for Dr. Weizmann is being pre-
pared in the form of a huge dinner at
the Waldorf-Astoria, which will be con-
verted into an impressive pro-Palestine
demonstration.
*
*
THE YOUNG GENERATION
The sentiments of our younger gener-
ation can best be judged from the results
of a poll among Jewish students in sev-
eral colleges on their attitude to Jewish
Problems . . . Nearly all Jewish students
profess a belief in the future of the
American Jewish community . . While
most Jewish students do not -delude
themselves into believing that the defeat
of Germany means a lessening of anti-
Semitism, there is a growing disposition
among. them to look upon anti-Semitism
not merely as a Jewish, but as a Gentile
problem . . At the same time, there
has been an increase among the Jewish
students of the tendency to fight anti-
Semitism and a determination "not to
take it lying down" . • . The summary
of the poll establishes that the Jewish
college student is likely to be non-observ-
ant of traditional Jewish rites . . . He
is disposed to look favorably upon Zion-
ism . . . He is anxious about, but not
dismayed by anti-Semitism . . He is
confident that American Jewry will
somehow or other manage to survive
. . . Through rather sadly ignorant of
Jewish affairs, he is becoming dimly
aware that in his Jewish heritage he can
find an integration of values which may
enable him to transcend his fears and
achieve a higher level of human dignity
. . • There is no awareness among the
Jewish students of any creative Jewish
culture, but there is no hesitancy among
them to be identified as Jews,
I. F. Stone, PM's and The Nation's
Washington man, will be enroute to Pal-
estine when this appears : . Watch for
fireworks from the pen of a thorough,
daring reporter, whose articles have ruf-
fled some very staid tempers, including
Cordell Hull's when he was the State
DepartMent patriarch.
▪
*
HOT RUMOR
What about the hot rumor (via Win-
chell) that one of the Information Please
boys has exchanged his old faith for a
new one?
One of the experts determining
American policy in Germany, according
to radio commentator Joharures Steel,
is, Lt. Col. J. Starnes, formerly a mem-
ber of the Dies Committee and one of
the most virulent xenophobists in the
House . . . Do you wonder why, etc.,
etc. Had the Colonel anything to do
with the conditions Harrison saw?
-
PREJUDICE
Dr. Carl Hermann Voss, Christian
minister, extension secretary of the
Church Peace Union and co-director of
the American-Christian Palestine Com-
mittee, confessed to New York Post re-
porter Henry Becket: "Yes, I have pre-
judice. I don't like anti-Jewish Jews.
I don't like the ones who have no inter-
est in the Zionist issue, no sympathy for
their more unfortunate brothers, I am
uneasy with Jews who lack pride in
their heritage, who forget their own
history and try to break with it." .
*
*
AD.
Leonard Lyons reports: "The News,
which publishes John O'Donnell, carried
a big ad for "Polonaise" in the Sunday
issue. The artist who drew the lady's
picture in that ad scribbled some lines
which appear to be part of her gown.
When the ad is turned upside down
those scribbled lines read "I don't read
John O'Donnell".
*
*
*
ANECDOTE OF THE WEEK
This from Reader's Scope gave your
columnist a laugh: A proud mother
walked into the furniture store clutch-
ing a small monthly payment. She plac-
ed it on the counter happily.
"Here," she said, "is the last install-
ment on our baby carriage."
"That's fine," said the clerk,
how is the baby?"
"Oh," was the reply, "he's being dis-
charged under the point system next
month."
C o
Strictly
Confidential
By PHIN EAS J. BIRON
'
Copyright, 1945, Seven Arta
Features Syndicate, Inc.
. • ,•..
SCOOPS
The long lived feud between the
Hebrew Union College of Cincinnati and
Dr. Stephen S. Wise's - Jewish Institute' of
Religion belongs to the past . . . We are
reliably informed that Dr. Wise will be
the recipient of an honorary degree by
the Cincinnati College before the year is
over . . . Does this gesture presage an
amalgamation between these two Jewish
institutions of higher learning?
Dr. Chaim Weizmann will be the vest
of honor at a banquet which
will be tendered to him next month in
the Waldorf Astoria Hotel, New York
. . . His numerous friends will present
him with a check for $1,000,000 for his
chemical research laboratory in Pales-
tine.
Investigators in the know do not agree
with columnist Victor Riesel that the end
of Father Coughlin's saga has been writ-
ten . . . How would Riesel explain the
fact that strenuous efforts are being
made by Coughlin's friends to get him
back on the radio? -
*
* *
ABOUT PERSONS
Cameraman E. Elisofon is, back from
an exciting trip through Europe .. . He
is finishing a book that will contain food
recipes . . . in other words a cook book.
Is it true that the former chief rabbi
of Rome, Zolli, now a Catholic, holding a
job in the Vatican, is considering a lec-
ture tour in America? •
Pierre van Paassen will soon be
honored with the title Doctor of Divinity
for his great services to the cause of
true Christianity.
Leslie Hore-Belisha, Britain's ex-Min-
ister of War, is in this country studying
the newspaper and radio fields.
There are rumors that Charlie Chaplin
will soon begin the production' of an im-
portant movie dealing with the need for
a just and - secure peace.
*
*
*
YOU SHOULD KNOW
The name of the sergeant who escorted
Bundist Fritz Kuhn back to Germany is
Lubeski . . . Fritz promised Lubeski that
he would return to the States but did not
explain how.
The widow of Leslie Howard is coming
to America to supervise a movie - dealing
with Howard's life story . . . We wonder
whether the Hollywood story will tell of
Leslie's Hungarian Jewish parenis.
Harold Laski will take the lead of the
anti-Attlee forces on the Palestine issue
. . . Laski is determined to bring about
a showdown.
Louise Rainer, the stage and screen
Star, is 'refusing alluring offers because
of inipending motherhood.
*
*
*
QUESTION PERIOD
Sholem Asch's last book "One Destiny"
which tries to interpret his conception of
a Jewish-Christian civilization is selling
to the chagrin of the great author . .
Isn't it strange?
Why was the daughter of Nazi Reichs-
minister Frank, infamous butcher of
Poland and one of the highest-ranking
war criminals, given a secretarial posi-
tion with the American authorities in
Wiesbaden, Germ.any?
Religion at Work:
Tale of Life Gloves
By Dr. Maeanna Cheserton-Mangle
When we think of the valor of the
four chaplains who went down on the
Dorchester, we invariably think of the
life belts they gave ,that others might
have a chance to live. Few have known
the tale of the gloves. It was in a recent
letter from Coast Guard Lieutenant John
J. Mahoney that Chaplain Alexander
Goode was mentioned. The Chaplain's
stateroom was next to Lt. Mahoney's,
and they were fast friends. The Lieu-
tenant described the Chaplain as a "reg-
ular guy and a swell mate". There was
little time after the torpedo struck to go
below for further equipment. So it was
that when Mahoney discovered he didn't
have his gloves—so essential in holding
to the side of a lifeboat—Chaplain Goode
insisted that he take his gloves.
There wasn't a moment to lose. The
lifeboat was off. And for the next
eight hours it drifted in the bitter cold
before being picked up. Mahoney, one
of only two survivors of the forty men
in that boat, gives credit to the Jewish
Chaplain for having helped to save his
life. Without the gloves he never could
have clung to the side of that ice-cover-
pd lifeboat.