THE

Page Two

Purely
Commentary

By PHILIP SLOMOVITZ

THE SYMBOL OF THE SHEKEL
• For the first time in Zionist history,
the World Zionist Congress this year will
convene in Palestine.
In spite of efforts being made by the
Zionist Organization of America, with
the support of the Canadian Zionists and
the Revisionists, it is apparent that the
sessions will commence in Tel Aviv on
Aug. 7.
In more than one sense, the holding of
the Congress in Palestine will be an
event of major importance. It will sig-
nalize < the determination of the Jewish
communities to go - on with the work. of
redeeming Zion, and it will offer an his-
toric opportunity for the Yishuv to re-
assert its unyielding faith in the ultimate
redemption of those who have survived
Nazism.
The • symbol of participation in the
elections to the World Zionist Congress
is the. Shekel—the membership card in
the World Zionist Organization.
The political battle among the various
factions in Zionism should afford an op-
portunity for study of the differing view-
points of the Zionist parties, and the
Shekel campaign will surely prove a
most educational experience for the Jews
of Amerida.
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LABOR versus GENERAL ZIONISTS
The major battle will be between the
so-called "General Zionists," represent-
ing the Zionist Organization of America,
and the labor Zionists.
Now in control of the movement, the
latter face a serious crisis in the battle
for retention of power.
It is evident that Dr. Abba Hillel Sil-
ver, as president of the ZOA, will not
leave a stone unturned in the effort to
take over control of the world movement.
Dr. Silver will have the • backing of
those who believe firmly that the time
has arrived for American Jews to assume
control of Zionism; that British Jews
should not be placed at the helm of a
movement which is so seriously hamp-
ered by the British government.

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ZO A'S DIFFICULTIES
But the ZOA will not have an easy task
in its aspiration to capture the sentiments
of the Jewish masses.
The ZOA statement in which the sup-
port of the Jews of America is asked for
its World Zionist Congress candidates is
a rather weak one. It is lacking in a
programmatic approach. It has no plat-
form. It is not enough to say that because
Brandeis, Sokolow, Weizmann and others
are affiliated with the "General Zionists"
that their ticket should' be supported. A
strong program is necessary, and that
has not yet been formulated.
On the other hand, the over-all Zionist
statement issued in behalf of ALL affiliat-
ed Zionist parties is strong, decisive, firm.
Furthermore, the labor Zionists have a
program which has in the past,—and con-
tinues now, if we are to judge by the
manner in which the masses of Jews have
been enlisted in the Gewerkshaften
drives,—captured the imagination of its
followers.
It will be interesting to note whether
Dr. Silver will be able to inject his per-
sonal magical touches to the appeals in
behalf of his party.
An internal ideological battle definite-
ly looms on the American Jewish horizon.
* * *
BEN HECHT'S TECHNIQUES
Ben Hecht, brilliant writer, able creator
of good advertising copy for the so-called
League for a Free Palestine, has under-.
taken a rather daring project.
In a time when it is necessary to bring
to Palestine, as speedily as possible, the
largest number of Jewish settlers who
must be rescued from the European in-
ferno, he and his newly-adopted move-
ment have undertaken a fund-raising
drive on the grounds that THEY are do-
ing the resettlement work in Palestine,
through the extra legal channels.
If this were true, the established
agencies—the UPA, the Jewish Agency,
Histadruth, the Gewerkshaften, and in a
sense the JDC—would have to fold up.
The truth is, however, that he end his
movement are in no way responsible for
the "underground railway" which brings
the latest influx of Jewish immigrants to
Palestine. The movements we have
enumerated are the agencies doing the
work and are THE agencies to be sup-
ported.
Mr. Hecht has a lot of explaining to do
in his claims that he and his organiza-
tions are responsible for the "underground
railway." In the meantime, Jews should
be certain to support the movements re-
sponsible for rescue work.

