Page Two
Purely
Commentary
THE JEWISH NEWS
A Letter to the President
Great Britain's Crime in Palestine
By PHILIP SLOMOVITZ
`UNHAPPY AND UNHOLY LAND'
The British are making much of "evi-
dence" that a cache of arms was found
in the, Tel Aviv synagogue. There may be
"another side" even to this fanastic story.
If terrorism, for which the British alone
are responsible through their autocratic
and human acts in Palestine, is to be
uprooted, Britain must stop perpetuating
a "police state" in the "Holy Land."
We now call as our next witness Allen
Raymond, who, writing from Beirut to the
N. Y. Herald Tribune, in an article under
the heading "Unhappy and Unholy Land,"
exposes the frightful censorship imposed
upon Palestine by the British military
authorities.
Mr. Raymond, presenting the gist of his
studies of Palestine regulations, charges:
"An office of censorship exists which
may require editors of newspapers to sub-
mit all matter prior to publication. When
the censor has finished editing a publica-
tion's copy the publisher may not print it
in such a way as to show that it has been
censored, or refer to this censorship in any
way except by the censor's own permis-
sion.
There is complete censorship of the
mail . . . Added to all these censorship
regulations is the general censorship over
every inhabitant of Palestine by which any
person deemed objectionable or a sus-
picious character is liable, under the law,
to be thrown into a concentration camp
for an indefinite period without ever hav-
ing a charge brought against him, or being
brought to trial for any offense."
`NO MORAL AUTHORITY'
Mr. Raymond's expose is a challenge to
the immorality of British actions on the
score of censorship.
There is much more to be challenged.
The virtual arrest of an entire Jewish
community of 200,000, in Tel Aviv, has its
comparison only in Lidice, or in mass ar-
rests of Jews and anti-Nazis by Nazis in
Poland, Germany, Austria and other tern- .
tories that were taken over by the
Hitlerites.
Referring to an underground press in
Palestine and the establishment of a
clandestine newspaper, "Hebrew Combat
Front," Mr. Raymond states in his Herald
Tribune article:
"After a quarter of a century of rul-
ing by League of Nations mandate, the
Palestinian government finds itself today
with no moral authority whatever over
Jew or Arab. Maybe, because of con-
flicting interests and commitments, or
because all its authority flows down from
a distant government in London, instead
of up from the people, the Palestinian
government could not possibly have
obtained that authority. But until some
Palestinian government can obtain such
authority, resting on the consent of the
people, this desperate underground press
is going to continue, accompanied by
sporadic violence. And Jewish refugees,
helped into Palestine by Anglo-American
benevolence, are going to live in one of
the unhappiest and unholiest lands on
earth."
This is an indictment of British rule. It
is a condemnation of a lack of moral law.
It is a challenge to the conscience of the
world not to permit the perpetuation of a
police state.
We hope for the day when Jews and
Arabs, acting together, will repel the im-
moral law.
And we look to the day when an
awakened world conscience will fight for
the restoration of holiness to the Holy
Land.
'I SHALL NOT HOLD MY PEACE'
Acting Chief Secretary Scott of Palestine
tt few days ago summoned to his office
Gershon Agronsky, editor of the only Eng-
lish-language daily in the country, the
Palestine Post. According to a Jewish Tele-
graphic Agency dispatch, Mr. Agronsky
was told that a recent editorial in his
newspaper criticizing . the requisitioning of
Jewish shops, offices and homes was re-
garded by thee-government with disfavor.
Interesting, isn't it?
John Bull's representatives in Palestine
arrogate unto themselves the right to requi-
sition (does that mean confiscation?) Jew-
ish property andto order Jewish businesses
to dissolve. But Jews are deprived of the
right to criticize!
