As the Editor
N'iews the News ...

Her Baby__

light in the World'

Burt Thomas' recent cartoon in the De-
troit News, "Light in the World," reproduced
h e r e, is eloquent
commentary on the
objectives of the
74 - National Con f
e n c e of Christians
and Jews, and its.
local arm, the De-
troit Round Table,
in the important ef-
fort to advance the
cause of good will,
hroug h Brother-
hood Week, which
will be observed
:'Feb. 20 ,27. Strongly
endorsed by Presi-
dent Truman, whose message was quoted in
these columns last week, and backed by lead-
ing Americans of all faiths, Brotherhood
Week makes its appeal at this time to all
Americans to help strengthen the cause of
decency and to avoid pitfalls which threw the
European continent into consternation . as a
result of appeals to hatred and bigotry.
Among the numerous statements issued
by prominent Americans in support of Broth-
President Trum a n's message of greetings to the conven-
erhood Week, the following by the noted ac-
tion • of the American Association of English-Jewish News-
tress, Cornelia' Otis Skinner, is most signifi-
papers, on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the Eng-
cant. Miss Skinner stated:
lish-Jewish weekly press in America, reflects the high-mind-
"Racial and religious intolerance is a
edness characteristic of all great Americans. The President
disease of the mind as contagious as it is
has utilized his message to indicate that the progress wit-
pernicious. It can spring up overnight
nessed by our country during the past century "has been
amid apparently civilized communities of
possible because we were richly endowed by nature; but
apparently sane people and spread with
even more so because we have drawn to ourselves from all
the blasting speed of a forest fire in a
the nations of the earth those who loved freedom best."
high wind until there is no controlling it.
"For one hundred years, the Jewish press has been a po-
"It is no use our sitting back and pas-
tent force in building the America we love," the President
sively assuming the attitude that, .given
declares. During the past 100 years, the Jewish population of
time, racism will eventually cure itself.
America has grown one-hundred fold. There have been tran-
It won't. It can only be cured — and by
sitional periods in the development of Jewish periodicals.
cured I mean obliterated — if you and I
Jewish newspapers have appeared in German, Ladino, He-
and every self respectinc, citizen of this
brew and Yiddish. Today, the weekly Jewish press published
country and of the world starts doing
in English has assumed the leading role in our community
something about it and starts that some-
structure. The practical cessation of immigration to the
thing right away."
These sentiments are not intended for United States has reduced the potential number of Yiddish
Jews alone, or for Catholics exclusively, or readers and, as is indicated in the special article on the history
for Negroes. They are addressed to Ameri- of the Jewish press in America, published elsewhere in this
issue, the development of news-gathering and the distribu-
cans, all Americans, of all creeds and' races.
If we stand firm in support of such views tion of information about world Jewry now is centered in the
and treat prejudice as mischief, we shall de- English-Jewish periodicals appearing in 33 states.
The English-Jewish weekly newspaper has been a power
feat bigotry. All of us, working, together, can
do it. But if only a few of us adhere to these for great good in advancing the best interests of America.
ideals, only during one week in the year, Every cause of merit has had the support of our press. Our
then the battle for justice will be prolonged editors have shared in the battle for justice and for demo-
the day of true brother- cratic ideals. This press has played a most important role in
and the comin g
hood will be bdelayed. In order to avoid the advancement of - the Zionist cause and in the battle for
travesties on justice similar to those that the rebirth of the State of Israel where the dispossessed Jews
of Europe, Asia and Africa now are finding a permanent
were in evidence in the Cardinal Mind-
szenty case, the basic ideals of brother-
haven of refuge.
Our press has not had easy sailing. Many of our communi-
hood and good will must be advanced with-
ties have been slow in showing their appreciation for the
