!MR

Friday, )44,y 16. 1947

THE JEWISH NEWS

Page Two

Purely
Commentary

A Criticism of U. S. Stand

Palestine as a 'Test for the U. N.

Excerpts from an Article in the New York Tribune

The ground we tread on has become
less firm. Fair play has deteriorated.
There is a decline in the spirit of justice.
How else are we to judge the victory
for the ex-Mufti's Arab Higher Com-
mittee at the UN? Is there another way of
measuring the relative triumphs and
failures of humanitarian appeals before
the international tribunes?
Less than a generation ago, Jewry had
its first test on the question of statehood
and in its battle to end homelessness be-
fore the nations of the world. At the
Peace Conference at Versailles, in 1919,
our spokesmen presented the case for
homeless Israel. An Arab spokesman at
that time welcomed Zionist endeavors.
Today a less idealistic humanity places
obstacles in the path of dispossessed
Israel. Our fight for justice, which will
never be abandoned, thereby becomes
more difficult.

.

Former Under Secretary of State

Will the Assembly of the United Nations assume the full authority con-
ferred upon it by the Charter? Will it .now, as the spokesman for world public

•

By BORIS SMOLAR

By SUMNER WELLES

By PHILIP SLOMOVITZ

HUMANITARIANISM FALTERS

Between
You and Me

(Copyright, 1947, 'Jewish Telegraphic)
Agency, Inc.)