JEW' S H NEWS

Friday, April 26, 1946

Jewish Agency's Plea to UN

7-Point Program for Palestine

A seven-point memorandum outlining Jewish demands with regard to the
refugee problem was submitted by the Jewish Agency to the United Nations Com-
mittee on Refugees and Displaced Persons, it was announced in London. The memo-
randum asks:
1. All Jewish refugees and displaced- - persons desiring to go to Palestine,
should be assisted by the United Nations to do so.
2. Steps should be taken by the United Nations to facilitate the immediate ad-
mission of 100,000 Jewish refugees to Palestine,
3. The United Nations should provide assistance to the Jewish Agency in ob-
•
taining travel documents, transit visas and transportation for refugees.
4. Jewish displaced persons should be supported from international funds
upon their teaching Palestine, and until they can secure employthent.
5. An adequate portion of the funds available from reparations should be set
•
aside for immigration and settlement of displaced persons in Palestine, and that
money placed - at the disposal of the Jewish Agency.
6. Other financial sources, such as the property of Jews who died heirless,
should be used to supplement funds from reparations.
7. Arrangements should be made for the Jewish Agency to act in an advisory
capacity to members of the- United Nations on all matters relating to the settlement
in Palestine. of displaced Jews, as well as to cooperate with the UN Economic and
Social Council on matters concerning refugee immigration. to Palestine.
(The program outlined by the Jewish Agency can be realized only with
means to be provided by the United Jewish Appeal, funds for which are now being
collected by the Detroit Emergency $2,000,000 Allied Jewish Campaign.)

Palestine Througn
The British Eyes

By MEYER LEVIN

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

JERUSALEM—The optimistic section of
the Jewish population of Palestine has
always held to' the one insistant hope that
the Zionist cause must finally win
through on its own achievements in build-
ing up the country. The world, through
the Anglo-American Committee of In-
quiry on Palestine, would finally have to
see the tremendous things that had been
done. And then would come the just re-
ward: the full opportunity to do more.
"They have eyes, they will see, they
can't help seeing" that was the argu-
- went of the optimists here.
: Now the commission has been, and seen.
And the uneasiness has come over the
optimists. They wonder: Is it possible to
have eyes, and not see? Others, of a. more
philosophical turn, speculate on the basic
human flaw, the inability to people
as they are themselves.
A film has been made by the British
Information Service; it is called "The
Holy Land." In viewing this film, the Jews
in Palestine will realize with horror that
this may really be the outsiders' view of
Palestine, and that it may be the view
carried away by the average member of
the inquiry committee.
For, if one were to judge by the footage
in the film, the dominant note in the life
of Palestine is supplied by the ritual of
bearded churchmen. It is true that the
priests and acolytes are quite beautiful,
and the scenes of worship are impressive
and picturesque, but the new Palestinian,
who feels his own kind of life to be the
only - regenerative force in the country,
wonders: Is this all they see here?
Then he finds another curious thing in
the government's film-view of life in Pal-
estine. Again and again, the commentary
labors the accepted view of Palestine as
the focal-point of three religions. Christian
worship is shown at great length, and the
Mosques are elaborately presented. But
not one synagogue is shown.
The pulsing, vigorous modern industry
.built by the Zionist pioneers is com-
pletely ignored. The only industrial
scene is a small Arab weaving plant,
and the picture contains not a whisper
about the complete textile industry
built up by the Jews. The only flag
shown in the film, aside from the Brit-
ish flag at Government House, is an
Arab flag in an Arab scout camp.
It is as though the film, for the govern-
ment, was reporting on the upbuilding
•and progress of an Arab community,
where a few Jews happen to live. The Jew,
watching this report on his national home,
feels only a mounting resentment and•fru-
stration. So this is how the government
sees it, and this is how they want the in-
quiry committee to see it. Instead. of
studying the condition of the Jews, their
achievements in Palestine, and the pos-
sibilities for further immigration, the
commissioners spent two-thirds of their
time around the King David Hotel and
in chamber-session listening to evidence
already recorded in a dozen previous
reports.
Surely, they would go among the peo-
ple and talk to them. They would spend
a day perhaps a night, in a kibbutz.
But there were monasteries to visit, and
places of historical interest, lunches and
. coffee-ceremonies with Arab notables,
and there was so little time and you
could see most places from an automo-
bile—over there, yes, where the green
'spot:is on the horizon, another Jewish
colony. Too bad we haven't time to go in
, and have a look. But it's just another
place where people live.
That's the way of the film, as it was of
the inquiry commission; perhaps the same
hand guided both. That's all they want
to see here.

