rage tour
THE JEWISH NEWS
As the Editor
Views the News • • •
Cooperative Palestine
Tribute to Histadrut in
Book by Dr. S. Kurland
Truman's Plea for DPs
In his State of the Union message to Con-
gress, President Truman made a strong rec-
ommendation for the opening of the doors
of the United States to displaced persons.
Mr. Truman stated:
Many thousands of displaced persons,
• still living in camps overseas, should be
allowed entry into the United States.
I again urge the Congress to pass suit-
able legislation at once so that this nation
may do its share in caring for homeless
and suffering refugees of all jaiths.
I believe that the admission of these
persons will add to the strength and en-
ergy of this nation.
Already on record in favor of the humani-
tarian considerations of the DP problem,
President Truman, with the encouragement
of the State and Justice Departments, has
been pleading for an open door policy to help
ease the tragic status of the survivors from
Nazism. Unfortunately, his previous appeals
for justice for the DPs fell on deaf ears. .It
remains to be seen whether his latest request
for justice will bring forth action for the
adoption of "suitable legislation" to create a
haven in this country "for homeless and suf-
fering refugees of all faiths."
U. S. Senator Homer Ferguson of Mich-
igan, co-author with eight other Senators of
a bill for the admission of DPs to the U. S.,
took a firm stand in support of such legisla-
tion. Will Congress see fit to allot a few hours
of its valuable time for consideration and
speedy adoption of such measures? A great
humanitarian issue hangs in the balance and
those who are qualified to act upon it are
challenged to prove whether they are moved
by the. plight of millions of sufferers
* * *
President Truman's State of the Nation
message also made significant references to
the issues of religious freedom and equal op-
portunities for education. The President said:
•
The United States has always had a deep
concern for human rights. Religious freedom,
free speech and freedom of thought are cher-
•ished realities in our land. Any denial of hu-
man rights is a denial of the basic beliefs of
democracy and of our regard for the worth of
each individual.
Today, however, some of our citizens are
still denied equal opportunity for education,
for jobs and economic advancement, and for
the expression of their views at the polls. Most
serious of all, some are denied equal protection
under our laws.
Whether discrimination is based on race, or
creed, or color, or land of origin, it is utterly
contrary to American ideals of democracy.
The recent report of the President's Com-
niittee on Civil Rights points the way to cor-
rective action by the Federal Government and
by state and local governments. Because of
the need for effective Federal action, I shall
send a special message to the Congress on this
important subject.
Our President is on record in no uncertain
terms in favor of action to guarantee the
freedoms of the people of this land, without
regard to race or creed. He has intimated—
and we assume that he will do so again in the
promised message on the recommendations
of his Committee on Civil Rights—that he is
opposed to quotas in universities for minori-
ties and that he will go out full length in
favor of programs to guarantee human rights
to all.
If the President's recommendations in fa-
vor of welcoming DPs and wiping out all
vestiges of prejudice are shelved, it will not
be Mr. Truman who is discredited, but the
blind legislators- who will have failed to rec-
ognize the need for reaffirmation of the basic
ideals of our democracy. It is our sincere
hope that our President, together with our
Congress will send forth a message to the
world at large that American ideals live and
will be upheld and defended against all odds.
THE JEWISH NEWS
Member Jewish Telegraphic Agency, independent Jewish
Press Service, Seven Arts Feature Syndicate. Religious
News Service, Palcor Agency, King Features, Central
Press Association.
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BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Maurice Aronsson
Philip Slomovitz
Fred M. Butzel
Isidore Sobeloff
Judge Theodore Levin Abraham Srere
Maurice H. Schwartz
Henry Wineman
PHTLIF SLOMOVITZ. Editor
VOL. XII—No. 18
JANUARY 16, 1948
Sabbath Scriptural Selections
This Sabbath, the sixth day of Shevat, 5708,
the following Scriptural selections will be read in
our synagogues:
Pentateuchal portion—Ex. 10:1-13-16.
Prophetical portion—Jer. 46:13-28.
