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Friday, September 20, 1946

THE JEWISH NEWS

Page Twelve

It Could Happen - Only in U. S.

`Operation Washington'

Judge Weiss' Story

Unsung Heroes

By HASKELL COHEN

S

AMMY WEISS LIKES TO
think his story can only happen in America.
Perhaps he is right. It's the story of a little
Jewish boy who came from Poland and grew up
to be a Congressman and a judge. In between of
course this boy managed to compile a sports
record that is still talked about at his alma mater,
Duquesne University.

Sammy Weiss' parents settled in Glassport, Pa..

a suburb of Pittsburgh. Here Sammy went to

school and despite his five foot four stature turned
out to be a crack quarterback. Of course he was
going to attend the University of Pittsburgh. All
would-be-football-greatest in the 1920's looked to
Pitt as their future home. Kids in the Pittsburgh
area never gave another school
a thought so it was only. natural
for young Sammy Weiss to wend
his way to Pitt.

The first day at Pitt, Sammy
rushed to the football field. After
waiting around for half an hour
Sammy asked an assistant for a
uniform. "A uniform," shouted
the coach. "Why son, around
here. you are too small to even
make the bucket brigade."

(Copyright, 1946, JTA)

Perhaps the biggest furore
ever created in the town of
Donora, Pa., was created
Haskell Cohen
by Sammy Weiss. Donora was
battling a traditional rival for state honors. All
four officials, including Weiss, were the best in
the state. It seemed Donora was using an illegal
shift so that time and time again Referee Weiss
was forced to penalize that team. Several touch-
down plays were called back and many long runs
were nullified.

The anger of the fans reached fever peak as
the final gun sounded. Donora lost by a touch-
down.

The day after the contest the Donora paper
front-paged the game story with
a streamer across the top reading,
"Senator Sammy Weiss Robs
Donora of Championship." The
other three officials who worked
the contest were unanimously
agreed that Sammy was correct
in calling the penalties.

