Page Two

Purely
Commentary

By PHILIP SLOMOVITZ

THE JEWISH NEWS

A Warning

Thieat of a liteiOn of Terror

An Appeal forrAaiiin Against New Legislation in Congress Further to

Curb Immigration to the U. S.

By ALEXANDER E. GINSBERG
Member of New York Bar Specializing in International. Law

DR, HERZL AND MR. GERVASI

On the day which marked the 50th an-
niversary of the appearance of Dr. Theo-
dor Herzl's "Judenstaat" ("The Jewish
State"), a very significant volume on the
same subject, from the pen of an eminent
non-Jew, Frank Gervasi, made its ap-
pearance under the title . "To Whom Pales-
tine?", from the press of D. Appleton-
Century Co.
It is a memorable coincidence because
the Gervasi book measures up well with
works like Pierre Van Paassen's "The
Forgotten Ally."
The synchronous occurrence is equally
important by virtue of the• history-
making events affecting Jewish hopes in
Palestine—the activities of. the Anglo-
American Inquiry Committee on Pales-
tine, the demands of the survivors in
Europe that Palestine's doors be opened
for free and unlimited immigratiOn to
Palestine, . the trouble-making machina-
tions of the Pan-Arab League and its
cohort, the British Colonial Office which
has been consistently anti-Jewish.
*
*

WHAT WOULD HERZL HAVE DONE?

Many undoubtedly ask: what would
Herzl have done under existing circum-
stances?
We know the Revisionist attitude: that
the founder of the political Zionist move-
ment would have been aggressive; that
he would refuse to make .. concessions;
that he would break relations with the
British government; that he would "fight"
to a finish.
We would be entirely unfaithful to
truth and to reality if we were to say
"amen" unreservedly to these views. We
would be unfair to Dr. Chaim Weizmann,
Israel's most distinguished living leader
and statesman, if we did not qualify the
views- of the extremists.
No one with a sense of honor in his
system will make concessions to the
British Colonial Office. No Zionist will
go back on the "Judenstaat." But it is
doubtful whether Herzl would have re-
pudiated Weizmann.
Dr. Weizmann has pleaded and pro-
tested, he has negotiated and has argued
his people's cause.
• What can a mortal do when nearly the
entire world seems to have acquiesced
to a conspiracy to frustate Jewish hopes
and to prevent the immediate settlement.
of many tens of thousands of Jews e in
Palestine?
Had not Dr. Herzl the same heartaches?
His hopes ran high when he believed that
the Turkish Sultan was about to give him
a Charter for Palestine, when he was
misled into thinking that Kaiser Wilhelm
would help him, that even Tsarist Rus-
sia would assist the Zionist-program.
He did not give up—and neither does
Dr. Weizmann.
•Dr. Herzl would have been amazed,
were he to come to life today for a day,
to find that Palestine - has a thriving
Jewish community, that his ideal has
made history, that his dream has come
true in the sense that the nations of the
world reckon with the problem of Jewish
national redemption.
*
*
*

THE GERVASI DOCUMENT

Dr. Herzl, were he alive today, would
have been as pleased with the Gervasi
document—"To Whom Palestine?" IS a
great document—as is Dr. Weizmann.
"To. Whom Palestine?" does for the
Jewish cause what Van Paassen's "The
Forgotten Ally" did three years ago. In
more than one sense, it is more timely.
It comes at a time when the members
of the Anglo-American Inquiry Commit-
tee and those who may be influenced by
its findings must be presented with the
objective facts and with the truths as a
Christian sees them.
Mr. Gervasi's book is a powerful sup-
plement to Dr. Walter Clay Lowdermilk's
"Palestine: Land of Promise." pr. Low-
dermilk's book, while popular in style, is
better suited to scientists and techni-
cal men. Mr. Gervasi's is splendid for the
reader of popular books.
Zionist leaders have reason to be high-
ly pleased -with this great work because
it serves as another realization of the
dreams of Dr. Herzl: that the JeWish
aspirations in Palestine be publicly dis-
cussed and acclaimed in order that they
may achieve legal assurances.
*
* • *

