As the Editor
Views the News ...
The Smell Is Awful!
Sulamith Ish-Kishor's
Book Earns Acclamation
Unity in Our Campaign
Contrary to earlier beliefs that Lessing J.
Rosenwald's American Council for Judaism
would become an independent fund-raiser for
"relief, resettlement and general humanitar-
ian needs of distressed co-religionists and
others," the anti-Zionist movement instead
has issued a statement urging its members to
support the 'following: Refugee Assistance
Fund, Hebrew Sheltering and Immigrant Aid
S'ociety, American Friends Service Commit-
tee, American Overseas Aid and United Na-
tions Appeal for Children.
A news release from the anti-Zionist Coun-
cil explains that in accordance with a resolu-
tion adopted by its St. Louis convention "it
instructed the president and the executive
committee to negotiate with relief agencies,
and in particular with the Joint Distribution
Committee, for the establishment of proce-
dures or a separate fund that will make pos-
sible the widest and most generous support
of those in distress without any moral con-
straint due to what was described as the
present comingling of funds for humanitar-
ian purposes with those that. are expended
for political and foreign governmental pur-
poses in the United Jewish Appeal."
. In his reeport to his executive -committee,
Mr. Rosenwald stated that "quite apart from
the merits of our contention. the contracts
existing between JDC and UPA, and con-
tracts between JDC and local welfare funds,
make it impossible for JDC to accede to our
request."
It is clear from the statement of the anti-
Zionist Council that it objects to political
actions involving Palestine. In some commun-
ities their followers have rendered serious
harm to the UJA campaigns by refusing to
contribute to relief and Palestine redemption
funds and by urging others to do likewise.
In spite l of the American position in support
of partition—a stand which has not been
abandoned, if we are to believe President
Truman's repeated assertions of friendship
for the cause' of Jewish statehood in Pales-
tine—Mr. Rosenwald's group has carried on
an antagonistic battle against Zionism.
The most objectionable element in such
an obstructionist campaign is the failure of
the Rosenwald-Council group to acknowledge
that the agreements between JDC, UPA And
Welfare Funds (Federations) • are the result
of the overwhelming sentiments of the five
million American Jews (less the two thou-
sand anti-Zionist Council members) in sup-
port of a program that will facilitate the es-
tablishment of the independent Jewish Com-'
monwealth in Palestine, while, at the same
time, unifying' the American Jewish com-
munities in efforts for the relief, and even-
tual settlement in Palestine, of the European
survivors from Nazism.
The five organizations—Jewish and non-
sectarian" selected by Mr. Rosenwald's group
for assistance by anti-Zionists—are worthy
causes and no one will hold it against them
that the anti-Zionist Council has chosen to
support them. Even from these groups, how-
ever, there undoubtedly will come rejection
of left-handed endorsement that emanates
from antagonism to the major causes set up
to wave lives in Europe, to protect the Jewish
position in Palestine and to help bring refu-
gees to this country.
Fortuantely, the obstructionist Council has
failed to make inroads in Detroit. Our unity,
'as it is expressed in the wonderful 1948' Al-
lied Jewish Campaign, should continue to
serve as a rebuke to anyone who may enter-_
taro the slightest notion even of impairing
Jewish solidarity in support of the major
causes of the UJA for the Joint Distribution
Committee, the United Palestine Appeal and
the United Service for New Americans.
One of the most impressive contributions to the
Jewish history shelf is Sulamith Ish-Kishor's
"Everyman's History of the Jewish People" which
Frederick Fell, Inc., (386 Fourth Ave., New York)
recently published.
In 304 pages, including eight pages of index,
Miss Ish-Kishor, who is widely known for her -
children's stories and numerous essays on Jewish
subjects, has covered all of Jewish history, from
the earliest days through the November• 1947
UN partition decision.
Treating her subject as "the'. story of an idea,"
Miss Ish-Kishor's approach is so fascinating from
the viewpoint of story-telling that her book at
once emerges as a very popular history which
should attract the interest of Jews and non-
Jews, young and old alike.
Frederick V. Fell, the publisher, has reason to
be proud of the fact that Miss Ish-Kishor's his-
tory was chosen as the February selection of the
Jewish Book Guild of America. The book will
make a splendid gift. It is light reading and at
the same time will serve as a reference work.
The acclaim "Everyman's History of the Jews"
already has received is well earned.
