Page , Four
As the Editor
Views the News
THE'JEWIS'H NtWS
Disturber of the Peace
fund raising effort.
-
We are challenged by a $250,-
000,000 obligation. Let us meet the
-
challenge with the dignity and honor
befitting the historic period in which
we are privileged to live.
The Jewish community will, in the
coming weeks, commence the forma-
tion of machinery and the mobiliza-
tion of manpower for the fulfillment
of our share of the obligation to the
WA. No one will be immune from
responsibility.
Meanwhile, we have another major
duty : a call has gone forth to Detroit
Jews to pay up their pledges to the
1947 campaign before the end of De-
cember in order that the major agencies
—JDC, UPA and USNA—should not
be .handicapped in carrying to success
the work of sustaining and rescuing
lives.
We urge that this call should be
heeded, that checks should pour into
the Allied Jewish Campaign office, 51
—
—
W. Warren Ave., imnfecuateiy.
In order to be prepared to do our
job well in 1948, let us complete our
1947 obligations as speedily as possible.
Hal Lehrman's "Russia's Europe" (D. Apple-
ton-Century Co., 35 W. 32nd St., New York), is
an adventure story of great merit because of its
revelations of "Russian expansion and Communist
aggrandizement" and the charge that the Soviets
are aiming at control of the European continent
The able young author, whose recent lecture
before the Temple Beth El Men's Club in Detroit
showed that he possessed a strong grasp of the
existing political situation, began his study of
European conditions with sympathy for the Greek
rebels. In the course of his travels he changed his
attitude towards Russia, but he remains critical
of Allied policies in Greece which, he writes,
"added up to the betrayal of the Greek people."
Jewish readers will be startled by many of
the findings of Mr. Lehrman. For instance, in the
chapter "The Case Against Russia" we are told:
Biggest Story of the Year
"A venerable leader of one of the surviving
Jewish communities gave me, in a few tired, bit-
ter words, the deadliest of all indictments of
Russia's Europe. This was a man, remember,
who had witnessed and tasted all the horrors
the Nazis had inflicted upon his decimated peo-
ple. 'I sometimes think' he told me, 'that it
would have been better if I and all the others
who had escaped had gone into the gas cham-
bers. The time since the so-called liberation has
been the worst I have ever lived, yes, even worse
than under the Germans. With the Germans, you
see, we knew what we could expect. We knew
they intended to exterminate us. It was clear
and simple and frank—and we, too, knew what
we would have to do in order to. survive. Be-
sides, it didn't matter very much, after a while.
One gets used even to the idea of annihilation.
But now—now we know nothing. Everything is
lies and deception. Now everybody, the Jew
along with the rest, lives in a spiritual gas cham-
ber, from which there is no escaping."
The greatest story of the year now drawing to a close was
the United Nations decision in favor of the re-establishment
One wonders: such charges have been leveled
against British occupants of German zones, and
of Jewish statehood.
even some Americans have been criticized for fail-
Barring none, the event which took place at Flushing ure
to effect true liberation. But the charge against
Meadows on Nov. 29, 1947, will rank among the great occur- Russia is more bitter.
rences of the year now ending—and it may even be listed
Among the charges leveled by Lehrman against
Russia is that "even property extorted from the
among the most significant dates in all history.
Jews by forced sales at blackmail prices was de-
For 1,877 years, Jews have been wanderers on the face of fined
as German assets by the Russians."
the globe. The insecurity of our people has haunted the nations
While in Hungary, the author reveals, as he
of the world, and even those who sought our extermination was driving in an American lend-lease car, the
lived in mortal fear of the "ghost" whom mankind—to its dis- occurrence of the following conversation:
"Crazy drivers, these Russians," the Captain
credit—sought to destroy but could not remove from its midst.
suggested.
"THESE Russians?" I repeated with some
Now, the "eternal wanderer" is given recognition and
surprise. "Aren't YOU a Russian?"
status which will restore him to a position of equality among
"Certainly not, I'm a Russian Jew," he replied -
mildly.
the nations of the world. The "eternal wanderer," possessing
"But I thought—"
"That it doesn't make a difference in Russia
strength which arises from the eternity of his spiritual posi-
any more," he finished. "Ah well, things are
tion in the world, again is rising to the stature and dignity be-
maybe a little better. But, you know, if I weren't
a Jew, instead of being a captain now I'd be a
fitting the giver of the Bible and the Ten Commandments to
colonel. He gave an inimitable shrug.
humanity.