When he graduated to the pro
ranks Sammy found the boys fair-
ly cooperative. When they did
get frisky Sammy quickly put
them in place. For example there
was the time big George Musso
The story may be apocryphal
of the Chicago Bears got tough
but it goes that Sammy became
with the little Congressman.
so enraged he stamped out of the
Musso didn't like the way Sammy
stadium and grabbed a streetcar
called a" play. As Sammy paced
going downtown. He was headed
off 15 yards against the Bears,
for Duquesne University, a small
Musso, all 260 pounds of him,
Catholic school located atop a hill
rushed over and picked up Sam-
overlooking downtown Pittsburgh.
JUDGE SAMUE L A. WEISS my with one hand, shouting:
At Duquesne Sammy wasn't ex-
"What was that for?"
actly discouraged from reporting for the team. In
"That was for roughing," answered Sammy.
these days Duquesne was lucky to fill its squad.
"And when you let me down there will be one for
But even here Sammy wasn't looked upon as the
roughing the referee. In addition Layden will fine
answer to the quarterback problem. At the start
you one hundred dollars."
he was third-string signal caller; the club only
Later a humbled Musso approached the referee
bad three.
and remarked, "Mr. Congressman, as usual, you
Sammy saw little action until the Geneva game,
are right. I'm sorry for my actions and I apolo-
a traditional contest, when the first two quarter-
gize:" Sammy accepted the apology but the fine
backs were carted off the field. The coach had no
stood.
alternative but to use young Weiss. On the first
play Sammy broke loose for 70 yards and a touch-
down. After that he was the regular signal barker.
For four years Sammy served his school well. In
Sammy likes to point out how smart these pros
fact to,..tilis day he is still rated second team
are. He was officiating at a game between - the Chi-
quarterback on Duquesne's all-time selections.
cago Bears and the Pittsburgh Steelers. As is
One day the team was scheduled to play away
customary before the contest the referee tossed
at Marietta College. The day before the game the
up a half dollar, for the choice of goals. "Heads,"
Father in charge of the eleven instructed the
yelled Captain Danny Fortmann, stooping to pick
manager to get the boys up early enough to make
up the coin. Hours later Sammy realized that the
a mass. "But let Sammy Weiss sleep," admonished
Bears' Captain had made away with his coin.
the Padre.
Last year the Congressman served his last
Sammy happened to overhear the conversation
season as referee in the National Pro League. He
and grew indignant. He too, wanted to attend
rushed into the season unprepared and almost
church. In fact Sammy attended mass every time
ended up a very sick man. You may recall the
the football team went to church. When he was
Congressman made a trip abroad with other
graduated the college president called him aside
members of the House to report on conditions.
and told him with great pride, "Sammy, you've
Sammy's homebound plane had barely touched
been a better Catholic than most of our own boys."
ground in Washington when he was called to the
phone by Commissioner Elmer Leyden. It devel-
oped Sammy was needed to officiate at an exhibi-
Football was not Weiss' only forte at Duquesne.
tion game. Thinking that the game would be a
Sammy made the track team and also sparked
cinch Sammy accepted the assignment. Officiating
the baseball nine. In one game against Grove
as he usually does, which means running all over
City Sammy showed the boys how centerfield
the field, Sammy was barely able to make the
really should be played. Red Jones, a terrific long
dressing room after the game. He was stretched
ball hitter. was at bat. Sammy just backed up and
out cold for some time after the players had left
waited for his pitcher to throw to Jones. Sure
the field.
enough. the Grove City slugger hit the pill and
away it sailed in the direction of centerfield.
Sammy backed up in a hurry and just managed
Last season's schedule in the National Pro
to snare the ball as he toppled into a lake border-
League proved a very difficult one for the Con-
ing [he diamond. As he went under Sammy tri-
gressman. It was one plane hop after another.
umphantly held the ball aloft in his gloved hand.
Coupled with a strong campaign for a judge's
Always on the go and nervous by nature, Sammy
berth in Pittsburgh, the Congressman found the
found it necessary to keep his fingers in the
going maddening. When his quest for judge in
sports pie after leaving college. He decided on a
Pittsburgh Common Pleas Court was successful.
career as a football official. By the time he was
Sammy resigned from Congress. With this resigna-
in the State Senate Sammy was considered the
tion went his career as a referee. Recognizing that
top high school official in Western Pennsylvania.
his duties would curtail his officiating activities
Sammy likes to talk about his high school officiat-
the still young and very active jurist asked to be
ing days perhaps even more than his pro
released from future football dates.
career.
It seems that the National League is not yet
In one game the field was a quagmire. On one
finished with him. Rather than let him out to
play Sammy had to dive into scrimmage to revive
pasture, the League has appointed him assistant
a drowning backfield man. On another occasion
to Commissioner Bell. From now on Sammy will
a high school back was rounding an end when he
be in charge of all National League officials, mak-
spotted Referee Weiss and tossed the pigskin to
ing and giving out assignments. Knowing Sammy
the official. Before five determined players, intent
as we do, we are not yet calling it a career for
upon tackling a ball handler, could smother him,
the judge. Somehow he will manage to sneak in
Sammy tooted his whistle indicating the ball was
dead.
an occasional assignment for himself.

• • •

• • •

• • •

• • •

There you have the story of an athlete, who made the grade ass gentknuse, politician
and jurist. It's Sammy Weiss' story, and as we have told you before, be likes to think it con
only happen \in the United States. And we're inclined to agree with him.

By Charlotte Weber

JTA Staff Member

NOT all battles are fought on the battlefield. Operation
Production, Operation Manpower and Operation Supply were pitched
battles fought right here at home.
- Behind those administration leaders who formed the high com-
mand of the Washington theater of operations were scores of bril. .
ilant men who, almost without notice, gave of their time, talent
and energies to mobilize our resources behind our fighting men.
Among the numbers of prominent Jews who served in such
high places ,during the war four names stand out. Robert R.
Nathan was the dynamic young deputy director of the Office of
War Mobilization and Reconversion. Abe Fortas directed much of
the national defense program in his spot as Under-Secretary of
the Interior. Isador Lubin. for years Commissioner of Labor Statis-
tic.s;- became Economic Advisor to the President on matters of defense.
Judge Samuel I. Rosenman as Special Counsel to the President.
was a staunch White House -:k_tandby through two administrations..
Nathan began his service with the government as an economist
with the Department of Commerce in 1933. By 1940, already singled
out as one of the most brilliant New Deal economists, he began
his war service on the National Defense Advisory Commission. As
assistant director of Research and Statistics in charge of military
and civilian requirements he conducted surveys of U. S. -produc-
tion potential in relation to needs which resulted in the setting
of Presidential goals.