Strictly

Confidential

By PHINEAS J. BIRON

Copyright, 1946, Seven Arts
Feature Syndicate, Inc.

AFTER PASSOVER MUSINGS
Polls on anti-Semitism are taken peri-
odically . . . It is even rumored that some
of these polls are not merely encouraged
by certain Jewish defense organizations
—they are even subsidized . .- This is
quite understandable . .. Scientific polls
are very desirable . . . And nobody would
deny that it is important for all of us to
know the extent and pace of the growth
of anti-Semitism in this country ... But
it is of no less importance for us to real-
ize that anti-Semitism is a political weap-
on in no way dependent on Jewish be-
havior . . . It is not the Jews who should
be cured of their anti-Semitic complex
. . . It is the perpetrators of the anti-
Semitic crimes who must be tackled .. .
That is why we lose patience with those
who go on investigating the causes of anti-
Semitism . . . Anti-Semitism is beyond
the stage of investigation . . It is not a
mysterious disease like cancer . . . Jew
and Christian of good will must concen-
trate on the cure of anti-Semitism.

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WE TAKE EXCEPTION
That is why we object to an article by
Samuel H. Flowerman and Marie Jahoda
in the April issue of The Commentary,
published by the American Jewish Com-
mittee . . . The article deals with the sub-
ject of "Polls on Anti-Semitism" . . .
There is nothing wrong with the article
but the conclusion is revolting .. . Here
is what the authors say in their conclud-
ing paragraph . . . "Until more is known
about the phenomenon of anti-Semitism
and the indicators which reveal its pres-
ence, results based upon present polling
techniques should be used with caution—
for scientific reasons, however, rather
than for their allegedly dangerous impact
on intergroup relations in the U. S."

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In other words we do not know enough
about anti-Semitism . • . Really! . . . Only
6,000,000 Jews murdered because they
were Jews!
•
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A TIMELY WARNING
In the Philadelphia Record the day
before Good Friday appeared an adver-
tisement signed by the Ministerial Action
Committee of The Protestant . It reads
in part:
"We cannot permit the Cross of Christ
to be used as a bludgeon in the hands of
those who would use the Jews as scape-
goats in their thrust for Fascist power
over America.
"Tomorrow we commemorate the Cruci-
fixion of Jesus.
"However, as we remember Golgotha,
we are gravely concerned on this Good
Friday over the manner in which the
Crucifixion story will be interpreted. in
many American pulpits.
"We are aware that all too often in the
past, Christian leaders have distorted the
Crucifixion story so as to leave the im-
pression that the Jewish people were
responsible.
"We can never forget that Jesus was
a Jew. So popular was He with His own
people that the Gospel says, 'the people
heard Him gladly' and 'followed Him in
their multitude.' Actually, the life and
death of Jesus was a tribute to the Jew-
ish people because of the way in which
they received Him.
"In fact, it was His popularity that led
to His downfall, at the hands of the po-
litical ecclesiastical machine of His time.
"We have fro record whatsoever of Je-
sus denouncing His own people as He did
violently denounce certain official lead-
ers. On the oantrary, nothing but words