Friday, January 16, t 948
f -Xi t 4k144.41
World's Responsibility to Zion
In the worst days of Czarist Russian pogroms, Pobedono-
stzev threatened that his government would get rid of the
Jews by exterminating one-third, by driving another third out
of the country through forced migration and by converting
the last third to Christianity. ,
The Supreme Command of the Arab Allied Forces is
emulating the Pobedonostzev program. In a statement in Jer-
usalem it declared that it will follow three stages of wrecking
any attempt to set up an independent Jewish state: By evict-
ing Jews from sections where they now reside together with
Arabs—a program which they claim to have enforced in the
Jerusalem area; by isolatina Jewish sectors in the northern
and southern portions of the
b country and through efforts to
subjugate or exterminate Jews in all-Jewish areas like Tel
Aviv, Rehaviah, Hadar Hacarmel in Haifa and other portions
of the land.
Such threats present serious challenges to the United
Nations Security Council. Either the United Nations stands
for something strong and firm on the international scene or its
decisions are mere farces. By nearly unanimous vote of the
Christian nations represented in the UN—with the exception
only of Greece and Cuba (all the other opponents of the de-
cision to re-establish the Jewish state were Moslem countries)
—an age-old wrong was righted at Lake Success on Nov. 29,
1947. A recalcitrant group of Arabs, acting under the com-
mand of the former Mufti of Jerusalem—that arch enemy
of our people and of democracy who was the main factor in
the Nazi program which aimed.at the extermination of Jewry
—is out to destroy the plans of the UN and thereby to under-
mine the foundation of the international organization.
The chief culprit unquestionably is the'Br•tish mandatory
administration in Palestine. Had the British lived up to their
responsibilities of enforcing law and order, nearly all. of the
attacks on the Jews by Arabs would have been avoided. Need
for Jewish reprisals would, in turn, have been .obviated. In-
stead, the British were on the sidelines permitting Arabs to
infiltrate into Jewish sectors and murder innocent people and
destroy their property. The British have brazenly condemned
Jews but have refrained from uttering criticism of Arab acts.
They have made Palestine unlivable for the Jews and are
making it difficult for our people to seek and enforce peace
with the Arabs.
While Haganah is doing all it possibly can to protect the
Jewish communities, difficulties created for our defense
forces are mounting. The British are seriously indicated by a
report from Jerusalem which states that "British troops inter-
vened in bitter fighting inside the walled city, dropping smoke
bombs in front of Arab snipers' nests and hurling tear gas
bombs at Jewish forces defending the besieged Jewish com-
munity. The smoke covered the Arabs' escape while the Jews
were temporarily blinded by gas."
The situation tolerated by the British has made it neces-
sary for Chief Rabbi Herzog to appeal to the authorities to
send food to the beleagured Jews who are faced not only with
death at the hands of Arab attackers but• starvation for lack
of food. (/
If the United Nations Security Council does not step in
to solve the tragic problem, it is difficult to foretell the extent
to which bloodshed will rise in Palestine. The security of
800,000 Jews in Moslem countries and of the 700,000 Jews in
Palestine is at stake and unless there is. immediate action—
first through the withdrawal of incompetent British troops
and then by the setting up of an international defense force
—the honor and prestige of the UN will be at stake.
The United States government must share in responsi-
bility for enforcing peace in Palestine. By making a major
issue of the findina of a TNT shipment in New Jersey, through
the inspiration of b British secret service men operating iii this
country, our government is ignoring the more important re-
sponsibility of providing weapons of defense for Jews who
will be helpless in Palestine unless they are given the means
of protecting their lives.
A great responsibility devolves upon the nations of the
world to join in enforcing the UN decision. If the UN finds it
difficult to enforce peace in Palestine, how can we hope for
peace elsewhere on the globe? A good beginning has been
made for the enforcement of justice. Let it be carried through
to a finish, without making a farce of human rights. •
While Dr. Samuel Kurland's book, "Cooperative
Palestine; The Story of Histadrut," is a partisan
story, it nevertheless is one of the most fascinat-
ing descriptions of the richest chapters in the
history of the redemption of Eretz Israel.
Published by Sharon Books (45 E. 17th St.,
New York 3), the. Histadrut history presents a
facts al analysis of 27 years of efforts in the life of
the -Jewish labor movement in Palestine and
draws upon the early history of Zionism to
describe the background in the development of
the labor federation. •
While Histadrut • was formally organized in
December, 1920, at a conference of all labor
groups in Palestine, held at the Haifa Technical
Institute, Dr. Kurland makes an important contri-
bution to Zionist history by analyzing also the
early years of Jewish colonization, the various
Aliyoth, starting with Aliyah Aleph in 1880. and
the differing views which dominated Zionist labor
factions prior to the formation of the Histadrut.
