Page Two
Friday, August 8, 1947
THE JEWISH NEWS
Senate Votes Investigation
Into Immigration Problem
WASHINGTON, (JTA) — An
investigation into the whole
field of immigration, which will
also cover the question of ad-
mission of displaced persons to
the United States, was voted by
the Senate in the closing hours
of the current session.
The resolution, as originally
introduced by Sen. Chapman
Revercomb, Republican of West
Virginia, called for a full-scale
inquiry into the existing immi-
gration laws. Sen. Revercomb
stressed that the United States
has "no obligation" to admit re-
fugees. However, his resolution
was amended and now provides
for an investigation by a five-
man unit of the Judiciary Com-
mittee of all phases of the im-
migration system, and specific-
ally how the entry of displaced
persons would affect the coun-
try. The resolution also provides
that a report be made on January
10, after Congress is reconvened.
"No Obligations"
Sen. John S. Cooper, Kentucky
Republican, replied to Rever-
comb's repeated assertions that
the U. S. is not obligated to ad-
mit refugees by pointing out that
"if we enter upon this investi-
gation without having in mind
the possibility and idea that
eventually we shall accept some
of these persons, then I cannot
see the reason or excuse for the
investigation, so far as it relates
to displaced persons."
Pointing out that U. S. partici-
pation in the International Refu-
geg Organization involves par-
tiApation in resettlement of the
refugees, Sen. Cooper said that
he did not see how the United
States could ask other countries
to take them without doing its
snare. "We have urged Britain
to do something about Palestine.
I do not think we can tell an-
other country to do something
about the matter and then say
that we will not take any steps
in that direction ourselves."
- Minority Leader Alben Bark-
ley said he thought that "the
peace of the world cannot be
preserved when a million or two
displaced, distressed, despairing
men and women wander all over
the face of,,tlie earth trying to
discover a place where they. may
find security." He expressed re-
gret that legislation to admit
DPs to this country was not
passed by Congress in this ses-
sion.
Five-man Board Set Up
Sen. Alexander Wiley, chair-
man of the Judiciary Committee,
appointed a five-man sub-com-
mittee and said that he will seek
top priority when Congress re-
convenes' for any necessary leg-
islation. The Stratton Bill to ad-
mit 400,000 DPs over a period of
four years will be considered by
the sub-committee, he declared.
The sub-committee will be
headed by Sen. Revercomb and
will include Senators Forrest C.
Donnell of Missouri and John S.
Cooper of Kentucky, Republi-
cans, and Senators Pat McCarran
of Nevada and J. Howard Mc-
Grath of Rhode Island, Demo-
crats.
Sen. H. Alexander Smith, Re-
publican of New Jersey, was
named by Sen. Arthur H. Van-
derberg, chairman of the Foreign
Relations Committee, to repre-
sent that committee as adviser
to the Judiciary group. Repre-
senting the Senate Armed Serv-
ices Committee will be either
Sen. Leverett Saltonstall, Repub-
lican of Massachusetts, or Sen.
Raymond E. Baldwin, Republican
of Connecticut.
35,000 Toys Donated
For Jewish Children
UN Puts Three
Zion Items on
Fall Agenda
LAKE SUCCESS, (JTA)
The provisional agenda of the
session of the United Nations
General Assembly, which Will
open on Sept. 16, contains the
following three items dealing
with the Palestine question:
1. The request submitted by
the United Kingdom on April
2, 1947, to place the Palestine
issue on the agenda at the
next regular session of_ the
Assembly, when the British
government will ask the Unit-
ed Nations to make recom-
mendations concerning t h e
future government of Pales-
tine.
2. The report of the UN
Special Committee on Pales-
tine which is now being pre-
pared by the members of the
committee in Geneva.
3. The request of the Saudi
Arabian and Iraq govern-
ments for the termination of
the Palestine Mandate and the
recognition of Palestine's in-
dependence as a unitary state.
The three items are part of a
43-item program listed in the
provisional agenda. Additional
items may be submitted up to
25 days before the opening
date of the Assembly.
