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The Anti-Semitic Film

Bloody clashes in Berlin compelled the
withdrawal of the anti-Semitic film "Olier
Twist" which is based on the digesting char-
acter of Fagin that was portrayed in Charles
Dickens' book.

Now

By MAXINE

The controversy over this film has not
ended. Theater owners in Vienna and Ham-
burg have threatened to bring the picture to
those cities and the Jewish communities have
protested against it.

`The Treasury of American Drawings'

There will yet be a battle over the show-
ing of this film in this country. It already has
had showings in England and in Canada and
its availability • has aroused debates which
have brought to the fore an anti-Semitic
issue.

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The statement that was made in London
by the British National Board of Review that
it has approved the film for showings "for
adults only" and its admission that children
are to be barred from seeing the .film is an
admission of fault in "Oliver Twist." The fact
that the picture will not be shown in New
York's Radio City Music Hall is only a tem-
porary victory for the progressive move-
ments which are fighting for the elimination
of bigotry on the screen. The battle will be
renewed when theater-owners in many
American cities undertake to bring "Oliver
Twist" and we are due for trouble.

The renewal of anti-Semitism as a result
of the showing of this film is evident in the
conflicting comments in Berlin. One "group
has stated that non-Jews had raised protests
against it because they _resent the revival of
anti-Semitism in the land that only a short
time ago was governed by Adolph Hitler.
But the sponsors of the film—British gentle-
men (?)—charged that Polish Jews had or-
ganized the boycotters. They gave the im-
pression that it was not the reaction to jus-
tice that mattered but that it signalized - the
attitude of disgruntled DP's.

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Thus, we see the evidence' of a recurring
anti-Jewish feeling in Germany, encouraged
unfortunately by people who represent dem-
ocratic countries and who should know bet-
ter than to lend dignity to anti-Semitism.

The battle inherent in the fight against
"Oliver Twist" is symptomatic of a fight on
a worldwide scale. The Chicago Tribune,
commenting on the Gieseking case, charges
that it was President Truman himself who
kept thd German pianist from giving con-
certs in this country—a fantastic charge
which becomes all the more ridiculous when
the Tribune offers this country the rebuke
that "in France he is a welcome visitor."
Instead of reviewing the need for perpetuat-
ing the causes for which we fought a world
war, the Tribune offers justification for prej-
udice and the dignifying of the status of
bigots.

Manv bigots are at large In the world
today. Forrner Nazis are seeking opportuni-
ties to appear as guest artists in American
cities, and only the vigilant are preventing
their glorification. Only the vigilant so far
have protested against the showing of "Oli-
ver Twist." It is the work of the small group
that believes in the admonition "Eternal
vigilance is the price of liberty" that will
serve to protect the highest American ideals.

The battle for justice is on. It was fought
last week in Berlin. It was carried thence-
forth to Vienna. It will be an issue in this
country and in England, Canada, South
Africa and Australia. By being on guard
against bigots and bigotry we shall be as-
suring a safe future for our children who
otherwise will continue to suffer from anti-
Semitism.

THE JEWISH NEWS

Member Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Seven Arts Fea-
ture. Syndicate, King Features, Central Press Association,
Palcor News Agency.
Published every Friday by The Jewish News Publishing.
Co., 2114 Penobscot Bldg., Detroit 26, Mich. WO. 5-1155.
Subscription $3 a year; foreign 54.
Entered as second class matter Aug. 6. 1942 at Post Office,
Detroit, Mich., under Act of March 3, 1879.

PHILIP SLOMOVITZ, Editor

VOL. XIV—No. 25

Page 4

March 4, 1949

Sabbath Scriptural Selections .

This Sabbath, the fourth day of Adar, 5709, the
following Scriptural selections will be read in our
synagogues:
Pentateuchal portion—Ex. 25:1-27:19.
Prophetical portion—I Kings 5:26-6:13.

