Women Planning Calls to .14 ,000
For Contributions On 'THE Day'

Mrs. Harry L. Jones is serving campaign assignments, Mrs. Jones

as chairman of planning and or- is president of the Detroit chap-

ganization for THE Day, Sunday,
April 24, of the Women's Division
of the 1949 Allied Jewish Cam-
paign. On that one day, the 2,000
workers in general solicitation
will call upon their 14,000 pros-
pects for one contribution to
cover the more than 50 causes
included in the 1949 campaign.
Every Jewish woman in De-
troit has a responsibility on THE
Day, Mrs: Jones emphasized. She

2

—

THE JEWISH NEWS

Friday, April 1, 1940

Truman Cancels

Attendance at
Weizmann Event

ter of Hadassah and a member
of the board of the Detroit Sec-
tion of the National Council of
Jewish Women.
Any woman who is interested
WASHINGTON (JTA)—Pres-
in working on THE Day is in-
vited to call Mrs. Horwitz at the ident Truman announced at a
Women's Division office, WO. press conference that he will not
5-3939.
attend the dinner scheduled to
be held in New York April 23 in
honor of Israeli President Chaim
Wheat Pact Signed
Weizmann.
By Israeli Delegates
The President explained that
the
urgency of his work and his
WASHINGTON, D. C. (Pal-
crowded schedule with Congress
cor) — Israeli delegates signed
now in session compel him to
their names in Hebrew to the
International Wheat Agree-
cancel his plans to attend. He
ment, the first multi-national
also blamed impending "inter-
accord to bear Israel's signa :-
national decisions" for his action.
.ture. The signatories were Dr.
The Weizmann dinner is being
Ludwig • Samuel and Arthur
tendered by the American Com-
Liverhant, Israel's representa-
mittee for the Weizmann Insti-
tiVes *at • the International
tute of Science at Rehovoth.
Wheat- Conference.. •
Earlier, President Truman as-
The Wheat Conference, -com-
serted that he was "still hopeful
prising more than _40. countries,
that we can get the civil rights
voted last week to admit Is-
program through during the
rael. Membership -means that
present Congressional session.
Israef.will be able to purchase
Wheat._ ,at • the • international
Weizmanns Leave for U.S.
-price fixed- by the 'COnference
MRS. HARRY L. JONES --
TEL AVIV (JTA)—I sr a eli
instead of at the much higher
President and Mrs. Chaim Weiz-
should be in one of two placesL---
prices demanded On the 13ri-
mann will leave for the United
working on one of the solicitation
vate market. In addition Israel
States, by way of Paris, on April
teams, or at home awaiting an
also Will benefit by the Wheat
4. The President, who will at-
Allied Jewish Campaign worker.
transportation facilities pro-
tend a dinner in his honor in
Working with Mrs. Jones on
vided for members of the Con-
New York on April 23, will be
THE Day is Mrs. William B.
ference.
accompanied by a party of 13.
Isenberg, .chairman of general
solicitation. In addition to her
Eddie Jacobson, 'former busi-
ness partner of President Tru-
man, and Mrs. Jacobson, arrived
in Israel aboard an Air France
plane. They were met at Lydda
Airport by James G. McDonald,
By PHILIP SLOMOVITZ
United States Ambassador, their
host. They were entertained at
Censorship: A Challenge to Jewry
dinner by Dr. and Mrs. Weiz-
Protests against the showing of the filmed version - of Charles mann.
Dickens' "Oliver Twist" because of the anti-Semiti6- nature of the
President Weizmann received
portrayal of the character of Fagin are arousing worldwide attention
and have inspired serious charges that Jews are resorting to un- a delegation of World Jewish
Congress leaders who extended to
justified censorship.
One of Jewry's best friends, the Rev. DrI . John Haynes Holmes, him the congratulations of the
in an article in the Saturday Review of Literature on ''Sensitivity Jews outside Israel on his elec-
as Censor," makes an interesting analysis of the question and points tion as the first President of
against Fagin, why Israel.
out that if there is justification for
shouldn't the British resent the portrayal of Bil Sikes? John Mason
Brown, in an article on "Wishful Banning," also in Saturday Review Dinner to be Held on Schedule
of Literature, suggests that the Danes should object to "Hamlet"
NEW YORK, (JTA) — The -
as anti-Danish and should resent the reference to something being "Salute
to the President of
rotten in Denmark in the Shakespearean play. .
Since there already have been protests against the presentation Israel" dinner scheduled to take
of "The Merchant of Venice" and only recently a movement was place at the Waldorf-Astoria
started against Scott's "Ivanhoe", Dr. Holmes reviews at great length April 23 : will be held :"as pre-
the entire issue, including Negro protests against "Uncle Tom's viously announced, notwithstand-
Cabin," because of claims that Uncle Tom is slandered in the story,
in order to show that "the Jews are not the only people who are ing our disappointment at the
inability of President Truman to
mistakenly sensitive." In the case of Fagin, he makes this point:
"Is this a case of anti-Semitism? If so, then we must believe
be with 'us. on this occasion," a .