Between
You and Me

By BORIS SMOLAR

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

ZIONIST TRENDS
Now that the hunger strike of the 15
Zionist leaders in Palestine has been
terminated successfully, we can reveal
that Zionist leaders in America also were
considering embarking on - a hunger-
strike . . . There were several trans-At-
lantic talks about it between Zionist
leaders in New York and leaders of the
Jewish Agency in London.
The future status of the partnership
between the Zionists and non-Zionists in
the Jewish Agency is beginning to attract
attention, as preparations for the forth-
coming World Zionist Congress progress
. . . Non-Zionists are no longer repre-
sented on the executive of the Jewish
Agency and have virtually no voice in
the Agency . . . At the same time, how-
ever, they share responsibility for its de-
cisions, since they are formally a part of
the Agency . . . Usually the bargaining
between the Zionists and the non-Zionists
is conducted at sessions of the adminis-
trative council of the Agency which fol-
low the World Zionist Congress . . As
matters stand now, it does not look as if
non-Zionist leaders will go to Palestine
to participate in the meeting of the ad-
ministrative council.
The World Zionist Executive has al-
located $50,000 to complete the building
of the Habima Theater in Tel Aviv in
time for it to house the sessions of the
Congress . . . There is talk in New York
of making a special arrangement for a
ship to carry several hundred delegates
and guests to the congress.

DIPLOMATIC NOTES
Don't expect the Anglo-American in-
quiry committee to recommend the estab-
lishment of • a Jewish State in Palestine
. . . This definitely will not be among
the recommendations, and Zionist leaders
are well aware of it . . • The attention
of the leaders of the world Zionist move-
ment is now directed towards the negotia-
tions between Britain and Egypt for
Egypt's complete independence . . . These
negotiations may have a serious effect
upon affairs in Palestine . . . It is now
no longer a secret that the Anglo-Amer-
ican inquiry committee asked the State
Department for information on immigra-
tion possibilities in various countries .. .
The State Department queried American
diplomatic representatives in a number of
countries on this subject . . . At least one
member of the inquiry committee will
broadcast from Washington at the end of
this month, or early in May, on the situa-
tion in Palestine . . . Several senators
will join him in the broadcast.

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MEMORABLE EVENTS
Members of the United Nations who
attended the private Seder arranged for
them in New York will long remem-
ber the event . . . It was held in the Del-
monico Hotel, one of the most fashion-
able hotels in the city, with the full pomp
of a real orthodox Seder-Hagadah and
"kneidlach" and everything . . . And the
traditional "four questions" were asked
in Hebrew and in English by a Jewish
sailor . . . Benjamin Cohen, the Chilean
diplomat who is the head the United
Nations information service, touched on
a sore spot when, in his greetings on be-
half of the United Nations, he mentioned
the fact that Jews, unfortunately, have
no seat at the UN table . . . Commander
Joshua L. Goldberg, one of the most be-
loved chaplains of the Navy, conducted
the Seder at which Hebrew and Yiddish
songs were chanted.
Two other memorable events, last week
in New York lArere two separate limch-
eons tendered to Leon Blum at. the Wal-
dorf Astoria Hotel by Jewish labor
groups . . . Nothing of what was said
at these luncheons was given to the press,
but it was there that Blum spoke as a
Jew and as one who supports Jewish ef-
forts in Palestine . . . One luncheon was
given to him by the Jewish Labor Com-
mittee, and the other by the Labor Sec-
tion of the Jewish National Fund . . .
These were the only two gatherings at-
tended by Blum during his stay in New
York, in addition to the formal dinner
given to him by the city . . . And there
was a lot of kissing and hugging between
Blum and the speakers at •these gather-
ings . . . And a lot of Jewish spirit, too.

of affection came from His lips for His
people.
"Christendom can no longer stand silent
in the face of the great lie about the Cru-
cifixion which has helped set the stage
for the vicious and brutal Anti-Semitism
we see in the world today."
Well spoken, men of the church!