HOPES DEFY OBSTACLES

These panegyrics of Gervasi and his
book must not be interpreted as meaning
that all is well or that Mr. Gervasi is
blind to reality.
On the contrary, "To Whom PaIeetine?"
paints a rather gruesome picture of exist-
ing conditions. It recognizes reality. It

President Truman's December directive on the admission of qualified immi-
grants from the Displaced Persons Camps of Germany was intended to assist in
alleviation of the suffering of victims of the war.
Under our present immigration regulations, the total number of immigrants
permitted to enter the United States in any one month is 3,900. The quota assign-
ments for each country whose nationals might desire to take advantage of this
opportunity are so distributed as to militate against the admission of the greater
percentage of displaced persons. In some cases, quotas have already been exhausted
for the fiscal year ending July 1, 1946. Other restrictions will still further reduce
the numbers who will be able to qualify. Applicants for visas must produce com-
plete dossiers from birth- on. an almost impossible task for the victims of the war.
They must also pass a physical examination. The fortunate few who get this far
must produce financial guarantees, and then pass the scrutiny of a consul, whose
decision is final, and against which there is no appeal.
Under the law as it stands, the nation would seem to be in no grave peril from
a tidal wave of refugee immigration. Nevertheless, the House will be considering
new bills which will, for all practical purposes, make it impossible for any of the
victims of the war to come here as immigrants.
One of these bills would suspend all immigration for a period of five years;
another would suspend it for 10 years; a third would permit no immigration at any
time, if more than 100,000 American citizens were unemployed—preventing any
further immigration in the forseeable future. On Feb. 21, hearings begin on HR 414
introduced by Rep. Ed GOssett, which seeks to cut present quotas iehalf.
Further restrictive legislation at this time will incorporate into the law more
of the prejudice, • baseless economic panic and exploded and outmoded "racial"
pseudo-science which characterizes the present body of immigration regulations.
. It must be understood that the passage of restrictive legislation will be the
starting gun of a reign of terror for the alien within our gates worse than the
Palmer witch-hunt of a generation ago when, with callous disregard for human
and legal rights, aliens of long residence here were seized in the dead of night and
hauled off to detention camps, where they were held incommunicado pending
deportation on the merest technicalities. The New Deal effected such amelioration
of conditions as was possible under the law. The proponents of the new legislation
are trying to turn the clock back. Now is the time to protest against any further
change in the law. A letter or wire to your Congressman, or to Rep. John Lesinski,
chairman of the House Committee on Immigration and Naturalization, Washington,
D. C., expressing your views will help stem the tide of intolerance.

Heard in
The Lobbies

By ARNOLD LEVIN

(Copyright, 1946, Independent Jewish
Press Service, Inc.)

NOTE TO THE MINE CHIEF

John L. Lewis' official organ has been
accused more than once of carrying
editorials imbedded with barbs conter-
minous with some of the slickest double
talk of Jewbaiters. But the latest report
on the United Mine Workers requires
immediate refutation by Lewis. The Na-
tional Farmers Guild, native fascist outfit
headed by Jewbaiting utilities magnate
Carl Mote, is reported to have the "100
per cent backing" of Lewis' union, ac-
cording to the Independent of Dayton,
0. Members of the UMW are reported
to have been closeted with Guild officials.

* * *

HOUSING

The Friends of Democracy's The Pro-
paganda Battlefront carries an interesting
"housing item" about members of Ameri-
can Veterans Committee who picketed
4 the site on which native fascist pastor
Harvey Springer is erecting a $28,000
publishing plant for his anti-Semitic
Western Voice. The vets' picket signs
read: "Springer's lie factory would make
housing for 100 veterans." OPA, inci-
dentally, ruled that the Rev. Shickendanz,
Springer's assistant, refund overcharges
in rent to two vets.