The Mintz: Synonytnous with Histadrut
The foreword by Joseph Schlossberg, chairman
of the National Committee for Labor Palestine
which conducts the Gewerk§haften drives in this
country, is a beautiful tribute to Palestine's labor
movement. Describing the pioneering efforts of
the Jewish labor movement, Mr. Schlossberg as-
serts that "when speaking of the chalutz we
speak of the Histadrut."
Emphasis is made throughout—and the quoted
principles of Histadrut prove it—that Histadrut
is non-political; that any Jewish worker is quali-
fied to join it. Mr. Schlossberg makes the addi-
tional point that Histadrut cooperates with all
national Jewish institutions, including Keren
Kayerneth and Keren Hayesod. He describes how
Histadrut has gained universal support and how,
in the U.S., "the anti-Palestine boycott in the labor
movement had worn out sufficiently to enable
the Histadrut to get a hearing."
A Thrilling History of Zionism
Dr. Kurland's history is, in reality, a brilliant
addendum to the best available Zionist histories.
His description of the struggles during the First
and Second Aliyoth; his analysis of labor attitudes
during the sessions at which the Histadrut was
formed; the detailed explanations of the various
Histadrut agencies—these chapters make fascinat-
ing reading and challenge the interest of all
Jews.
The names of the early pioneers and their ef-
forts to create a movement that will advance so-
cial justice in Palestine read like an inerasable
roll of honor. To list them even in part would
take more than twice the space available for this
review. Suffice it to say that participation in the
building of the labor movement of men like Katz-
nelson, Hos, Brenner, Tobenkin, Ben-Zvi, Baratz,
.Golomb, Remez and scores of others represents
one of the most exciting chapters in the history
of the Jewish state.
Histadrut Sponsored Industries
In addition to the 263 pages of text and pictures,
Dr. Kurland's book includes as an appendix the -
-
statement of principles of Histadrut and a bibliog-
raphy.
Much space deservedly is given in his book to
an evaluation of Histadrut ideals, the labor move-
ment's gifts to the Yishuv, the manner in which
it supports the health agencies represented in
Kupat Holim and Histadrut-supported and spon-
sored industries.
Represented .in Histadrut's cooperative economy-
are: Nir Shitifu, cooperating farmers; Tnuva, co-
operative marketing; Yakhin, agrarian job con-
tracting; Solel Boneh and Koor building agencies;
Shikun housing project; the Nachshon maritime
industry; Aviron air transport; I Workers' Bank;
Kupot Milve ve-Hisakhon, credit and savings co-
operatives; Nir Ltd.
Ltd., agrarian credit; -Bitzur, pub-
lic works credit;
insurance company,
etc.
The complete list of Histadrut agencies readi
like a set of government departments. Indeed,
Histadrut's rise is like the rise of the Jewish
position in Palestine from isolated colonies to a
chain of settlements that forms the. Jewish state
in the making. Histadrut is in the very center of
Jewish creative efforts in Palestine and is the most
powerful symbol of the Jewish triumph in Pales-
tine. In Dr. Kurland, Histadrut has found a bril-
liant historian and an able interpreter of its objec-
tives.
Facts You Should Know
Answers to Readers
Questions
Who were the Scribes?
The term scribe is the translation of the Hebrew
word "sopher," and is used to describe the lay
Jewish scholars of the four or five pre-Christian
centuries in Palestine.
* *
Who were the antediluvians?
Men who lived before the Flood, listed in Sum-
erian inscriptions and in Genesis 4 and 5.
*
When is the "Great Hallel" sung or recited
at Jewish Services?
The so-called "full Hallel" (Psalms 113-118) is
recited on the first day of Passover, Sukkoth, Ha-
nuka and on Seder night.
*
* * *
In what chapter of the Bible are the Ten Com-
mandments?
They are found in the Book of Exodus, Chapter
20, verses 1 to 17.
*
*
* •
Do the Jewish Sabbath and holy days end
at sundown?
No. They end when three stars are visible to
the naked eye.