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On the Record

By NATHAN ZIPRIN

(Copyright- 1950. Seven Arts Feature Syndicate. Inc.)

Currents and Crosscurrents

The plenary session of the Jewi4h Agency executive may yet
prove to be one of the most important conclaves of its kind .. .
Little news has been percolating from the corridors of the meeting
but it is a certainty only considerations of the highest importance
prompted the holding of the meeting in New York instead of
Jerusalem . . . American Jewish life, Zionist and otherwise, is dan-
gerously bending under rift, dissension and confusion . . . Unless
that trend is halted only trouble looms ahead for Israel and our
own community. . . . There are definite danger signals that the
fighting among top level Jewish leaders may spread to areas where
it hurts most—among the masses in the Jewish communities .. .
Already one hears demands that the top-level leaders either get
together for unified and harmonious action or else quit for a more
objective if less experienced leadership . . . No one yet knows to
what extent the bickering and snarling has injured Israel and the
causes on its behalf . . . Certain it is that the objectives considered
at the recent Washington conference will not be achieved if a
foundation for unity is not cemented at once . . . The proximity
between the plenary session of the Agency and the forthcoming
extraordinary conference of the American Zionist Council was no
coincidence • . . This parley is to discuss inter-Zionist relations
as well as internal Zionist problems . . . The fact that a group
representing the Agency is to sit in at the conference of American
Zionists would seem to indicate that the push to eliminate conflict
and misunderstanding in Zionist ranks is making headway.

*

*

Notes About Lord Samuel

Celebration last week of Lord Samuel's eightieth birthday re-
called to one American reporter hie experience•in introducing the
Anglo-Jewish statesman and philosopher to some modern news
agency methods. It happened 1§ years ago. The reporter called
Lord, then Sir Herbert, Samuel late at night and, after profuse
apologies for invading his privacy, asked him for a statement on
an important news development. Sir Herbert immediately began
dictating what the reporter describes as a beautiful statement,
such as lesser mortals might take hours in compassing. His tele-
phone delivery, too, the reporter says, was a masterpiece of ora-
torical art. When Sir Herbert began, the reporter threw a switch
and started his recording machine, registering Sir Herbert's
words. When the statement was completed, Sir Herbert asked the
reporter to read it back to him. "I can't just yet," said the re-
porter, "I made a recording of it." "A recording?" Sir Herbert was
indignant. "Do you mean to say you are broadcasting my state-
ment without even warning me of it?" The reporter entered into
an elaborate technical explanation which soothed Sir Herbert.
"A very interesting device, that," he commented. "I must see it
sometime. But young man, if ever you are going to use that con-
traption in talking to me again, tell me first."

Socialist David. Ben-Gurion Risked
His Future on First-Rate Capitalist

TEL AVIV (AJP)—The-historic
tale of how Israel's balding
prime minister, long a founder
and advocate of socialism, shook
the table with his fists in pro-
test threatening
his high posi-
tion, b u t out-
right refused to
sidetrack a de-
mand that an
outstanding ad-
vocate of free
enterprise, Yaa-
kov Geri, be
shelved as pro-
Geri
spective Minis-
ter of Trade and Industry, is
sweeping this little republic.
David Ben-Gurion won out in
the end. And Yaakov Geri,
hailed by many as the keenest
businessman in the Near East,
took his seat in the Israel cabi-
net.
Geri belongs to no political
party. It marks the first time in
this politically-conscious nation,
that an individual has been ap-
pointed to a key cabinet post
without party affiliation.
Ben-Gurion's original appoint-
ment of •Geri to the second
highest post in the land, next
to Minister of the Treasury Elie-
zer Kaplan, was reported as one
of the minor factors in the
recent Israeli crisis. Religious
elements were said to have pre-
ferred one of their party to
handle the vital post.
But B e n - Gurion answered
with a final "No!" The old
guard' socialist, whose Mapai
party was founded on the theme
of a socialist Israel, was fight-
ing—and hard, too—for a first-
rate capitalist; one who in 415
years in Israel has been respon-
sible for mushrooming the
dynamic growth of the powerful
South African Palestine Invest-
ment Corporation.
When Geri arrived in Israel
following a successful law prac-
tice in South Africa, the Lithu-
anian-born dynamo was ap-
pointed managing director of
the infant South African invest-
ment organization.
In the decade and a half
which followed, t h e corpora-
tion, under G er i's.push,
branched out to interlock a host
of bank's, shipping, and trans-

arta ti on enterprises.

Still not satisfied, the hard-
working Geri urged his Cor-
poration, under Geri's push,
branched out to interlock a host
of banks, shipping, and trans-
portation enterprises.
Still not satisfied, the hard-
working Geri urged his Corpo-
ration to buy into the Palestine
Potash Works, hotels and the
Ata Textile Corporation, and
other firms. They prospered.
Geri is a widower. He has two
children.
Experts say the Mapai leader
wanted a man who could build
what Geri has built; that Ben
Gurion was holding fast to his
belief that a socialistic Israel
and an Israel which looked to
private endeavor could meet on
mutual ground.

