Page Two
THE JEWISH NEWS
UJA. Conference to Consider
Effect of Decision by UN
The decisions by the UN on the
partition of Palestine will be con-
sidered in relation to a 1948
American Jewish program for
overseas relief and rehabilitation
at a conference of Jewish leaders
to be held at the Chelsea Hotel,
Atlantic City, N. J., Dec. 12 to 15,
it was announced by Henry Mor-
genthau, Jr., general chairman of
the 1947 United Jewish Appeal
for $170,000,000.
Jewish community leader s
from every section of the coun-
try will attend .; the conference
which will be charged with the
responsibility of drawing up a
program for the relief, rehabilita-
tion and resettlement of Europe's
1,500,000 Jews for the next
twelve months.
In formulating a program for
1948, the Atlantic City confer-
ence will have to weigh the fol-
lowing factors: (1) the extent of
the participation of the Jews of
America together with govern-
Ments in financing the transfer
of 150,000 homeless European
Jews to Palestine as embodied
10,000 Jewish Children
Born in the DP Camps
The number of children born
to Jewish parents in the Ameri-
san and French zones of occupa-
tion of Germany has passed the
10,000 mark, indicating that the
displaced Jews still cling to a
hope for a brighter future, it was
reported by Rabbi Jonah B. Wise,
national chairman of the $170,-
000,000 UJA campaign.
Rabbi Wise said that of the
37,191 Jewish women between
the ages of 18 and 45 in the Am-
erican zone of Germany alone, a
total of 12,134 or 32.6 percent
were either expectant or nursing
mothers.
in the majority recommendation
of the U. N. Special Committee
on Palestine; (2) the increased
resources required to meet needs
in DP camps resulting from a
reduction of intergovernmental
sources; (3) the need for greater
resources for reconstruction of
Jewish communities in Europe
(4) and possibilities for larger im-
migration to the United States.
Delegates will hear complete
reports on the accomplishments in
1947 of the Joint Distribution
Committee, the United Palestine
Appeal and the United Service
for New Americans, the three ma-
jor American welfare agencies
which receive their funds from
the United Jewish Appeal.
Hitter's Own Phone Used
For SOS Transcription
Htler's per s o n a 1 telephone,
which Leonard Lyons, nationally
known Br o a d w a y columnist,
brought back with him from
Berchtesgaden, was used by
Lyons to provide pyr
b a ckground
sound effects as
he recorded an
SOS appeal for
Europe's needy.
Lyons was one
of many promi-
nent radio, stage
and screen stars
whose transcrib-
ed appeals for
L. Lyons
the SOS (Supplies for Overseas
Survivors) Collection will be
b r o a d c a s t by radio stations
throughout the country during
the special fall campaign for
6,000,000 pounds of supplies.
Shekel Appeal
Issued by U. S.
Zionist Parties
NEW YORK — In a proclama-
tion addressed to the Jews of
America, the U. S. Central Shekel
and Election Board, comprised of
representatives of all Zionist par-
ties recogr ized o y the World
Zionist Corigres, called upon
"Every American Jew to stand
up and be counted in c•upport of
the Jewish State."
The proclamation signed by
Charles Ress of New York, chair-
man of the U. S. Central Shekel
Board, and by me:r,bers of seven
Zionist organizations, emphasized
the importance of the purchase of
a Shekel by every American Jew
in this decisive period. The She-
kel denotes affiliation with the
World Zionist Movement.
Declaring that only Shekel-
holders may vote in the election
of delegates to the forthcoming
World Zionist Congress which
will convene during 1948, the pro-
clamation by the U. S. Central
Shekel Board states that "The
Congress may well be the last
before the establishment of the
Jewish State. It must speak with
authority. It must be fully repre-
sentative. It must be the voice
of a united Jewish People."
4,000 Egyptian
Jews Held Alien,
Face Loss of Jobs
CAIRO, (JTV)—The Egyptian
government has refused to ex-
empt 40,000 Jewish residents
from compliance with an alien-
registration law on the techni-
cality that they legally are state-
less persons..
The refusal to grant citizenship
to those Jews, all long-time resi-
dents or native born, will bar
many of them from employment
because another feature of the
law limits • the number of "for-
eigners" who may be , employed.
By PHILIP SLOMOVITZ
Families of the native born
Jews have resided in the country
Anniversaries Prove Israel's Indestructibility
since before the first World War
Important dates appear on our calendar this year.
Mention already has been made of the 150th anniversary of the when it was part of the Ottoman
death of the Vilna Gaon—Elijah Ben Solomon—who was responsible Empire and at which time they
for Lithuania becoming a great center of Jewish learning. The enjoyed extra-territorial citizen-
Vilna Gaon died in 1797 (5558) during Hol Hamoed Sukkot.
ship rights. International agree-
Nov. 2 marked the 30th anniversary of the Balfour Declaration. ments later wiped out the priv-
The 150th anniversary of the birth of Heinrich Heine falls on ileged categories and the Jews
Dec. 13.
Mendele Mocher Seforim (S. J. Abramovitch), one of the out- as well as other minorities have
assumed they were citizens of •
standing Jewish story-tellers of our time, died 30 years ago.