UN TRENDS

The American delegation at the United
Nations has been a sore- disappointment
to many observers . . . Operating in an
almost amateurish fashion, the U. S. has
suffered several bad effects . . . Although
it had been anticipated that the American
delegation would set the pace for the
Latin-American bloc, •and would be
backed by many other nations, what has
developed is that the U. S. is carrying
the ball on what appears to be obviously
British-sponsored moves ... The Ameri-
cans have created the impression that
they are a tool of British diplomacy and
have consequently suffered a damaging
loss of prestige ... The record of the U. S.
delegates in supporting the Zionist cause
has been anything but good . .. On the
contrary, the State Department seems at
times to be going out of its way to under-
mine.the position of the Jewish Agency
... This was most clearly expressed when
Sen. Warren Austin declared that the
agency should be permitted to voice its
views only if it were clearly understood
that it did not speak for all the Jewish
people on the question of Palestine .
The attitude of the American delegation
has only helped to 'create the impression
that the Soviet delegation is defending
the Jewish cause against attempts by the
U. S. delegation to undermine it . . . Ob-
servers following the tactics of the Amer-
ican delegation are beginning to under-
stand why the United States is frequently
so unsuccessful at international parleys
By 'ARNOLD LEVIN
. It seems that the officials of our State:.
(Cop;right, 1947, Independent Jewish
Department are not what one might
• Press Service, Inc.)
call accomplished diplomats . . . They
UN VARIETIES
seem to rely chiefly on the fact that the
LAKE SUCCESS, N. Y.—The diplo- U. S., economically the strongest country
mats have their share of phonies, as can in the world, can influence other countries
be seen by some of the decisions taken at to follow its lead . . . The defeat suffered
the UN special session on Palestine. But by the U. S. on major proposals when
they hold no monopoly on phonies. There even small Latin American nations voted
are the bogus newspapermen and women against them may possibly serve as a les-
who, , somehow, have obtained bona fide son for our State Department in its future
accreditization from bona fide publica- dealings with the Palestine problem.
• •
•
tions overseas and hence occupy valuable
press seats at the Political Committee's UN ECHOES
meetings, held in a comparatively small
The Jewish delegation at the UN made
room, while newspapermen shift for a mighty fine impression . • . Dr. Silver's
themselves. The UN's press department, speech was considered very moderate ...
at least that wing of it engaged in ac- The British breathed more easily after
crediting newspapermen, is a highly ef- they heard him . . . They expected bitter
ficient and courteous office, but they are attacks against British policy similar to
helpless to bar - "phonies whom chicken- those the Arab delegations made against
hearted newspaper editors, unaware of the Jews .. Most of the other delegates
the disabilities they cause real working were also pleased with the dignified and
newspapermen, have given bona fide ac- even tone in which the Jewish Agency
creditization.
members presented their case -... Signifi-
In the Political Committee's room the cant was the fact that Soviet delegate
system of simultaneous translation has Andrei Gromyko, who expected a stron-
been introduced so that a newsman can ger anti-British tone, went out of his way
plug into any of five translations even to compliment Dr. Silver on his speech
as the speech is delivered. The 'press gal- at the conclusion of the session . .. He
lery is equipped with earphones and some also told members of the Jewfsh Agency
phonies occupy these earphones and news- delegation that he would be glad to meet
papermen, not knowing the languages in -with them privately . . . In this repect
which some of the statements are made, the difference between the "neutrality'
are out of luck. But .credit the vigilant advocated by the American delegation
eyes of the press accreditization officers and the "neutral" stand taken by the
of the UN press department, they spy the Soviet bloc worked in favor of the latter
phonies, who give themselves away by ... While the American idea of neutrality
not working on copy during the sessions, was to be firmly opposed to moves af-
and remove them from their seats. Appeal fording possible benefit to the Jews or
to editors: don't make it hard on news- Arabs, the Soviet idea of neutrality was
papermen and on the press department to support such moves for both parties
of the UN, please be more discriminatory . .. Behind the cositive neutrality of the
Russians and the negative neutrality -of
in issuing accreditizations.
the Americans was, of course, the differ-
•
•
•
ence in attitude between the U. S. and
The Arabs have quite a force out at the USSR with regard to Britain . . . The
Lake Success. Notable among them a United States seemed determined to pro-
pasty faced lady wearing a monocle, some tect Britain, while Gromyko did not hesi-
Oxford-educated newspapermen, and two tate to embarrass Britain . . On the
suspicious characters who reportedly ply whole, the line taken by Gromyko was
their trade of Arab propagandizing under "good for Jews" with the exception of
the guise of newspapermen. Lebanon's his demand that an Arab country be rep-
Malik continues to be the unhappiest fig.. resented on the inquiry commission.
•
•
•
tire among the Arab delegates; how a
1
Lebanese Christian feels about the Mos- UN SIDELIGHTS
lem Arab League politicos one well un-
It can now be revealed that the Jewish
derstands, yet it is to him that the Arab Agency was not too eager to press the
delegates frequently assign the mission United Nations for a full debate on the
of making long statements expounding Palestine issue at its present - session .
their cause. Poor Malik must outdo him- In fact, the machinery of the agency was
self.
not geared for a full discussion . . . The
Agency has been approaching famous
ning an airwave comeback? Keep watch- American lawyers to prepare the legal
aspects of its case for presentation to the
ing, Detroiters!
UN . . . Among those approached were
RCA has issued a memorial album of James Byrnes, Charles E. Hughes and
recordings by the immortal Cantor Josef William Donovan . . . Agency leaders
Rosenblatt.
were also negotiating with leaders of the
If you want to teach yourself Hebrew American Jewish Committee and other
you cannot do better than obtaining "He- non-Zionist groups for expansion of the
brew Sell-Taught" by Zevi and- Scharf- agency to include non-Zionist rekresenta-
stein ... Get it from the ZOA, New York tives on the executive ... However, these
City.
negotiations are still pending since the
Next month Capitol Publishing • Com- American Jewish Committee did not wish
pany will issue a little_ book that should to commit itself at present on a long-
be in every child's hands . .. Title: "All range Palestine policy and preferred to
About Us," by Eva Knox Evans . . . It back the Agency at the United Nations
has an introductory note by Albert Ein- without being represented on its execu-
stein and deals with the races of mankind. tive.

