Page Four

THE JEWISH NEWS

Friday, April 25, 1947

•,■•■•■■

As the Editor
Views the News ...
For Mercy and Justice

All indications point to success for the 1947
Allied Jewish Campaign, whose great goal of
$5,335,000 at the outset staggered the imagin-
ation of the entire community.
The defeatists' cry that "it can't be done"-
now is being transformed into a determined'
assertion by campaign workers that: IT WILL
BE DONE.
One division after another reports in-
creases in contributions which in many in-
:, stances total nearly double the gifts made to
the emergency drive last year..
It is encouraging, and often deeply stirring,
to watch the progress of the drive and to note
that people in all brackets are giving will-
ingly, wholeheartedly and in a spirit of
reverence to the drive which spells mercy
and justice for the European survivors, for
the builders of Eretz Israel and for the local
and national causes included in the campaign
goal.
The success of the early efforts jn behalf of
the drive must not lead us to overconfidence.
The job has only begun. The drive officially
opens, for general solicitation, on May 6,
when the eminent Zionist leader, Dr. Abba
Hillel Silver, will be the guest speaker at the
opening campaign dinner. From that day on,
it will be necessary for every one of us to
devote_ himself exclusively to the objectives
of the drive and to strive to bring it to a
speedy and successful conclusion.
In our striving to attain the goal of $5,-
335.000, it will be equally as important to
enlist every member of our community as
a contributor.
Men's and women's divisions are• being
organized, the Junior Division is working
among the young people and the schools will
do their share in enrolling the children as
contributors.
Our aim should be to raise the entire cam-
paign goal and to enlist at least 40,000 sub-
scribers to the campaign. If we succeed in
both objectives we will be justified in claim-
ing victory for the greatest humanitarian
campaign ever undertaken by our community.

Eradicate Price Abuses

Abuses of privileges by meat, poultry, fish
and grocery merchants. in Jewish communi-
ties on the eve of holidays have been common-
place.
It is a-ivell known fact that just before the
holidays prices are boosted by merchants who
know in advance that our, people never per-
mit costs to interfere with thorough and
joyous observance of our festivals.
The movement inaugurated by the Jewish
Community Council to put an end to abuses
in the boosting of prices deserves encourage-
ment and cooperation.
In the long run, the merchants themselves
are in the best position to correct the unfair
practices. The Council has enlisted their aid,
and it is sincerely to be hoped that they will
lend their wholehearted support to an effort
to establish justice in business practices.

Thrilling Figures

In an article in the Palestine Hebrew labor.
daily Davar, H. Frumkin reveals that 40 per
cent of the Jews who settled in Palestine in
1946 are engaged in agriculture and have
helped retain the Jewish labor ratio in orange

groves.

Fire Bug at Work

Cohn Vividly Describes
Jewish- Life, Hopes from
DP Camps to Palestine

Our Plea to President Truman

•

•

entire Middle East.
It is our sincere hope that President Truman will, once
again, take the personal lead in acting in support of justice
in this crucial hour in world history.
We are confident that by reaffirming_ his stand in support
of unlimited Jewish immigration into Palestine and the
eventual establishment of the Jewish Commonwealth he will
have the support of the entire American people.
We arq, equally as confident—basing ouv views on con-
Member Jewish Telegraphic Agency; Independent Jewish
clusions reached by the world's best minds and ablest authori-
Press Ser‘ice, Seven Arts Feature Syndicate, Religious
ties on Middle Eastern problems—that once firmness is made
News Service. Palcor Agency.
Member American Association of English-Jewish News-
the basis of discussions before the United Nations, there will
papers and Michigan Press Association.
Published every Friday by The Jewish News Publish-
be unanimity of action for the best interests of all the people
ing Co., 2111 Penobscot Bldg., Detroit 26. Mich.. RA. •956.
of Palestine, Jews., and Arabs alike.
Subscription. $3 a year: foreign. $4. Club subscription,
every fourth Friday of the month. to all subscribers to
It is our firm conviction that the General Assembly must
Allied Jewish Campaign of Jewish Welfare Federation of
induce the acting mandatory power—Great Britain—to open
Detroit. 40 cents pet year.
r Entered as second-class matter Aug. 6. 1942. at Post Of-
Palestine's doors to Jewish settlers, as proof of the earnest-
fice. Detroit. Mich.. under Act of March 3: 1879.
ness of intentions to solve the existing problem firmly and
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
justly.
Maurice Aronsson
Philip Slomovitz
In this spirit, we appeal to President Truman to take the
Fred M. Butzel
Isidore SobelotT
lead in this historic fight for justice and to battle firmly for
Judge Theodore Levin Abraham Srere
Maurice II. Schwartz
the speediest realization of the program he has sponsored
Henry Wineman
since the liberation of Europe. Up to this moment, European
PHrLIP SLOMOVITZ. Editor
Jewry, instead of enjoying the fruits of liberation, remains
VOL. XI—NO. 6
APRIL 25, 1947
hemmed in by barbed wires in displaced persons camps in
Sabbath Scriptural 'Selections
Europe. Those who were able to escape are behind barbed
This Sabbath, the sixth day of Iyar, 5707, the
wires in Cyprus. If liberation is not to be interpreted as a
following Scriptural selections will be read in our
farce, Hitler's first victims must be freed. Their fate is in your
;synagogues:
'hands, Mr. President! We appeal to you for firm action, in the
Pentateuchal portion—Lev. 12:1-15:23.

