Friday, May 9, 1947-
THE JEWISH NEWS
Page Eight
Jews to Get Chance to Present Case Before the .UN
.
Even Russia May Concede Right of :Jewry to a State
their disposal. They are represented through five states
and have the support of many more.- The Jews are with-
out any representation whatever. But the Syrian be-
grudged us even the good words that were spoken by
Poland. What sportmanship!
•
•
AMONG THE personalities at Flushing MeadoWs
were:
Lilly Schultz, former able executive secretary of the
American Jewish Congress, now affiliated with Nation
*
*
while the Arab side was unknown.
*
Association, who did a bang-up job in enlightening some
The poor Arabs!
RUSSIA'S ATTITUDE is important and may-
delegates on the situation.
They won several states since World War I, played
the Nazi game in World War II, copped off a 99 to 1
have a significant bearing on the entire situation.
Moises Toff of Buenos Aires, head of the Jewish
and
begrudge
Yews
Agency's
Latin American division.
territorial
advantage
over
the
While Andrei Gromyko supported the Arab view-
Eliahu Epstein of Palestine, an authority on Arabic
them the 1 per cent space for a limited home in Pales-
point, the Soviet permitted Poland and Czecho-
problem, who is attached to the Jewish Agency staff.
tine! The poor Arabs!
• • •
slovakia to act independently in supporting the
Mosl Shertok and Dr. Nahum Goldmann conferred
AMERICAN SPOKESMEN are trying to retrieve- with American and other delegates in an effort to clarify
right of Jews to representation. Gromyko himself
the Jewish position.
favored such a position—and the interpretation something of their status as pledge-makers.
• •
•
The Arabs have made much of the fact that President
generally given is that Russia will follow any line Truman
has asked for the admission of 100,000 Jews, and
DR. EMANUEL NEUMANN, president of the
that will prove embarrassing to the British.
demanded immediate cessation of Jewish immigration.
Keren Hayesod (Palestine Foundation Fund), vice-
inhumanity of it must have hit some delegates be-
president of the Zionist organization of America who is
For instance, there is strong belief that Rus- - The
tween the eyes and under the belt—judging by the final
slated for the ZOA presidency at the July convention,
sia even will encourage the Irgun—as long
votes on major issues and by the desire of American
in an address at the opening of the Palestine Exhibition
as it represents an anti-British stand.
spokesmen to be considered leaders in sponsoring Jewish in Rockefeller Center, on April 30, saw fit to attack the
UN special assembly as "a farce." It may or may not
Thus, the Irgun has been reported seeking an rights to representation.
*
*
have been a wise speech, but the attack upon it the
•
alliance with the Kurds, Syrian Druses and other
following day by Joseph M. Proskauer, president of the
I. L. KENEN, executive secretary of the American
Middle Eastern minorities in search for a pact with Jewish
Conference who was loaned to • the Jewish American Jewish Committee, did not contribute to
Jewish solidarity.
Russia in an "anti-militarist war" on Britain.
Agency to direct its public relations work during the
Judge Proskauer would do better to strive for unity
present UN sessions, must be credited with a magnificent
in Jewish ranks in the present crucial period, rather
in handling situations as they arise. Kenen was
HERSCHEL V. JOHNSON of the U. S. delegation job
than to enter into petty squabbles.
prompt in warning against the one-sidedness of the de-
introduced an important point when he said that bates. He was emphatic in the presentation of the state-
ment
repudiating
Arab
claims
that
Jews
already
fared
the Christian population in Palestine also would
THE LONG-WINDED debates brought forth empty
in Moslem countries and pointed specifically to the
compliments and back-slapping. Jewish contributions to
have to be taken into consideration. That brought well
pogrom in Bagdad, Iraq, on June 1, 1941, when more
the
arts, science and literature were hailed and Israel
an assertion from the Arabs that they do not recog- than 400 Jews were murdered.
was placed on a pedestal. But—there always were buts
nize division of Palestine's population on religious
"Jews in Arab lands," he said, "are subjected to con-
attached to such compliments.
lines; that they insist upon considering only the stant intimidation. In Syria, on March 24, 1947, the
It reminded us of the comment once made by Dr.