out hesitation and with firm determination
to eradicate all semblances of indecency from periodicals which were intended to advance the highest ideals
in American and Jewish life. As a result, some of the news-
civilized society.
papers had their inceptions as local gossip sheets, major em-
phasis having been placed in their columns upon society news
Detroit's Jewish Vocational Service has and on fund-raising campaigns. In great measure, emphasis on
undertaken an important job of finding jobs these two factors remain the two major negative elements in
the English-Jewish press. Social items and campaign news
for people over 50.
are important but they are not the be-all-and-end-all of a
It is apparent that the employment prob-
lems once again is becoming acute for men worthy press.. The fault for such conditions lies not with the
editors and publishers but _with the communities which have
and women who have passed the half cen-
failed
to encourage the expansion of these periodicals 'into
tury mark. There is nothing more tragic that
strong organs of public opinion. Such encouragement would,
the plight of able-bodied people who are
willing to work but who are deprived of an of necessity, involve financial support through enlarged circu-
opportunity to earn a livelihood on account lations and a greater amount of advertising. •
But the handicaps are being overcome through the initia-
of their ages. -
It is encouraging to read the report of tive of most of the editors and publishers themselves. The rise
of the State of Israel, the events which created interest-stir-
the Jewish Vocational Service indicating
ring issues in the years preceding the Israeli Declaration of
that some employers have responded to. this
agency's call and have provided jobs for Independence and the problems of the displaced persons have
people over 50. The variety of jobs listed by inspired the publishing of an increased amount of world news
of general . Jewishinterest. More writers of ability have made
the agency as being well suited to older em-
their appearance and the Jewish editor of our day is, in the
ployees shows a wide range and it is sincerely
main, a well-trained newspaperman who is fully equipped to
to be hoped that the JVS appeals in behalf of
produce a good newspaper.
the 50-year-old unemployed will not fall on
The ultimate objective will not be attained as long as
deaf ears.
every
congregation, every auxiliary, every "league" and
This is the urgent appeal to employers:
"council," every mary-jane-and-shirley and every tom-dick-
if it is at all possible for you to provide a
and-harry gets an idea that he can publish a bulletin of his
job fors a person over 50, be sure to call the
own. You can't "milk" the community for advertising for
Jewish Vocational Service, CAdillac 8570.
every insignificant little leaflet and expect, at the same time,
the fullest measure of backing for the community publication.
You can't divide energies and look forward to complete ful-
Member Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Seven Arts Fea-
fillment of news-coverage obligations by the existing news-
ture Syndicate, King Features, Central Press Association,
Palcor News Agency.
paper. This is as much a fault with national organizations,
Published every Friday by 'file Jewish News Publishing
which are spending excessive amounts of money for "house
Co., 2114 Penobscot Bldg., Detroit 26, Mich. WO. 5-1155.
Subscription 83 a year; foreign 84.
organs," as it is with local societies.
Entered as second class matter Aug. 6. 1942 at Post Office,
The beginning of the second century of English-Jewish
Detroit, Mich., under Act of March 3, 1879.
weekly
newspaper publishing should be an occasion for clos-
PHILIP SLOMOVITZ. Editor
er cooperation between communities and their newspapers.
VOL. XIV—No. 23 Page 4 February 18, 1949
The dissemination of proper news is of vital importance to all
our efforts, as well as for the building of close neighborly rela-
Sabbath Scriptural Selections
This Sabbath, the twentieth day of Shevat,
tions with our fellow-Americans of other faiths. A good Jew-
5709, the following Scriptural selections will be
ish press is to the best interests of our country, the movements
. read in our synagogues:
which strive for the perpetuation of the highest Jewish ideals
Pentateuchal portion—Ex. 18:1-20:23.

