Election to Presidency of Israel
Caps Weizmann's Long Efforts

(Continued from Page 1)
questioned the wisdom and prac-
ticability of a Jewish state; and
third, to deal with the British,
who were slowly whittling down
their promise to the Jews as
they realized that what many of
them had considered a fantastic
dream was actually taking form.
Almost, it seems, the moment
Britain recognized Jewish rights
in Palestine, she began to re-
strict their efforts and make the
ultimate establishment of a Jew-
ish state increasingly difficult.
Because of Weizmann's belief
in Britain's good faith, he suffer-
ed tremendously in the years
that followed. The Palestine of
the Balfour Declaration was
roughly a country of 44,000
square miles.
But in the early 1920's Britain
detached fully three-fourths of
Palestine—the vast area east of
the Jordan river—and set up
there the independent Arab
kingdom of Transjordan, headed
by Emir (now King) Abdullah,
financing him and his Trans-
jordan Legion, . and sending a
British officer, Brigadier John
Olubb, to command it.
The Palestine remaining for
the Jewish National Home was
roughly 10,000 square miles. •
Setback followed setback. In
1939, Britain issued. a White
Paper- - which prevented Jewish
. purchase of land in 94% of Pal-
estine, and limited Jewish im-
migration to 1,500 a month.
As a result, thousands of
Jews, seeking to escape from
Nazi Europe, found the doors of
the Jewish Homeland closed to
them.
Dr, Weizmann, still insistent
that Britain would ultimately
prOve a friend, found himself
under attack by other Zionist
leaders as .too moderate; and for
two periods was forced to give
up to the presidency of the World
Zionist Organization.
But he continued to travel, to
speak—and to work in his labor-
atories.
* * *
Now we skim the years. Weiz-
mann has moved to Palestine,
to a village • called Rehovot,
south of Tel-Aviv. There he has
founded the Weizmann. Institute
of Science, the greatest research
center in the Middle East. He
sets up his laboratories there
and surrounds himself with
brilliant young assistants who
will carry on his work after
him. •
.He brings his widowed Mother
to Haifa, Palestine, and regular-
ly each year until her death, he
visits her to conduct the im-
memorial Seder service in her
home.
In World- War II he makes
further invaluable contributions
to both Britain and this country.
(President Truman later cites
him for his work in the develop-
ment of synthetic rubber, badly
needed by this country. In that
war his son, Michael, an R.A.F.
flier (then 26) is killed in action.
And the plight of the Jews of

Europe, _under an evil man
named Hitler, reaches a point of
almost incomprehensible horror.
* * *
We see Weizmann in the sum-
mer of 1941. He is seated in a
New York hotel room with this
writer. He is then 67. He draws
deeply on a cigarette, his face
lined and sad. He is summing
up the situation in Europe.
"Everything that has been
built up by the Jews, both in the
East and West of Europe, for
more than 150 years has been
destroyed, obliterated, crushed,"
he tells me.
He predicts that the end of
the war will find 2,500,000 Jews
"floating between heaven and
earth"—uprooted, penniless, dis-
placed—"and the more pathetic
because the once great Jewish
communities will be powerless
to help them."
He could not know that not
only would the great Jewish
communities of Europe—in War-
saw, Vilna, Berlin, Budapest,
Prague, Vienna—be wiped out,
but that 6,000,000 Jews, one-third
of all the 'Jews in the world,
would be massacred by Hitler.
*
*
We meet Dr. Weizmann again
in Jerusalem. It is March, 1946.
He is testifying before the Anglo-
American Committee of Inquiry.
President Truman had asked
Britain to allow 100,000 Jewish
refugees to enter Palestine.
Britain had replied, by suggest-
ing a joint U.S.-British commit-
tee, of six Americans, six Britons
to investigate.
As this writer watches, Weiz-
man speaks:
"We warned you, gentlemen,"
he says, heavily. "We warned
you. We told you that the first
flames Of Berlin would set fire
in time to all the world."
Shocked By Tragedy
He shakes his head bitterly.
"My brain reels when I think
of the six million Jews who were
killed off in such a short time,
and nothing has been done to
prevent a repetition.. . . We are
an ancient people, gentlemen. We
have contributed to the world.
We have suffered. We have a
right to live—a right to survive
under normal conditions. We
are as good as anyone else and
as bad as anyone else."
He tells them he stands before
his people "as a leader who has
failed to achieve anything by
peaceful means." Jews who sur-
vived the Nazi crematoria are
hunted and harried when they
seek to enter Palestine. They
are "illegal" immigrants. Can
one not understand why some of
the young people have turned to
terror, out of their misery and
helplessness?
The Committee returns to
recommend immediate entrance
of the 100,000.
Again the British refuse; and
finally, Britain turns the prob-
lem over to the United Nations.
* * *
Now we see Weizmann again,
in Jerusalem. It is August, 1947.