opinion, boldly recognize its obligations to press for an equtable settlement of the
Palestine controversy? Or will it let itself be used by the major nations as a tool
in their contest of power politics?
What is imperative is that the United Nations shall not submit to pressure
for further sterile delay. The Assembly cannot afford to appoint a new fact-finding
committee to formulate recommendations, only to have these once more ignored
or rejected by the British government.
The present session of the Assembly should limit itself to the appointment of
a special committee, preferably composed of only a few states, none of them major
powers, and all of them devoid of any selfish interest in Palestine.
The Assembly should agree at this extraordinary session that final action will
be taken upon its committee's recommendations at its regular session next autumn.
Regrettable as it may be for several reasons,'the only .solution which will be
viable is a solution providing for a form of partition which will give the Jews ample
territory within which to resettle the survivors of the Nazi massacres and within
wl4ch to develop a prosperous economy under an independent and democratic-
government.
The region of Palestine assigned to the Arabs might well be incorporated
within Trans-Jordan. The holy places should be placed under the control of the
Trusteeship Council. Britain's legitimate needs for strategic bases may be properly
determined by the Security Council. -
If our government has as yet decided upon a Palestine policy, this has not been
• disclosed. Its backing and filing when resnonsible representatives of the Jewish
•
people asked that their voices be heard at this session of the Assembly was not an
exhilarating spectacle. It may be hoped that enlightened American leadership will
1919 VERSUS 1947
still be undertaken before it is too late.
Dr. Chaim Weizmann and Nahum So-
If the American government is chiefly guided in this controversy over Pales-
tine by what are alleged to be strategic considerations, and refrains from standing
kolow, as heads of the World Zionist
four-square for the principles of human liberty and of justice that are involved,
Organization, together with other Jewish
it will lose a great opportunity to enhance its own moral prestige and to increase
spokesmen from the United States, Rus-
popular confidence in the authority of the United Nations.
sia, England and other lands, submitted
Zionist demands at the Peace Conference
on Feb. 3, 1919. That document asked
for-
]. 'the historic title of the Jewish people to

Palestine and the right of the Jews to recon-
stitute in Palestine their National Home;"
2. the sovereignty of the country be vested
In the League of Nations with Britain as
Mandatory;
3. "Palestine shall be placed under such
political, administrative and economic condi-
tions as will secure the establishment there of
the Jewish National Home, and ultimately
render possible the creation of an autonomous
Commonwealth:"
A. in promoting Jewish immigration and
setlement the Mandatory shall "accept the co-
operation of a Council representative of the
Jews in Palestine and of the world;"
5. there shall be "the fullest freedom of
religious worship for all creeds . . . and no
discrimination among the inhabitants with re-
gard to citizenship and civil rights on grounds
of -eliginn or race."

On Feb. 27, 1919, Dr. Weizmann, Mr.
Sokolow and Menahem Ussishkin ad-
dressed the Peace Conference, setting
forth their claims in behalf of our
people. The presentation of our case was
not—as in 1947—preceded by debate as
to whether or not Israel is entitled to a
voice in its own behalf. It was taken for
granted as a humanitarian principle. Mr.
Ussishkin spoke in Hebrew. It was a his-

toric moment.

Emir Feisal then\ wrote to Prof. Felix
Frankfurter of Harvard (now Associate
Justice of the U. S. Supreme Court) on
behalf of•The- Arabs "Our deputation here
in Paris is fully acquainted with the pro-
posal submitted yesterday by the Zionist
Organization to the Peace Conference,
and we regard them as moderate and
proper. We will do our best, in so far
as we are concerned, to help them
through: we will wish the Jews a most

hearty welcome home."

Today, the manner of approach, the
tenoor of the words uttered and the en-
tire spirit of the proceedings before the
world's policy-makers is different. The
sense of justice is lacking. There even
is a note of antagonism. It is no wonder
that some people are beginning to de-
spair; that so many are resorting to the
un-Jewish weapon of the gun, that our
case is so much more difficult.

