Women to Relax at June 14 Picnic After Two Months of Campaigning Women's Division workers will relax at a picnic marking the culmination of two months .,of activity in the Allied Jewish Campaign, next Wednsday, at Franklin Hills Country Club. Entertainment carrying out the picnic theme is being plan- ned by the committee of the day, headed by Mrs. Harry L. Jones and including Mesdames Charles Briskman, Harold L. Frank, Eli E. Gross, Herschel V. Kreger and Raymond Sokolov. Mrs. Tobias Garone and Mrs. Louis Robinson will handle food arrangements. A motor caravan will carry women unable to provide their own transportation to and from Franklin Hills Country Club. The caravan wil leave from the Varsity Theatre, Livernois at Six Mile Road. at 11:30 a.m. Totals from every phase of the Division's activities will be given 2—THE JEWISH NEWS Friday, June 9, 1950 Berry Outline's Critical Housing Shortage in Israel New Boundaries Divide Hadassah into Ten Neighborhood Sections by Mrs. John C. Hopp, campaign chairman for the women. To date 12,300 women have pledged $513,000. Concluding the campaign pro- gram for 1950, chairmen, vice Housing in Israel, which will chairmen and secretaries in all divisions are holding evaluation receive more than 200,000 im- meetings this week to summar- migrants this year, has become so critical that a minimum of ize the campaign picture. 50,000 housing units must be constructed in 1949, if new ar- Half of Polish Jewry rivals are not to sp6nd many months in transient camps liv- Expected in Israel in '50 ing in tents, Louis Berry, chair- man of the Pre-Campaign Cab- About 50 per cent of Polish inet of the Allied Jewish Cam- Jewry is expected to immigrate paign, declared this week. to Israel , in the course of this These units, which will be fin- year according to a statement anced by the United Palestine made in Tel Aviv by Dr. A. Ber- Appeal, largest beneficiary of man, former chief of the Polish Detroit's campaign, will each Jewish Council, a dispatch to consist of a bedroom, kitchen- the Keren Kayesod in New York ette and sanitary facilities and discloses. The present Jewish population in Poland is esti- will accommodate three persons. Explaining the magnitude of mated at 70,000. the housing problem posed by Purely Commentary By PHILIP SLOMOVITZ The 'humerus Clausus' Debunked The late Prof. Morris Raphael Cohen's "Reflections of a Wondering Jew"' (Beacon Press), one aspect of which was dis- cussed in this column last week, is worth its price for one topic more than all others combined: the eminent philosopher's com- ments on the shocking numerus clausus • practice in our uni- versities. Two chapters in the book "Jews in Commerce and the Pro- fessions" and "Jews in Science" — deal with the numerus clausus — importation from backward anti-Semitic European countries. Discussing • the place of Jews in science, Prof. Cohen dealt not only with the academic issue but also, with the view that is adhered to by some people that "there is something more honest and honorable in manual than in intellectual pursuits." He re- pudiated this viewpoint, disapproved wholly of the - numerus clausus idea and declared: "If historic conditions have made Jews eager to enter science and made important contributions in it, I see no con- clusive reason against their following a natural bent that has enriched mankind." We are especially impressed with his argument that: "If we -do believe in letting Jews devote themselves to the advancement of science, then the way to promote it is not necessarily through more buildings and laboratories or large endowments to univer- sities, - though that may be useful and wealthy Jews may well do more along that line . .. I believe in the kind of thing achieved by the Guggenheim Fellowships which give young men a chance to do research work without being burdened by teaching or administration . . . It seems to me that anything which helps young Jews to go into science, and to do thorough work in it, is in the long run bound to add to the lasting honor and prestige of our people." Viewing the charge that Jews are crowding the • professions with his usual frankness, Prof. Cohen related .a conversation with a Jewish social worker who wanted to know if the law is as useful an occupation as tailoring, and Prof. Cohen replied (in the essay he wrote in 1934) : " I hadn't supposed that the present economic depression was due to a scarcity of tailors or even to a superabundance of lawyers, and that there were probably as many useless dresses as needlessly litigated cases. In plain words, I don't believe in this superstitious prejudice that only the man who works with his . hands is socially useful. The view that denieS productivity to the man who by. thinking -facilitates social relations, is one of those superstitions against which nothing more need be said. It ought to be dismissed, it seems to me, with contempt." Prof. Cohen, whose "Reflections" discuss Jewish Education from many viewpoints, in other