Page Two
• THE JEWISH NEWS
Cyprus Deportees Offer 700
Zion Visas to Exodus Jews
JERUSALEM, (JTA) — The
Jewish internees on Cyprus have
offered to give up their rights to
Palestine immigration certificates
for a period of one month if the
certificates are allotted to Exodus
refugees, Moshe Kolodny, immi-
gration official of the Jewish
Agency, told a press conference.
The Cyprus internees get 700
visas monthly.
Kolodny reported that-the in-
ternees had collected $300 in pen-
nies and other coins to inscribe
the name of the Exodus refugees
who died during the boarding
operations by the British in the
Jewish National Fund Golden
Book and to plant trees in their
memory.
_ The basic problem facing the
Agency in relation to the Cyprus
DPs is that of transferring babies
and their parents to Palestine,
regardless of the order in which
they arrived on the island, Ko-
lodny said. The Agency has
asked the government to arrange
the transfer and deduct the spe-
cial immigrants from the monthly
quotas.
Palestine Licenses
Arab, Jewish Airlines
JERUSALEM,'(JTA) — Ap-
proval was granted by the Pales-
tine government to two corpo-
rations, one Jewish and one Arab,
to establish and operate airlines
between Palestine and other
countries. The Jewish-owned
company is named Palestine Air-
ways, while the Arab is Eastern
Airways.
Purely Commentary
By PHILIP SLOMOVITZ
.
'Schwer tzu zein a Goy ...
Dutch Honor
Unknown Jewish
Ghetto Fighter
Rescue Efforts Sabotaged
By State Dept.---Morgenthau
NEW YORK, (JTA) — The
Netherlands government has
awarded the Resistance Cross to
the Unknown Jewish Soldier of
the Warsaw ghetto battle. This is
the fourth decoration to have
been awarded to the Unknown
Warsaw ghetto fighter. The others
were from France, Czechoslo-
vakia and Yugoslavia.
NEW YORK, (JTA)—Officials
of the State Department, either
through stalling or deliberate
suppression of information, sabo-
taged U. S. efforts to save tens
British in Reich
Take New Stab
At Restitution
BERLIN, (JTA)—The British
military authority in Germany
issued an order which - is expected
to facilitate the restitution of
Jewish property. The order
provides for the registration of
all property- seized or transfer-
red under duress during the Nazi
regime and, at the same time,
sets up a procedure for claiming
property lost under such condi-
tions.
A new law providing for the
return of Jewish and other prop-
erty illegally seized during the
Nazi • regime . is ready for imple-
mentation anid will be promul-
gated as soon as it is signed by
Gen. Lucius D. Clay, American
commander in Germany.
An old Jewish saying—"schwer tzu zein a Id"—was transliter-
ated by the Rev. John Stanley Grauel, in his impressive address
at the overflow meeting at Central High School on Oct. 19, as
"schwer tzu zein a Goy." His speech followed Ben Laikin's Yiddish
remarks, thus occasioning the clever remark.
Grauel's comment, however, was not sheer cleverness. It carries
with it a word of truth. It came in handy as a comment upon a
prominent Jew's remark that "it is becoming increasingly more
difficult to be a Jew." Is it? We dispute it not only with the Grauel
story, but also on the basis of realistic approaches to world events.
In truth, it is becoming increasingly more interesting to fight the
battle for justice for our people, and when we win it—as we shall—
our experiences will help us and our non-Jewish neighbors in the
unending battle to eradicate injustice wherever it may be visible.
