Let's Sign It Together As the Editor Views the ;News ... 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. * * * 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. * * 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. X . 2,41. t.:11r, 411. 111 We 11, ig • VIZ Ilk 411,41C,.., 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. 'S. "t Alf IC tab ILI' IC 'S. i7A. •ift - .C. t .41; sr t 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. air K