•

THE JEWISH NEWS

Prophetical portion—LI Kings 7:3-20.

.

DAVID L. COHITS name is well known to dis-
criminating American readers. His magazine arti•
des have brought him deserved fame. Six books—.
God Shakes Creation, Picking America's Pockets,
The Good Old Days, New Orleans and Its 'lying
Present, Love In America, Combustion on Wheels
—have placed him in ranks of America's best
writers. - .
Now comes his best: "This is the Story," a
book about which his publishers, Houghton Mifflin
Co. of Boston, say with pride: "Serious, meaty and
constructive, impatient of hypocrisy and humbug,
it is still full of wit and an abundance of racy
stories and delicious absurdities."
It is all of that—and much mote. It is so truly
a great book that if one wanted to write a com-
plete and deserving review he would have to
write a column for each chapter.
"This Is the Story" describes Mr. Cohn's trip
around the world. He takes us to London during
the blitz (and we get a thoroughly charming de-
scription of his walk with the noted sculptor, Jacob
Epstein), to France, Belgium, Germany, China,
Palestine and other Middle Eastern countries.
•
•
•
HE GIVES us an interesting evaluation of the
term "displaced persons" in his description of the
DP camp near Cherbourg:
"What a word that—displaced--as applied to
human beings! How brutally accurate it is! It is-as
though men were fish cast up gasping upon the
shore by a storm; or ants scattered by the casual
heel' of the unseeing passer-by. And indeed they
are little more than that in total war; in this era of
nameless crime against nameless men. Verily the
wind bloweth where it listeth."
•
•
••
As a matter of custom, the President of the United States
BORN AND RAISED in Mississippi, his de-
either personally or in a written message greets important
scriptions of Negro-white relations are among
international gatherings whose sessions are held in the
the most interesting on record. In "This Is the
United States.
Story" we find a rebuke of Bilbo in which Mr.
Cohn refers to the Senator's "state of fury" as
A special session of very great importance will be con-
"bordering on hydrophobia."
vened on Monday at Flushing Meadow, New York, by the
•
•
•
United Nations General Assembly, to consider the case of
ONE OF THE MOST interesting portions of the
Palestine.
book deals with Palestine. It is sympathetic re-
President Truman has the historic opportunity, in his porting and reveals the author's excellent research
ability. In 32 pages he gives a fine picture of
message to this special session of the General Assembly, to Jewish
life, of Zionist aspirations, of the Lowder-
reiterate his views on the Jewish position in Palestine.
milk plan, etc.
Already on record, in the strongest possible terms, in
Included in this chapter is a section on Rehoboth
favor of the immediate admission of 100,000 European Jewish and the Seer of that colony—Dr. Chaim Weizmann.
Mr.
undoubtedly is one of the finest tributes
survivors into Palestine, we implore President Truman to ever Cohn's
paid to a great leader.
reiterate his stand and to make it clear, in the interest of the - This reviewer was especially moved by the de-
best international relations, that only by fulfilling this res.: - giieription of Eir. Weizrnann's bringing back to the
quest will the Assembly be able to proceed with its great task fold the great German-Jewish chemist, the man
was rewarded for his help to the Kaiser in
in the spirit of humanitarianism and justice represented by who
the last war and was rejected by Hitler.
the Palestine problem as it affects our people.
Weizmann had warned him many years ago,
when Haber insisted "we are Germans." He
invited
the great chemist to come to the Hebrew
President Truman will not be acting for himself alone by
trniVersity. The day came when he accepted.
taking such a firm -stand. He will- be expressing the senti-
*
•
•
ments of the overwhelming majority of the people of this
HABER WAS HELD in high regard at Cam-
country who have declared themselves in favor of free bridge, but he would not return there, Weizmann
Jewish immigration into Palestine. He will echo the senti- having assured him that the Palestine offer stood.
ments of both Houses of Congress whose resolutions ex- Writes Cohn regarding the suggestion that Haber
pressed strong support of Jewish claims in Palestine. He go back to Cambridge:
" 'I want,' replied Haber, `to go to Palestine. I
will soothe the hurt feelings of the Jews of America, who, want
to end my days teaching there.' Haber started
having placed so much faith in the commission he selected, for Palestine but on the way there, at Basle. he
jointly with the British government, look to him as the strong- fell ill and died. In his will he left his library and
papers to the Research Institute in Rehoboth. Here
est single factor in position to bring succor and security to they
are housed in a special room called the Haber
the displaced persons of Europe.
Library."
(The Haber story also is related in the splendid
The General Assembly's special session is of such vital
biography of Dr.-Alhert Einstein by Prof. Philipp
importance to the Jewish people; to the peace of the Middle
Frank, published by Knopf.)
East and the entire world, to the future safely of the Jews of
•
•
•
Europe and to the democratic ideals inherent in Zionist
chapter after chapter, Mr. Cohn treats
Thus,
in
ideology, that we are impelled to ask President Truman to his readers to great writing, to charming stories
be firm in his message.
and interesting historical facts.
*
* . *
If it were for the Weizmann-Haber story alone,
Outstanding authorities are in agreement that only a firm his book would be worth its full price.
We recommend "This Is the Story" most sin-
stand by the powers of the world can possibly put an end to cerely
as one of the most interesting and best
strife and to tension which has disrupted the peace of the written books of this decade.

