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Philadelphia Jewish Patriots Aided
Detroit Anti-British Action in 1781
By IRVING I. KATZ
Executive Secretary of Temple Beth EI
Barnard and Michael Gratz
are well known in American
Jewish history as famous Jewish
merchants and communal lead-
ers of Philadelphia in colonial
times. What is not generally
known, however, is that Michael,
father of Rebecca Gratz, the
Rebecca of Scott's immortal
novel "Ivanhoe", helped plan
a n d supply an expedition
against the British in Detroit in
1781,
Natives of Langendorf, a vil-
lage in Upper Silesia, the Gratz
brothers received a good classi-
cal education and were sent to
London at an early age where
they acquired a good business
training. In 1754 Barnard came
to Philadelphia. Five years later
his brother Michael joined him
and then established the firiri of
B & M Gratz.
Success was almost instanta-
neous and a vast trading net-
work was evolved. •
his dangerous western expedi-
tion. Men and supplies had been
assembled at Fort Pitt, and car-
ried down the Ohio River to the
present site of Louisville. From
there the' advance had been
overland, through the lonely
forests of Southern Illinois. The
daring band of less than 200 had
reached Kaskaskio, a n o 1 d
French settlement on the Mis-
sissippi, where they surprised
the British garrison and claimed
the settlement for Virginia.
REPEAT PROCEDURE
16—THE JEWISH NEWS
Friday, July 22, 1949
Memorial Tablet
Will Mark Herzl's
Residence in Paris
PARIS (JTA) — The Paris
Municipal Council voted au-
thorization to the Zionist
Federation of France to erect
a memorial tablet on the
building at 3'7 Rue Cambon
where Theodor. Herzl, founder
of political Zionism, live d
and wrote "Der Judenstaat,"
laying down the principles of
modern Zionism.
The plaque will be unveiled
in September at a ceremony
in connection with the Con-
g r e s s of European Zionist
Federations to be held here
under Jewish Agency aus-
pices.
I On the Record
By NATHAN ZIPRIN
(Copyright, 1949, Seven Arts Feature Syndicate, Inc.)
Keep Your Eyes On London
The success or failure of the Israeli-Arab peace talks will be
determined at London and not at Lausanne . . . If you want
to judge the direction the peace weather vane is to take keep
your eyes on developments at that bastion of diplomacy known as
10 Downing Street .. . The expected collapse of the Arab League
under military and political defeat is now a fact .. . How to re-
place that house of cards with a new Arab-British structure is
now the chief concern of the Bevinite clan . . . Bevin's Colonial
Office is working feverishly to cement an Arab alliance against
Israel . . . The advertised aim of the alliance is to pacify the angry
currents in the Arab countries . .. Its real objective is to unite
the Arab states for a belligerent move against Israel . . . It is
for this reason that Bevin recently invited the rulers of Trans-
jordan and Iraq to have tea with him in London . . . Bevin's hand
and machinations are also revealed in his summoning of Britain's
diplomatic representatives in the Middle East . . . The fact that
the conference is to discuss such problems as the Arab refugee
issue, the internationalization of Jerusalem, the Negev, the arm-
ing of the Arab states and oil concessions shows its purpose . .
Why discuss problems that are on the agenda of the Lausanne
conference? . . . The only possible conclusion is that London has
decided to replace the Arabs at Lausanne . . . Bevin's conspiracy
against Israel is as bold as it is dangerous . . . He has won over
France . . . Unless the anti-Israel currents in the State Depart-
ment are checked by the White House the anti-Israel alignment
may lead to more than just another political crisis.
They had repeated the same
procedure in Cahokia, Ill., also
an old French settlement on the
Mississippi, finishing by the
capture of Vincennes (Indiana)
on the Wabash in February
1779. Their gallant exploit had
brought to the possession of the
United States nearly all the
vast Northwest Territory. One
VIENNA, (JTA) — Observance Under The Spotlight
important enemy stronghold of "Theodor Herzl Month" be-
Paper money bearing the imprint of the swastika is circulating
remained, the strategic post at gan throughout Austria and will unhampered in the British zone in Germany • . British officials
Detroit. In the summer of 1781 continue through Aug. 10 when to whbse attention this typical bit of Nazi impudence has been
SIGNED RESOLUTION
Their business took a some- Clark commenced to prepare an the remains of Herzl, founder drawn promised to look into the matter . . . But that is where
what altered character dur- attack against it, encouraged by of political Zionism, will be flown the matter still stands . .. Nazis are returning in growing num-
bers to public life in Germany . . . This is no mystery when it is
mg 1765, for Michael and Governor Thomas Jefferson of to Jerusalem for reinterment.
realized that over 50 per cent of the German people still believe
Barnard Gratz signed the Virginia.