It was his position as
chairman of the planning
committee of the War Pro-
duction Board, which Nathan
held from 1942 to 1943, that
gave him such an excellent
background in the facts and
figures of war mobilization
and made him a natural

choice for the job of num-
ber-two man under Fred
Vinson in the OWMR. He
literally built up our war pro-
duction machine and, when
the time came to reconvert,
tried manfully to dismantle
it quietly, smoothly and ef-
ficiently.

As Deputy Director of the OWMR he was chairman of the
Reconversion Working Committee made up of the Under-Secretaries
of State, War, Interior, Justice, Labor and the war agencies.
Had to Decide When to De - Ration
As policy formers. these men had to decide how soon after V.E
Day to reconvert so that sufficient war production remained to
sustain the Japanese war but not enough to create worthless sur-
pluses of war material. They had to decide when to de-ration,
to de-control steel and other vital materials, when to hold up
one war contract and push forward another. It was Nathan's
work, as director and sparkplug of these activities, that prompted
Vinson to called his deputy director his "tower of strength."
Abe Fortas became Under Secretary of the Interior in June
of 1942, having served with the Department in various capacities
since 1938. He directed the activities of the War Relocation Au-
thority and had a great deal to do with running the Oswego Camp.
In the absence of Secretary Ickes he attended many Cabinet
meetings and was present at the sessions during the days of th.
first atom bombing of Japan and at the special cabinet meetin •
at which the Japanese surrender was received.
When atomic research highlighted the importance of- certain
minerals, Fortas directed exploration for these minerals.
Friend and Advisor of Late President Roosevelt
He was secretary of the now defunct Petroleum Reserves Corp.
made up of the Secretaries of State, War, Navy. Interior and the
Foreign Economic Administration Director. Biggest job of the PRC
was handling the Saudi Arabian pipeline idea.
Judge Rosenman was a friend and adviser of the late Presi-
dent Roosevelt for many years but it was not until Oct. 1. 1943
that he was called to the White House and officially appointed
Special Counsel to the President, the first to have that title.

After accompanying Presi-
dent Roosevelt on the return
trip from the Yalta confer-
ence, in the early part of
1945, Rosenman returned to
Europe to study the question
of civilian supplies of the

liberated areas of Northwest
Europe. After his return he
stibmitted a long report out-
lining the nutritional. fuel
and other civilian require-
ments.

After President Roosevelt. died. Rosenman stayed on at the
White _House and was the guiding hand behind many of the early
Truman speeches.
At the time of Roosevelt's death. Rosenman was engaged in
negotiating with the British with respect to the trial and punish-
ment of war criminals.
On leaving the White House in February this year. Rosenman
was awarded the Medal of Merit "for exceptionally meritorious con.
duct and outstanding services to the President and to his country."

Assisted in Lend Lease Coordination
Isador Lubin, from 1933 until January of this year the U. S.
Commissioner of Labor Statistics. was called to the White House in
1941 to be Economic Assistant to the President. In 1942 he was
sent to England to assist in lend-lease coordination.
As Associate U. S. representative on the Allied Commission on
Reparations, he spent three months in Moscow and Berlin making
a survey of enemy countries. He was in Potsdam at the time of
the conference there and was a behind_the-scenes participant.
Lubin resigned to enter private life the early part of this year.
It was not long before Lubin was appointed U. S. delegate to the
United Nations Subcommission on Reconstruction of Devastated
Areas, one of the many offshoots of the Economic and Social Council
of the UN.
Copyright, 1946, JTA, Inc.

,riggf-71/40-44erWI

NEWCOMERS to the U. S., of whom there will be thousai,ds in
1946 owing to President 'Truman's directive for immigration of dis-
placed persons, are trained by the National Refugee Service so that

they can make a substantial contribution to our peacetime economy.
The work of adjusting refugees is carried on with funds supplied

by the ;100,000,000 United - Jewish Appeal.

