Purely
Commentary

By PHILIP SLOMOVITZ

R ACIAL. PREJUDICE:

'MENTAL DISEASE'
Prof. Clyde R. Miller, of Columbia
University Teachers' College. creator of
the famous "Springfield Plan" for the
teaching of tolerance to public school
children, told a YM-YWHA meeting in
Toronto that racial prejudice is a "mental
disease" which must be combatted as a
public health program to immionize
people against the type of propaganda
which serves as "the carrier of prejudice
and associated phobia."
Prof. Miller advanced several interest-
ing points in support of his thesis. For
instance, he told an interviewer:
"When people know as much about
their mental and emotional processes as
they know about their digestive processes
will be considered as great a crime to
spread dangerous propaganda as it is to
deliberately contaminate a city's water
supply with typhoid germs."
He emphasized this point by affirming
that the medical profession takes an in-
creased interest in the prevention of
prejudice as a major problem in public
health and made this interesting state-
ment:
"Prof. C. E. A. Winslow of the Yale
University School of Medicine has pointed
out that the prevention of contagious
phobias is today's major task for doctors
and public health workers. The first step
is to create a small group of informed
adults who will organize as a voluntary
health organization or who will affiliate
themselves with an existing health or-
ganization and inspire it to undertake
ihe task of achieving good mental health
in the community."
The need for the implementation of the
program advocated by Prof. Miller is
evident in his assertion that anti-Sem-
itism is more "vigorous" than ever, and
that hates are whipped up by demagogues
who seize upon such words as "Jew",
"Communist", "banker", "labor", "New .
Deal". etc., thus emphasizing fear of
social changes and a social revolution.
Prof. Miller has been an important
factor in the fight for the immunization
of people against destructive propaganda.
His campaign against Coughlinite . propa-
ganda is well known and dates back
nearly eight years—thus being a pioneer
in advancing his program for decent
thinking.
We would be happier about this type
of campaign if men like Prof. Miller were
to appear "Trat before Young Men's and
Young Women's Hebrew ' Associations,
but before church and non-Jewish civic
groups. Unfortunately, Jews. who need
his teachings the least because they are
the most seriously affected. are the ones
who are reached the most in lectures like
Prof. Miller's and the major satisfaction
we have in the great contributions he
makes to the cause of justice is that he
is quoted extensively in the press which
reaches the entire c•mmunity.
•
•
•

CONVENTION AFTERTHOUGHTS
Dr. Abba Hillel Silver, president of
the Zionist Organization of America. has
earned an important place in Jewish life
and has become the idol of the masses of
our people, primarily because of his
strong will and his determination to see
the major Zionist objectives achieved as
speedily as possible.
From all indications, Dr. Silver has
succeeded in securing autonomy for the
American Zionist Emergency Council. of
which he is the chairman, as the spokes-
man for our movement in Washington.
and Dr. Nahum Goldman. representative
of the Jewish Agency, will have to take
a back seat in. such negotiations.
Internal controversy, , however, is far
from ended. A study of Dr. Silver's 12,000
word speech to the ZOA convention will
indicate that. th0 T injection of personality
issues and differences over party policies
may prolong debate • affeeting internal
unity.
Dr. Silver's referencek,tb."the floating
Jewish ambassador in.,.Washington" (Dr.'
Nahum Goldmann):
functionary who has.-preingliNthitnielf to
the position of proxy 'to.. tl*;t4selidiilt of
our movement" (Meyer -yr 'iiyOsga1) do
not contribute to peacefuk.delih04tions.
After all, a man does not prortiOte'him-
self" to the position of proxy to the
president of the movement, and we should
retain sufficient respect for. Dr. Chaim
Weizmann to believe that when he selects
a proxy he does it out of his best judg-
ment.
Another item that may. inject• unnec
essary controversy is Dr. SilYer's refer-
ence to Hadassah. After referring to the
women Zionists' rejection of the ZOA
offer for a cooperative arrangement on