Father of Partition
By DAVID SCHWARTZ
had thought that Dr. Chaim
Until lately,
Weizmann was the father of partition, but then I
began to recall my history and it seems that the
idea is as old as the hills. Probably the American
who espoused the idea of partition in the biggest
way was President Theodore Roosevelt.
Kermit Roosevelt, who always appears on the
Town Meeting of the Air programs, to speak in
behalf of the poor Arabs who have only seven in-
In reply to a series of questions in the Australian Parlia- dependent and sovereign states, ought to read up
on the biography of his father, for Teddy Roose-
ment concerning the work of the Australian delegations to velt
at one time put through the biggest case of
the UN, Dr. Herbert V. Evatt, Minister for External Affairs, partition in history. In fact at one and at the
who was the chairman of the UN Palestine Ad Hoc Com- same time, Teddy put through three cases of
partition.
mittee at the last General Assembly, declared that his gov-
It was Teddy who engineered the construc-
of the Panama Canal back in 1903. That was
ernment does not believe that the UN Palestine partition tion
a case of the partition of a continent. A major
plan should be summarily abandoned, the decision having
surgical operatiOn was performed on the con-
fluent at the Isthmus of Panama, cutting the
been arrived at only after a most thorough investigation of
hemisphere in two so that; paradoxically, east
the facts and serious consideration of other alternatives. He
and west .might be the better tied together.
Remember, there was no such thing -as the
pointed out that UN decisions should not be -`revoked because
Panama Republic before the days of Teddy. The
of trends; that because the U. S. has changed its opinion it land around the Isthmus was part of the Republic
of Colombia.
does not follow that Australia should do likewise.
Teddy Roosevelt was not satisfied with the dis-
Answering criticisms that Australia's delegates had voted patch with which the Bogota Government I es-
with small nations and Russia against the' U. S. and 'Britain, ponded to his proposals to construct the canal.
"We must have partition," Teddy Roosevelt said,
Dr. Evatt said that it was in accordwith the policy of making
and he had it. He dispatched some American
just and impartial decisions; that it did not suggest any battleships
to the coast of Panama. Whatever
lineup, as Australian votes often were against the Soviet. troops of- Colombia there were around the Isthmus
At Lake Success, an Australian amendment which would were given $50 each, in bribes. Dr. Amador, an
have referred action on the Jerusalem issue to the General employee of the company which was interested in a
building - of a canal, had devised a flag of
Assembly sub-committee rather than to the Trusteeship the
new republic which was raised and Dr. Amador
Council was defeated, 26-20, but the fact that 20 countries— was proclaimed President of the Republic of
including the Soviet bloc, Latin American lands and the Panama.
"The people of Panama rose in revolution as
Pacific Dominions—lined up- against the U. S. is ari indication
one man,P President Theodore Roosevelt ex-
that a reversal of partition will meet with strong, possibly
plained and Senator John - Sharp Williams in
victorious, Opposition.
the U.S. Senate Commented: "The one man who
represented
our
Government,
The disturbing factor is that
rose was Teddy Roosevelt."
at the UN by irresolute men, was subjected to so many re-
So Panama was partitioned off from Colombia
bukes. Observers and correspondents at the UN sessions and the Canal was built.
I am not in annroval of the tactics employed by
were unanimous in the belief that the U. S. spokesmen had
Teddy Roosevelt in senarating Panama from
mismanaged their trust.
.
.
Colombia. We gave the Colombians something of
That it should have been necessary for Dr. Abba
a raw deal. yet Teddy Roosevelt was doubtless
right when he contended that the building of the
Hillel Silver to reply. to a slur by Jamal Hasseini of the
Panama Canal was something so paramount that
Palestine Arab Higher Committee, who referred to him
geogranhical niceties should not be permitted to
as "Russian-born," is in itself shocking proof of a tragic
retard it.
situation made more tragic by the incompetence of the
The partitioning of Colombia into two states,
Colombia and Panama, did not end Teddy's parti-
U. S.- representatives. On previous occasions, Arab spokes-
tioning in this matter. Panama was subjected to
men have insulted the entire American Jewish com-
another partitioning, for the Canal Zone was made
munity, impugning our loyalty, and the U. S. "statesmen"
American territory. So Theodore Roosevelt put
listened in silently. Dr. Silver found it necessary to
through a triple partitioning at one and the
assert before the UN. Political Committee - in reply to
same time.