Morris Rosenfeld, eminent Yiddish poet, passed away 30 years Egypt.
ago.
Emma Lazarus, eminent American poet, author of the sonnet
engraved on the Statue of Liberty, Bedloe Island, N. Y., died 50
years ago.
The month of December will mark the 30th anniversary of the
change of domination over Palestine from Turkish to British rule. It
may well prove to be the month when Britain's fate will be sealed
The so-called "Labor Division"
and Jewish rule will begin in an autonomous Jewish state.
Eliezer Ben Yehudah (Perelman,) who more than any other of the American League for a
man, was responsible for having made Hebrew the language of every Free Palestine is not endorsed
day use rather than merely the tongue of prayer, died in Palestine by either the CIO or AFL, it
25 years ago.
was pointed out this week by the
Hanoar, the Hebrew monthly journal published in New York, American Trade Union Council
has completed 25 years of uninterrupted publishing.
The 50th anniversary of Emile Zola's "J'Accuse" is approaching. of the National Committee for
The endless chain of anniversaries proves the indestructibility Labor Palestine, announced here
last week.
of Israel.
* * *
The American League has been
soliciting funds from unions and
An Interesting Rothschild Episode
A London contemporary reveals an interesting story about the claimed endorsement by AFL
President William Green.
late Baron Henri de Rothschild who died last month.
Rothschild, who was recognized as an able playwright, wrote
In a letter to unions, the Trade
under the pseudonym Andre Pascal. The street on which he lived Union Council pointed out that
was honored with the title "rue Andre Pascal." In 1926, the anti- the function of the American
Semite de la Foucherdiere, author of many anti-Jewish pamphlets
during the Nazi occupation of France, headed a gang of hoodlums League is to support the Irgun,
who tore down street signs with the Pascal name and substituted the terrorist group in Palestine
"which has perpetrated innumer-
for it "rue Rothschild."
It was, of course, sheer vandalism which did not survive long. able acts of murder and violence
Rothschild undoubtedly will be remembered much longer than for which it has been condemned
Foucherdiere.
by the entire Jewish community
Incidentally, Emile Zola at one time also used the pen name of Palestine and especially by its
Pascal.
organized labor movement, the
* * *
Histadrut."
ERETZ Intriguing Title for Jewish State
Mr. Green and CIO President
In Palestine, the people affectionately refer to Eretz Israel as
ERETZ. The term stands not only for land or soil. It represents Philip Murray are honorary
joy and pride, the satisfaction that comes from redemption and chairmen of the Trade Union
Council of the National Commit-
creation.
If the Jewish State materializes, it undoubtedly will be called tee for Labor Palestine.
Eretz Israel. For the Jews of the world, like the Jews of Zion, it will
"The Irgun has not only made
be ERETZ.
a sorry reputation for itself by
* *
the murder of innocent English-
The Flag and the Tallis
men and Jews . . . it is also con-
The State already has the Flag. The White and Blue emblem sumed with hatred for organized
of Zion was fashioned nearly half a century ago by the late David labor," the Council said.
Wolffsohn, successor of Dr. Theodor Herzl to the presidency of the
"Its members and sympathizers
World Zionist Organization. Wolffsohn used the Tallis as the basis
have set up opposition unions
for his design.
There is such deep-rooted affection for the Blue and White agains the Histadrut and have
Flag that most Jews come to think of it as something which always more than once attempted to
has existed in Jewish life. In realty, it is as old as the Tallis.
break strikes called by the His-
When a Jewish State is established, it will have a name, a flag,
a democratically elected assembly—the Vaad Leurni—and an army tadrut . All who aid the League
—the Haganah. All that is needed is recognition from the United for a Free Palestine are at the
Nations. Then we shall have fulfillment of the vision of Herzl who same time giving aid and comfort
described Zionism's aim to acquire status for "a publicly secured, to the enemies of the labor move-
ment in Palestine."
legally assured Jewish homeland in Palestine."
Purely Commentary
`Free Palestine' Unit
Repudiated by Labor
—
*
Friday, November 21, 1947
MC Finds and Marks Graves
Of Jewish Dead in Germany
To preserve the memory of the
millions of Jewish men, women
and children murdered in Nazi
extermination ,camps and buried
in a wilderness of mass graves,
the Joint Distribution Committee,
major American agency aiding
distressed Jews abroad, is now
carrying out a special project of
finding and marking the graves
of Jewish dead in Germany.
The Graves Registration -De-
partment of JDC under direc-
tion of Dr. Abel Akobus, a Lith-
uanian Jew who himself survived
two Nazi concentration camps,
works tirelessly at investigations
to find the graves—and the names
—of the Jewish dead. Mass
graves where as many as 1,000
Jewish dead are buried have
been filled and cleared, the graves
marked and made visible and
Jewish stars and monuments
erected by the JDC with funds
provided through the United
Jewish Appeal.
The JDC Graves Registration
Department is under the Commit-
tee's Religious Department in
Germany, headed by Rabbi Solo-
mon Shapiro of the Bronx, N. Y.,
who has issued a warning against
individuals in this country who
claim to have discovered the
graves of Jewish martyrs in Eu-
rope and who, for a fee, will
make sure that such graves are
cared for.