20—THE JEWISH NEWS
Friday, August 13, 1948

And again as this writer watches,
he testifies before his judges.
This time it is the eleven-nation
United Nations Special Commit-
tee of Inquiry sent to Palestine
to find a solution.
Aged By Tragic Years
Dr. Weizmann is almost 73. I
have seen him age through these
last tragic yearS. His eyes are
tired and on the stand, under a
brilliant light, he reads slowly
from notes typed in large letters.
Yes, he says, the Jewish .peo-
ple had come to Palestine. And
why Palestine? Why this dere-
lict country?, The world said they
could not succeed. The world
would not believe.
"But, gentlemen, he says,
"here we are. Here in Palestine
there were marshes, and we
drained them; there were stones,
and we have planted over them;
there were no houses, and we
have built them; the land was
ridden with diseases, and we
have cleared it.
"All that has been done here,
from the modest cottage of the
settler to the University on Mt.
Scopus, is the work of Jewish
planning, Jewish genius, and of
Jewish hands and muscles, not
only of money and initiative.
Begs for Fair Chance
"This gives us a certain amount
of pride and confidence. Given a
dog's chance, we could do as
well as anybody else.
"But, gentlemen, give us that
chance!"
The United Nations Committee
returns. Its majority recommen
dation is to partition—to divide
—Palestine into two separate, in-
dependent states, one Jewish, one
Arab.
It had found two people in
Palestine. Each had its national
aspirations, its own culture, lan-
guage, religion; each sought its
own independence. Neither Jews
nor Arabs could have all of Pal-
estine.
Instead, give each people its
independence, and then let eco-
nomic necessity bring them to-
gether for their mutual good and
for peace in the Middle East.
And the state finally allotted
to the Jews has been reduced to
an area of 5,500 square miles.
* * *
The wheels of history gain
momentum . . . Great Britain
announces she wilLend her Man-
date on May 15, 1948. In the
United Nations at Lake Success,
L. I., the debates run on in-
terminably. American policy,
British policy, Soviet policy.
There are endless clashes, end-
less maneuvers. Finally, • the na-
tions of the world vote. By more
than a two-thirds majority, par-
tition is voted.
On the basis of that interna-
tional decision, and despite last
minute shiftings.of various coun-
tries, on May 14, 1948, in the
closing hours of the Mandate,
the Jews of Palestine proclaim
the establishment of the Jewish
State. Its name is "Israel."
Dr. Weizmann is now in his
74th year. At the Waldorf As-
toria hotel, ill, unable to appear
at a giant celebration of Israel's
independence, on the evening of

Egyptian Mobs Perpetrate
Savage Attacks on Jews

Charge Government with Tacit Encouragement of Pogroms;
Only 3,000 Jews in Concentration Camps 'Safe;'
Confiscate Property of 250 Jews

PARIS (JTA)—The situation
of the Jews in Egypt was termed
"highly alarming" by a French-
man who returned from Cairo
and gave the first detailed and
uncensored report of the po-
groms, mob violence, mass loot-
ing and terrorism against the
Jewish population which is now
taking place throughout Egypt.
Egyptian mobs, he revealed,
killed three rabbis July 2 by
splitting their • throats, after
dragging them into a Cairo
slaughter house. He estimated
that at least 150 Jews had either
been killed or had "disappeared"
in Cairo incidents during the
last four weeks. A substantial
number of Jews had been
wounded, he said. The pogroms
and anti-Jewish terrorism are
tacitly encouraged' by the passive
attitude of the Egyptian Govern-
ment, he charged.
The gravest single incident, he
reported, occurred on July 20 at
one of Cairo's chief street car
junctions, in Malika Farida
Placo. An organized group of
Egyptians ejected all the Euro-
pean passengers from several
trolleys. All passengers suspected
of being Jews were savagely
killed on the spot, and many had
their eyes pierced or were knifed,