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R. LEVIN

Jewish News Art Editor

Peace in United Jewish Appeal

Restoration of peace in the ranks of the United Jewish
Appeal, thanks to the efforts of the Jewish Agency, and more
especially the Israeli Minister of Finance, Eliezer Kaplan, is
news to be welcomed with rejoicing.
For three months, plans for UJA drives have been de-
ferred because of an internal conflict that should have been
averted at all costs. Instead, we have had resignations and
arguments which have cast dark shadows upon the Jewish.
communities of America in the historic days that were marked
by wholesale recognitions of Israel by the nations of the world.
In an era which should have found Jews united for
the common purpose of building Israel and completing the
rescue programs for European Jews and our unfortunate
kinsmen in Arabic countries, we experienced, strife and
dissention. The sooner we wipe out the memories of the
months of strife, the better for all concerned in AMerican
Jewry and especially for those who look to us for help
and encouragement. •
A major issue in the struggle experienced among our
leaders was the one raised over the integrity and supremacy
of the Jewish Agency. Having voted to support those who
desire to see Henry Morgenthau Jr. at the head of the 1949
UJA campaigns, the agencies involved should have acted with
dignity in accepting the ruling of the supreme body function-
ing as liaison between the Jews of America and Israel. It, is
unfortunate that unity was postponed even this long. But it is
encouraging that, at last, united action is in view in behalf
of our major great causes.
These are trying days for Jewry and for Israel. We are
challenged to complete a great task—that of emptying the
DP camps and of taking oppressed Jews out of Arabic lands.
We must strengthen Israel's position. As long as hundreds of
thousands of Jews are awaiting resettlement in Israel, Amer-
ican Jewry must supply the bulk of the funds. Israel will be-
come self-sustaining only when the job of placing a million
homeless Jews is completed.
It is a pity that many Jewish leaders did not realize
this major obligation during the past few weeks. It is
inexcusable that strife should have been given a major
place on the community program. With the completion of
efforts to restore peace, enmities must be wiped out and
the selected leaders should be given our wholehearted
support.
It is pleasing to be able to state in behalf of the Jews of
Detroit that the tension on the national, strife-torn front did
not affect our planning. Machinery has been set in motion
for the 1949 Allied Jewish Campaign. Our leaders refused to
be swerved from the right path by divisive occurrences. The
work went on as if nothing had happened in committee rooms
in New York. The Detroit organization concerned itself with
Israel and the people who are awaiting entry in Israel. You
can not feed and house and integrate into the Jewish State's
economy tens of thousands of Jews each month without
large funds. Even the $250,000,000 UJA fund would be inad-
equate to fulfill the existing needs.
American Jewry must present a united front in its great
effort in behalf of the Jewish State. It must raise large
sums to complete the job of state-building. It must lead the
way of fulfilling a great obligation in this historic era. Those
who have blundered with resignations and strife should
mediately return to active service for their people. It is the
only way in which they can retain a place of honor for them-
selves in Jewish history. -
Thus far, the attitude of Dr. Abba Hillel Silver is a nega-
tive one. His statement that "those of the Executive of the
Jewish Agency who capitulated to such demands (for Mr.
Morgenhau's and Mr. Montor:'s return to active leadership)
must now assume full responsibility for the (UJA) campaign"
sounds like a warning of non-cooperation. If that is so, Zion-
ists everywhere will be challenged to compel their leaders to
work for Israel's best interests and to abandon their peeves
and grievances. The needs of the Jewish State and of Jewish
survivors from Nazism come first on the Jewish calendar.
The time to resolve personality issues must be deferred until
the next Zionist conventions when the rank and file of the
Zionist movement will be expected to force adherence to
decisions of the Jewish Agency by men who only recently
saw fit to resign their psoitions on the Agency Executive.