"The number of Jews buried in
mass graves whose names have
been discovered are tragically
few," Rabbi Shapiro stated. "Only
an agency with the staff, experi-
ence and organization as the JDC
can track down such informa-
tion."
Property Restitution Law Offers
No Immediate Benefits for Jews
BERLIN (JTA) — The prop-
erty restitution law issued here
by General Clay is hedged about
with conditions which make it
doubtful that the claimants will
derive much benefit soon, accord-
ing to experts here.
import-expert program by help
ing to remedy German's dollar
deficiency by handing in dollars
to buy back the properties they
lost under Hitler.
Another difficulty about resti-
T. H. Ball, director of the tution, when it is carried out, is
finance division of the military that the owner will have no way
government, pointed out to a of converting his regained prop-
questioner that the present owner,
erty into foreign currency. He
if he can prove that he did not
use personal duress himself on can come back and live in his
the original owner, has a chance house, or sell it for marks, but he
to regain both what he paid and cannot realize anything on it for
the value of any improvements.
use abroad until that far-off day
Since it is estimated that be- when German currency and
tween 80 and 90 per cent of the foreign exchange are again - stab-
properties affected formerly be- ilized.
longed to Jews, and since most
of . these former owners or their
Ask U. S. Supreme Court
heirs are abroad, they are likely
to ruli into financial complica- To Bar Restrictive Acts
tions in regaining their proper-
ties. One such complication is
WASHINGTON (JTA) — One
the requirement that if the claim- of the recommendations of the
ant •does not have a bank balance President's Committee on Civil
of marks in Germany, he must Rights — that restrictive 'real es-
use dollars to buy the necessary tate covenants barring Negroes,
marks to repay the present hold- Jews and other minorities from
er where the latter is entitled to residing in certain neighborhoods
the return of the purchase price be outlawed — will be imple-
or the cost of improvements.
mented if the Supreme Court ac-
Since virtually all persecutees cedes to a request of Attorney
who fled abroad had their bank General Tom Clark to rule such
accounts confiscated by the Nazis,
venants unconstitutional.
they, of course, have no mark
The Justice Department told
bank balance. Thus, the persecu- the court that such covenants are
ted . Jews and other emigres may against the Constitution, against
fin dthemselves in the strange the law and against the pub-
position of aiding the German lic policy of the United States.
Heard in the Lobbies
By ARNOLD LEVIN
(Copyright, 1947, Independent Jewish Press Service, Inc.)
Lake Success Dispatch: Irritations
The British delegates are beginning to irritate their UN col
leagues, not of the Slav bloc alone. Their frequent deferment of state-
ments of policy on Palestine, their hedging, ifs and buts, wasting
time and upsetting apple carts of hard-working committees, are get-
ting on committee members' nerves. The working committee (nn im-
plementation) of Sub-Committee One (on partition) of the Palestine
Ad Hoc Committee is truly laboring at all hours, from morning (10:30
a.m.) to evening (6 p.m.), to night (sometimes). Among the minor
irritations is the difference over the working of agreed-upon formu-
las. The Russians insist on a literal translation of their formulas from
the Russian, while the Americans and Canadians turn their noses up
over the clumsy syntax. The Russian insists, however, that clumsy
or not, the only way he can be certain that his formula has been
accepted is to have the members vote on a literal translation.
*
*
The AmbassadOr Has Learned
•
Ambassador Johnson has acquired some knowledge in the course
of this session. The other day, behind the closed doors of the working
committee, they were discussing "democratic organizations" in Pales-
tine. Up spoke Mr. Johnson: "You must put in democratic and other
organizations. For don't you know that there are 'no democratic
organizations in Arabdom? Would you call the Arab Higher Com-
mittee democratic?" As an afterthought he added: "It may be repre-
sentative but it is not democratic." Here Guatemala's Granados spoke
up: "Oh no, you can't put in democratic and other organizations. You
must qualify the word 'other,' or soon you'll have all Tel Aviv's
athletic leagues and women's reading circles claiming representation
in the shadow governments." Granados, incidentally, is orie of the
best versed men on Palestine in the UN . and truly dedicated to the
cause of justice for the Jew.
Where Is The Negev?
Mr. Johnson has learned a great deal about Palestine, but its map,
especially after it has been jigsawed by UNSCOP, is a rather con-
fusing thing and tends to confuse the Ambassador. Sub-committee
One had been discussing Safad which is in Galilee, but when the
chairman was about to adjourn the session Mr. Johnson learned for-
ward and queried: "Mr. Chairman, what about the Negev?" "But we
dealt and settled it before taking up Safad." "Did we? It seemed to
me that it was part of the same discussion," Mr. Johnson blurted, and
had his way. He couldn't move the Negev towards Safad, but he
waged a brave campaign to slice off some Negev sections from the
Jewish state. His reasons for denying Jewish Agency claims were
"humanitarian." However, toward the end the Jews did gain over
300,000 additional dunams of land.