Friday, June 27, 1947
THE JEWISH NEWS
Page Two
The Same Old Hokum
By
Even as a little fel:ow.
Willie showed his
nasty streak—
Tying cans to tails of
puppies, making
In the army, as a fop-
kick, Will was on a
happy spree—
he as-
Each detail
signed with special
helpless infants
shriek.
He turned down your
If he saw a cat. he'd
kick if if old ladies
tripped, he'd grin;
week-end passe s,
loved to pose as
"Mr. Big";
inspeCtion, there
was Willie, always
At
pleasures
from the
trouble: you were
in.
handing you a gig.
-
t But it's still the old baloney—Willie's game is nothing new.
Heard in
The Lobbies
By ARNOLD LEVIN
(Copyright. 1947, Independent Jewish.
Press Service. Inc.)
PERSONALITIES
To Vice-President Solomon Kerstein of
Bloch's, our belated congratulations on
his 25 years connection with the noted
Jewish book house and on his promotion
to the firm's Vice-Presidency. Kerstein is
one of the modest workers in American
Jewry's vineyards, a lover of books, a
respecter of colleagues, an unobstruc-
tive yet indefatigable worker for the
spreading and perpetuation of Jewish
culture in America. For a quarter of a
decade now, he has been the book taster
for many men distinguished in Jewish
life. keeping them informed of new and
good books . . . He is also a tri-lingual
journalist. active in the Mizrachi Organi-
zation . . A partisan—as aren't we all?
—he is a mellow man, who had never
sought to impose his opinions on others
and is at ease with all men who love
Jewish books. whatever their views.
•
•
•
LITERARY ANTI-SEMITISM
Prof. Milton Hindus treats in the June
issue of Commentary with anti-Semitism
in the writing of some modern Ameri-
cans. With F. Scott Fitzgerald as his
major theme, he discusses Ezra Pound
and T. S. Eliot. Very enlightening read-
ing although it gives one the shudders to
learn how anti-Semitically indoctrinated
some of the best American word-artists
arc'.
•
z
ILGWU
The International Ladies Garment
Workers Union, which held its conven-
tion last week, is a living monument of
Jewish creativeness and integrity. Com-
pare its solid accomplishments with John
L. Lewis' growling. We propose that anti-
defamation ,r–otips issue brochures on
solid Jewish accomplishments in spheres
of activity that are most often attacked
by anti-Semites. The anti-Semite accuses
the Je'.' of communism, anarchism, what-
not. and reversing the charges, of capital-
exploitation. Don't r e f u t e the
ism,
charges by answering them. Just prepare
solid material on what the Jews have ac-
tually done in these spheres. A brochure
on the ILGWU should top such lists.
The Fountain
By CHAIM NACHMAN BIALIK
(Written in 1898)
thou wish to know the
Source
From which thy tortured brethren drew
In evil days their strength of soul
To meet their doom, stretch out their
necks
To each uplifted knife and axe,
In flames, on stakes to die with joy.
And with a whisper, 'God is One,'
To close their lips?
Arici shouldst
And shouldst thou wish to find the
Spring
From which thy banished brethren drew,
`Midst fear of death and fear of life,
Their comfort, courage, patience, trust,
And iron will to bear their yoke,
To live bespattered and despised,
And suffer without end?
Courtesy American Jewish Committee
By PHILIP
SLOMOVITZ
Agronsky Exposes Hecht
do not kid themselves that they are "Heroic
Hebrews," despite the anguish of unending set-
Ben Hecht's tactics 9f encouraging ex-
tremism in Palestine has brought forth an
expose far more effective than the pro-
tests of the British government or the
statement issued by President Truman.
It is most unfortunate that the irrespon-
sible statements that have been made
in newspaper ads of the League for a
Free Palestine should have led to a
statement by President Truman calling
upon Americans "to refrain. . . from
engaging in . . . any activities which
tend further to inflame the passions of
the inhabitants of Palestine, to under-
mine law and order in Palestine, or to
promote violence in that country."
An especially regrettable factor is the
danger that the British protests against
the Hecht ads and the statement of Presi-
dent Truman may give the wrong impres-
sion that the Hecht tactics have the hack-
ing of most Jews.
The reply to Mr. Hecht by Gershon
Agronsky, editor of the Palestine Post,
the very important Jerusalem English
daily, therefore acquires great signifi-
cance. Mr. Agronsky's letter reads:
They are too busy, Hecht, for gaudy self-
adulation.
If they are making history by breaking bad
laws, such as restricted immigration. it is not
because they consider defiance clever or dram-
atic.
They consider bringing one misery-filled
hulk after another from Europe's Jewish hells
to the promised land to be the only alternative
to acquiescing to the wicked immigration quota.