chapters, points outin his condem- nation of restrictions on Jews as Jews that "the delight in learn- ing for its own sake enabled the Jews to bear their hard economic lot in the Ghetto without being degraded by losing their self- respect . . Even in this country I have known a Jewish peddler who wrote a book on Spinoza in Hebrew and another peddler who wrote a wonderful essay in. English on Gray's 'Elegy'." In the main, his appeal was-16 years ago—for acceptance of Jews on their merits even though they overcrowded certain professions. Merit is the only yardstick he has for acceptance of Jews or anyone else who seeks a place in professions. To quote again from his essay: "If a man wishes and is fit to study medicine, knowing that he may have to become a taxi driver afterwards, I think he has that right. Certainly no state university has the right to exclude such a Jew from a medical school because the total number of Jews is only four per cent of the population ... One is not entitled to a privileged position in education because he is a Jew, but by the same token he cannot without injustice be deprived of his individual rights. Indeed, the only reason I can see why these medical schools do not openly admit that they reject people simply because they are Jews (although privately the deans admit it) is that, after all, when you say: 'This man shall not be allowed to study medicine because he is a Jew,' you go counter to the American tradition of equality of oppor- tunity." Prof. Cohen was emphatic. He made this point: "I ought not to conclude before explicitly disavowing the intention to accept any numerus clausus, which would be a betrayal of the American ideal under which we in common with our fellow citizens have enjoyed the blessings of freedom and unprecednted welfare. As Americans, no less than as Jews, we must not abandon the prin- ciple of the opening of opportunity to each individual according to his ability. The community as a whole is entitled to the best doctor, to the most capable lawyer; and if the best, judged by any fair test, happens to be a Jew, the community, as well as the individual, suffers a loss if the latter is deprived of his opportunity to function according to the best of his ability." This is the way every liberal American should speak. This is the way ALL Americans should be taught to think—even if it means going counter to illiberal viewpoints prevalent in the ranks of university administrators. And because Prof. Cohen spoke as frankly as he did, his "Reflections of a Wondering Jew," on this score alone—his discussion of the repugnant numerus .clausus- assumes an important role among very good books. the record influx of immigra- tion, Berry pointed out that the percentage of population in- crease in . Israel during 1949 alone, if translated into terms of the population of the United States, would mean that this country would have to absorb more than 30,000,000 people in one year. "During 1948 and 1949 hous- ing was not a serious problem because Arabs left many vil- lages and towns. Newly arrived refugees were able to find homes in Jaffa and other towns," he said. "This year, with all avail- able housing occupied, the problem of caring for the in- flux of new immigrants will prove insurmountable unless Detroit and other - communities support to the utmost the cur- rent homecoming campaign of the United Jewish Appeal." Hershman Speaks At Dinner June 20 Feting Zackheim Accepting the invitation to address the annual election din- ner of the United H e br e w Schools on Tuesday evening, June 20, at the Northwest He- brew Congregation, in honor of his life-long friend, Maurice H. Zackheim, Dr. A. M. Hershman said in paying him tribute: "Few individuals have served the De- troit Jewish community as de- votedly." Rabbi Hershman, who is to be the • prin- cipal speaker at the din- ner, points out that Mr. Zackheim's c o ntribution to the United Hebrew Schools in particular has been out- standing throughout the years. From the de- pression days Hershman of 1929, when he became president - of t h e school s, Mr. Zackheim has served as chairman of its Board of Education to the present day. Together with his colleagues on the board he has coped with many educational problems and has kept in constant contact with the schools through mem- bers of the staff and frequent personal visits. The invocation at the dinner will be delivered by Mrs. Jos- eph H. Ehrlich and the benedic- tion by Rabbi Leon Fram. Abe Kasle, president of the schools, will submit a composite annual report. He also will extend his greetings to Mr. Zackheim, as will other heads of organiza- tions with whom Mr. Zackheim has been connected. Reservations for the dinner may be had by phoning Harry Cohen, chairman of the com- mittee, UN. 3-0412; Julius Ber- man, WO. 2-6050; or the United Hebrew Schools, TO. 8-0063. First U. S. Congregation The first Jewish congregation (Ashkenazic) in America was Congregation Rodeph Shalom . of Philadelphia, Pa., founded