Northwest Sliabbos Project
For Religious School

20—THE JEWISH NEWS

Friday, November 17, 1950

} News Brevities 1

The next meeting of CLUB
TWENTY-FIVE will be held at
the home of Vera Estron. A
membership drive is now in
progress, and all- persons inter-
ested in joining are asked to
call TY. 7-6050.
* * *
At a meeting of the BRADY
SCHOOL PTA Tuesday a dis-
cussion was held on "How to
Observe American Education
Week." Miss Agnes Swan, of the
department of instruction, also
spoke on "Manuscript and Spell-
ing.
* *
JOCANAN CLUB has resumed
meeting for the season. The first
gathering will be at the home
of Mr. and Mrs. K. Kutinsky of
Prairie Ave., on Sunday.
* * *
American Zionist YOUTH
COMMISSION, joint youth
agency of the Zionist Organiza-
tion of America and Hadassah,
has called a conference of di-
rectors of affiliated Zionist
Youth Commissions, .S u n d a y
through Wednesday, at the Park
Inn Hotel, Rockaway Park, N. Y.
a * *
MORRIS L. SCHAVER, prom-
inent Detroit labor zionist leader
who was a member of the De-
troit delegation at the National
Planning Conference for Israel
in Washington, on Wednesday
evening reported on the confer-
ence at the meeting of Arlaza-
roff Branch of Farband, at the
Labor Zionist Institute.
* * *
National DIABETES WEEK
will be observed in Detroit and
nationally Nov., 12 to 18. Dr.
Joseph G. Molner, commissioner
of health, says that many physi-
cians in Detroit are cooperating
with the Wayne County Medical
Society and the Detroit Depart-
ment of Health in an effort to
discover anyone who has dia-
betes without knowing it. Last
year 533 persons died from dia-
betes in Detroit and it was tenth
among the leading causes of
death, compared with ninth in
1948 when 528 deaths from it
occurred. Diabetes appeared
among the top ten for the first
time in 1932. Dr. Molner says
diabetes can be controlled with
diet and insulin if it is discov-
ered promptly and treated then.

. Israel Foreign Minister MOSHE SHARETT (center), accom-
panied by Ambassador ABBA EBAN (left) make a courtesy, call on
Secretary of Defense GEORGE G. MARSHALL in his Pentagon

Building office in Washington. Everyone seems pleased.

.

Travelers in Israel To Get Ration Cards

WASHINGTON (JTA) — De-
spite the present austerity re-
gime in Israel, special arrange-
ments have been made to pro-
vide tourists visiting the Jew-
ish state with food ration cards
and other facilities, it was re-
ported by David Melamed, chair-
man of the Israel Tourist and

Travel Association.
Melamed- heads an Israel
delegation that is participating
for the first time in a conven-
tion of the American Society of
Travel Agencies, in session here.
The Israeli emphasized that his
country's climate makes possi-
ble a year-round tourist season.

Candles on Export
To U.S. Consecrated in
Jerusalem Ceremony

JERUSALEM, (JTA) — A spe-
cial ceremony consecrating Ha-
nukah candles, which will be
exported to . the United States,
took place at historic Mount
Zion.
Top officials of the Ministry
of Religion and the Chief Rab-
binate's office participated in
the rites.
In addition to the special Ha-
nukah candles, Jerusalem will
turn out for export to the Unit-
ed States candles for the Sab-
bath, for Havdalah — marking
conclusion of the Sabbath—for
weddings, death anniversaries,
Bar Mitzvahs and other occa-
sions.
Following ceremonies at
Mount Zion, a group of rabbis
and religious leaders descended
to a cave in the mountainside
which is dedicated to the mem-
ory of the 6,000,000 Jews who
perished at the hands of the
Nazis. Special candles were lit
in the cave.

Northwest Hebrew Congrega-
tion Religious School is cur-
rently carrying on a Shabbos
project, including its traditions,
music, rituals and customs. This
project culminated in two as-
sembly programs on Nov: 12,
with a talk by Rabbi Jacob E.
Segal, a Shabbos play by the
dramatic group, and songs by
the Children's Choir of the
Congregation, under the direc-
tion of Cantor Fenakel. Par-
ticipating in the play were My-
ron Bordman, Barry Kline,
Rhoda Bigelman, Donald Bigel-
man, Marilyn Kent, and Michael
Berman. Barbara Goldsmith pre- First 5711 Settlements -
sented an original song parody.
According to the latest re-
Israel Chapter, AZA holds
ports from the Settlement De-
Second Annual Barn Dance
partment of the. Jewish Agency,
five new settlements—the first
The second annual barn dance of the new year—were founded.
of AZA Israel Chapter will be All of these are work villages—
held Wednesday at Gramer's one a "Kfar Avoda" of Yemenite
Barn, 27450 Eleven Mile Rd. new immigrants, set up in a
Dancing will continue from 8:30 former British army camp in
to 12:30 p.m. For tickets, call the Judean Hills; two `Kafrei
Mary Siegel, UN. 2-3'738.
Falha," both located in the Dar-
om (South) and composed of
Drain Works in Emek Hepher
newcomers from Tripolitania;
and two "Kafrei Mataim" in the
The Keren Kayemeth is now Judean Hills, whose settlers
carrying out a comprehensive originate ' from Kurdistan and
program of drainage in the Wadi Yemen. One of these last, Elar,
Kubani, which is in the Emek is the nearest point of Jewish
Hepher. The work will cost about settlement to the ill-fated Et-
IL. 15,000 and will drain an area zion Bloc, which was captured

of 3,000 dunams.

A Fond Shalom Among Friends

during the War of Liberation.

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tures of interest to home owners,

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