Friday, February 22, 1944

Between
You and Me

By BORIS. SMOLAR

(Copyright, 1946, Jewish Telegraphic
Agency, Inc.)

COMMUNITY AFFAIRS

A multitude of no less than 125 na-
tional and overseas agencies are now ap-
pealing to Jewish federations and welfare
funds for allocations . . This fact was
revealed in Detroit at the General As-
sembly of the Council of Jewish Federa-
tions and Welfare Funds by Jacob Blau-
stein, chief defender of the proposal to
introduce national advisory budgeting.
. . . The proposal was not accepted, but
the issue is , not dead, and may come up
again . . . This is because many of the
delegates who voted against national
budgeting on instructions from their local
federations have personally, in private
conversations, expressed themselves in
favor of such budgeting . . . All observers
at the General Assembly agreed that the
proposal was defeated because the op-
position did a better organizing job than
the proponents of the budgeting plan.

LESSON FOR THE FUTURE

For the first time in the existence of
the Council, they were faced at the Gen-
eral Assembly with a competitive list of
candidates in the elections for the board
of directors . . . It is true that the list
was defeated, but it is also true that be-
hind this list were the same elements who
fought so hard, and succeeded, against
the national advisory budgeting plan .. .
The fact that this group failed this year
in the elections does not mean that it will
fail next year . . . And it stands to reason
that next year this very same group will
come to the elections better organized,
and with more elaborate propaganda .. .
Thus the present administration of the
By PHINEAS J. BIRON
Council, having learned what good propa-
Copyright, 1946, Seven Arts
ganda did for the opposition in winning
Feature Syndicate, Inc.
the fight against national budgeting, will
TRUE STORY
now have a full year's time to prepare
Ahnost two years ago, Sam Morgen- itself against the possibility of competi-
stern, the composer, and Harry Granick, tion in the elections at the next general
the writer, - inspired by the epic of the assembly .. . The most remarkable thing
battle of Warsaw, created the symphonic is the fact that the lowest number of
poem "The Warsaw Ghetto" . . . These votes for any of the Council's candidates
two American artists, who are also re- was 226, while the competitive list could
sponsible for the choral cantata "The hardly' get 130 votes for Dr. James G.
Common Man", searched in vain for a- Heller . . . Ezra Shapiro, the chairman of
producer to present the ghetto symphony the Committee To Oppose National
. . . They knocked at the doors of virtual- Budgeting, received only 108 votes, and
ly every Jewish organization and were Rabbi Stephen S. Wise not more than 78
turned down . . . Finally they 'approached votes . . But Rabbi Abba Hillel Silver,
Joe Brainin, who in turn interested Dean who was running on both lists, received
Dixon's 90-piece American Youth Orches- 331 votes . . • And Edward M. M. War-
tra . . . And so it came about that on burg, who was similarly named on both
Feb. 10, in Carnegie Hall, took place the lists, topped every other candidate by re-
world premiere of the "Warsaw Ghetto" ceiving 334 votes.
*
*
*
by an interracial symphony orchestra con-
ducted by Dean Dixon, the Negro maestro. GENEROSITY NOTES
*•*
*
• The foundation for the $103,000,000