-

•

while non-Jews and Europeans
were robbed of all cash and be-
longings. The police made no
effort to intervene, the French
visitor emphasized.
Of the large number of Jews
in Cairo who have been wound-
ed, he continued, 120 are now
undergoing treatment in the
Jewish hospital. An unan-
nounced number are in govern-
ment or private institutions.
Scattered incidents of knifing
of Jews are repeatedly reported
in ,various parts of the Egyptian
capital, he said.
Both.Jevvs and Europeans were
attacked earlier in July when
they left large motion - picture
theaters, the French traveler
stated. The most violent of these
attacks occurred near the Odeon
and Rivoli Theaters, in the cen-
ter of Cairo, on July 17. The fury
of the Arab mob sent 20 persons
to hospitals. It was in that as-
sault that one Henri Gaillard, a
French national and an Olympics
trainer, was fatally wounded by
seven knife stabs. Gaillard
fought back and succeeded in
killing four of his assailants be-
fOre he collapsed and died; the
informant said.
On July 26, Jews living in
Cairo in the neighborhood of the
Royal Palace or in government-
owned houses were ordered to
move out within 48 hoUrs. That
order provoked a considerable
number of "panic-stricken re-
movals" in the course of which
an Arab mob stole or destroyed.
the belongings of those evicted,
Since July 28 there has been
some tightening up of security
measures, apparently after strong
representations were made to the .
Egyptian. Government by Jeffer- -
son Patterson, the United States
charge d'affaires, following the
murder of Stephen Haas, a Phila-
delphia Jew. Haas' body was
found knifed to death, brutally
mutilated, at a point near the
Citadel, although initial reports
from Cairo stated that the Phila-
delphian had been stoned to
death by an Arab mob.
Emphasizing that, in general,
the position of Jews and Euro-
peans in Egypt continued to be
highly alarming, the Frenchman
asserted that only those Jews
who are now in Egyptian con-
centration camps feel compara-
tively safe. It was his impression
that the Egyptian and other Arab
military failures in Palestine had
resulted in bitterness not against
the Egyptian government and its
leaders who were responsible for
the Arab military fiascoes, but
against the Jews who are their
hostageS.