It is a fantastic story, and it is difficult to be-
The biggest story of 1947 may even stretch into the big- lieve it. But throughout the book we are ad-
gest story of 1948—because the ultimate solution to the monished to watch out for Ivan, who has gone
loose upon assuming power.
Jewish problem has been set for Oct. 1 of the approaching on the
Lehrman pays tribute to the Bulgarians whose
new year. And in the interim there will be trouble. The Brit- protests prevented deportation of- 15,000 Jews to
ish are not cooperating in ending their inefficient rule in Zion. extermination camps in 1943.
He indicts the Yugoslavian Communists: "Jews
Arabs outside of Palestine are stirring up trouble. Irrespon-
fled for their lives before the Germans, leav-
sible Jews, whose irresponsible actions prior to the UN de- who
ing property which Axis or quisling authorities
cision caused so much bloodshed, again are interfering with turned to war purposes, were condemned as col-
progress.
laborators in absentia. A publisher who spent
In spite of the difficulties, world Jewry is determined to his American exile in a sanitorium returned home
time to be sentenced to eight years' imprison-
make the UN decision stick. We are certain that, collectively, in
ment and loss of all his property for collaboration
we shall make good. Judea is destined to become the Jew- with reactionary elements in the United States."
ish state. In our preparation for the great day in 1948, on
There is an interesting portrait of the partisan
which the biggest story of 1947 will become reality, we shall Moshe Pijade in Lehrman's book. There also is
an attack—in passing—upon the Mufti and the
be called upon to struggle against sabotage and terrorism. Arab
effendis and upon the Pan-Arab League.
By retaining faith, we shall win.
This book will shock many readers because
In extending greetings to the community for a Happy of its brutal frankness. But its wealth of informa-
1948, we call for retention of hope and confidence that all tion and its numerous revelations place the book
will end well. We are, indeed, inured to difficulties, and we among the top exposes of tyranny in Europe.
shall overcome them. We shall win because the peace of
the world depends upon the peace of the Middle East—and
Israel is there to assure that peace.
Defense for the Jewish State
Use of airplanes and armored tanks is not part of
Prophecy. We had hoped that the basis for the creation of
the Jewish state would be peace and good will, a new era of
brotherhood and cooperation between Jews and Arabs. Since,
however, the protection of lives demands the use of imple-
te:2 knosy that Palestine's
f;c1geEA
, ,,111eW_§494: el,
.
great Haganah three is equipped and has the righ to use
planes and armored cars to assure the security of outposts
in the Negev and other parts of Palestine and to help provide
water and food for remote Jewish settlements.
It is unfortunate that the British, instead of cooperating
with the Jewish community, should have resorted to sabo-
tage. The arrest of members of Haganah, the confiscation
of Jewish-owned weapons of defense, failure to provide pro-
Member Jewish relegraphic Agency. Independent Jewish
Press Service, Seven Arts Feature Syndicate. Religious
tection for convoys that transported food from colonies to
News Service, Palcor Agency, King Features, Central
cities, have left a bad taste among the Jews in Eretz Israel.
Press Association.
Member American Association of English-Jewish News-
Great Britain still has an opportunity to end her rule in
papers and Michigan Press Association.
Palestine with a semblance of honor—provided that she
Published every Friday by The Jewish News Publish-
ing Co., 2114 Penobscot Bldg., Detroit 26. Mich., RA. 7956.
refrains from sniping at the builders of the Jewish state.
Subscription. $3 a year; foreign, $4. Club subscription.