'The moral of the story is that' the justice of
Husseini: "I submit that it was rather an unworthy
partitioning denends on your right arm. If you've
statement to make," and pointed out that his loyalty to
got the battleships to send clown to effect it, it is
the U. S. required no testing by the Arab Higher Corn-
right. If you have no battleshipS to put it through,
mittee and that in America "we are all immigrants." 'The
it is morally wrong.
To those who contend that the Jews, in urging
,,, statement should have been made by Warren Austin or
partition, have become the exponents of a
one of his associates. Their silence added to their disgrace.
• divisive idea, I submit one question, to wit:
It fell to the lot of Andrei Gromyko to 'describe Hus- "Was not that a greater and more rigorous par-
seini's charge that Jewish fighters in Palestine were being titioning, this act of the Arabs in partitioning
off to therhselves such a vast area of the world's
trained in Russia as "a slanderous assertion in a whole series
surface, while the Jews are left nationally
of irresponsible allegations."
homeless?"
(Copyright. 3946, JTA, Inc.)
With the reappointment of Maj. Gen. John H. Hilldring
Regrettable Rebuke to the U. S.
as Special Assistant Secretary of State for Palestine Affairs
there may, after all, emerge a final favorable solution for Pal-
estine from the UN deliberations. It is regrettable, however,
that a vacillating American policy should have been permit-
ted to lead to continuation of bloodshed. Dr. Frank Kingdon
thus described the American position: "We have muddied the
Member Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Independent Jewish
Press Servide, Seven Arts Feature Syndicate, Palcor
waters of Lake Success and become entrapped in our own
Agency, King Features, Central Press Association.
mire. The issue behind Palestine is the integrity of our own
Published every Friday by The Jewish News Publish-
ing Co., 2114 Penobscot Bldg., Detroit 26, Mich., WO. 5-1155.
government and, because we have forsaken that, the disgrace
Subscription, $3 a year; foreign, $4.
of Palestine is even more vividly our own disgrace." And the
Entered as second-class matter Aug. 6, 1942. at Post Of-
fice, Detroit, Mich., under -Act of March 3, 1879.
Detroit 'News stated editorially: "Washington has played the
fool in this matter. History will be kind if it does not also
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Philip Slornovitz say we played the knave."
Maurice Aronsson
Isidore Sobeloff
Fred M. Butzel
It is painful to be compelled to charge U. S. spokesmen.
Abraham Srere
Judge Theodore Levin
with major responsibility. for what transpired in Palestine.
Henry Wineman
Maurice H. Schwartz
The indictment is inherent in the stark facts. A strong Ameri-
PHILIP SLOMOVITZ, Editor
can policy could have averted trouble and our Government
VOL. xfii—No. 8 Page 4 MAY 7, 1948
could have - shared in the glory of having helped in the estab-
lishment of the Jewish State. Under the circumstances, his-
Sabbath Scriptural Selections
tory will record that Jewish efforts alone were responsible
Penta- teuchal portion—Lev. 16:1-18:30.
for the attainment of independence for Judaea. Perhaps this
Prophetical portion—I Sam. 20:18-42._
the most honorable
Rosh Hodesh Iyar Scriptural selections on Sun- is the more desirable—since it is proving
in
a
sad
struggle
for
justice
and
self-liberation.
•—result
day and Monday . Num. 28:1-15.
THE JEWISH NEWS
A Popular Hisfory
-
Facts You Should Know
Answers to Readers
Questions ...
• Wat is the derivation of the word "Matzoh?"
"Matzoh," the name given to the special form
of bread eaten on Passover, may have its origin
from one of two sources. It may-have come from
the Hebrew word meaning to "suck out." This
idea stems from the fact that the "Matzoh" has
the look. of "strained out" bread when compared
with the usual type of leavened bread, while
"Matzoh," of course, never rises. It may also come
from a Hebrew word meaning "to squeeze" or
"to press." In this sense the "Matzoh" appears as
-"flattened" or "squeezed out" bread when collo-
pared to the loose and fluffy type of leavened
bread. In line with either of these two definitions,
it is easy to understand why the Bible (Deuter-
onomy 16:3) refers to the "Matzoh" as "Lechem
Oni," which means the "Bread of the Poor" er
the "Bread of Affliction." The comparatively ema-
ciated look of the "Matzoh" denotes the affliction
suffered by the Israelites in Egypt.