-

Anniversary of Jewish Press

People Over Fifty

THE JEWISH NEWS

Prophetical portion—Is. 6:1-7:6;9:5,6..

and Israel.

'The Embers Still Burn'

Hirschmann Book Serves
The Cause of Justice

The situation in Europe and the Middle East is
not as serious now as was when Ira A. Hirsch-
mann first wrote "The Embers Still Burn: An Eye
Witness Account of Our Get-Soft-With-Germany
Policy." But for the record, in order that it may
serve as a guide for future actions and as part of
the significant post-war historical analysis of the
tragedies that were in-
flicted upon the displaced
persons, this . book, just
published by Simon and
Schuster, 1230 Sixth Ave-
nue, New York 20, is one
of the great documents of
our times.
Mr. Hirschmann, whose
earlier book, "Lifeline to
a Promised Land," help-
ed expose the tragedies
inflicted upon Jewish
survivors from Nazism,
reveals how American
military leaders in Ger-
many failed to do their
duty in facilitating res-
cue work among DPs. He
pays glowing tribute to
Ira Hirschmann
General Eisenhower for
his powerful directive which ordered all-out help
for the survivors and shows how General McNarn-
ey, when he realized the urgency of the situation,
came forth with a ruling that saved many Jews.
.Because his book appeared before the establish-
ment of the Jewish State, Mr. Hirschmann natur
ally does not lead up to the final stage of liquida-
tion of DP camps. He shows how his boss, the
late Fiorello LaGuardia. who assigned him to
UNRRA tasks in Europe, did all that was humanly
possible to help relieve the situation that was
created by Britishers like General Morgan and
Americans who show anti-Jewish bias.
"The Embers Still Burn" is replete with many
incidents which indicate that there was a lack of
understanding of the Jewish position by Jews as
well as non-Jews. When he asked Paul Felix War-
burg, assistant to U. S. Ambassador W. Averill
Harriman, in London, to assist the Zionist cause,
Warburg said, "I wouldn't push it too hard," and
"I wouldn't be too aggressive about the Zionists."
Harriman himself was strongly pro-British and
therefore unsympathetic to the Zionist cause.
His descriptions of the DP camps makes the
reader's hair stand on edge. His determination to
help was resisted but he succeeded in the long
run, although it took Israel's courage to achieve
the final triumph.
Mr. Hirschmann's expose of the activities of
General Anders and his anti-Semitic Poles throws
light on an issue which caused much trouble
for Jews.
In a foreward to the hook, Bartley C. Crum en-
dorses Mr. Hirchmann's "views that we must
strive, as Americans, to achieve an honorable un-
derstanding with the Soviet Union and thus avoid
another war."
"The Embers Still Burn" is a truly great book.
It does not hide facts and it causes the truth to
burn _ into the memory of the reader, thereby
makino. .him a fighter for justice. A large distribu-
tion of this book would mean a great contribution
to the cause of justice and in the battle against the
inhumanity of man to man.

'Universal Jewish History' .

Dr. Biberfelcrs 10-Volume
Work Is Highly Scholarly

The first in a series of 10 volumes which, col-
lectively, will comprise the "Universal Jewish
History" by Rabbi Philip Biberfeld, published by
the Spero Foundation, 33 W. 42nd St., New York,
has just come off the press. Judging by the schol-
arly approach in the first volume, devoted to "An-
cient Jewish History," this should emerge as an
outstanding contribution to Jewish literature.
Dr. Biberfeld's work is more than history: it
also is splendid commentary and is the result of
many years of deep and devoted study.
The inclusion in the first volume of an appen-
dix dealing with the Bible and ancient law codes
including those of the Hammurabi, Hittites, Assy-
rians, is an indication of the extent to which the
author went to present analogies and to outline
the 'moral codes of the early days in our history..
The reader will be enchanted with Dr. Biber-
feld's outline of the derivation and development of
the Hebrew alphabet. Confusion in -language in
early days is brilliantly explained. As a matter
of fact, his entire work reads like a complete
development of the ancient peoples and their rise
to civilized status.
Those who accept the first volume will want
the following works vi,ich will include histories
of primitive times, the patriarchal age, the First
and Second Hebrew Commonwealths, Dominance
of East, West, Eastern Europe and the New World.

Facts You Should Know:—
Why is the "Kaddish" said by mourners?

The Kaddish, as said by the mourners, is one
of the slightly reduced form from that which is
said during the services. Originally, mourners
didn't say the Kaddish. What was required of
mourners, however, was that they perform meri-
table deeds, study the law, read the Torah, and
act as cantor in the synagogue. According to the
Jewish way of thinking, nothing that a man can
leave after him is as significant as a son who will
do good deeds and carry on the traditions passed on
by the generations. It is related in the Talmud
that after death, man passes through a trial period
of a maximum of twelve months during which it
is decided whether he shall enter the paradise
of the vcrorld to come or be doomed to the inferno.
During this time no greater evidence can be pre-
sented before the Divine Tribunal than the actions
of his children. As soon as the Tribunal is con-
vinced of the dead man's merit he passes on le •
the glorious world beyond. If at the end of 12
months no evidence has been presented, the body
is automatically consigned to Satan. It is for this
reason, therefore, that the rabbis used every
possible means to encourage the mourners to do
the many good deeds in the synagogue.