Syrian
government
threatened
its
Jews
with
death
existence of Arabs.
Chaim
Weizmann that many wealthy Jews would have
unless they renounced Zionism. Syrian Jews now are
been glad to support Zionist aspirations provided the
*
*
reported in flight."
Jews could be. reduced to an item in a museum. For ha
He also called attention to reports that Egyptians
BY ADMISSION of an Arab delegate, the ex-
museum, those Jews who years ago failed to support the
to
currently
are
being
incited
in
their
press
to
resort
Zionist program would have given their fortunes—as
Mufti of Palestine, although absent from Flushing
pogroms on Jews, and he could have told how, dur-
long as the image of Israel could be placed in a glass
Meadows, was there in spirit—pulling the strings
ing his visit in Egypt last year, he was asked for his
case. That, apparantly, is the feeling, or hope, of some
was
stamped—in
Nazi
which caused the Arab delegates to jump so fre-
passport
religion and his
non-Jewish back-slappers who pay us honor but fail to
fashion—with a "J."
quently in repeating their venomous attacks on
contribute to the preservation of our people.
Kenen could also have pointed to the tragic plight of
•
Zionism.
who suffer the status of third rate
the
Yemenite
Jews
In the event the Arab Higher Committee should citizens.
THE .INTRUSION into the scene of the Bergsonites,
be given a hearing by the UN committee—as stay
the Council for Judaism and a New Yorlc Zionist district
POLAND'S DELEGATE Joseph Winiewicz delivered
considerable trouble. The Vag! Leumi (Jewish
well happen—one can picture the outburst of the most impressive plea for the right of Jews to be brought
Council of Palestine) found it necessary to
hatred that will infiltrate into international dis- heard at the UN sessions. He put up a strong fight for National
inform Dr. Oswaldo Aranha and Secretary General
his views, and his assertion: "we of the Polish delegation
cussions.
Trygve Lie that the Jewish Agency is the only authorized
have very strong feelings on this point," introduced a
*
*
spokesman for Jewish Pale*stine.*
sentiment that had the backing of the Honduran, Ecua-
•
PRESIDENT ARANHA found it necessary to _dorian, Swedish and Czechoslovakian delegates. Even
Arabs, supported this viewpoint.
make frequent interruptions of statements intro- India, a backer of the
WILL JEWS UNITE in presenting the case before
There was proof in this stand of the sincerity of the the UN? Henry Monsky's final words were a plea for
duced by Arab spokesmen, on the ground they did present
Polish government which does its utmost to
a unity. The Christian Science Monitor, in its issue
not adhere to the issue under consideration. In prevent progrorns in Poland—in spite of its having of May 2, under the heading "Arab Tactics in U. N.,"
proven helpless in a situation which finds the Polish
some instances his objections were ignored.
admonished the Jews to be united. This editorial reads:
from the Arabs about filibusters. The delegates repre-
'
(Continued from Page 1)
senting the Arab states certainly knew how to follow a
position in lands which practice barbarism while knock-out-and-a-drag-out
policy. Although it did not
their spokesmen at Flushing Meadows speak of lead to a knock out, it certainly was a drag out typical of
filibustering.
democracy.
Definitely mean in their approach, the Arabs sought to
Thus, a fair grouping of terms of reference will ' give
impression that a **Zionist invasion" of Palestine
serve to protect our case and to assure us of some was the
responsible for all the trouble and that Zionist
"propaganda" definitely has captured the radio and press
guarantees for the future.
-
In most instances, the rehashers of Arab-argu-
mentsproved awful bores. "Nudnickes" as we
therii -are fascinating compared with the bores
who consumed so much valuable UN time.
know
."4
14
AMERICAN SPOKESMEN at the sessions include:
Warren R. Austin, former Republican Senator from
Vermont, who was a member of an unofficial Senatorial
commission to Palestine in 1936; Herschel V. Johnson,
alternate, a career diplomat who has served in the Latin
Americas and in Sweden; Loy W. Henderson, chief of
the State Department's Eastern and African Divisions;
William Dawson, former Ambassador who is serving as
liaison officer between the U. S. and Latin American
delegations; William I. Cargo, former college instructor
in political science who wrote his Ph.D. thesis at the
University of Michigan in 1941 on the subject "Arab and
Jewish Mandate Rights in Palestine Under Peel and the
White Paper of 1939."