Poor John Bull does not seem to realize
that without vision a people must perish
—and Britain's muddlin - officials are cer-
tainly lacking in vision. Else, as a Bible-
loving people, the British would remember
the admonition to Israel by the Prophet
Isaiah (62:):
-
Friday, August 9, 1946
By WILLIAM B. ZIFF
By BORIS SMOLAR
(Excerpts From a Letter Addressed to President Truman)
Dear Mr. President:
In addition to the blatant anti-Semitic laws which disgrace the statute books
of that country, His Brittanic Majesty's Government has raised for service in Pal-
estine a group of the worst Fascist followers of Oswald Mosley. They have brought
there the same Black and Tans who once operated in Ireland, and are now con-
ducting in Palestine a terrorism infinitely more intensified than any against which
the Irish rebelled:
Every concept of Anglo-Saxon law has been vacated in Palestine, where any
soldier or policeman may arrest a Hebrew on sight without reason and, if he feels
like it, beat him to a pulp. To the underground Hebrew soldiers, the sane type of
deadly anti-Semitic provocation which has left seven 'million dead in the crema e
toriums in Europe is now guiding British policy. Beneath the pious words uttered
by British statesmen, they see a bitter and active anti-Semitism which to the fight-
ing young Hebrews of Palestine makes Bevin fully as dangerous as Hitler.
It is under the desperation engendered by this situation that the so-called
outrages in Palestine have been taking place.
The underground Hebrew soldiers are not "desperadoes" or "terrorists" in the
sense that the British authorities would like to have us believe.
Though they may be misguided in the determination to answer terror with
terror, these young Hebrews are as admirable as any other patriotic group in history.
According to historic British definition, George Washington was a terrorist.
So was Patrick Henry. So was Eamon DeValera. Today there are rumors that Great
Britain will seek to create a small Hebrew ghetto in Palestine, locked in tight
under the over-lordship of the present anti-Semitic colonial officials. Mr. Attlee
himself has made an amazing statement that collective punishment must be made
upon the entire Jewish people for the acts of a few. Whether these acts are right
or wrong, it is impossible to concede that the 100,000 displaced Hebrews of Europe,
or the many hundreds of thousands of others, who are waiting to enter Palestine,
should be made to suffer for a single act committed by individuals whose very names
they have never heard of. This constitutes a total abandonment of any concept
of law or justice hitherto held by decent men everywhere. It finds its counterpart
only in the German action at Lidice. To the desperate underground troops of Pales-
tine such statements are proof-positive of the nature of British intentions.
The question before America is this: Are we to stand with truth, justice and
decency, or with the right of armed privilege to do what it pleases as the sole
judge of its own actions?
In Palestine, the British must be held accountable for their actions as well as
the Hebrews and Arabs. There will have to be other considerations weighed besides
the cold sinister business of imperial profit. •
I respectfully submit, Mr. President, that it is proper that the so-called terror-
ists be tried before some world tribunal called for that purpose. In my personal
judgment, they will be more than willing to appear and to stake their lives against
the reply which will be given by the world conscience. However, the British authori-
ties who are conducting the present official reign of terror in Palestine must also
appear to answer, in the same court, for the crimes of which they themselves stand
accused. A very real precedent exists in the case of the Nuremberg trials.
Strictly
Confidential
By PHINEAS J. MON
Copyright, 1946. Seven Arts
Feature Syndicate, Inc.
ABOUT PEOPLE
Sidney Matz, son of Israel Matz, was
killed two weeks ago when his private plane
crashed near Seattle ... Sidney's father is
well-known throughout the world as a
generous philanthropist and Hebrew
scholar . . . He is the founder of Ex-Lax,
Inc., and has made wise use of his wealth
. . . Sidney, we knew him well, was the
dashing type . . . he loved action and ad-
venture . . . He had definite convictions on
Jewish matters . . . He, the son, was much
more conservative than the father . . .
but neither ever argued about helping a
good cause . . . We remember once dis-
cussing with Sidney a Jewish organization
which was labelled leftwing . . . He ob-
jected vehemently to its ideology . .. But
after • stating his case, he agreed to help
. . . Yes, we believe that Sidney, the rest-
less sportsman, and intimate of celebrities,
would have developed more and more into
a very useful Jewish community leader .. .
notwithstanding his reluctance to accept
many symptoms of a new changing world
. . . His passing is a genuine loss.
