Friday, March 7, 1947 THE JEWISH NEWS Page Four Interpeter of Liberalism Looking the Other Way As the Editor VieWs the News... Significant Expose Jesse Zel Lurie, an experienced writer and student of Jewish affairs, has rendered a very great service to the cause of truth in his article "Confusion Worse Confounded: An EX pose of the Bergson Group," in the current issue of Congress Weekly, Listing 25 Haganah-guided boats that have been intercepted by the British in territorial waters, together with explanations of the names and the number of refugees on each boat, Mr: Lurie declares: "Not a single one of these refugee ships that have reached Palestine since the end of the war had anything to do with the League for a Free Palestine or its Reoatrian Board." The. boats he listed, he points out, "are the ships the British know about. And those they are not aware of were also Haganah ships." Declaring that ''the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth is that not one single immigrant has been brought to Pales- tine by the League or through its funds," Mr. Lurie acids that "if Ben Hecht can prove anything to the contrary he can sue for libel." These assertions are of the utmost signifi- cance in view of wild claims made by the League for a Free Palestine during its fund- raising efforts throughout the country, includ- ing its collections recently in Detroit. Invariably, the Peter Bergson-Ben Hecht organization has been veiling in secrecy its claims to shipment of refugees to Palestine. The latest claim of the arrival of a boat named "Ben Hecht - also has not been sub- stantiated thus far. Meanwhile, since the publication of Mr. Lurie's article, two other boats, sponsored by liaganah, have arrived in Palestine, and the ninjor work Of bringing the Jews into Pales- tine definitely is the result of activities by recognized Jewish movement and not by the discredited League for a Free Palestine. These facts must be broadcast in the inter- est of truth so that our people should not be misled by disruptive groups. •.• • Madison Work Reviews Progress of Americans' Protests Against Iniquity • • • -• - ea) d itgain World News Sank= There are increasing reports that anti-Semitic Fascist activities backed by the Mosley gang are growing in Britain. Core of Problem: Pledge-Breaking We gladly accept the admonition of the New York Herald Tribune that "berating Mr. Bevin will not advance a Pales= tine solution." It is totally unnecessary to berate a man who has berated himself. No person could have harmed himself as seriously as the British Foreign Secretary had done. President Truman's reply struck at the very root of the entire issue. Mr. Bevin not only was tactless; as the White House statement pointed out; the impression he gave was "most unfortunate and misleading." Mr. Bevin's tactlessness consisted not only of speaking half-truths but also of creating a breach in diplomatic tradi- tions by publicizing secret information and by making much ado of private talks which preceded the publication of Presi- dent Truman's Yom Kippur Eve call for prompt admission of 100,000 Jews into Palestine. The deplorable thing is that Mr. Bevin makes it necessary for people to justify humanitarian efforts. The White House statement bluntly asserted that our Government's position was made clear long before the pre-election statements of Oct. 4, 1946; that President Truman's appeals for justice to surviving Jews in Europe originally were dated Aug. 31, As chairman of the Commission on Justice the 1945, and Nov. 13, 1945. But Mr. Bevin, in an effort to besmirch and Peace of the Central Conference of the best intentions of our President, made a political issue of A Plea for Justice and Peace American Rabbis, Rabbi Julius Mark has issued a statement in which some basic prin- ciples of elementary justice are outlined. The statement declares that "to maintain that God has .placed any race or class of men in a state of permanent inferiority is to blas- pheme 1Iis name. Such an idea, whether based upon a misinterpretation of Scripture Cr a inkreading of nature, is but the rationali- zat ion of groundless bias and contemporary prejudice." Rabbi Marks declaration asserts that "our prevailing attitudes toward colored peoples will be repudiated as neither normal or moral, and will have been outgrown by a humanity become more humane." "Every Jew who believes in Judaism," he added, "every man who believes that God is the Father of all, must take up the struggle against discrimination. Man, we believe, is created in the image of God. Therefore, no man may say of another man, created in that same image. that he should 'keep his place.' " Serving a Southern congregation,—in Nash- ville, Tenn.