It is true that the multiplicity of fund-raising campaigns is
creating confusion and is proving embarrassing. This, however, is Histadrut's Jos. Sprinzak
a mere detail compared with the romantic episodes in contemporary
history which are directing the way to the creation of a Jewish Arrives in New York
State and to the realization of Prophecy. What we do, as Jews,
in the present generation, to' revive the identity of Israel as a people
Joseph Sprinzak, national sec-
will be recorded in history as one of the greatest happenings of retary of the Histadrut, was wel-
all time. And our non-Jewish friends who have thrown in their comed. by Joseph Schlossberg,
lot with us in this battle for fair play , and justice will be remem-
national c h a ir-
bered as the "hassidei umoth ho-olom' —as the most .saintly among
man of the Na-
the peoples of the world.
tional Commit-
tee for L a bor
The Parting of the Ways On the Eve of Solution
Palestine in
We are at the parting of the ways on the' eve of a solution of
New York, upon
the problem of Eretz Israel before the United Nations.
his arrival in
All indications are that some sort of solution will be arrived
the U. S. as a
at very soon, and as this issue goes to press the die ma3Oalready
member of the
have been cast.
A temporary setback to joint U. S.-Soviet-Swedish efforts to
special advisory
secure a favorable vote on the majority UNSCOP report again re-
committee of
- sulted in the placement of the demand for a single Arab Palestinian
the Jewish
state on the UN agenda. This, however, may be overcome—provided
J. Sprinzak Agency in con-
we retain our friends and gain a few new ones.
junction with the UN debate on
If the appeal of Marc Jarblum, president of the French Zionist
Federation, that the French UN delegation support the partition Palestine. Schlossberg informed
plan, should bear fruit, the Jewish cause will be strengthened. A Sprinzak that the National Com-
similar appeal to their government by the Jews of Argentina mittee for Labor Palestine had
reflects the problem raised by failure to secure unanimous support raised $3;000,000 during the past
year for the Palestine Histadrut
for the Zionist cause from Latin American countries.
Every cloud has a silver linhig. fihe statement made by the Campaign.
Socialist Pierre Latie, French representative on the UN Ad Hoe
Palestine Committee, that he is resigning from the committee and
Dr. Freehof to Direct
will return to France in protest against his government's pro-Arab
stand, lends some encouragement that we may regain friends even
JWB Chaplain Service
among the nations that have declared themselves against us. The
promise made to a Jewish delegation by France's President Vincent
Dr. Solomon B. Freehof, Pitts-
Auriol that his Cabinet would reconsider its previous stand on
burgh, former president of the
Palestine justified renewed optimism.
While Great Britain is abstaining from participation in the Central Confer-4
discussions, her attitude merely indicates an antagonism which ence of Ameri-
last week was expressed in an approach to various governments to can Rabbis, suc-
choke off visaless Palestine immigration at its sources. When ceeds Dr. David
linked with the latest British threat to the Exodus passengers who de Sola Pool as
now are housed in the Lubeck (Bergen-Belsen) detention camps chairman of
that they would be forcibly expelled from their present camps if
they do not agree to a transfer to other designated British occupa- JWB's Division
tion installations, we have a repetition of meanness responsible for of Religious Ac-
the brutality of the Exodus incident. The refugees have consented tivities, , through
to be moved to Emden and Wilhelmshaven, but have reasserted that which the Jew-
they were not yielding to threats and that the "burning question ish community
still remains our immediate immigration to Palestine."
recruits Jewish
. Palestine High Commissioner Cunningham's warning to the chaplains.
Dr. Freehof
Arabs to refrain from rash military actions, the release of five
Jewish policemen who were held for several days by Syria, the
statement of the U. S. delegation to the UN that Britain, as a co- Sentences Reduced
signatory to the Mandate, must maintain order in Palestine and
can not withdraw her troops and leave the land in a state of chaos, For 2 DPs in Austria
are among the important developments of the past few days.
VIENNA, (JTA)—Lt. Gen.