the basis of unity of delegates of both

Friday, November Ek. 1946

THE JEWISH. NEWS

Page Two

Reply to Impetuous Critics

By LOUIS LIPSKY

The Jewish Agency is being challenged on the position taken by its Executive
in Paris on what seems to be one count, although it has many facets of technique
and tactics. This was the situation in July.
After a period of abnormal events shaking the foundations of Zionist work—
the brutal enforcement of the White Paper of 1939 during the war, the ,provo-
cation of Jewish resistance, the extraordinary prop-
aganda in the United States leading to the still-
rejected plea to open the doors of Palestine, the
reports of various investigating commissions, the
unconscionable stalling - of the British, the growing
pressure ;, on Palestine of the displaced persons in
Europe—an opportunity arose to clear the situation
through a . conference on Palestine which was being
called by the Mandatory Power. An invitation to
join the conference was received by the Executive
of the Jewish Agency which felt that the hardened
situation growing worse from day to day, leading
inevitably to warfare with Britain, required some
effort on our part to dissolve the impasse. The
Executive, while rejecting the Morrison-Grady re-
port as a basis for discussion in the scheduled _
conference, nevertheless suggested as its own pro-
posal that it was prepared to discuss "the estab-
lishment of a viable Jewish State in an adequate
area in Palestine" with the following prefatory
demands:
That 100.000 certificates for Jewish settlers shall
LIPSKY
be
immediately
granted, and that their transporta-
LOUIS
tion to Palestine be immediately begun; that the right to control immigration in
the Jewish area shall be immediately assigned to the Jewish Agency; that imme-
diate autonomy be granted to that area of Palestine designated to become a Jewish
State.
The following conditions bearing on the organization of the conference were
advanced:
That the Executive of the Jewish Agency shall have full freedom to desig-
nate its own delegates to the conference: and that. in consultation with the
Government. it shall have the right to invite all the members of the Jewish
delegations, including representatives of other bodies and organizations.
The position taken by the Executive of the Jewish Agency was made clear
in the nublic correspondence by Dr. Weizmann with the British Colonial Secretary.
All the rtiembers of the Executive were in Paris. with the exception of three
members detained in Latrun and of Dr. A. H. Silver, who had duties in the
'United States.' Isaac ben Zvi and Z. Shrae,ai represented the Vaad Lenmi. Miss
Goldie Meyerson acted for Mr. Shertok. In addition to Dr. Wise, Dr. Goldmann
and myself, there were present Leon Gellman, Dr. Israel Goldstein, Dr. Chaim
Greenberg and Mrs. Rose Halorin, representing the American Committee of
Eight of the Jewish Agency. There were also in attendance N. Kirschner of the
South African Zionists. Mrs. Rebecca Sieff of London of the WIZO. Mrs. Judith
Enstein of New York for Hadassah, and Sir Simon Marks (London) and Meyer
W. Weisgal (New York) alternating for Dr. Weizmann.
After over three weeks of discussion. the Executive decided. with only one
to
or two dissenting votes, to accept the invitation of the British Government
attend the London .conference, provided its conditions, as described above, were
fairly met.
It is my conviction that the position taken by the Executive fairly reflects
the sentiments of organized Zionists. and especially of the Yishuv. The Executive
does not repreient a majority party: it is a coalition administration and includes
representatives of the three maior groups—the General Zionists, the Labor Party
and the Mizrachi. Of its membership present in Paris, eigh' were residents-. of
Palestine. It is significant that in decisions arrived at as to the action to be taken.
coming to the same conclusion from different - points of view. both Dr, Weizmann
and David Ben Gurion were in agreement. It is also significant that the venerable
Rabbi J. L. Fishman. always an opponent of partition. cast his vote in favor of
discussing the question of a - Jewish State in a,part of Palestine.