•
•
•
AMERICAN SENATORS have something to learn
people strongly anti-Semitic.
*
*
*
ARAB "HUTZPAH" reached a new low in the ad-
dress before the UN of H. E. Mr. Fafis el-Khouri, presi-
dent of the Syrian Parliament, head of the Syrian
delegation. Here is an excerpt from the verbatim re-
port of the proceedings:
"If anyone is afraid that the rights of the Zion-
ists will be impaired, he may be satisfied that the Zion-
ists have good advocates who espouse their cause and
may defend them if they find some way of defense.
The representative of Poland proposed that the Zionist
representatives should be heard here, and that matters
should be postponed until they have the chance to b.,
heard. As for us, we know that the Charter and the
Rules of Procedure do not allow such a thing. If we
are to wait, then we will have to wait forever—to have
the Charter modified or have it amended. If the Zion-
ists have such strong advocates here, it is not necessary
that they be given the chance to appear themselves;
they may rely upon their advocates. "
They had everything! The whole Assembly was at
UN Political Committee Prepares
To Hear Jews Plead Palestine. Case
By BORIS SMOLAR and BEATRICE HYMAN
By Long Distance Telephone to The Jewish News
LAKE SUCCESS, N. Y.—Technieal parliamentary
discussions on how to hear the Jewish Agency's case
marked the Tuesday morning discussions before the UN
and what to do regarding hearing the Palestinian Arabs,
the Arab Higher Committee having cabled UN secre-
tary General Trygve Lie withdrawing its request for
a hearing on the ground the Political Committee men-
tioned only the Jewish Agency and did not specify the
Arab Committee.
The Argentinian delegate, supported by Latin Am-
erican delegates from Cuba, El Salvador, Columbia and
the Dominican Republic insisted the Political Commit-
tee extend an invitation to the Arab Higher Committee
at once.
Lester B. Pearson, the Canadian chairman of the
Political Committee, set midnight of May 8 as the dead-
line for the dispatch of any other communications from
Iny other organizations which may want a hearing.
Any communications received after that time will not
be considered.
U. S. Delegate Warren Austin proposed a draft reso-
lution including these points:
That the Mandatory (United Kingdom) should de-
ride for the committee ii.Thich organizations "should be
considered to be representative of a considerable ele-
ment of the population of Palestine and therefore elig-
ible to appear before this committee."
Discussion of the substance of the Palestine prob-
lem before the Political Committee by any organiza-
tion wishing to express substantive views should apply
to the special inqtiry committee to be set up by the
Assembly.
The Jewish Agency and any other organization
representing a considerable element of the Palestine
population should appear before the Political Comrnit-
tee to present their views on what the terms of ref-
erence of the special inquiry committee should be. •
Andrei Gromyko insisted that according to the reso-
lution of the General Assembly the Jewish Agency
should be granted an immediate and prompt hearing
by the political committee, and that they should parti-
:ipate in the work of the Political Committee.
He then offered another proposal that communica-
tions of organizations other than the Jewish Agency
claiming to represent the Palestine population should
be considered either by the Political Committee meet-
ing as a committee of the whole or in a sub-committee
of the Political Committee which would decide this
question and report back to the Committee.
Sir Alexander Cadogan was asked for the Manda-
tory's view about the standing of the Jewish Agency.
He replied that it was the only Jewish organization of
all those which have applied for hearings which holds
Dfficial relations with the Palestine administration and
that it would give . a fair picture of the opinions of the
Jews of Palestine, and added that none of the other four
organizations which applied hold a position compar-
able to that of the Jewish Agency which is named in
the Mandate.