that all Jews are saints, and that_ no evil must ever be ascribed
statement released by Meyer
to any one of them. Other men, of other race or religion, may
Weisgal, executive vice chairman
commit crimes, but not members of the house of Israel. These
of teh American Friends of the
latter are outside the pale of frail and faulty human nature,
Weizmann Institute of Science—
and thus never guilty of debasing qualities of character. The
logic here, in other words, is that the Jew shall have literary
sponsors of the- dinner—declared.
immunity from the sins that do so easily beset the rest of the
human family."
Many others have expressed the view that anti-Semitism often
exists only in the fancy of the -Jew himself. The Globe and Mail of
Toronto recently made this accusation in an editorial on the subject
of "Oliver Twist." But a number of readers of Saturday Review of
Literature dissented. For instance, Margaret Halsey of New York
The Food Service Council has
wrote that "in its discriminatory practices official and unofficial, the
United States has demonstrated beyond the shadow of a doubt that planned two dinner meetings of
it is not mature enough for such literary fare as Shylock, Fagin and its members in behalf of the 1949
Uncle Tom. Dynamite is a useful and impressive substance, but one Allied Jewish Campaign. Max
does not give it to babies for a play thing." Morton R. Sarett, also Osnos, who recently returned
of New York, wrote that "censorship is a horrible word. Even more
horrible is the use of freedom of expression to maul and maim those from a tour of Europe and Israel,
minority groups who• have to take refuge in censorship to avoid will address the meeting at 6:30
p.m., April 4, at the Book Cadil-
a worse evil."
But in Israel the reaction, happily, is different. While "Oliver lac Hotel, while Dr. B. Benedict
Twist" was banned in the Jewish State, the discussion there is Glazer will speak to a group of
wholesome on the subject. Some correspondents, in letters to the- division members at 6:30 p.m.,
Palestine Post, have protested against the ban. For instance, S. April 6, at the Book Cadillac.
Goldschmidt saw nothing particularly offensive in the film. He main-
Elections have been completed
tained that we are not thanked for Einstein and should not be blamed
for Fagin, that there are Fagins in our midst and that if we did not in the division of the following
have them it would not stop Mosley from spreading anti-Semitism, campaign officers: Paul Zucker-
that only the assimilated Jews were worried about the minor anti- man, chairman; Benjamin Gros-
Semites who might be affected by the repulsive character of Fagin. berg, Morey L. .Rosenthal, co-
Some Israeli, including some newspapers, took the opposite view. chairmen; Tom Borman, Samuel
But quite a few defended Charles Dickens. Thus, Aryeh Gelblum, Franker, Lester Gruber, John E.
writing in Haaretz, trying to look at the issue as a non-Jew would, Lurie, Morris Mendelson,, Max
brands the anti-"Oliver Twist" protests as a display of sensitiveness,
fear and inferiority complex. He pointed out that Israeli youth read M. Shaye, vice chairmen; section
"Oliver Twist" in Hebrew and were not bothered by Fagin's Jew- chairmen, Philip Olender, Sam-
ishness. He stated that Israel's youth approached the issue normally uel Markowitz, co-chairmen bak-
and looked upon Fagin as a Jewish thief who sympathized with ers; Morton Fiegenson, beverages;
Oliver the non-Jew. Furthermore, he pointed out, Jews went to see Geoorge Keil, wholesale grocers;
the old cinematic version of "Oliver Twist" and did not throw a Morris Berg, retail markets; Mer-
single rotten egg at Fagin.
win K. Grosberg, supei, markets;
There is the other side of the picture. Yechiel Goldberg, also
Morris Music, retail meats; David
in a letter to Haaretz, interpreted the Israeli ban as a mark of
Aaron, wholesale meats; Sam
solidarity with the Diaspora, so that the Jew may be presented
Marks, food brokers and proces-
in the purest light. But E. M. Aharon had another answer:
sors; Maxwell D. Goldman, Ben
if you suppress a non-Jew's description of a Jew as a thief,
Okum, co-chairmen, night clubs,
why not similarly suppress the villainous characters portrayed
bars and restaurants; Max Kirtz,
by Hebrew writers?
It may be dangerous for a Jew to endorse the viewpoint of tobacco and confestioners; Albert
Holmes and Mason, because we have consistently fought against Green, dairies; Abe Franzblau,
stage Jews and their ugly picturizations of Jewish habits; and be- produce; Herman Miller, poultry;
cause we strongly object to any attempt to misrepresent Jews in any Nathan Metz, fish; Charles Gros-
shape or form or idealogy. But it is good to be able to record the
wholesome and normal attitude of Israeli critics who will insist that berg, Nathan W. Lurie, advisory
a normal people has a right to villains as well as saints. From Israel, committee; Ben M. Mandelkorn,
in this instance, emanates healthy thinking. This is pact of the fruit director; Henry Feinberg, assist-
ant director.
we are reaping. from the re-establishment of the Jewish State.