It is of interest to record that the president of the American
Jewish Committee, Joseph M. Proskauer, not only has reaffirmed Geoffrey Keyes reduced t h e
his support of the majority UNSCOP report but also has endorsed terms of two displaced Jews who
the U. S. delegation's suggestions at the UN that an international were sentenced by an American
voluntary constabulary be established to police Palestine. These military court to 10 years earlier
facts are significant in view of Arab threats of war. On the question
of sabre-rattling and Arab threats of a holy war, former Secretary of this month for having resisted
arresting policemen who charged
Interior Harold L. Ickes, writing in the N. Y. Post, said:
them with stealing fruit. The
"This bluff, which is ludicrous but not funny, should be called
two Jews, Kochane Fischer and
without any more delay. It should have been called long ago.
Had there been enough statesmanship and character in Great
Leon Armant, will have to serve
Britain and in the United States to solve Palestine's troubles
three years.
in accordance with pledges given and acted upon, the only ques-
tion remaining today would be one of how long it would take the
Nazis Resume Activities
• industrious and energetic Jews to make their ancient homeland
In Argentine, Unmolested
into a prosperous and modern state."
BUENOS AIRES, (JTA)—In-
Unfortunately, there are many other bluffs to be called. The
charge made by N. Y. Post and Overseas News Agency correspond- scriptions are appearing on walls
ent in Jerusalem, Richard Mowrer, that he and CBS correspondent in Santa Fe city and province
Farnesworth Fowle have been denied visa applications to Trans- paying homage
to the Nazi
jordania while British correspondents' similar requests were honored, "heroes of Nuernberg," according
and that these slurs are direct insults to the U. S., can not be taken to a dispatch in La Prensa, Ar-
lightly. In a sense, Transjordania's action is inspired by Great gentine newspaper, which adds
Britain, Abdullah's territory being Britain's puppet state.
There are scores of bluffs which must be exposed to the that the authorities are not in-
light of day in order that they may be properly repudiated and terfering with that practice nor
firmly rejected. Only by speedy solution of the entire problem and with other anti-Jewish activity
the immediate establishment of the Jewish state will we be able which is on the increase in
to put an end to tension and restore sanity in the Middle East.
Santa Fe.
—
Friday, October 31, 1947
DR. GERHARD RIEGNER
of thousands of Jews from Ger-
man - occupied Europe, it is
charged by former Secretary of
the Treasury Henry Morgenthau,
Jr., writing in the current issue of
Collier's Magazine.
Morgenthau says that Wash-
ington knew as far back as
August, 1942, that the Nazis were
planning to exterminate all Jews
of Europe, but State Department
inaction prevented anything from
being done until January, 1944,
when President Roosevelt created
the War Refugee Board after the
situation had been made clear to
him by Morgenthau and Dr.
Stephen S. Wise.
Morgenthau reveals that the
first word of Hitler's plan to wipe
out European Jewry reached here
in August, 1942, in a report sent
to Dr. Wise by Gerhard Riegner,
Swiss representative of the
World Jewish Congress. Dr. Wise
brought the report to the atten-
tion of then Undersecretary of
State Sumner Welles, who
checked with the U. S. Ambas-
sador in Berne, who secured fur-
ther reports from Riegner. The
public reaction to the news was
so immediate and united that the
State Department in an attempt
to ease the pressure on it, in-
structed our ambassador in
Berne not to transmit further
reports, Morgenthau charges.
State Department Stalls
Morgenthau reveals how the
State Department stalled for five
I months, despite approval by
President Roosevelt, on a plan
to send funds to Switzerland to
be used to bribe Nazi officials to
allow 70,000 Jews to leave Ro-
mania and France. After the De-
partment's objections that the
funds would aid Germany, had
beeh termed incorrect by Secre-
tary of State Hull, the officials
finally agreed, but then allowed
the British Ministry of Economic
Warfare to delay the transmis-
sion of funds.
The article asserts that the
British were also unenthusiastic
about the project because it
would result in difficulty in find-
ing a place for the refugees—
obviously thinking of Palestine.
Morgenthau concludes with an
appeal to the government to ad-
mit to the United States large
numbers of displaced persons. He
also asks that Catholic and Pro-
testant DPs be offered haven
here.
