THE JEWISH NEWS-5
Friday, December 9, 1949

'Why Did My Daddy Die?'

Larry Goldstein's Plea Rouses
Nationwide Thought on PrejudicE

By MILTON FRIEDMAN

(Copywright, 1949, Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Inc.)

WASHINGTON—Washington is puzzled by the answers
of the national veterans organizations to the now-famous
question of Larry Goldstein, II, of Lynn, Mass.
Larry asked, "Why did my daddy have to die ?" Larry's
father was killed in action in World War II—a fact which
failed to restrain other boys from beating Larry for being

Jewish.
The national commanders of
the American Legion and the
Veterans of Foreign Wars issued
statements deploring the inci-
dent.

Commander George N. Craig
of the Legion has demonstra-
ted tlit he intends to fight
hate. He is perhaps the most
liberal commander the Legion
ever had.
As an Indiana attorney, he

be found in the realization
that his father did not die in
vain after all. His death and
his son's question have made
people think.

Rabbi Fram-, Lewis
Chair ZOD Drive

Rabbi Leon Frani and Ben
Lewis have been appointed co-
chairmen for the Detroit Zion-
ist Organization shekel cam-
paign for 1949-50.
The shekel, derived from the
ancient Hebrew coin first used
35 centuries ago, denotes the
holder's affiliation with the
World Zionist Organization.
Assisting Rabbi Fram and
Lewis in the campaign are : Mrs.
I. Sniderman, Haifa Chapter;
Max Chomsky, Nordau Chapter;
and Robert Ettinger, Chapter I.

Clevelander Elected to Head Midwestern
Region, Young Israel at Detroit Convention

At a culmination banquet Nov.
17, the 19th midwestern conven-
tion of Young Israel was com-
pleted. Over 70 delegates, repre-
senting groups in St. Louis, Pe-
oria, Chicago, Cincinnati and
Cleveland participated with
Young Israel members of Detroit
in the deliberations and sessions
which began Thanksgiving eve-
ning at the Barium Hotel.
Panel discussions were con-
ducted on the following sub-
jects: Young Israel and Its Rela-
tionship to the State of Israel;
The Institute for Jewish Studies;
Young Israel's Answer to Adult
Educatio n; Development of
Youth Groups and Activities;
Strengthening of Traditional Ju-

(1) Resolved that all Mid-
western branches of Young Is-
rael, within the Midwestern
Council of Young Israel, shall
aid and promote the project of
the National Council of Young
Israel in the building of a Young
Israel Center in Tel Aviv, Israel.
(2) Resolved that a meeting
of all midwestern branches of
the Young Israel movement shall
be held in St. Louis in February
to further develop the Young
Israel youth program relative to
leaders seminars and training
programs.
Israel Come t, president of
Young Israel of Cleveland, was
elected president of the Mid-
western Council.

(The writer of this column
served with Larry's father. He
JewiSh News classifieds bring
feels free to comment on veter-
It is, reckoned that every sold daism.
ans organizations because he is copy of a newspaper is read by Among the resolutions passed results. Call WO. 5-1155 before
10 : a.m. on Wednesday.
at the convention were:
eligible for membership in the three persons on an average.,
ones discussed and in . the Dis-
abled American Veterans).

fought against racial segrega-
tion in public housing.
President Sends Photograph
Craig spoke before the Jewish To Massachusetts Child
WASHINGTON, (JTA)—Presi-
Joint Defense Agencies at De-
dent Truman has sent an auto-
troit in Novem-
graphed photograph to Larry
ber. He vigorous-
ly condemned
Goldstein.
David K. Niles, administrative
anti - Semitic
assistant to the President, wrote
hate mongers.
Larry: "I am enclosing a photo-
He attacked
graph to you inscribed by the
subvers i v e s on
President who wants you to have
the right ,as well
it as a reminder that your
as Camm unist
father's ideals still live on in a
subversives.
country he died for. The real
T h e national
Larry
Americans are the ones like your
convention of
the Legion last September went father who- fought against in-
on record against religious . . dis- justice and prejudice. If you and
crimination by colleges and uni- other young Americans will make
versities. Also, a resolution was as goad a fight against injustice
adopted which provided for a and prejudice, you will help the
strong Legion stand against or- President win that fight, too."
ganized hate groups.
In Tennessee the Legion leads
Active in Planning
the fight against the Ku Klux JCC
Honor for NAACP Head
Klan.
However, as Craig battles for
human decency, another voice
The Jewish Community Coun-
is heard from within . the Le- cil participated in the planning
gion. It is Gen. John T. Taylor, of the Dec. 1 testimonial dinner
the Legion's national legislative in honor of Edward M. Swan,
director. What Gen. Taylor ad- recently retired as director of
vocates is in sharp contrast to the Detroit Branch. NAACP. The
the campaign Craig has been affair was attended by more
than 200 friends.
waging.
Among the speakers were B.
Craig wrote Larry that he was
distressed by the anti-Semitic M. Joffe, director of the Jewish
attack. He told Larry, "your fa- Community- Council, and Meyer
ther's 3,000,000- buddies in the Silverman, president of the East
American Legion are working Side Merchants' Association.
Rabbi Leon Fram delivered the
toward . . . the conquering of
prejudice, bigotry, and discrim- benediction.
ination by the force of good ex-
amples, by educatidn, and by the Israel Orders Repairs
On Dormition Church
enforcement of laws."
TEL AVIV, (JTA)—The Israel
However, Legislative Direc-
tor Taylor has a different ap- Ministry of Religion ordered that
proach. The record shows that the job- of cleaning up and re-
Taylor told a Senate subcom- pairing the damaged Dormition
ittee this autumn that the Church on Mt. Zion be started
Legion feels that those in dis- immediately.

placed persons camps are not
really war victims but merely
wish "to take advantage of
the situation." He asserted
that the Legion is against
such "special interest groups."
In this connection he noted
that the Legion approved the
United Nations Palestine par-
tition plan. He recommended
that "they" go to Israel.

Taylor was talking about the
victims of the Nazis. Larry's fa-
ther died to help liberate these
from
r o concentration
people
camps. So did hundreds of
thousands of other Americans.
Thus, there is an evident dis-
crepancy between the Legion's
recent liberal moves and the
statements of its legislative di-
rector. Perhaps someone should
explain to him about the fight
for human rights' the Legion is
now waging.
VFW Commander C. A. Lewis
wrote Larry about the VFW's
stand for justice and tolerance.
The VFW has done much to ad-
vance the cause of true Ameri-
canism. However, John C. Wil-
liamson, assistant legislative di-
rector of the. VFW, voiced strong
opposition to the Celler Bill
which would have liberalized DP
legislation. Williamson blamed
"pressure groups" in the United
States for the DP problem.

Perhaps the most effective
answer to Larry's question will

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