English-Jewish Newspapers
Condemn Unethical Tactics
Of Advertising Solicitors

- National Organizations Accused
Of Being 'Duped' by Salesmen and
Hurting Status of Jewish Press
-

DETROIT, Mich.—The American Association of Eng-
lish-Jewish Newspapers, in a strongly-worded statement re-
leased this week, calls the attention of all American Jewish
communities to "unethical and scandalous tactics" charged
against a number of publications calling themselves "national
magazines" in solicitation of advertising, and warns that
continuation of such practices

will harm the existing news-
papers. In several instances,
important national organiza-
tions which publish some of the
guilty periodicals share in the
accusations.•
The publishers of newspapers
affiliated with the American
Association of English-Jewish
Newspapers charge in their
statement that national organi-
zations have been "duped" by
irresponsible solicitors to submit
to a scheme which involves the
clipping of advertisements from
issues of English-Jewish news-
papers—particularly holiday ed-
itions; the mailing of copies of
such advertisements to the ad-
vertisers, giving the impression
that they appeared in the et:A-
limns of the magazines in whose
behalf the solicitations are
made; the attaching of a bill
to the ads asking for immediate
payment for them, in one case
giving the advertiser five days
in which to reject the ad, else
making himself responsible for
its use.
Condemn Scandalous Tactics
The statement, signed by
Philip Slomovitz, president of
the Association, editor of The
Detroit Jewish News; Elias Jac-
obs, publisher, • Buffalo Jewish
Review, and Jacques Back, edi-
tor, Nashville Observer, secre-
taries; Leo H. Frisch, pa' • ' ,
Minneapolis Jewish
treasurer; Robert S. di. s saa
editor, Denver Jewish News;
Irving G. Rhodes, publisher, Wis-
consin Jewish Chronicle; A. Sla-
bat, Jewish Ledger, New Orleans,

-

La.; Myer Keleman, Bnai Brith
MeSsenger, Los Angeles; also
has the endorsement of seven
other members of the Associa-
tion's executive committee and
an additional 23 affiliated pub-
lishers. The statement reads:
"The American Association of
English-JeWish Newspapers calls
the attention of responsible
leaders in all American Jewish
communities, where English-
Jewish weeklies are being pub-
lished regularly with a sincere
desire to serve the best interests
of the communities and of Jew-
ry at large, to unethical and
scandalous tactics which are
being used by magazines calling
themselves without justification
`national publications' to secure
advertising for holiday editions.
"National organizations ap-
parently are being misled and
duped by irresponsible adver-
tising solicitors who have sold
them the idea of clipping ad-
vertisements from past issues—
particularly holiday editions .—
of English-Jewish weeklie s;
pasting them on the stationery
of national organizations or
their magazines; giving the mis-
leading impression that these
ads appeared in the columns of.
the magazines 'for which the
solicitations are made; append-.
ing a bill to the ads and asking
for. payment by . return mail. In
one instance, the advertiser - was
informed that it he does not
reply within five dayS he would
be held responsible for payment
for the ad.

Between You and Me

By BORIS SMOLAR

(Copyright, 1950, Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Inc.)

Diplomatic Secrets
Washington may consider it a diplomatic secret, but it is
no secret to some that King Abdullah of Jordan addressed him-
self to President Truman for military and economic aid .. . The
secret letter from the Arab ruler to President Truman was con-
veyed through the U. S. Minister in Amman, capital of Jordan .. .
In his letter, King Abdullah asked Truman for assistance not only
for his own country, but also for Iraq and Syria . . . He empha-
sized that these three_ countries form a natural economic and
military unit capable of confronting Communist aggression in
the Middle East . . • He indicated that those three countries, if
provided with arms, could contribute 20 divisions . . . Those who
know the exact contents of the secret letter reveal that Abdullah
told President Truman that "after Communist aggression in
Korea, world events drive Arab states to meditate seriously about
the menacing Contrn.unist danger" . . . The Arab King referred to
"Russia's aims in the Middle East and her oil ambitions" and
claimed that these aims "are not unknown" to Truman ... There-
fore, he said, the United States "must give military and economic
aid to Jordan, Iraq and Syria" • It is obvious that although the
Arab countries seek to secure American arms and funds under the
pretext of combatting Communism, they can turn the same arms
against Israel . . . Hence it would be interesting to learn what
President Truman's reply to Abdullah will be . • Here is the best
opportunity for the United States Government to impress Jordan,
Iraq and Syria with the necessity of concluding peace with Israel
prior to receiving aid from this country.

s,)