Octo- ber 10, 1802. . New boundary lines, dividing Detroit Chapter of Hadas- sah into 10 neighborhood sections, were announced at the final chapter meeting. Shown here are Mrs. Theodore Barg- man, Detroit Chapter - president, and the 10 section presidents. Seated, left to right, MESDAMES SAMUEL COHN, University West; THEODORE BARGMAN; MARTIN COWAN, Central East; JOSEPH NEWMAN, Russell Woods West; standing, left to right, MESDAMES SAMUEL RHODES, Bagley; SAMUEL YURA, Wyoming, GEORGE BREMAN, University East; JO- EPH JAQUIER, Sherwood; MAURICE PERLMAN, Central West; HERMAN COHEN, Russell Woods East; GEORGE STUTZ, Southern Oakland County, All members of Hadassah Study Groups will be honored at an Oneg Shabbat this Satur- day, June 10, at the home of Mrs. A. E. Bernstein, 2400 Boston Blvd. After the one o'clock dessert luncheon, a program, planned by Mrs. Albert Elazar and Mrs. Harry Landsman, will be presented in the form of a talk on "Jewish Living Through Books" by Mrs. Harry Oberstein. UJA Conferees to View Increased `Now-or-Never' Immigration Needs Major developments in Roma- nia and Iraq, involving an un- expected increase in the need for "now or never" immigration in Israel this year, will be the chief problem confronting the national report conference of the United Jewish Appeal, meet- ing at the Palmer House in Chicago this weekend. Present indications are that a minimum of 50,000 refugees will come from Iraq to Israel during 1950, and at least 70,000 from Romania. Heretofore, the agen- cies of the United Jewish Ap- peal have plahned their 1950 budgets on the basis of a total bor in the Government of Israel, and Aubrey Eban, who will make his first major public address since his designation as Israel Ambassador to the United States. Workmen's Circle .List0.. Assets of $10 Million NEW YORK — (JTA) — A report revealing that the Work, men's.' Circle, one of the largest. and oldest fraternal organiza, tions, now has assets amount, ing to more than $10,000,000 was submitted to the 50th an- nual convention of the organi- zation. The report said that the or- ganization has more than 71 : 000 members. The 700 delegates at- tending the convention made a trip to Hyde Park to attend memorial . services for Franklin* D. Roosevelt. .Leon Arkin, advertising man-, ager of the Jewish Daily For- ward, was elected president of the Workmen's Circle at the closing of the • convention here. Reuben Guskin was named sec- immigration of 150,000 to the Jewish state. Dr. Joseph J. Schwartz, direc- tor-general of the Joint Distri- bution Committee, which derives its funds from the United Jew- ish Appeal, has flown to this country from Europe to report to the Chicago conference on the sudden . expansion of immi- gration needs to rescue large sections of the Jewish population in Romania and Iraq. . Principal speakers at the con- ference, in addition to Dr. Schwartz, will include Mrs. Golda Myerson, Minister of La- retary-treasurer. Between You and Me By BORIS SMOLAR (Copyright, 1950, Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Inc.) Washington Talks High government quarters in Washington are pleased with the fact that the American Zionist Council has cancelled its na- tional conference which was scheduled for last Sunday in the ital ... The parley was to request that the U. S. Government cap- per- mit Israel to buy arms in this country in order to offset the ship- ping of arms by Britain to the Arab states ... The joint American- British - French declaration on the aims issue made the conference unnecessary for the time being ... However, the State Department still declines to make known the extent or nature of arms ship- ments that can be expected from this country either to Israel or to the Arab countries ... Officials say that security requirements of the various states make it impossible 'for the U. S. to disclose . the comparative ratio of the arms flow to Middle Eastern coun- tries ... At the same time, government sources claim that Israel . has received more American munitions than all the Arab states combined . . . They admit, however, that the total equipment re- leased for sale to either party has been negligible , Of course, it is no secret any longer that the Arab countries don't depend on arms from this country, since they are being well supplied with heavy equipment from Britain ...But one high Washington official claims that although Israel is. unable to obtain such equipment from the United States, the Jewish state has been permitted to purchase in this country "other" weapons of American manufac- ture which the Arabs do not possess . . . A top level policy official in Washington believes that the "Big Three" declaration on arms to Israel and the Arab countries will have no bearing on the State Department's consideration of any particular arms list sub- mitted by Israel . . . The previous criteria, he says, will prevail in the granting of export licenses for arms and munitions to colas tries in the Middle East.