Purely Commentary

Foods Division
Launches Drive

Women Get General Solicitation
Kits at Meeting Next Wednesday

Women workers in general solicitation of the 1949 Allied Jewish
campaign will receive their kits on the same morning that special
gifts workers make • their first reports, Wednesday, -April 6, at the
Jewish Community Center. The general solicitation meeting will
begin at 11 a. m., while the special gifts workers will begin reporting
at 12 noon.
Featured guest for the meet-
ing will be Fran Harris, women's Charles Terris and Morris Wein-
editor of WWJ and WWJ-TV. garten and Ilene Bennett.
Special gifts .leaders include
She will conduct a "Roving Re-
Mrs. Lewis B. Daniels, chairman,
porter" program.
Serving as cnairman of gen- Mesdames Samuel S. Aaron, Saul
eral solicitation is Mrs. William Glueckman, Ivor J. Kahn, Theo-
B. Isenberg, with vice chairmen dore Levin, Ben Mossman and
Mesdames Arthur Gould, Ben: Emil D. Rothman, vice chair-
jamin E. Jaffe, Sidney Karbel,
Samuel Keene and Car] S. Schil- man. • Other special gifts top
ler. Assignments are being made workers are Mrs. Herman Au-
by Mrs. Nathan B. Schermer and gust, assignments; Mrs. Harry
Barnett, chairman of secretaries;
Mrs. Joseph Holtzman.
Mrs. Seldon Koblin and Mrs. and secretaries Mesdames Louis
Sam Cron are chairmen of secre- Glasier; Lillian - Lewis, Philip R.
taries in general solicitation, Marcuse, Leo Mellen, William W.
while division- chairmen include Sharpe and Carl Wois.. .
Mesdames Abraham Bookstein,
The first report meeting in
George Bremen. Martin Cowan, general` solicitation will be at the
Herbert Frank, Samuel Gale, home of Mrs. Isenberg, 2235 Edi-
Moe Dann, Sol A. Dann, Philip son, Monday, April 11.
Gilbert, Albert Green, Sander
Hillman, Victor Klein, Maurice Israeli Moscow Ministry
Kimelman, Max Miller, Robert
Nathan, Alex Olen, Abraham May Get Embassy Status
Rapoport, Louis Redstone,
TEL AVIV, (JTA)—Mrs. Goldie
Charles Robinson, Samuel
Schwartz, Benjamin Shwayder, Myerson, Israeli Minister to the
Raymond Sokolov and Milton A. Soviet Union, left for Moscow
where she is expected to discuss
Winston.
Secretaries in this division are the raising of the legation to the
Mesdames Murray Altman, Max status of an embassy.
She may also discuss the nam-
: D. Beal, Abraham Becker, Sam-
' uel Binkow, Roberi Colten, Harry ing of her successor since she has
Frank, AndreW Friedman, Jo- been appointed Minister of Labor
, : seph Goldsmith, Charles Gold- and Insurance in the new Israeli
stein, Eli E. Gross, David Han- Government. Political circles pre-
' dleman, Sam Lipshy, Harry Lui, dicted she would also raise in
Thomas Mapvil, Irving L Miller; Moscow the problem of the atti-
Harold Nelson, Ben Pivnick, tude of certain Eastern European
Morey L. Rosenthal, Barney countries on migration of Jews, to
Schwartz, Samuel C. Silver, Israel.