—Dr. Mark's statement assumes added importance because of its fearlessness humanitarian ideals! A Labor member of Parliament, Benjamin Levy, put it well when he charged Mr. Bevi-n with delivering the best pro-Arab speech on record. Even on this score, we contend that Mr. Bevin does immeasurable harm to the Palestinian Arabs, whose best interests are linked with their Jewish neighbors. • Perhaps the worst offense in Mr. Bevin's speech was his as a nation," and comment "are we in the UN as a religion or relegating Jewry his attempt to thwart the entire issue by strictly to a religious postion, without recognizing the national aspects of the Palestinian effort. The best politician in power can not undo the work of 28 years of reconstructive effort which was conducted under the banner of pledges for the establishment of a "Jewish National Home." Fifty-one nations, , including the United States, endorsed such a nationalistic program, which was the result of the idealism of the best brains in Great Britain during World War I. Mr. Bevin's sins are so numerous that he will find it most difficult to account for all of them. His repeated slurring references to the Jews of New York are in bad taste", un- becoming the Foreign Secretary of a great world power; and he embarrasses rather than compliments the Jews of England by implying that they are the good Jews. The latest tragic and deplorable events in Palestine, Charles A. Madison, of the college editorial de- partment of Henry Holt & Co., 257 Fourth Ave., New York 10, a former Detroiter who now makes his home in Detroit long ago made his mark as a defender of just causes and as an able interpreter of libertarian ideals. A resident of Michigan from 1906 to 1921, he still calls Detroit his "home,"—be- cause many of his rela- tives live here and be- cause his daughter fol- lowed in his footsteps and is today a student at th University of Michigan. The oldest of fiv children, he went to work in an automobile factory at the age of 15. That, however, did not sto him from pursuing a co lege career. He made his mark at the U. of M., won the highest award ever offered by the Menorah Association, his essay be- ing on the topic of Yid- dish literature, and h was graduated with cu laude honors and wi membership in Phi Beta Kappa. He has been book editor since 1922, when he settled in Ne York. • • Charles A. Madison • This is by way of an introduction to his very important book, "Critics and Crusaders: A Cen- tury of American Protest," just published by Henry Holt & Co. His background in a sense ex- plains why he should have put so much heart in a thick book of nearly 600 pages, in explanation of the "protest" against iniquities and injustice by great American liberals. A note he wrote to this reviewer—a class- mate at the U. of M.—is interesting. He writes: "Although my book deals little with Jewish life, its topic of freedom and social justice has always been dear to Jews—from the Prophets to the present-day Lilienthals!" This very direct comment is modest. In reality, Madison's book is a powerful plea for justice, for the deep-rooted ideals of Americanism and the ancient Prophets. He does not hesitate to speak frankly of such unpopular subjects as anarchism and socialism and he goes to the root of all issues he approaches in his brilliant book. • • • There are six sections - in Madison's book. Deal- ing with the Abolitionists and their background, he analyzes very ably the entire history of the battle against slavery in this country and he deals specifically with three heroes of that period— William Lloyd Garrison: "Apostolic Crusader?' John Brown: "A Fanatic in Action," and Wendell Phillips: "Agitator for the Common Good." Twentieth century idealists will find strong en- couragement in their efforts to assure liberty for all. The Garrison sketch is a challenge to all free- dom-loving people not to despair and to have faith that even if it takes a generation or more to win a battle. it can be won, provided the idealists are unyielding and unafraid. • • S Margaret Fuller: "Transcendental Rebel," the social dreamer Arthur Brisbane and the social planner Edward Bellamy are the leaders of the Utopians dealt with in the second pqrtion of the book. In "The Dissident Economists" Madison dis- cusses Henry George: "Prophet of Human Right." Brooks Adams: "Jeremiah Critic of Capitalism" and Thorstein Veblen: "Iconoclastic Economist." This reviewer especially recommends this section as a valuable chapter in discussions of economic problems. John Peter Altgeld: "Pioneer Progressive," fear- less American