(Arab sources in Jerusalem
said that the Palestine Arab
Higher Committee has invited
Auni Bey Abdul Hadi, extrem-
ist leader who has remained
outside the committee, to join
the Palestine Arab delegation
being sent to Lake Success for
the General Assembly ses-
NEW YORK — Encouraging
ptogress in the special summer
sion.)
toy campaign of the SOS (Sup-
plies for Overseas Survivors)
Collection of the Joint Distribu- Eisenhower's Advisor
tion Committee was reported by
Dorothy Kittay, national chair- Returns British Medal
man of the drive.
BOSTON, (JTA)—Rabbi Judah
More than 35,000 dolls, me-
chanical toys, stuffed animals, Nadich, former advisor on Jew-
games, puzzles, hobby horses, ish affairs to General Dwight D.
garden tools, roller skates, slates,
harmonicas, footballs and a wide
variety of miscellaneous toys
were donated by 108 manufac-
turers, wholesalers and jobbers
in New York City and other toy
centers throughout the country .
• Purpose of the SOS toy cam-
paign is to provide each of the
170,000 surviving Jewish children
in Europe with a toy "he can
call his own."
Heard in the Lobbies
By ARNOLD LEVIN
(Copyright, 1997, Independent Jewish Press Service, Inc.)
RABBI JUDAH NADICH
A Jew In Love
Give Ben Hecht the Partisan Medal for sniping at Jews. Re-
member his "A Jew In Love," a vituperative, savage caricature of
an American Jew, one of the meanest attacks on Jews in American
fiction? Having planted his literary mine, Ben Hecht, did not
wince over the consequences and went on to Hollywood, boogie-
woogie tempo'd fiction and scenarios and riches, and did not think
of Jews again until a tactless gentile lady scared the Bedevilled
Hollywood success by saying "boo" to him over a cocktail. The "boo"
hit home, and he suddenly realized—horror of horrors!—that the
good lady mistook him for his own cruel caricature. Shocked by
the "boo," Ben Hecht began to hear other voices as well, the voices
of six million Jews exterminated by the Nazis, and to feel that their
death was almost as important as the insult he so suddenly and un-
expectedly suffered.
When he began to tationalize however, Hecht realized that the
crux of the problem is not the lady's hatred for the Jew, but her
contempt for Ben Hecht, and he launched a campaign to convince
her that he is not the Jew she thinks he is, that there are as a matter
of fact two kinds of Jews: extremists in Palestine whose campaign
of violence he regards as a retaliation campaign against the lady
who offended Ben Hecht, and other Jews—who are truly despicable.
In a pro-Irgun advertisement last week, Mr. Hecht drew that
distinction very clearly. He listed the Jews he hates—"the Jewish
clubs . . . Jewish organizations and Vereins . . . the Jewish news-
paper publishers, the culture endowers, the Jewish ladies .of charity
... the Jewish respectable leadership ... the Jewish balebatirn . .."
In short, he apparently despises all Jews, except the dead or those
about to throw their lives away, the Irgun men. After reading the
exhaustive listing—in full page advertisement in the American press
—of all the Jews he despises, we find that Ben Hecht's acceptable
Jews narrow down to a very small number, so infinitesimally small,
in fact, that even his gentile lady friend might find some room for
them in this world. His advertisement "Requiem and No Sale,"
was a reaffirmation of his anti-Semitic credo, which he first pro-
claimed in A Jew In Love. Consistent man, this Ben Hecht, he
started out hating the Jew and will end hating him.
If he loves the Irgun so much, why has not Mr. Ben Hecht
contributed to Irgun as generously as the Jews he despises have
been contributing to the cause of relief in Europe and state build-
ing in Palestine? He has contributed wordage for ads urging others
to give, but how about his own hard Hollywood cash? If Hecht
had the slightest compassion for the Irgun dead, the opening lines
of his "Requiem—and No Sale," would not have been as cynically
flights as they were. "Sholom Aleichem—three tall young Hebrews
hanging in the Palestine sun," his ad began. "Sholem Aleichem?"