Withdrawal of British and Arab police from the Tel
every fourth Friday of the month, to all subscribers to
Allied Jewish Campaign of Jewish Welfare Federation of
Aviv area places the all-Jewish city and its environs entirely
Detroit, 40 cents pei year.
in Jewish hands. This section of Palestine has been, in reality,
Entered as second-class matter Aug. 6, 1942. at Post Of-
fice, Detroit, Mich., under Act of March 3, 1879.
the nucleus for the larger Jewish state. We have confidence
that Haganah will be able to defend it in a spirit of restraint,
BOARD OF. DIRECTORS
-
without resorting to retaliation. We believe that the Arabs
Maurice Aronsson
Philip Slomovitz
Fred M. Butzel
Isidore Sobeloff
of Palestine wish us well and that only the Mufti's men are
Judge Theodore Levin
Abraham Srere
stirring
up trouble. Proof of the existence of good will comes
Maurice H. Schwartz
Henry Wineman
in a Palcor report from Jerusalem informing us that the
PHILIP SLOMOVITZ. Editor
mukhtar (head) of the Arab village of Yazur, on the Jeru-
DECEMBER 26, 1947
VOL. XII—NO. 15
salem-Jaffa highway, visited the Vav settlement near Beit
Dajan and assured the Jewish settlers that his villagers will
Sabbath Scriptural Selections
preserve peace and order. Other Arab communities have
This Sabbath, the fourteenth day of Tebet,
similarly expressed a desire for peace.
57CS, the following Scriptural selections will be
The chances for an honorable settlement of the Palestine
read in our synagogues:
situation are excellent—provided that the destructive ele-
Pentateuchal portion 'Gen. : 47:28-50:26.
ments are repudiated.
Prophetical portion—I kings 2:1-12.
THE JEWISH NEWS
Bitter Anti-Russian
Lehrman's Book Charges
Soviet Bias Against Jews
250 Million Obligation
On Nov. 29, 1947, the UN voted to
approve the re-establishment of the
Jewish state.
On Dec. 14, 1947, the extraordinary
national conference of the United
Jewish Appeal, at Atlantic City, de-
cided on a $250,000,000 goal to help in
the achievement of the historic UN
decision.
Speaking at the UJA conference,
Moshe Shertok, political adviser of the
Jewish Agency for Palestine, warned
that "the road ahead is as fraught with
perils as it is with hopes, but the Jew-
ish road to statehood has been inevi-
table throughout." Mr. Shertok was
realistic, however, when he asserted
that a far greater danger than Bevin's
non-cooperation or Arab hostility is the
threat of "Jewish default."
Our major task is to be on guard
against "Jewish default."
Unless we provide the means with
which to win the battle for freedom,
we shall be responsible for "default."
The setting of a goal of $250,000,000
for the UJA was not meant as a jest.
It is a serious business and it must be
carried to success.
Unless all other interfering activities
are abandoned, it will be difficult to
achieve such a success.
The collective will of the Jewish
communities of !America must strive to
make the UJA the single important
Friday,.Deconiier 26 1947
German Jewry's Days
Are Numbered, Recent
Berlin Parley Indicates
By ROBERT GARY
Jewish Telegraphic Agency Correspondent
(Copyright, 1947, Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Inc.)
MUNICH—The days of the relatively few re-
maining German-Jewish communities are few and
imakzei- . 24.yag- ill-417, more Ap;211: t, than
at the conference of -t1;e*- association of Jew- iSn.
Communities held recently in Berlin.
The great bulk of the leaders present at the
meeting, who represented about 18,000 Jews living
in some 35 communities, discussed their mutual
problems and affairs from a "temporary" point of
view. Only short-term, stop-gap resolutions were
passed. Nothing big or meaningful for permanent
groups in Germany was noted.
There were, of course, a few, very few, who
rose to state that there definitely was a construc-
tive place for Jews in the future Germany. These
few consist almost entirely of staunch Social
Democrats who sincerely believe a future Ger-
many can be democratic and that Jewish leaders
and citizens can help accomplish that aim. Others
who wish to remain are so-called Mishlings, born
of mixed marriages, or themselves married to non-
Jews. In this respect it should be remembered
that of the present total number of about 20,000
members of German-Jewish communities only
some 20 per cent are "full Jews."
About the only two reasons why 20,000 German
Jews remain here are the restitution problem and
restricted immigration to foreign lands. Most of
these Jews tell you frankly that they wish to set-
tle the disposition of their property in Germany
before emigrating.
It probably would be inaccurate to predict
that there will be no Jewish community in Ger-
many in the near future. A couple of communities
are bound to exist, if for no other reason than
because of Jewish stubbornness and tradition.
But it is safe to say that as the years go by the
number of German-Jews will decrease until there
remains only a slim handful of what once were
proud and prosperous communities.