A guard of honor is stationed that Hitler was right . . . Fishback, a small town near Nurenberg,
Non - Importation Resolutions.
Michael Gratz, through his at Dr. Herzl's grave throughout
They joined in this emphatic agent at Pittsburgh, advanced the month while memorial meet- recently elected as mayor a former SS commander . . . On the day
protest against the Stamp . supplies for the proposed cam- ings are scheduled to be held in the mayor took office the town was decorated with swastikas and
Act, filled with patriotic ardor paign to the value of nearly Vienna, as well as in other Jew- anti-Semitic streamers in the good old Hitlerian style . . . And the
for their adopted land. As a 1500 pounds. General Clark and ish communities, and in DP band, of course, played the Nazi hymn of hate . And if you
result, the profitable lines pre- his adjutant, Colonel Pentecost, camps. An exhibit of Dr. Herzl's think the Nazis have been idle among the Germans in this coun-
viously purchased in London pledged their personal credit as writings, mementos and person- try you had better wake up ... Recently a German language paper
Were discontinued; domestic endorsers for Virginia. The pro- al belongings will be open to the in Cincinnati featured an article defending and justifying prac-
.articles took on a greater im- posed expedition failed, due public for the duration of the tically all of the Nazi misdeeds . . . Similar articles made their
way in other German sheets in this country . . . Hitler, may his
portance.
largely to the inability of Penn- observance.
name and memory be eradicated forever, boasted of world domi-
In 1769, Michael Gratz mar- sylvania and Virginia Partisans
Dr. Herzl's remains, as well as nation . . . But his apologists and defenders would now have us
ried Miriam, daughter of Joseph to get along together. Clark was
Simon, Lancaster entrepreneur. forced to abandon his plans and those of his parents, will be believe that humanity's vilest beast never harbored such dreams.
transferred on Aug. 8 from This is the thesis of a recently published book by the Chicago
This alliance had a lasting in- the signing of peace in 1783 Doebling
cemetery, outside here, preacher, Ludwig Fritsch . . . He fires his wrath at Roosevelt and
fluence on the commercial deal- found 'England still holding De- to the Vienna
Synagogue where his gang and his pity at Hitler . .. Fritsch calls himself a Pan-
ings of the Gratzes. Simon was troit. Michael Gratz received a special religious
will be Germanist of the old school . • . But that line of demarcation be-
involved in numerous enter- only a partial payment in tobac- held. The remains service
will then be
prises which stretched as far co for equipment he had fur- flown, via Tullin Airbase, to tween Pan-Germanism and Nazism is so thin as to challenge de-
tection even by the most gigantic telescopes . . . Another man of
west as the Mississippi. Begin- nished, and this only after the
the cloth, Reverend Terminello, is about to hit the headlines ..
ning as a storekeeper, the old insistent urging of Colonel Israel.
Members of the Vienna Jewish
gentleman had entered into the Pentecost. The latter had be- community staged a procession Since the reversal of his conviction by the U. S. Supreme Court,
been consumed by ambition to replace Gerald K.
Indian trade and the subsequent come a staunch friend of the to the grave of Herzl. The pro- the reverend has
acquiring of great tracts of land. Gratz Brothers. 'After hostili- cession, in which leaders of Zi- Smith . . . A Texan gentleman whose money has been oiling the
ties had closed they formed a onist groups, the World Jewish wheels of bigotry is working desperately to heal the rift on the
EARLIEST FUR TRADERS
front.
His pack trains had • brought partnership with him, for colo- Congress and the Joint Distri- bigotry
Pegler's
smear of the UJA via the assertion that Dubinsky's
nizing
a
portion
of
the
present
supplies to General . Edward
bution Committee participated, union had forced its members to make contributions has come to
Braddock, and his agents, were state of Kentucky.
was arranged in observance of plague him ... His desk is flooded with an avalanche of indignant
among the earliest fur traders
Theodor Herzl Month.
letters from non-Jewish union members.
at Fort Pitt (Pittsburgh). A Bnai Brith Women Name
(JTA)—Dr.