A true Jew could never'bring himself to be so wistful at the expense
of martyrs . . . Mr. Hecht may be surprised by this—but the very
Jews who denounced the Irgun has shown more true compassion
for its youths who die on the gallows than Hecht has, for those who
love all Jews, barring none.
'Copyright, 1947, Independent Jewish Press Service, Ine.)
Eisenhower, who was decorated
by the British government for
his war services, announced that
he was returning the medal "be-
cause Atlee, Bevin and their
associates have robbed it of all
meaning."
He made the announcement at
a mass meeting on Boston . Com-
mon, attended by 10,000 persons,
called to protest the attack on
the Exodus refugees and their
deportation to France. It was
held under the auspices of the
New England Zionist Emergency
Council, the local region of the
ZOA, Hadassah, Mizrachi, Poale
Zion, Jewish War Veterans,
American Jewish Congress and
a number of youth, civic and la-
bor groups.
Vaad Hahatzala Gives Up
General Relief Activities
Agreement with Joint Distribution Committee Limits Or-
ganization to Aid for Yeshivoth and Students
NEW YORK (JTA) — Under
the terms of a new agreement
with the Joint Distribution Com-
mittee, the Jewish Central Ortho-
dox. Committee is recognized as
the sole representative group in
the United States to which it
will refer for consideration va-
rious problems of orthodox re-
ligious rehabilitation. To imple-
ment the operation, the Jewish
Central Orthodox Committee will
appoint regional representatives
in Europe to survey and submit
recommendations as to religious
financial needs and programs to
JDC.
At the proposal of JDC, the
Union of Orthodox Rabbis has
sponsored the formation of the
Jewish Central Orthodox Commit-
tee, representing . several sec-
tions of Orthodoxy.
The JDC will continue to bear
the cost of financing such func-
tional programs, including the
support of orthodox Jewish edu-
cational institutions, Yeshivoth
(rabbinical schools), the restora-
tion of synagogues, and other as-
sistance. The Jewish Central Or-
thodox Committee, operating as
an autonomous organization, is
empowered under the agreement
to raise certain funds to meet its
administrative requirements.
According -to the agreement,
the Vaad Hahatzala, which has
operated as an orthodox Jewish
fund-raising agency for overseas
purposes with the sporisorship of
the Union of Orthodox Rabbis, is
to withdraw from all general re-
lief activities in behalf of, Eu-
rope's Jewish survivors, and to
limit its future work to two
phases: assisting Yeshivoth abroad
which receive no subsidies from
the JDC, and providing non-mon-
etary emigration assistance for
Yeshiva students and other re-
ligious scholars. The agreement,
stipulates, however, that such
fund-raising efforts which the -
Vaad may engage in for support
of Yeshivoth have neither the
endorsement nor approval of the
JDC.
is
Rabbi Israel Rosenberg
chairman of the new Jewish Cen-
tral Orthodox Committee, and
Rabbi Eliezer Silver, former pres-
ident of Agudas Israel of Amer-
ica, chairman of its board of di-
rectors.
The agreement is expected to
result in the marked reduction of
such appeals, which are competi-
tive to the fund-raising efforts
of the United Jewish Appeal
from which the JDC receives its
principal funds.
•
Strictly Confidential
By PHINEAS J. BIRON
(Copyright, 1947, Seven Arts Feature Syndicate)
Watch Beigin
The Irgun in Palestine is making an all-out drive for political
power ... Menahem Beigin, commander of the Irgun, whose authori-
ty and power over that terrorist organization are absolute, is being
built up as the leader of the Yishuv in Palestine . . . When Henry
Montor, executive vice-chairman of the United Jewish Appeal,
warned the delegates at the 50th Zionist convention, a few weeks
ago, that it is the ultimate aim of the Irgun to supplant the Jewish
Agency and to do so by a military coup, he was jeered by the Irgun
supporters at the convention, and Rabbi Shubow of Boston insulted
him publicly . . . From reliable information received here, however,
it would seem that Montor knew what he was talking about . . . It's
not so long ago that Peter Bergson, leader of the Irgun in America,
was hardly known • .. He studiously kept in the background .