These "talkers" as you Call them have, how-
ever. brought 27,000 Jews in 25 wretched bottoms
to Palestine in one year, compared with the
one yacht your freedom fighters brought here
(graced, of course. by your own name.)
I stn a Jew who felt mortified and betrayed
by British propaganda disingenuously making
out these refugees to be criminals. But attack-
ing a specific smear Is one thing and squalid
intrigue and frivolous accusations are another.
I have often wondered whether your "He-
brews" are fools or think everybody else is.
Do you believe the bigger the whopper the
readier it is believed?
Or do you think twisting the lion's tail is
itself enough to cover and excuse any form of
hijacking at the expense of a tortured people
like the Jews?
Is this what you know of Palestine, who
only Broadway know?
I first saw your psuedo-Messiah, Peter Ber-
gson, at San Francisco when the United Na-
tions was born.
There I met him and his high-pressure
lobbyist and salesman. I left feeling I had en-
countered a new phenomenon in Jewish life—
a Shabbetai Zvai who was 99 percent Al Ca-
pone.
If you find this obscure ask Hillel, called
Peter Kook, called Bergson.
You might also ask him whether the devas-
tating Talmudic crack about "he who wants
to lie should insure the evidence" is the only
precept out of the monumental Jewish code he
still follows.
Nobody in Palestine would take notice of
your propaganda—which like your hero in "Jew
in Love" only shows how much you and your
smug kind are in love with yourselves—if its
viciousness resulted in box-office receipts.
But when you tell the terrorists in Pales-
tine that Jews in America "make a little holi-
day In their hearts" every time they "let go
with their guns or bombs" you are making
yourself responsible for a criminal insanity that
is killing Jews as well as Britons.
You have the grace to add: "Not all Jews,
of course."
Won't you have the decency to admit that
in fact it is only the self-styled "Hebrews"
who incite young Jews to kin and be killed
while keeping a safe distance some 6000 miles
—between themselves and. the scene of martyr-
dom of their dupes?
PRISONER
INTO
PIONEER
ZISLA
FORLAND,
imprisoned four years
Buchenwald and
Auschwitz, still bears
the concent ration
his
camp brand on
arm. In Palestine now,
thanks to the United
If thou. my brother, knowest not
This mother, spring, and lap, and fort,
Then enter thou the House of God,
The House of Study, old and gray,
Throughout the sultry summer days.
Throughout the gloomy winter nights,
At morning, midday, or at eve;
Jewish Appeal which
has enabled United
Palestine Appeal agen-'
ties to facilitate the
integration of 26,000
like him in the last 12
months, he has little
time to remember the
horrors of yesterday.
Light and hope fill his
And then thy heart shall guess the truth
That thou hast touched the sacred
ground
Of thy great nation's House of Life,
And that thy eyes do gaze upon
The treasure of thy nation's souL
d'Upbuild the Jewish
homeland so thousands
more may be brought
out of Europe and re-
in Palestine.
settled
life as he labors to
Rides at night with
gun and whiplash,
hidden by a hood
and .sheet.
Now instead of hazing
soldiers, Will at-
tacks the foreign-
born;
Rants at races and re-
ligions, treats his
fellowmen with scorn.
Hurting others makes him happy—and he'd just as soon hurt you.
Purely Commentary -:-
Dear Hecht: This is indeed the strangest of
roles—for me to appear to be defending Britain
in her actions against Jewry and Palestine.
Every issue of the newspaper which I direct
is witness to my antagonism against the British
policy since the White Paper of 1939 and the
expression of resistance to what I regard as
the blights and restrictions of that policy.
But I wish to reply to your "holiday hints"
and incidentally, I will not apologize for being
personal about you—or about myself.
To recapitulate the main points:
First, you say the British are the first poli-
tical enemies the Jews have had in 2000 years—
since the Romans.
Second, that some Jews believe it is pos-
sible to achieve nationhood by talking them-
selves into it. whereas you believe in fighting
for what you want.
Third. you say that British Empire expan-
sionism in Palestine is a "sorry adventure" as
it is directed against moral and humane forces.
Fourth, only Britain. according to you, has
adopted the German propaganda tactics of call-
ing on the world to witness her victim is a cad,
etc.
Fifth. only you find no fault in the British
conduct of the war against "Heroic Hebrews,"
but at'e surprised at the stupidity of British
propagandists, who think they can win that
war by barking that the enemy has no right
to fight.
You forget that opposition is one thing;
unscrupulous smearing is another.
Execration of rule by force is one thing;
lying and cheating is another.
When you say that within two years of the
end of Hitler's war tgie British are Jewry's first
political enemies since the Romans you're talk-
ing rubbish—and know it.