"These shocking pr act ices
have outraged not only Jewish
advertisers but also non-Jews
who have called our member
newspapers to express their re-
sentment. One magazine was told
by an advertiser that he is in-
terested in supporting only the
local newspapers. In many in-
stances the attitude of 'a plague
on both tour houses' has re-
sulted in direct harm to the
English-Jewish weekly news-
papers which are constantly
called upon to render services to
the very • organizations which
now seek to stab them in the
back by their unethical prac-
tices. ..
Sought to Avoid a Scandal
"The American Association of
EngliSh-Jewish Newspapers has
made a sincere effort to avoid
a scandal. We have called this
Matter to the attention of the
National Community Relations
Advisory Council, and we hope
that the NCRAC will be strong
enough to solve this internal
problem. We have prevailed
upon our newspapers not to
turn the matter over to their
respective Better Business Bu-
reaus and to the U. S. Postal
authorities. But we are forced
to make this public statement
in our own columns and through
the Jewish Telegraphic Agency
in order that responsible Jews—
advertisers and those who are
concerned that the highest
Jewish ethical values should be
enforced—should not be misled
by irresponsible solicitors.
"Our contentions are that a
periodical_ like the Spectator,
with a limited circulation, has no
right to claim coast-to-coast
circulation, simply because: it has
a.. dozen readers in Detroit, a
.„ few in Milwaukee, a handful
in Chicago and several hundred
in: New York. We maintain that
funds are being raised Under
false pretenses by the guilty
publications and that a serious
issue, involving internal public
relations, has been created by
the guilty parties by their, un-
ethical approaches to non-Jews
as well as Jews.
"The English-Jewish press has
earned more serious considera-
tion from the offenders than it
received in the irresponsible ad-
vertising campaign conducted
on behalf of the Frontier, Kern-
fer, Spectator, and several other
papers.
"In the best interests of our
communities and their respon-
sible organizations, we call

upon the offending- magazines
to return the funds they have
secured by means of unjusti-
fied appeals and to notify the
advertisers they solicited that
they h a d no intention of
h arming the community
papers which justifiably de-
pend upon local advertisers
for their sustenance.

"It is our sincere hope that
NCRAC and Jewish leaders in
the 33 communities in which
our newspapers are published
will act firmly in exposing the
scandalous methods resorted to
by the guilty groups. It also is
our hope that we shall be as-
sisted properly to prevent this
matter from going for an airing
to the non-Jewish community—
where it already is being ex-
posed disgracefully among non-
Domestic Developments
Jewish advertisers—and to the
HIAS is now the only JeWish agency providing temporary Better Business Bureaus."
shelter care for Jewish . immigrants settling in New York . An
agreement to this effect—reached between the HIAS and the
NYANA—has just been made public ... In the words of the agree- Knesset Adjourns
Ment, this was done "as a step in the direction of removing dupli-
JERUSALEM, (JTA) — The
cation and of integrating services to immigrants" . . . Prior to this
agreement, a shelter service was also operated by the United Knesset ended its summer ses-
Service for New Americans whiCh was to have been transferred sion this week after approving
to NYANA, the local branch of USNA in New York . . . HIAS at a second reading a bill to
president Samuel A. Tolsey made it clear to Jewish federations float a popular loan for 12,000,-
and welfare funds that his organization is financially able to 300 pounds. E a r l i e r, Finance
Eliezer Kaplan receive('
assume the costs entailed in the additional responsibility . . . H , tiinister
a . rliament's authority to floa -
also made it clear to the Council of Jewish Federations and Wei
.nother loan for 5,000,00'
fare Funds that the HIAS does not intend to go to the entir
-)ands.
country or to the New York community to ask for funds on th
ground that it relieved the USNA or the UJA of a financial obli
—THE JEWISH NEWS
gation.
Friday, August 18, 1950

Purely Commentary

By PHiLIP SLOMOVITZ

Reprisal or the Other Cheek?