May 16, a message is brought to
his suite. It is taken by his wife,
Vera, his constant companion.
She reads it, and turns to him.
The cabinet of Israel has met
in Tel Aviv, the only all:jewish
city in the world. They have
elected Dr. Chaim Weizmann
President of Israel.
Great Circle Completed
At the great New York hotel
there is sudden activity; a huge,
new flag is unfurled to fly with
the Stars and Stripes high over
Park Avenue. It is the flag of
Israel: a Chief of State is in res-
idence there.
The greater circle has been
completed. The Jewish boy who
years ago in Pinsk, Russia,
dreamed a dream—an impossible,
an incredible dream—has seen
that dream come true.
"If I forget thee, 0 Jerusalem,"
sung the Psalmist, "let my
tongue cleave to the roof of my
mouth . . . If I forget thee, 0
Jerusalem . . ."
Chaim Weizmann had not for-
gotten. And the glory which
touched the foreheads of the
poor Jews of Pinsk, living in
the misery of the present amid
the magnificence of the past,
shone on the brow of this aged
man again.
The God of Israel had given
to him the gift of life beyond the
Biblical three-score and ten to
see that consummation denied 3,000 Jews in Egypt Camps; .
even to Moses: his people, free Property of 250 Confiscated
and in dignity, in an Israel re-
TEL AVIV (JTA)—Some 3,000
born!
Egyptian Jews are at present
(Copyright, 1948, New York 'Jour-
nal-American. All Rights Reserved. imprisoned in concentration
Distributed by King Features Syndi- camps, it was revealed by Eli
cate).
Fliasher, leader of the Sephardic
community of Israel.
b, NORMAN and SOL NODEL
t..,
b,
RHODA
B
SIMON
ISADOR LUBIN
LIVES OF OUR TIMES
He told a press conference that
the condition of the Jews of
WHILE ATTENDING CLARK UNIVERSITY, HE WORKED
Egypt is worse than that of Jews
NATIONALLY FAMOUS STATIST/ -
AS AN INSTALLMENT COLLECTOR AND LEARNED AT
CIAN,DESCRIBED BY THE (LATE
in other lands, despite the fact
FIRST
HAND
WHAT
THE
HARDSHIPS
OF
ILLNESS
AND
PRES.ROOSEVELTAS'THE MAN WHO
that Egypt is considered the most
UNEMPLOYMENT
MEANT
TO
THOSE
PEOPLE
WHO
CAN MAKE FIGURES TALW:AND
progressive of Middle Eastern
WERE UNABLE TO PAY THEIR BILLS, AND THEN DETER-
WHO N.OW PROPOSES A SURVEY
MINED TO HELP THEM.
Arab countries. Recently, he said,
OF THE ENTIRE RESOURCES*
250 prominent Jews were arrest-
THE WORLD!
ed and their property was con-
fiscated by the government,
(Two Jewish department
MAJORING IN ECONOMICS, HE CONTINUED
stores were bombed in Cairo Aug.
LUBIN WAS BORN 52 YEARS A 0 IN
GRADUATE
STUDIES
AT
THE
UNIVERSITY
WORCESTER,MASSACHUSETTS. RE ARE 0
1. Several clerks were injured
OF MISSOURI AND AT THE AGE OF 21
IN AN ORTHODOX HOME,HIS LATER
and a number of surrounding
WAS APPOINTED INSTRUCTOR OF
LIFE WAS_PROFOUNDLY INFLUENCED
buildings, as well as the stores,
ECONOMICS AT THE INSTITUTION.
BY HIS MOTHERS RELIGIOUS TEACH-
were damaged. They were the
INGS.
third and fourth Jewish depart-
ment stores bombed by Arab
TANT POST-WAR MISSION UNDERTAKEN BY AN AMMAN,
IN I93;,LUBIN ACHIEVED A NATION-
fanatics within the last month.)
PRESENTLY
SERVING
AS
THE
U.S
DELEGATE
TO
THE
AL REPUTATION WHEN PRES. ROOSE-
In Syria, virtually all Jewish
UNITED NATIONS ECONOMIC AND EMPLOYMENT COMMISS -
VELT APPOINTED HIM COMMISIONER
economic life has ceased, with
ION,HE HAS TOURED EUROPE AND ASIA IN A WORLD -
OF LABOR STATISTICS AND 2 YEARS
most of the country's Jewish
WIDE SURVEY OF WAR DEVASTED AREAS.
LATER ASSIGNED HIM AS U.5. REP-
THE MAN WHO STARTED OUT TO HELP SOLVE THE
residents attempting to reach
RESENTATIVE TO THE INTERNATION.
THE ,LABOR PROBLEMS OF HIS COUNTRY-MEN NOW
AL ORGANIZATION IN GENEVA.
Beirut, Lebanon. In the latter
INTERPRETS THE FIGURES THAT REVEAL THE PULSE OF
country, Eliashar asserted, all
THE WORLD?
.- -
- - .
. •
Zionist sympathizers have been
THIS IS
AT THE OUTBREAK OF WAR 2, HE
DURING WORLD WARINE WAS ASSIGNED
interned in the Baalbek camp.
SERVED AS CHIEF ECONOMIC AS-
AS STATISTICIAN TO THE U.S. FOOD AD-
SISTANT TO PRES. ROOSEVELT
PRISAPDR IN
In Iraq, economic restrictions are
MINISTRATOR AND SERVED AS CONSULT-
IN 1945 WAS APPOINTED ASSOC-
ANT TO Tilt WAR INDUSTRIES BOARD.
slowly being imposed on the
IATE U.S.REPRESENTATIVE ON
IN 1928, NE WAS ECONOMIC ADVISOR
Jews and no Jew may leave the
THE AWED COMMISSION ON
TO THE U.S. SENATE COMMITTEE ON
country unless he deposits a
REPARATIONS, A POSITION RE-
EDUCATION AND LABOR,
FERRED TO AS'THE MOST IMPOR-
$20,000 bond guaranteeing his
return.

jCOPYoUGHTI ivof • NW/SO Tell411APHIC AGING