4,
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ANSWERS
Is it true that John Foster Dulles, dis-
tinguished adviser on Foreign Affairs; con-
tributed money to America First? . . . The
records of America First credit a contribu-
tion from one "John Foster Dulles" of $500
... The date was Nov. 5, 1941 ... Just one
month before Pearl Harbor.
World Zionist leadership is divided on
the .question of partition .. . Weizmann is
for it and so are Lipsky and a number of
Palestinian big shots . . . Rabbi Silver is
opposed to anything short of a Jewish
state . . . David Ben Gurion will accept
partition if the Negev is included in the
Jewish region.
*
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REMEMBER THE 176 .
Henry W. Levy, publicity director of
Union of American Hebrew Congregations,
writes "that a commission was not the easy
road to personal safety in World War II
is indicated by a glance at the honor roll
of the 176 service men, members of the 34
Reform Congregations of the New York
Federation of Reform Synagogues . . .
Of the 176 young men who lost their lives
in the service, over 50 per cent, 93 in all,
were commissioned officers . • ."
*
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LAST MINUTE FLASH
"For Zion's sake will I not hold my
It has just been confirmed that Paul
peace, and for Jerusalem's sake I will Muni will appear in "A- Flag Is Born" . .
not rest; until her righteousness will go pageant written by Ben Hecht for the
forth as brightness and her salvation as American League For a Free Palestine . . .
of burning torch."
Quentin Reynolds will be the narrator.
Between
You and Me
Heard in
The Lobbies
By ARNOLD LEVIN
(Copyright, 1946, Independent Jewish
Press Service. Inc.)
CHAPLAIN
A Chaplain's duties with the army for-
bid his participation in warfare. His duties
revolve only around the spiritual aspects,
so called, of warfare. He is to console the
soldier and give him moral guidance. In
Tel Aviv, an Anglican chaplain gave other
kind of guidance to his soldiers when he
led them into the Great Synagogue. He
now claims that he accompanied them,
(earlier dispatches reported that he. led
them) to make certain that they did not
"mess things up" at the house of worship.
It has been established, however, that the
chaplain was "gun-toting" when he. en-
tered the sacred edifice. The chaplain
could well have advised, without entering
the building, officers in charge of the
search, of the requirements of decent be-
haviour in searching a synagogue.
Like many Britishers who have ostensi-
bly become Moslems to woo the trust of
Arab kings, the chaplain in question was
serving Empire and not God, when he led
the tommies into the synagogues. Would
they have dared to enter a Mosque? And
may we be permitted to express our sus-
picions about the discovery at the Great
Synagogue. The Synagogue authorities are
not to be blamed for what has been put
under the synagogue edifice even if the
discovery was genuine. It should be noted
that in the past, according to the Hebrew
underground newspaper Eschnab, British
searchers have often discovered what they
themselves had planted several hours or
days before.
*
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DOROTHY THOMPSON
Dorothy . Thompson's below - the - belt
punches at Zionist leadership should not
be mistaken as the kindly criticism of a
-friend. Her record ever since V-E Day
shows that the lady, whose past popularity
and success was attributable to her anti-
Nazism, has now become the most fervent
champion of the German people. In her
heart, overflowing with compassion for the
Germans, there is but little compassion
to spare for the Jews. But her ignorance of
the facts, regarding Palestine as well as
regarding Germany, is amazing. Miss
Thompson ascribes all the militancy and
justified wrath of the Jewish Agency to
executive members in Palestine. She should
have known that American Zionism has
been active in formulating these militant
demands and has been pressing for their
immediate implementation: She should
have known, but the lady knows so little,
which should, but does not, prevent her
from writing and speaking as though she
did.
(Copyright, 1946, Jewish Telegraphic
Agency. Inc.)