Strictly
Confidential

QUESTION PERIOD

How come that "The Committee for the
Defense of Civil and Religious Liberty in
the Americas" omitted the name of Lisa
Sergio in the list of reliable radio com-
mentators?
"A Hero Comes Home," written by Joan
Karsavina, is a play that really tackles
anti-Semitism at home . . . Why doesn't a
*
Broadway producer pick it up?
OIL, OIL, OIL
Is it true that the Eastern Slope Hotel
According to the Washington grape-
in North Conway, N. H., which does not
vine, there has been a falling out among
admit Jewish guests, is owned by Harvey
the oil interests, for only a few days ago
D. Gibson, head of Manufacturers Trust?
Pauley and former Secretary of the In-
*
*
*
terior Ickes were close. The former Sec-
COMMUNAL
FRONT
retary's cooling off to Zionism during the
Many of the large Jewish central or-
war years was due to his policy of oil
imperialism, and not, as he imputed, to ganizations, especially the civic protec-
OWI Davis' blue pencil . . OWI im- tive agencies, are now taking on huge
perialism is imperilling America's repu- and expensive projects and places . . .
tation for inviolable objectivity in But it remained for the ambitious Amer-
dealings abroad. OWI has had in the past, ican Jewish Congress to take over an en-
and is destined to have in the future, tire department of the Canadian Govern-
ment . . . This is the Canadian War In-•
official representation in the cabinet.
formation Service, which with the end of
the war the Canadian Governmen aban-
paints a sad picture of betrayals in Pales- doned and which the former director of
tine.
that Service, Dr. David Petagorsky, has
Our judgment of the book, however, is now brought with him from Toronto to
based on its realism in the light of the New York and persuaded the American
history of the Zionist movement during Jewish Congress to take over . . . Thus
the past 50 years. We are judging it in the new educational division of the Con-
- juxtaposition with the activities of Dr. gress will hereafter publish many pamph-
Theodor Herzl as founder of political lets, leaflets, charts, illustrated booklets,
Zionism and Dr. Chaim •Weizmann as the wall newspapers and bulletins on Jewish
head of the Zionist movement during the subjects in exactly the form and shape of
past quarter century. •
the Canadian Government publications
On a comparative basis, we are pre- down to the size of the booklets, the type
pared to state that Jewish hopes often of the illustrations and the color of the
not only defy obstacles but defeat them. covers.
We have made progress. and we carry on.
Meyer W. Weisgal is chartering a ship
And Frank Gervasi wiil. learn, in the to carry 200 Jewish business men to
course of time, that he has made a great Rehovoth ... The reason is the laying
contribution towards • the • realization of of the cornerstone of the Weizmann Insti-
Jewish hopes with his great evaluation, - tute of Chemistry.
"To Whom Palestine?", the answer to
Arnold Foster is now the big boss in
which is, as you may have surmised: TO the executive office of the Anti-Defama-
THE JEWS.
tion League.

'campaign of the United Jewish Appeal
will be laid this Sunday, Feb. 24, in
Washington at a conference which will
be addressed by Bernard Baruch
. .
Only those who will contribute not less
than $25,000 for the U.J.A. have been
invited to this conference . . . We can tell
you in advance of at least one $1,000,000
donation and one for $500,000 which will
be made at this conference by two
prominent Jewish families . . But there
will probably be other such generous
donations announced there . . . Among
those present at the gathering will be the
largest Jewish donors from all parts of
the country . . . Following the Washing-
ton conference, the U.J.A. will arrange
regional conferences of a similar nature
for givers of less than $25,000.
Speaking of generous givers, it is worth-
while telling you the story of how one
of them, Ralph Lazarus, the well-known
New York philanthropist, reunited a
stranded little boy in France with his
mother in this country . . . One day
Lazarus, while lunching in a midtown
restaurant in New York noticed that the
waiter who was serving him appeared to
be very sad and depressed . . . He asked
him what was the matter . . . The waiter
replied that his wife, had a child by a
former marriage, whom she had sent to
visit her parents in France before the
war, and he had gotten stuck there .
She had not seen him in six years and
was inconsolable . . . Mr. Lazarus, who
is a member of the board of the JTA,,
enlisted the aid of the head of the agency
. . . In addition, the New York Post took
up the cudgels for Jacques Gallizia, the
little boy stranded in France . . . Soon, it
was possible to cut through the red tape
incumbent upon issuance of a passport
for the child . . . The JTA representative
in Paris communicated with the embassy
and succeeded in securing the passport
and the French exit visa . . . Jacques Gal-
lizia is now on the high seas en route to
the United States.