Heard in
The Lobbies

By ARNOLD LEVIN

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

WASHINGTON NOTE

Washington rumor has it that Henry
Grady will be our next Ambassador to
Britain. He is the "Grady" of the Grady-
Morrison Federal ist a t i on conspiracy
against Jewish Palestine. To place Grady
in Britain would be a serious blunder in
view of his manifested propensity to say
amen to British proposals. This "Pales-
tine expert," incidentally. is reported not
to have known whether Jewish Palestine
is east or west of the Jordan, which does
not necessarily make him a Revisionist.
QUERY?
This is not intended by way of criti-
cism. We appreciate the determination of
Congressman Baldwin of New York to do
his best in behalf of Jewry and Palestine.
We can't understand, however, why Con-
gressman Baldwin would not work within
the framework of one of the acknowl-
edged Christian Committees for Palestine
and had to place himself at the head of
the comparatively new Political Actions
Committee for Palestine. Why duplica-
tions?

Strictly
Confidential

By PHINEAS J. BIRON

, (Copyright. 1946. Seven Arts)

PASS THE AMMUNITION
The Rogge report carries revealing see..
tions on the radio priest, Father Coughlin
.. . His agent, Leo T. Reardon, was tete-
a-tete with von Ribbentrop at Berlin in
1939 . . . Victor Riesel, New York Post
columnist, reports the following quota-
tion . . . "Probably most of them (the
Jews) suffering from their persecution at
the hands of Nazis, are Communist sym-
pathizers . . . The mere arrival of 50,000
Jews (into the U. S.), even if they were
not subversive, would fan the fascist or-
ganizations like the Ku Klux Klan inte
activity" . . . That's pretty raw anti-
Semitism, isn't it? . . . The quotation is
from a leaflet distributed at the recent
AFL convention by "Uncle Dan" Tobin,
president of the International Brother-
hood of Teamsters . . . " 'Uncle Dan' owes
the nation, as well as labor, an apology,"
says Mr. RieseL "We'll keep the spotlight
on him until he apologizes!" . .. So We
will.

• •

•

MISCELLANY

Gen. Mark Clark, who is 6 ft. 4,in. tall,
couldn't find civilian clothes on his recent
visit to New York . . . He saw the Big

Town incognitogged in an outfit borrowed
from Bernard Baruch.
Arab delegates to the UN requested

that their police bodyguards be non-Jew-
ish . . . What are the sheikhs afraid of?
. . . Or is it a case of guilty conscience?

Myron Sulzberger's Republican oppo-
nent. Fred Coudert Jr. asked in a de-
bate: "While I was in the (New York
State) legislature, what was my opponent

doing?" . . . Sulzberger's devastating re-
joinder: "I was with the Marines—at
Bougainville."
Metropolitans are eating "lox" with
their fingers . . . Local bagel bakers are
on strike.
Medicos report that Theodore G. Bilbe
has a dangerous mouth infection .. You
said it, Doctor!
David E. Lilienthal has been named to

head the U. S. Atomic Commission . • As
predicted in this column weeks ago.
•
•
•

PREDICTION
Drew Pearson deserves lots of credit
for the thorough exposure of Senator
Bilbo's war contract gouging . . . -But we
predict that if "ill health" doesn't preent
Bilbo from appearing' for his seat at all,.
he'll be refused . . . Not because of his
war contract activities. but for his use of
By BORIS SMOLAR
racial intimidation in the Mississippi pri-
(Copyright. 1946. Jewish Telegraphic •
maries.
Agency. Inc.)
• •
•
BROADWAY GOSSIP
THE ZIONIST SCENE
Foreign Commissar Molotov says his
The resolution of the ZOA convention
rejecting partition and asking for the es- father went to school with Al Jolson's
father in Russia . . . Jolson, incidentally,
tablishment of a Jewish State in the whole
appeared on Barry Gray's early morning
of Palestine need not be interpreted as
show to sing all the songs from "The Jol-
demanding the creation of a Jewish State son Story" and "Sonny Boy" into the bar-
immediately . . . Right or wrong, leaders gain . . . Asked why "Sonny Boy" isn't in
of the Zionist Organization of America the picture, Al explained that it was cut
out after a Hollywood preview at which
are of the opinion that it would be much the great sentimental ballad jerked so
more practical to wait until the present many tears that the audience couldn't see
unfavorable political conditions change the rest of the picture.
. . . They believe that much more than
Benny Goodman celebrates his tenth
partition can be achieved later, when the
world is more ready for justice . . . There year as King of Swing and is America's
-
may even be a different British govern- most generous band leader:
Rumors are trading Hank Greenberg to
ment at some later date which would
derstanding of the Zionist MacPhail's Yankee Bronx Bombers . . .
... have more Understanding
demands, they argue . . . The same atti- Gertrude Goldberg, of the radio "Gold-
tude is taken by Mizrachi leaders in the berg Family", returns to the ether_ with a
U. S. and Palestine ... They prefer to see junior miss show.
a Jewish State in the whole of Palestine
Old Romania, a very Kosher nite-spot,
some years from now rather than a par- features an O'Reilly, a McNamara and a