This is thrilling news. It is good to know
that the back-to-the-soil movement among
Jews settling in Palestine is not fiction and
that its reality serves to assure the establish-
ment of a wholesome Jewish life in Eretz
Israel.

"4 1

'This Is The Story'

name of humanity and justice!

Rachem

By ZELDA LANDSMAN

Beneath the craters of the war-torn earth
Behold once more the miracle of birth!
The skies are:still, where once the belching breath
Of deafening -destruction yielded death;
And where the scorched earth vomitted the stencil
Of rotting flesh, in every narrow trench,
The air is sweetened with the scented stir
Of growing things, as timidly the blur
Of bud and leaf creeps forth to greet the sun,
Unshadowed now, that War's routine is done.

The dead will sleep. The wounded will be healed;
And tilled and sown will be each naked field.
The wide and gaping craters will be filled
And on their site determined hands will build
The mighty structures of the world of men
And towns and cities will be whole again!
Again the spires and steeples shall arise,
And cut into the azure of the skies;
And mended hearts, and mended homes once more
Shall know the warmth of loved ones as before.

But there are dead whom life gives no release
And -e'en in Death extends to them no peaoe.
In narrow, shallow graves, grotesquely heaped,
Their blanching bones are :till in sorrow steeped* '
No coverlet of tender grass can hide
•
•
The shameful agony with which they died,
Nor Summer sun, nor gentle April rain
Can soothe these tortured souls who died in vain.
In alien soil in alien lands they lie
And decompose and rot and do not die!
•

Distorted living dead how can you sleep
While stilloyour empty sockets vigil keep
With all the wanton world—lest it forget
And blot away Civilisation's -debt?
-
Lest It forget the niartyred and the maimed.
Who, herded cold and hungry and Unclaimed
Behind bare barricades, await decree -
From Fate and Mankind whether tinylartener,

From Fate and Mankind,nrkether they.nsay.
Like all Free nen, or wither' with the Dead.

MIA&

•