• • •

THE LEADERS ARE DIFFERENT
It is no longer unfair or unsafe to say

that one of the reasons for our difficulties
is not only the change in the times dur-
ing the lapse of a generation, but also
the change in world leadership. An
Aranha is not a Balfour; a Pearson is not
a Lloyd George; a Jamali is not a Feisal.
Therefore those who today wear the
mantels of Weizmann, Sokolow and
Ussishkin have a tougher job. It is a
most difficult task to fight against the
callousness of a world that has grown
from bad to worse; a world that in a span
of weeks and months has forgotten the
ideals for which it has fought against
Nazi-Fascism.
The fruits of a victory over a calloused
world—and there will as there must be a
victory—will be so much the sweeter.
•
•
•

_DR. SILVER'S PRESENTATION
A year, or a decade, or a generation

Strictly
Confidential

By PHINEAS J. BIRON

(Copyright, 1947, Seven Arts Feature Syndicate)

ACHIEVEMENT

Most effective job against discrimina-
tion is now being done by The Sermon of
the Year project of The Churchman . . . 1
The Sermon of the Year plan is not mere-1
ly a contest or competition to obtain ser-
mons against discrimination . . . It is a
nationwide crusade to mobilize the Chris-1
tian pulpit in a direct assault on the evils
of intolerance, bigotry and anti-Semitism,
and to fight the good fight within the
church itself . . . The drive is headed by
Dr. Guy Emery Shipler, editor of The
Churchman, America's - oldest religious.
publication . .. But behind the executive
desk, coordinating this tremendous en-
terprise, is the Rev. Richard E. Evanspthe
flying parson, the dynamic speaker and
master promoter . . . It is Dick who got
the participation in the weekly radio pro-
gram of The Churchman of Mayor William
- O'Dwyer, Justice Meier Steinbrink, Hon.
Herbert H. Lehman, Hon. Fiorello La
Guardia, Frederick March, Miss Florence
Eldridge, Ralph Bellamy, Barney Ross,
Raymond Massey, Arthur Kennedy, Har-
old L. Ickes, Eric Johnston, Norman Cor-
win, Justice Owen J. Roberts and Chester
Bowles The scope of the plan is gigan-
tic . . . One hundred thousand clergymen
have been invited to submit sermons,
which (mark you) must be preached be-
fore a congregation in order to be. eligi-
ble . .. The chairman of The Churchman
National Sermon Committee is none
other than Bishop G. Bromley Oxnam .
We take our hat off to The Churchman
and to the Shipler and Evans team for
the masterly job done o_n an unprece-
dented scale.
a
•

PREDICTION

Now that the 50th annual convention
of the Zionist Organization of America
has been set for July 3, at Hotel Penn-
sylvania, New York, we predict that not-
withstanding all the talk about Dr. Eman-
uel Neuman's candidacy, it will be Dr.
Abba Hillel Silver who will be drafted
for a third term as president . . . The
constitutional regulation limiting the
preSidency to two terms will be lifted be-
cause of the political emergency and the
unfinished business with the United
Nations.
•
•
•

POT POURRI
Violinist Yehudi Menuhin and sister

Hephzibah, now abroad, are giving joint
recitals in several European capitals .. .
These are their first joint concerts abroad
since 1935, when Hephzibah—at the age

of 14—appeared with her brother at
Queens Hall, London.
hence, Dr. Abba Hillel Silver's presenta-
Vladimir Horowitz had an offer of an
tion of the Jewish case before the UN— announcer's job with the State Depart-
on the historic day of May 8, 1947—will ment's shortwave broadcasts to the USSR,
be . placed on a level of parallel importance but the broadcasts themselves have
with the appeals that were made in be- been chopped down by Congress' budge-
half of a Jewish Palestine in 1919.
tary hatchetmen.
Dr. Silver, in his 32-minute address,
Louis Nizer is the lawyer who won a
clearly analyzed the Jewish position and
$95,000 out of court settlement for his
made so good a case for the Jewish peo-
client, Konrad Bercovici, in that plager-
ple that there was unanimous acclaim of ism suit against Charlie Chaplin. . . Mr.
the moderation and clarity of his thesis. Nizer may run for political office in '48.
It was a historic moment—and Dr. Sil- •
Jewish war vets stage their annual
ver admittedly rose to the occasion in his
show at New York's Madison Square
fullest stature.
Garden . • . Is "Father" Coughlin plan-

Heard in
The Lobbies

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iiifightilideatigiskas.a