who helped to undo some of the damage to the good name of America in the Hay- market tragedy in Chicagct; Lincoln Steffens: "Muckraker's Progress," and Randolph Bourne: "The History of a Literary Radical," are the heroes in the section dealing with `The Militant Liberals." The two other sections in "Critics and Cru- saders" deal with "The Anarchists" and "The Socialists." Those dealt with in the former are Daniel De Leon, Eugene Victor Debs: "Evangelical Socialist," and John Reed: "Rebel and Revolu- and the forcefulness of its declarations in the heavy loss of life, the regrettable terroristic acts, are tionary." defense not only of oppressed white minori- directly ascribable to the incitement created by the in- Madison shows that he has a thorough knowl- ties but also of the colored peoples. It is a sults hurled at Jewry by Mr. Sevin. The declaration of edge of American history and of the radical move- ments. He does not use kid gloves in analyzing un- statement worthy of universal endorsement. martial law merely continues the "police state" conditions popular causes. He is bare-fisted in presenting his of tyranny imposed on Palestine's population. It is a heroes for what they are worth. Even in dealing with the anarchists, he is fair condition that can not last and must end in a return to and objective. The three personalities in this field t th Jewish e led ges to p e sanity, in complete adherence to Member Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Independent Jewish —Henry David Thoreau: "Transcendental Indi- P. css Service. Seven Arts Feature Syndicate. Religioui people, in an open door policy for Jewish immigrants and vidualist," Benjamin R. Tucker: "Individualist News Service, Palcor Agency. World News Services. National Home Anarchist," and Emma Goldman: "Anarchist the eventual establishment of the Jewish Member American Association of English-Jewish News- papers and Micnigan Press Association. Rebel"—are ably described by Madison. in Eretz Israel. Pubtisned every Friday by The Jewish News Publish- Jewish readers will be particularly interested in ing Co.. 2114 Penobscot Bldg.. Detroit 26. Mich.. RA. 1956 his ∎-b -scription of Emma Goldman, her early life, Subscription. $3 a year: foreign, $4. Club subscription. We return to our original contention that there is little her resentment against her quick-tempered ortho- every fourth Friday of the month. to all subscribers to Allied Jewish Campaign of Jewish Welfare Federation of Jewish father, her rebellious life and her inde- cause for fear in the outbursts of the British Labor leaders. dox Detroit. 40 cents pc) year. fatigable struggle for her ideals. The concluding Mr. Bevin apparently fails to recognize that if, as he puts it, sentence Entered as second-class matter Aug. 6, 1942 at Post Of- in this chapter is an excellent explanation flee. Detroit. Mich.. under Act of March 3. 1879_ the White Paper of 1939 is unworkable, then his own restric- of this rebel: much "Emma's quotation from Ibsen, made while BOARD OF DIRECTORS tive measures of 1947 may tell become unworkable in a waiting for deportation in 1919—`that it is the Philip Slomovitz Maurice Aronsson shorter period—possibly even this year. struggle for the ideal that counts, rather than Isidore Sobeloff Fred M. Butzel Mr. Sevin and his associates will learn one day that they the attainment of it' — may well be her epi- Judge Theodore Levin Abraham Srere Henry Wineman taph." Maurice II. Schwartz can not destroy the historic aspirations of an entire people. is, op s and That which has been created in Palestine with the sweat PHILIP SI.01110VITZ. Editor The chapter on socialism makes interesting refer- blood of the Jewish pioneers is in Eretz Israel to stay. It will ences to the early Jewish pioneers in American MARCH 7, 1947 VOL. 10—NO. 25 'urvive all antagonisms. As long as Jewry's major security socialism. of "Critics and Crusaders" is a very good book. If measures are strictly adhered to, by continued building Sabbath Scriptural Selections the land it will serve, in our own state, to cause Madison's new colonies, by bringing more immigrants into This Sabbath, the sixteenth clay of Adar, 5707. friends to reminisce about a very able Michigander, the following Scriptural selections will be read in and by establishing new industries, there is not an earthly it will have served a good purpose through the Israel or destroy of synagogues: introduction and spread of a brilliant book. oJr force that can undo the creative genius P. S. Pentateuchal portion—EX. 30:11-34:35. . . Israel's hopes and asialrations. 1 THE JEWISH NEWS P1:441CtiC.a4 potion -r—j,K111g8 zo); :39 •