Four others which have asked for a hearing are:
Progressive Zionist District 95 of New York (ZOA),
Political Actions Committee for Palestine and Agudath
Palestine's independence is not yet the issue before the
United Nations. The question Is what to do about Jewish
claims to a national homeland there. That is the problem
Britain has been unable to solve. That is the riddle in the
mandate which the League of Nations gave to Britain. and
which Britain now puts before the League's successor. the U. N.
Arab moves to place the question of Independence on the
General Assembly's agenda at this special session on Palestine
are obviously tactical. This is an effort to seize the initiative
and to give discussion a push in a direction favorable to the
Arabs. Discussion of independence would automatically open
the entire Palestine situation to public debate.
What is more, it would give Arab interests a chance to
voice their claims on a world sounding board. When it first
appeared likely that the Palestine case would go to the U. N..
some Arab leaders seemed disturbed. They pointed out that
the Arabs had never been able to match the Jews at propa-
ganda. The U. N. meeting has inspired them to hope for a
hearing by world opinion.
They have been defeated in this attempt to broaden the
agenda. But they have shown ability to organize a formid-
able front in the 15. N. The Jews have no comparable rep-
resentation. They have, however. seen the United States
and Britain stand firmly against the Arab proposal.
There is virtually no doubt that Jews will have a voice
In the U. N. proceedings, though not a vote. To make that
voice most effective they need to agree among themselves
on what agency shall speak authoritatively for Jews. For the
Arabs have shown themselves at least united on the Palestine
question.
Whether it is the irresponsible individual in Detroit
who will back the Bergsonites, or the stupidity of
discipline-breaking districts in New York, or the de-
lusion of others, the situation is not healthy and there
must be a change in existing attitudes in Jewish ranks
which at the moment prevent joint effprt. If we have
not learned from historic experience, we at least should
learn, as admonished by the Christian Science Monitor,
from the Arabs.
• •
•
THE JEWISH AND ARAB newspapers were well
represented at the special assembly sessions. But the
Jewish press was limited almost entirely to the Yiddish
press—except for several English monthlies and weeklies
and some Hebrew and other foreign periodicals. Prof.
Chaim Tchernowitz, Dr. Robert Weltsch and some other
notables were among those in attendance.
PRESIDENT ARANHA'S reminder to the Polish dele-
gate (Winiewicz) "that the Assembly was one of coun-
tries, nations—the General Committee would have to
discuss how, where and with whom the Jewish agencies
which asked and had a right to ask for a hearing by the
United Nations, should have to be heard," was sort of a
blow to Jewish claims.
The refutation by Mr. Johnson of the assertion that
our government was in any way implying an attitude on
the question of Jewish representation and that the U. S.
-was of the opinion the Jews "must have their full day in
court" marked the beginning of a change of heart in
U. S. policies preliminary to acknowledging our right to
present our case.
5
Pearson said the committee would have to decide
JOHN HOHENBERG of the New York Post and Vic
which of these represent the Palestine population. It
Bernstein of PM are among our favorite newsmen at the
was to meet this question that Austin submitted - his UN sessions. Boris Smolar of JTA and J. L. Teller of
resolution saying that the Mandatory would be the pro-
Palcor, the N. Y. Herald Tribune and N. Y. Times
correspondents are achieving completest possible
per source to decide the validity of that.
coverage. Menahem Ribalow of Hadoar, his able son, a
In order to meet the objections of the Arabian
member of . the Congress Weekly staff, Schneiderman
states and the number of Latin American States -that
of the Jewish Morning Journal, Danzis of the Day are
the Palestine Arabs should be heard and were not in-
among those covering the scene. Mary Ronay of High-
eluded in the agenda, Pearson suggested he in his name
land
Park, Mich., is in charge of the press desk.
as chairman of the committee send a telegram to the
The -eyes ot.,the world are on Flushing Meadows—and
Higher
Committee-regretting-withdrawel
of
their
Arab-
request for hearing and asking them to resubmit their the case under discussion is receiving a thorough airing
• --thanks to the efficiency of the great American press.
communication by the deadline of May 8.