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Charles E. Slatkin and Regin; Shoolman have
compiled "The Treasury of American Drawings,"
a book of the story of American art from pre-
revolutionary days to the present, published by
Oxford University Press. The book contains 163
plates of drawings which illustrate the authors'
material and • historically interpret the times.
These drawings are superbly chosen by the au-
thors to illustrate their conception of the artists'
work. The stress laid on American traditional and
historical development is particularly valuable as
there has been a real need for a complete retro-
spective point of view of American art. While
there have been major one-man retrospective ex-
hibitions held by museums throughout the country,
such as Inness, Ryder, Elshemius, Homer and the
Medern Museum's recent show of the rediscovered
Eli Nadelman, these never attempted a complete
single presentation of American art.
The first chapter of a "Treasury of American
Drawings" deals with the colonial era, when an
artist, lacking schools and tradition, chose between
European standards or his own impulse to produce
a factual, unadorned, representation. The foreign
influence grew from the need for teachers and
material, imposed by the primitive, frontier life.
Benjamin West left the colonies when 25, estab-
lished a studio in London and influenced such men
as Trumbull, 'William Peale. and Morse to enroll
in the Royal Academy. _ Smibert, migrating to the
New World brought Old World standards to his
pupils. Copley "came home" to England, though
his finest work was either the monumental paint-
ings of events of the. Revolution or paintings of
American subjects. Gilbert Stuart returned to the
colonies after their separation, and he and Sully
were the last to paint in the tradition of the Grand
Style.
The book progresses through the American
Romanticists, Alston and Morse, and with the
dissatisfaction with mere portraiture came the
landscapists—Cole, Durand and Audubon—
whose paintings of birds place him with the men
who took their inspiration from outdoor ma-
terial. The grand landscapists of the Hudson
River School, Blakelock and Inness eame next.
Caleb Bingham•vicrorously painted the people,
their surroundings and regional life. Winslow
Homer was truly an American product of this later
period, independent, primarily self-taught and
brilliant. Hunt was homespun, and Whistler. an
American ex-patriot. refining European refine-
ments, turned to the Orient for his decorative and
linear direction.
Next came the scientific realism of Eakins, the
genre portraiture of Eastman Johnson, the Munich
school which influenced Duveneck and was later
personalized by Robert Henri.
Almost contemporary is the newspaper group
with such accomplished men as Henri, Nast,
Bellows, Sloan, Walkowitz, Davidson, Stern and
Sterner, for with the invention of the linoty2-"e
the sketch artist became a regular feature of
the daily press. George Bellows was the most
enthusiastic exponent of the graphic medium;
his lithographs of the prize fight ring are among
• America's masterpieces. Jerome Meyers, Sloan
and Bellows belonged to the "Ash Can" group,
derisively nicknamed because the subjects paint-
ed were slums, alleys and street scenes.
The authors carry the "Treasury" through the
contemporary artists, with reproductions and ex-
planations of the work of Walt Kuhn, Chaim Gross,
William Gropper, Raphael Soyer, Grant Wood,
O'Keefe, Max Weber, Hartley - and many more
besides.
For those of you who are interested in Amer-
ican art and its development, this book is packed
full of information and has a place in any,, good
home library, making a valuable ready reference
book on American art.
An interesting note is that the Stuart portrait-
of Mrs. Sarah Lopez and son has just been ac-
quired by the Detroit Institute of Fine Arts. The
Lopez family were prominent, cultured Sephardic
Jews of the 1800's. A great number of the artists
described by Regina Shoolman and Charles E. Slat-
kin can be seen at our own Institute of Arts. which
has a remarkably complete collection of early
American- art, continuing --through present day
American art.

A Silver Horn Sounds
Beyond the Hills

By DR. NOAH E. ARONSTAM

"Avir Artzech Hayeh Nefesh"—Manne.
A silver horn sounds beyond the hills,
Across the sky,
Its clarion trumphant notes announce a happier
•
day,
As the rising sun flames forth
From his tent in the East on Israel.

Hearken the message it proclaims: -
"Awake, awake with greater strength gird -thyself;
Thy hands shall turn the Negev's desert- wastes
Into flowering fertile fields, -
A joy to thine eyes,
Healing to thy body,
And sweet balm to thy soul.

Awake, awake, gird thyself with nascent strength
And cry aloud:
Not by bread alone liveth man!
Out of the crucible of 'thy destiny
Nobler precepts shall prevail;
Messages of Justice and of Peace

To all the dwellers of the Earth,
To all the denizens of the World"—
This is the silver horn's jubilant acclaim.

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