Between
You and Me

BOOKS

This is by way of a heartfelt welcome
to a new venture in English-Jewish pub-
lishing, Schocken Books. Mr. Schocken
has contributed immeasurably towards
Jewish book publishing in- Germany, and
Hebrew book publishing in Palestine.
Books issued by Schocken are sound lit-
erature and of a beautiful manufacture.

titioned Palestine today .

•
•
•
THE WASHINGTON SCENE
Things are brewing behind the scenes
in Washington in connection with Presi-

dent Truman's intention to ask Congress
for legislation to admit more displaced
persons to the United States . Active
attention is being given to the.'Oestion
why Truman's directive thatA.991;k -visas

The Lost Generation

By CHAIM NACHMAN BI ► LIK

"Arise, ye wanderers in the wilderness,
and come away!
Long is the journey yet, and long •the
-
fray.
be granted monthly to refugees in _Weal Enough of roving now in desert places—

American zones in EuroPe is nor, being'
carried out to its fullest extent . . . Of
great aid to the President is the resolu-
tion of the American Federation of Labor
urging the admittanCe into the United
States of displaced Jews under the immi-
gration quotas that were not filled during
the war . . . If one this recommendation
were carried otit,.,ah'Ont,0i),000 displaced
persons could - enter addition
to the regular quota ,foi`'..41ie' cutTent. virear
. . . Leaders.::. of . the API. • Pfoinise - 'to
follow up the resoliition with action in
order to make it easier for Truman to
Secure the consent of ,the Congress for-
the admission of displaced persons this
year over and above the quota . . . This
the greatest of our leaders can make is the second time the „AFL has- -; done
what some people will interpret as ser- something to make it-peasible for Xewish
refugees to enter the United - States ...
ious blunders.
- -

parties at the World Zionist Congreis, he
stated:
"Unlike the other parties in the . United
States, the ZOA has no women's organi-
zation which cooperates loyally with it
either on the national • or the interna-
tional plane. The Mizrachi and the Poale
Zion have such women's auxiliaries who
act as a unit with the men's organiza-
tions."
There were people who at once inter-
preted this as a threat that ZOA will.
undertake to organize a women's atixil-'
iary of its own- and !1 . - 1At'S not :.good for
•
the morale of the Movement.
All of which goes -to prove that even

Quinlan in its chorus line.

There lies a great, wide road before
- --
• your faces.
-Let each man in his heart hear God's
-
- •
voice say:
'A new land's border shalt thou eross - -
•
today t
`No more 'the quails.frorn heicy'n, no more -
• -
•
light bread—
The bread of toil, fruit of the hands,
instead. - • • - - - ,
`No more wild tents pitched- under •
heavn's dome— - • - • • t-
Another kind shall ye set up for-bome.
'Beneath His sky, the wilderness outside,
God haS' another world - that. reaches
- wide,
`Beyond The howling desert. with its

-

There - waits beneath- His stars

-

' • Promised Land'."

-

the-