In "The Story of Jackie Robinson," the owner of the Brooklyn
Dodgers, Branch Rickey, advises baseball's first Negro player:
"Whatever happens, don't fight back." This advice is dinned into
the able athlete's ears and he assures the Dodgers' boss that he
has two cheeks. ThroUghout the fine film, Robinson demonstrates
that he can take it; he controls his temper; when abuse becomes
most intolerable he hears the words "don't fight'back" and con-
trols his anger.
It is different in "Reprisal," the very fine novel by Arthur
Gordon (due off the press of Simon & Schuster on Monday),
which describes how a Negro avenges the lynching of his young
bride in a small southern town. Nathan Hamilton waited an en-
tire year after the lynching in Hainesville to leave his New York
job and to seek retribution for the brutality of bigoted white men.
"Reprisal," which has been chosen as the September selection
of the Literary Guild of America, is a most powerful novel. The
37-year-old author, a native of Savannah, Ga., with a family
background completely Southern, was overseas during the war
when he read (to quote his own account) an "ugly account of a
lynching in Georgia" in a London newspaper. In his mind stuck
"the sickening shock of rage and humiliation." He felt "a' hope-
less sense of frustration" and an awareness that he .could not
explain to the Englishmen "the unbelievable complexity . of our
whole racial problem." He returned to this Country after the war
with the rank of major, wrote the official story of the VIII
Bomber Command, became the editor of Cosmopolitan Magazine
but in 1948 returned to Georgia to write "Reprisal." He now makes
his home with his wife and daughter in Princeton, N. J.
There is a conflict in "Reprisal." Nathan Hamilton acts against
the better judgment of his aunt, of 'Negro leaders, of the few good
white people of Hainesville who learn his intentions. He is unable
to forget his bride of a month who,. while visiting with her sister-
in-law, was the victim of a brutal attack by a band of white beasts,
Before neither the Negro leaders or the whites who sympathize. with
him are able to stop him, he kills one of his wife's assailants but
makes the mistake of using a knife instead - of a gun on another
of the murderers. His arm is broken in the struggle, his victim
recovers and his battle is lost. .•
. The conflicts rotating around the issue in the _South make
the story. There are love stories in the book' and sex angles which
involve one of the lynchers—Bubber Aycock, who breaks Nathan's
arm—which serve as motivating forces in the actions of several of
the characters. Bubber'.s wife, learning of her husband's illicit
love affair, exposes the lynchers and cracks the whole case open.
A newspaperman, who tries to effect Nathan's escape,- -who
also gets into trouble with the Southern bigots and has his nose
broken in a fight, is among the heroes who force the issue to the
fore. The daughter of a minister, who is. on the staff of the Haines-
ville Courier, and the man she loves are part of the cast of char-
acters in the game of conscience among the whites. The Negro
undertaker, Yancey Brown, is opposed to reprisals—until his own
child is subjected to humiliation by a rowdy in Atlanta.
The major theme in "Reprisal" is the question of retaliation.
It begins when the Judge, after castigating a jury for freeing the
confessed lynchers,, tells his clerk: ..
"Conscience . . ..W.hat would you recommend, in cases where
. the . normal processes of justice are blocked as they were today?
Would you say that the injured party had the right to avenge
himself? Would that be preferable to letting the wicked go un-
punished? . . . If I had a black skin, I think I'd be tempted
to do something about it., Very tempted . . . But the thought of
reprisal never seems to o ur
occur
cc
to them. They just sit and take
it. So maybe I would, too, if I had a black skin."
But Nathan doesn't sit and take it. He packs into his suit
case the Luger pistol he bought from an infantryman while in
service with the U. S. Army in Italy, leaves his Aunt Cele in Har-
lem, in spite of her threat that she would disinherit him if he
persists in his mission, and is off to seek reprisal. The trial during
which the lynchers were freed exposed the guilty. And Nathan
explained:
"Somebody's got to teach 'em different. Somebody's got to
show 'em that it CAN happen to them. Somebody's got to break
the pattern. Up to now, I couldn't do anything because I didn't
know who did it. But now I know—I know three of 'em, anyway."
When Yancey Brown is warned by a Negro leader who tries
to stop Nathan from acting that "action always brings reaction',
that: "We feel too much; people who feel, can't think"; the wise
Negro undertaker replies: "People who can't feel aren't people."
The New York reporter Melady seems to point his finger on
the case of trouble when he consents to go hunting with Shep,
the town's leading. industrialist, the man who finally. tracks down
Nathan. When a dove is shot down-
"Melady reached forward and took the bird from him. It was -
dead, he knew, but he could feel life vibrating in it, a strong
humming, like a dynamo. He was furious. 'You asked me what
was wrong with Hainesville.' He held up the bird so that the
head lolled sideways on the broken neck. 'That's what's wrong
with it!' "
Unity, Shep's girl friend, and Melady try to facilitate Nathant
escape 'on Shep's boat when all land roads are blocked off in
search for the Negro avenger. Melady, always seeking the best
story, asks Nathan whether it was worth while, if he would do it
over again, and Nathan replies that he doesn't know. Did it give
him satisfactiOn? He doesn't know.
"Melady followed him to the door. Death is no punishment,
he thought; that's the irony of it. Has he found that out? God
help him if he has."
Thus the problem remains half solved—except in Melady's
conclusion that "death is no punishment." Nathan himself, who
is in position to kill his pursuer,. Shep, instead shoots himself in
the mouth, ending his own tragic story and making death his
punishment. But the reader will ponder the question. He will
return to the original thesis, as expressed by Judge Winter: "If
I had black skin I'd be tempted to do something about it . ".
(David Frankfurter, the Swiss-Jewish medical student, was
moved. to kill the anti-Semitic Nazi Gauleiter in Switzerland,
Wilhelm Gustloff. Herschel Grynszpan assassinated . Ernst vom
Rath in Paris in 1939 and his act set off sparks that illuminated
and destroyed by fire all synagogues, all business establishments
owned by Jews, all Jewish homes in Germany).
Is Reprisal wrong: is it desirable; is it commendable? Perhaps
Yancey Brown was right when he said: "People who can't feel
i.ren't people."
"Reprisal," in addition to being a very great novel, will arouse
liscussion and will cause people to think twice about race preju-
lice, about the right of man to seek vengeance when (to quote
fudge Winter) "the normal processes of justice are blocked?'