THE PEACE CONFERENCE
American Jewish groups who, during and
after the war, were competing for the
prize of representing the Jewish cause be-
fore the Peace Conference, now are real-
izing that there was nothing for which to
compete . . . Very little can be done at the
Paris Peace Conference from the point of
view of protecting Jewish rights . . . The
draft treaties for the former enemy coun-
tries definitely secure human rights and
fundamental freedoms for all persons
"without distinction as to race, sex, lan-
guage or religion." . .. They also stipulate
that no discriminatory legislation or re-
strictions can be imposed by the govern-
ments of any of these countries ... . The
net result is that Jewish delegations, will
have little or nothing to do at the Peace
Conference . . . The situation was differ-
ent at Versailles after World War I, when
Jewish leaders had to conduct a hard fight
to secure national minority_ rights for Jews
in the smaller European countries . . . But
no Jewish group is interested any longer
in the principle of national minority rights
. . . As to the principle of human rights,
the way was paved a year ago in San
Francisco at the first meeting of the
United Nations, so that it became an auto-
matic part of all post-war international
documents . . • Some of the important
Jewish leaders in the United States are
now asking themselves whether their trip
to the Peace Conference in Paris was
worthwhile . Leaders like Rabbi Stephen
S. Wise, Louis Lipsky and Dr. Nahum
Goldmann went to Paris primarily to at-
tend the session of the World Zionist Ex-
ecutive . .. Their interest in the proceed-
ings of the Peace Conference was of sec-
ondary importance.
*
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*
THE PALESTINE SITUATION
Britain is anxious to present the United
Nations with a fait accompli with regard
to Palestine, just as she did with regard
to Transjordan . . . In this way the British
fear of a collective UN Trusteeship over
Palestine—a trusteeship in which Russia
might claim a share—will be allayed . . .
Whatever status Britain may give to Pal-
estine under the proposed "cantonization
plan," the more will be made with a view
to preventing the United Nations, especial-
ly Russia, from having any say in Pales-
tine affairs in the future . . . And this can
be achieved only if speedy action on the
part of Britain is taken and if the move is
made before the General Assembly of the
United Nations opens at the end of Sep-
tember . . . This explains the stand by
Prime Minister Attlee that Britain will go
through with its "federalization plan"
even if the United States does not support
it . . . Under the terms of the mandate,
there is only one country which has to be
consulted by Britain with regard to any
change in the status of Palestine—the
United States .. . With Palestine now be-
coming the center of British military
forces in the Middle East, it is obvious why
Britain is so afraid of the possibility of
Russia's becoming one of the trustees.
THE WASHINGTON SCENE
Credit should be given to Herbert H.
Lehman and to the untiring efforts of Dr.
Abba Hillel Silver in Washington for the
fact that President Truman temporarily
reversed his intention to support the Brit-
ish "federation plan" - for Palestine . . .
Only a day prior to changing his mind,
the President was very rude to delegations
of Senators and Representatives who came
to the White House to appeal to him not
to support the British plan . . . He made it
clear to them that all he was interested in
was that his request for the admission of
100,000 Jews to Palestine be complied with
and, therefore, any plan which satisfied
this demand was acceptable to him . .
For a while the situation looked very bad
in Washington, the President clearly indi-
cating his anoyance . A personal appeal
wired to him at the last minute by Herbert
Lehman from his summer home in Massa
chusetts, fortified by influential leaders of
the Democratic Party whom Dr. Silver
contacted, made the President revise his
decision . . . A respite has thus been won
during which the opponets of the British
plan hope to mobilize all forces possible
to block the British move . . Dr. Silver
refused to proceed with Dr. Stephen S.
Wise, Dr. Nahum Goldman and Louis
Lipsky to Paris to attend the session of
the World Zionist Executive there . . His
argument was that the fate of Zionism is
now being decided in Washington and it
would, therefore, be much wiser to hold
the session of the World Zionist Executive
in the United States rather than in Paris
. .. His remaining in the U. S. prevented
the blow which Palestine_was about to
receive from Truman.