Message Suppressed
Riegner, at a press conference,
revealed that his first message
warning of the German designs
was suppressed by the State De-
partment, and only reached Dr.
Wise through Sidney Silverman,
head of the World Jewish Con-
gress branch in London, who had
received an identical message
through the Foreign Office.
Riegner disclosed that he had
obtained the information from an
anti-Nazi German industrialist.
The Jewish Congress representa-
tive conveyed the information to
the British and American con-
sulates in Geneva, with the re-.
quest that it be transmitted to
Silverman and Wise. On Aug. 24
he was informed that the State
Department had cabled the
Geneva consulate that it was
"disinclined to deliver the mes-
sage in view of the apparently
unsubstantiated character of the
information which forms its main
theme."
Dr. Wise, commenting on the
Morgenthau articles, said that the
least the governments of the
world can do now is extend full
justice to the survivors of the
catastrope. Dr. Wise paid tribute
to the efforts of President Roose-
velt, Sumner Welles, Morgenthau
and Brig. Gen. William O'Dwyer
for their activities on behalf of
the Jews of Europe.
Between You and Me
By BORIS SMOLAR
(Copyright, 1947, Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Inc.)
UN Trends
'Members of the U. S. delegation at the United Nations are em-
barrassed over reports that they are not wholeheartedly supporting
the Palestine partition plan . . . This suspicion prevails not only in
Jewish circles, but also among diplomats of smaller nations on the
American continent who usually look for direction to the United
States on issues which require a vote at the United Nations . . . This
probably explains why the delegation of the Philippines, which
always follows the U. S. line at the United Nations, is now ignoring
the American pro-partition stand and is agitating against partition
. . . The failure of the U. S. delegation to give the "green light" to
other delegations who are awaiting such a signal may result in the
partition plan not getting the necessary two-thirds vote at the
Assembly ... Leading members of the American delegation, however,
while not revealing their long range strategy, assure me that there is
no ground for being jittery over the present policy of the delegation
. . . They dismiss the, idea that the American Government is not
sincerely behind the partition scheme and urge the Jews to take a
"wait-and-see" attitude . . . They are confident that they will emerge
without criticism from those interested in seeing Palestine divided
into a Jewish and Arab state ... Yet, there is a strong feeling in UN
circles that not-all members of the U. S. delegation see eye-to-eye
on the partition issue ... Some are said to be cool to partition because
they do not want Truman to win Jewish votes during the forth-
coming Presidential elections . . • Others are still definitely under
pressure of pro-Arab advisers ... Not all of them expected to find
Soviet Russia taking a stand on partition similar to the U. S. position.
Zionist Strategy
While the United Nations is discussing the Palestine problem,
leaders of the Jewish Agency are working feverishly in New York on
preparations for the establishment of a Jewish state in Palestine .. .
Some time ago official Washington indicated to American Zionist
leadership that the U. S. would be ready to consider granting a huge
loan for Jewish development in Palestine ... Talks concerning such
a large-scale loan for the projected Jewish state are now being re-
sumed • . . Secretary of Treasury John Snyder met with leaders
of the American Zionist Emergency Council and it is understood
that the question of a loan was among the subjects discussed . .
The Zionist "strategic board," composed of leaders from all Zionist
parties in this country and in Palestine is determined to press for
the shortest transition period possible, instead of the two-year period
recommended by the UNSCOP majority ... On the other hand, this
body has decided to take an affirmative stand on the UNSCOP
recommendation for economic unity between the Arab and the
Jewish states.
If you want a clue to sentiment in Palestine regarding the parti-
tion issue, watch the convention of the Labor Zionist Organization
of America which will open on Nov. 6 in Pittsburgh . . . It will be
addressed by Moshe Shertok, Joseph Sprinzak, Zalman Rubashov,
Berl Locker and Hayim Greenberg.