In those days he once confided to us: "Don't worry about my modesty
—when I decide to give myself publicity Fll do it in a big way"
... And he surely did ... Today he is one of the best-known figures
in Jewish circles, and that's just the beginning . Yes, Montor
knew whereof he spoke.
Dark Prospects
There will be no Roosevelt to stop Peron when he approves
of an intensive anti-Semitic drive in the Argentine . . . Observers
who have just returned from Buenos Aires are extremely worried
. They report that a number of anti-Semitic groups are prepar-
ing anti-Jewish demonstrations of which the bombing of the chief
synagogue of Buenos Aires was the first item . . . The tragic aspect
of this renewal of anti-Jewish activities is to be found in the
lethargic attitude of Argentine labor, which is being sold the idea
that Jewish businessmen are their greatest enemies . . . The trouble,
of course, is that there are a few unethical Jewish busine&sgnen who
with their sharp practices endanger the entire Jewish community
. . . During Roosevelt's presidency the Argentine Government was
well aware that the President of the United States was watching
the Jewish situation closely and viewing anti-Jewish excesses as
manifestations of Fascism . . . More than once FD4 . signified his ir-
ritation at anti-Semitic acts sponsored or condoned by Peron . . .
But now, in view of the very, very friendly relations between
Washington and Buenos Aires, there is little hope for official pro-
tests from the White House.
•
•
•
O'Donnell Again
We don't like John O'Donnell's column in the Daily News of
July 24 . . . Mr. O'Donnell apparently is not cured, and believes
he was whitewashed after his exhibition in connection with his
interpretation of the Patton slapping incident . . . Now he very
explicitly points to a Jewish conspiracy behind a proposed motion
picture on the life of Franklin D. Roosevelt ... Says Mr. O'Donnell
in his column of July 24: "As we get it now, this deathless bit
of celluloid art (the Roosevelt picture) will hit the American
movie public just before they go to the polls to elect a President
in November, 1948" . .. And since the producer of said film is Jay
Richard Kennedy, Br. O'Donnell slyly says: "In - the background
are former Secretary of the Treasury Henry Morgenthau, Jr., and
some of his frien,ds and associates in New York banking and enter-
tainment circles, including the Loew entertainment organization,
the House of Rothschild and some gentlemen who once made
powder compacts". . . . Note that O'Donnell doesn't mention the
powder compact gentlemen by name so as to give the impression
that only Jewish groups are behind the project . .. We challenge
Ben Cohen Reported
the veracity of the whole story .. In any event, the new executives
Planning DP Survey
of the Daily News apparently have forgotten that Captain Joseph
M. Patterson, the late publisher of the News, promised the American
NEW YORK, (JPS)—B enja- Jewish Committee that a repetition of O'Donnell's airing of anti-
Jewish
bias would not be permitted in the columns of his tabloid.
min V. Cohen,
•
• •
who has resign-
Miscellany
ed as counsellor
' rn in
In case you didn't know it, the most rabid foe of Nazis
of the State De- Hollywood
is blond, Aryan-looking Sonny Tufts . . . In the days
partment, m a y when Hitler sympathizers were rather articulate in New York's
soon make a Yorkville district, Tufts' hobby was to visit their hangouts and
survey of the give them a physical lesson in American democracy ... One even-
problem of dis- ing he sent three of them to the emergency ward of Bellevue Hos-
laced persons, pital after they had told him their 'plans for an emulation of Hitler's
the Daily Mir- ideology in this country . . . Bertha Schwartz, Councilwoman for
Mayor
ror reports in the Bronx, is an active Zionist ... It was she who cornered
on his busiest day and got from him a personal message
editorial. The O'Dwyer
for Ovid Ben-Ann, Mayor of the Nathanya, Palestine, which Mrs.
rror says that William Prince, president of the Women's League for Palestine,
E. V. Cohen Harry White, personally took over to the Holy Land . • . Mendy Weisgal, son of
formerly of the U. S. Treasury, Meyer, has found his way to the summer theatre of the Theatre
will study the problem of DPs Guild at Westport, and may yet crash Broadway before he leaves
for Palestine to join the faculty of the Hebrew University.
in Europa.
•