If you don't you're parroting somebody
who has sold you a parody of Jewish history
and I advise you to swap tutors.
No less nonsensical is the suggestion that
Jews, echo are not Peter Bergsonites or Ben
Hechtites. believe they can achieve nationhood
by talking themselves into it.
These "talkers" you despise have, in fact,
recreated a Jewish civilization and established
the very moral and humane forces you brag
about and your streamlined technicians cash
in on
Three generations of Jewish pioneers made
the modern Jewish Palestine, and these pioneers
Out of khaki, Will, the
bully, joins a gang
that's just his meat—
glee.
Willie got his greatest
KAULEE •
backs.
Echoing Sentiments
Mr. Agronsky echoes the sentiments
of all leaders in the Zionist movement,
and only a handful of Hecht's followers
endorse his views. Haganah follows a pro-
gram of resistance that rules out violence.
As the responsible organization which
supervises traffic of "uncertificated" im-
migrants, Haganah goes the limit in fa-
cilitating the settlement of Jews in
Eretz Israel, but it does not approve of
tactics which lead to destruction of life
and property.
The Hecht tactics mislead American
public opinion and misrepresent the true
attitudes of the responsible Jewish
leaders. By exposing him and his
"League," Mr. Agronsky has rendered as
great service to the Jewish cause.
Between
You and Me
By BORIS SMOLAR
(Copyright, 1947, Jewish Telegraphic
Agency, Inc.)
THE AMERICAN SCENE
The best answer to those opposing the
passage by Congress of the Stratton Bill
to admit 400.000 displaced persons to the
U. S. within four years has been given
in Cleveland ... At the convention of the
International Ladies Garment Workers
Union there it was revealed gut the
"needle trade" unions, which were estab-
lished and developed by Jewish immi-
grants, are the best unions in the United
States from the viewpoint of American
democracy . .. They have had no strikes
since the outbreak of the war . .. They
have secured a high standard of living
for their membership through quiet nega-
tions. . . They have acquired tens of mil-
lions of dollars in assets and in reserve
funds . . . They conduct unique welfare
programs for their members, including
sick benefits . . . They have accumulated
tens of millions of dollars for health-and-
vacation benefit funds, to which the em-
ployers contribute . . . Their educational
and social activities are superior to those
conducted by most unions in the country
. They contribute huge sums to various
relief projects . . . Their relations with
the employers are normal and friendly.
Thus, they have proven that immi-
.
grant workers can lead the way for
American workers in making democracy
work.
TESTING LEADERSHIP
A number of encouraging developments
in the area of Jewish community organi-
zation are now taking place ... They are
well analyzed by Herman M. Pekarsky,
(former Detroiter), executive director of
the Jewish Community Council of Essex
County. New Jersey, in a paper he pre-
pared for the National Conference of
Jewish Social Welfare . . . Communities
are becoming more and more aware of
the importance of a strong, effective and
responsive central community intrument
The excitement of multi-million dollar
campaigns in local communities has made
more Jews conscious of their communal
responsibilities. Pekarsky says . . . In
every community, recruits for communal
work have been obtained through the ex-
panded fund-raising programs of the last
few years . . Their leadership abilities
are now being tested . . . In the years
to come, many of these men will grow to
be leaders of local communities.
MEET AN ANTI-SEMITE
This is the story of George W. Arm-
strong. the wealthy oil-operator and land
owner. who is planning a heavily en-
dowed foundation to disseminate hatred
and prejudice towards Jews and Negroes
on a scale never attempted befiire ... He
is 82 years old and is immensely rich .. .
He owns several plantations, a steel mill,
the Magnolia Inn in Natchez, Miss. . . .
He Jives on one of his plantations with a
large corps of servants and several hun-
dred tenant farmers . . . Oil drilling is
proceeding on several of his plantations
. . . In 1930 he was completely broke,
but Kirby, who organized the Christian
Americans of Houston, Tex., came to his
aid . . . Armstrong later provided for
Kirby's widow and is financing various
propaganda enterprises which Kirby
launched . . . He wants to have "Jew
Communists" deported to Russia and Ne-
groes to Africa ... "Jew Communists" to
him are Justice Felix Frankfurter, Sam-
uel Rosenman and Henry Morgenthau .
The United Nations is "a Zionist scheme
for world empire" . . . G-erv. Eisenhower
is "incompetent and self-glorifying Jew-
ish Ike Eisenhower" ... The House Com-
mittee on un-American Activities is now
in possession of information that during
the war Armstrong published hate litera-
ture clandestinely . . . According to the
American Jewish Committee, he now op-
erates in the open and plans to flood the
country with leaflets.