Israel Celebrates Army Day; Living Cost Index Drops THE JEWISH NEWS-3 Friday, July 22, 1949 Wertheim Appointed HIAS Head in Israel Continued From Page 1 and her Arab neighbors. "De- spite our victories, we must pledge ourselves always to . be prepared and to train our Army with the latest military techni- cal developments." Mr. Ben Gu- rion emphasized that "fate ordered and history proved that large-scale immigration and col- onization are imperative for checking enemy encirclement." He appealed to Israel's youth to devote their lives to the defense of the homeland. Spectators were deeply moved when an Israeli hero- 'Gena Simantov—who lost both his arms and legs was carried to the platform to be decor- ated for his valor by President Weizmann. Posthumous decorations were awarded to: Zvi Siebel, born in Israel in 1925 and killed in the Negev; Itzhak Armoni, born in Israel in 1929, Emanuel Landau, born in Poland -in 1928, killed near Haifa; Zerubavel Horowitz, born in Luthuania in 1929, killed in the Galilee. Living recipients of the awards were: Abraham Avigdorov, Y o n ai Ben Nun, Emil Brig, Aryeh Marcovitch, Ron Feller, Yair Rakheli, Gena Simantov and Ben Zion Leitner. in June to 350, or 21 points from the April record high of 371 when the last agreement be- tween the Histadrut and the Manufacturers' Association was signed. The drop in the cost-of- living index reflects, according to an official spokesman, the preliminary success of the gov- ernment's austerity program which was inaugurated in May and was intensified last month. The government's campaign against inflation and for' eco- nomic stability, however, calls for reduction of wages, in ac- cordance, with the reduction in the cost of living. While this policy of the gov- ernment -has the support of a majority of the members of the Histadrut executive, the left- wingers, who are members of the Mapam and the Communist Party, strongly oppose any wage reductions at this time. Their arguments are leveled against the official cost-of-living index which, they assert, is based on "food-basket standards" that no longer apply. TWo weeks ago, the Communists threatened a series of strikes against wage cuts, and the Mapam started to collect funds for the prospective strikers. It appears, however, that they have reconsidered Israel celebrated Army Day that step. throughout the country, with festive observances marking the- occasion in most urban and Soviet Agency Looses. rural areas. In an Order 4if the Day broadcast over the official Anti-Israeli Barrage "Voice of , Israel" station, Brig. Gen. Yaacov Dori, Army chief LONDON, (JTA) — British of- of staff, urged the strengthen- ficial sources are watching with ing of the Jewish state's de- great interest the barrage of fenses as a means of ensuring anti-Israeli propaganda being peace for the new nation. disseminated through the Soviet In Jerusalem, Israel's chief news agency Tass in a series of delegate to the United Nations, 'dispatches from Moscow. Aubrey S. Eban, addressing a A dispatch from the Soviet military parade held "some- where in a Jerusalem camp," capital emphasized that there is declared that the "Arab world unemployment and "demobiliza- has not yet reconciled itself to tion unrest" in Israel. It reports, the idea of defeat and is con- that the Israeli Government has templating revenge. Political concluded "a binding agreement" pressure against our claim to with the Standard Oil Company Jerusalem is lessening and every whereby Israel paid a fee more soldier can do much by helping than three times as high as to observe the sanctity of the prices current in Haifa. Holy Places." The Order of the Day issued by Chief of Staff Gen. Dori was read out to the Jerusalem troops by Col. Moshe Dayan, command- er in the Jerusalem area. The troops observed 10 minutes of silence in memory of those who fell during the war. .Observers here, explaining the small-scale observance of Army Day in Jerusalem, pointed out that it was inopportune for Israel to display its military strength while the mixed armis- tice commission was in Jerusa- lem to discuss the reduction of forces in the Holy City. JDC Scholarship Fund Given to Hebrew U. SOFIA, (JTA) — About 10,000 Jews still remain in Bulgaria following the emigration of 37,000 to Israel during the last two years, it was reported here at a conference of representa- tives of Jewish communities at- tended by about 50 delegates. JERUSALEM, (JTA)—The bal- ance of a fund which the Joint Distribution Committee deposit- ed with the late Dr. Judah Mag- nes to be used for grants to scholars, students and educa- tional institutions was turned over to the Hebrew University by 'the JDC. The fund now 'to- tals $7,500. AMP MOST DIRECT ALL-CONSTELLATION SERVICE TO uza • Every Tuesday • Only 20 flying hours front New York via Paris • Luxurious, newest-type, longest-range Constellations • Above-weather flying • Non-stop PARIS to LYDDA When you go...G0 AIR FRANCE Jewish Schools in Turkey Freed of Supervision ISTANBUL, (JTA) — Jewish schools which, since 1937, have been under the supervision of a Moslem official of the Depart- ment of Public Education, will hereafter not be subject to government scrutiny. Jewish and other minority educational in- stitutions now have complete autonomy of administration. ISRAEL AIR FRANCE New York — The appoint- ment of DAVID WERTHEIM, Zionist leader for the past quarter-century, as director of HIAS (Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society) in Israel, effective Aug. 1, was announced by Samuel A. Telsey, president of the society. Wertheim will re- organize the HIAS offices in Israel and institute an aug- mented HIAS program of ac- aicities in the nation. Wertheim was born in Ro- mania in 1897, was educated at the Odessa Yeshiva, and im- migrated to the United States in 1923. His wife, and daugh- ter, Miriam, a graduate of Brooklyn College, will accom- pany him to Israel. Wage Cuts for 150,000 Despite threats by ' left-wing groups of widespread strikes, the wages of about 150,000 organized industrial workers in Israel were cut as of July 15, following the quarterly revision of the cost-of- lilting agreement between the Histradrut, Israel's Federation of Labor, and the Manufacturers Association. At a stormy meeting of the Histadrut executive it was de- cided to support the signing of an agreement under which the manufacturers will cut the al- lowance to workers for the high cost of living in proportion with the drop in the cost-of-living index. The slash in wages will be approximately $7.20 weekly for each worker. Representatives of Mapam, the left-wing United Workers Party,- abstained from voting on this issue at the Histradrut executive's session. They de- manded the establishment of a special committee to verify the index figures and suggested the holding of a referendum among Workers on the entire question. However, their demands were rejected by the majority of the executive, composed of members of the pro-government Mapai Party. Drop in Cost-of-Living Index The Israeli government an- nounced that the cost-of-living index has dropped nine points 10,000 Jews Still Remain in Bulgaria 30 YEARS OF OVERWATER' FLYING See Your Travel Agent or AIR FRANCE II S. LaSalle St., Chicago 3, Ill. STate 2-0526 683 Fifth Avenue, New York 22, N. Y. PLaza 9-7000 MAGNAVOX'S bigger pictures bring you better television The new Brittany .brings you steady, brilliant extra-large 130 square inch pictures, plus built-in filter for easy viewing, and big. 15-inch Dynamic , speakei. In a handsome corner cabinet of hand-rubbed mahogany - finish. $595 (Installation extra) CI HUDSON'S MUSIC STORE—I 3th Floor—Section Price Subject to 3% Sales Tax The Modern The Modular Symphony Console Table Model Large 80 square inch picture, filtered screen, 12-inch speaker, beauti- ful mahogany finish. —large 80 square inch picture, filtered screen, high-fidelity speaker. In mahogany. $395 (installation extra) d ir $349.50 (table & installation extra)