-

Off the Record

By NATHAN ZIPRIN

Israel in Global -Politics . . .

A much overlooked statement by Secretary of State . Dean
Acheson may yet be a source of much political trouble to Israel .
Mr. Acheson spoke casually of growing American interest in the
Near and Middle East in connection wth the North Atlantic Pact ...
Ostensibly Bevin's visit to this country early next month is connected
with the pact • . Actually it is Bevin's mission to map similar strategy
in the Mediterranean area . .. In his talks with Acheson he Will
sound out the Setretary of State on the advisability of testing Israel's
reaction to the possibility of joining such a pact ... Previously it was
Greece, no doubt as agent for the British Foreign Office, that tried
to sound out Israel on that proposition ... Israel ignored the proposal
and wisely since it is bent on following a policy of neutrality in the
East-West political tug of war ... It is Bevin's intention to raise the
issue publicly in order to embarrass the new state and impute to it
political sympathies it does not share ... Diplomatic circles in Wash-
ington and London are keeping their eyes riveted on Palestine .
They believe that when peace comes to that area of the world Israel
and the Arab states will enter into a pact aimed at eliminating
foreign influence of all kinds from that part of the world .. This
explains London's sudden eruption against the peace movement
. Continued tension and disturbance would give Britain an excuse
to widen out there and bring a halt to the evident Arab tendency
toward -getting rid of British shackles.

Take It Or Leave It

.

Jose Iturbi, famed pianist, is baffled by the fact that whenever
he enters church he inadvertently murmurs a strange Hebrew word
. .. The word is "shma" . . . He doesn't know its meaning nor why
he says it except that members of his family have been saying it for
generations whenever they enter a church ... This story was recently
told by a Jewish woman of one of Philadelphia's • most prominent
families ... According to Marrano history the underground Jews in
Spain developed all kinds of brief prayers to remind them of their
heritage . . . Foremost of those prayers was the recitation of the
brief and significant "Shma Isroel" . . . Who knows but that Jose
Iturbi might be one of that tribe and doesn't know it.

*

Plaque of Shame .. .

A blood libel plaque has been decorating a church in the city
of Linz, Austria, since 1902 . . . The plaque was established by the
church "in memory of the Christian. child Urala Beck who was
murdered by the Jews of Linz in 1443" ... Recently the Jewish com-
munity in Linz asked the municipal authorities to order removal of
the plaque ... The plea was rejected on the ground that the church's
property was sacred.

*

*

Orchids .. .

Honeymooning in Israel is the aspiration of many new couples in
America ... Paula and Mark Strage will have joined that growing
clan when they visit the new state . . . Paula is the daughter of Mr.
and Mrs. Jacob Landau, founder of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency
. . . Mark Strage is a young newspaperman with a future . . • The
reception at the home of the Landaus was in many ways an inter-
national conclave .. .
The case of Samuel Warhaftig, the AMG official who was fired
by the Army from his post without a hearing, is far from being a
a closed chapter ... The spirited tribute paid to Warhaftig by Ernest
Reuter, the militant anti-communist Mayor of Berlin, didn't please
the Washington brass hats ... Bill whether they like it or not it
will precipitate an open fight on the Senate floor for his exonoration.

And They Say the Job is Done

To the gentlemen who say the denazification job in Germany
is done we offer the following . . . An outfit calling itself the "Or-
ganization to Persecute and Exterminate the Jews in Germany" had
the audacity to send a letter setting forth its purpose to "Wochen-
blatt," a paper published by the Central Committee of Jewish Ref-
ugees in Germany . . . The "denazified" in their letter warned "the
hook-nosed, long-headed dirty Jews to get out as quickly as pos-
sible" • . . In Munich German landlords have been conducting a
vicious campaign to rid themselves of Jewish tenant: . . . Encour-
aged no doubt by the anti-Jewish incitements of the German press
which seems to be enjoying the freedom to spread hatred against
Jews .. . So sure are the Germans of the approach of "Der Tag"
that many landlords have openly threatened their Jewish tenants
that the "day of reckoning is near."
• :4