Isidore
number of companies brought
TEL AVIV,
Shalit, long-time secretary of
them into partnership with Fund-Raising Committee
the late Dr. Theodor Herzl, left
such hardy adventurers as Cap-
Mrs. Robert C. Coggan, presi- for Vienna to make final ar-
tain William Trent, David
Franks, William Murray, George dent of the Greater Detroit Bnai rangements for the removal of
Croghan, RoSS, Rumsey, and Brith Women's Council an- the late leader's remains to
Israel.
Others.
The brothers • were already nounced the following commit-
concerned with the "Illinois tee for the fund-raising affair Chajes-Kozenn Foreign
Country", the region north of to be held on Nov. 28, at the
Radio Broadcasts Set
the Ohio, when their closer alli- Masonic Temple: -
ance with Joseph Simon took
Mrs.
Morris
Tack,
over-all
Julius Chaj es, n a ti on ally
place. In 1768 they participated
in outfitting the expedition of chairman; Mrs. Kalman Bruss, known pianist-composer and his
Colonel John Wilkins, the new in charge of tickets; Mrs..Sam- wife, soprano Marguerite Ko-
commander of the diStrict. Their uel Gutterman, ad chairman; zenn, are on their fourth con-
secutive European concert tour.
agent, William Murray, accom-
They are scheduled fbr ap-
panied the troops from Phila- secretary to ads, Mrs. Leonard
Three Scrolls of the Law and a rare set of Shas, the Talmudic
delphia to the West to establish Goldhaber; arrangements, Mrs. pearances over the B.B.C. in
Sam Wexler; program, M r s . London, Radiodiffusion Fran- commentary, were part of a shipment of religious articles shipped
trading headquarters.
When the break with England Louis Barden; editor, Mrs. Ellis caise in Paris, Radio Beromuen- to Israel this month by the Mizrachi Women's Organization of
occurred, Michael Gratz re- Fisher; arbitration, Mrs. Samuel ster in Switzerland, Radio Vi- America, major women's religious-Zionist group in the United
turned to the business of ship- Aaron; publicity, Mrs. Bernard enna and Salzburg and Radio States. Left to right: Mrs. Nachman H. Ebin, national vice-
president and chairman of Mizrachi Women's child restoration
ping, in which he had enjoyed Goodman; fund raising secre- Rome.
department; Rabbi Aaron D. Burack; Rabbi Simcha Rabinowitz
They
will
also
appear
over
considerable experience prior to tary, Mrs. Lorraine Lipson.
and Mrs. Lionel Golub, acting national president and chairman
the Non-Importation Resolu-
Fund - raising chairmen of "Kol Israel" in Tel Aviv and of the national board of Mizrachi Women. Photo was taken just
tions of 1765. Prosperity in busi- the 16 Bnai Brith women's Jerusalem, where special broad- before Rabbis Burack and Rabinowitz, who accompanied the
ness commenced and Michael chapters will work with this casts of Chaj es' music are being shipment, embarked on the Neptunia for Israel.
planned.
purchased his first ship, "The committee.
Rising Sun." Together with Rob-
ert Morris and other revolution-
ary leaders, he engaged in out-
fitting "private. men-of-war"
and sending them forth to prey
on British commerce.
Austria Observes
`llerzl Month'
.
Valuable Shipment for Israel
HOPELESS HERMAN
BY KA ULEE
MOVE HEADQUARTERS
When the enemy entered
Philadelphia after the battle of
Brandywine, the Gratz Brothers
removed their headquarters to
Lancaster, Pa., where they found
Michael's father-in-law busy
manufacturing rifles for the
patriot's cause, in partnership
with William Henry, Revolution-
ary leader.
The struggle for independ-
ence had its repercussions in
Rival companies
the West.
became united in a common
cause; the Gratz Brothers be-
° came associated with their
former competitors from Vir-
ginia. In 1781, the two groups
concerned themselves in a ven-
ture of extreme importance,
the proposed attack on De-
troit.
Three years earlier, George
Rogers Clark had set forth on
That's what
makes it
So important
For us all
To set our sights
On the quick
U.N. adoption
Of a world-wide
Hopeless Herman's always ready to
jump right into the fray
To defend the Constitution of the good
old U.S.A.;
But it's clear that Hopeless Herman
doesn't really know the score,
When it comes to guarding freedoms
over on some foreign shore.
But we're not all Hopeless Hermans
and we know that tyranny
Never keeps within the boundaries of
"some land across the sea."
For when speech and press and
worship are not free for everyone.
We may all wind up with bullets from
some would-be Hitler's gun!
Bill of Rights.