On a Former President's Birthday:
24—THE JEWISH N EWS
Anti-Semite or Misunderstood?
Mystery of Grant Goes Unsolved
Trade with Africa
Begins Through Elath
(An American Jewish
Press Feature)
Was Gen. Ulysses S. Grant a
anti-Semite--the only one ever
to hold such a high American
military position—or was he, as
he later insisted as President,
a misunderstood man who had
acted in haste on an alleged
Jewish problem under military
pressure?
One of American history's most
puzzling mysteries was raised
again by the birthday of Grant
on April 27.
There is no mystery about
"General order number 11" is-
sued from the headquarters of
the U. S. 13th Army Corps, De-
partment of Tennessee, at Ox-
ford, Miss. on Dec. 17, 1862, "By
Order of Maj. General Grant."
The order read:
"The Jews as a class, violating
every regulation of trade estab-
lished by treasury dewtment
orders, are hereby expelled from
the department within 24 hours
upon receipt of this order by post
commanders."
When Grant was running for.
President, Simon Wolf, a leading
Jewish statesman, sought to get
the issue clarified.
Wolf subsequently announced
that Grant had, denied - ever
writing the order. The denial was
based on Grant's contention that
such orders were prepared with
the inscription "By.Order of Maj.
Gen. Grant" and used as needed
by subordinates.
The offending order actual-
ly had been signed by a J. A.
Rawlins, listed as Assistant ad-
jUtant general.
Friday, May 4, 1951
Wolf said that "Grant pre-
fered to take t h e blame,
however, and suffered in si-
lence."
The occasion for the order
was a complaint by General
Sherman that merchants, in-
cluding Jewish merchants, were
crossing military lines and run-
ning blockades. Sherman com-
plained that 'the merchants were
a general nuisance and that
they were aiding the enemy.
Despite Wolf's statement, Gen.
Grant later admitted that he
penned the letter, but claimed
"extenuating circumstances "
That admission brought a
letter on Sept. 14, 1868, from
L H. Morris, an Illinois Con-
gressman, asking for more in-
formation. Grant wrote to
M o r r i s, denying any anti-
Semitism and insisting that
Order No. 11 was meant to ap-
ply only to the Jewish mer-.
chants involved in the illegal
activities and not to American
Jews generally.
The order, Grant wrote, "would
never have been issued if it had
not been telegraphed at the mo-
ment it was penned and without
reflection."
Historians say it is inconcei-
able that Grant was not aware.
of the storm the order had
created.
Despite that, background, Wolf
wrote years later, "Grant did
more in behalf of American citi-
zens of Jewish faith, at home
and abroad, than all the Presi-
dents prior thereto or since."
JERUSALEM, (JTA) — It was
only a small 3,000 ton tramp
freighter that moored off Israel's
outpost on the Gulf of Akaba,
but it was an important har-
binger for the future.
The Greek freighter S.S. East
Georgious brought in building
supplies and food to the port of
Elath from East Africa, thus
pioneering a new supply route
for the Jewish State and point-
ing up the possibilities of Is-
rael trade with the African con-
tinent. The freighter laying off
Elath, also signified the tremen-
dous strategic value of Israel's
outlet to the East at Elath.
Israel Bank Takes Over
Anglo-Palestine Bank
TEL AVIV, (JTA)—The entire
business of the Anglo-Palestine
Bank will be transferred to the
Bank Leumi le-Israel's National
Bank, effective May 1. In con-
nection with the transfer, Is-
rael's national flag will fly for
three days over all the branches
of the bank throughout the
country.
Eight new branches were open-
ed by the bank, expanding its
system to include 31 branches
in Israel, a branch in London
and a representative office in
New York. (In New -York, Gideon
Strauss, representative of the
Bank Leumi le-Israel, said the
transfer entails no changes in
ownership, management or poli-
cies.)
Jewish Mayors in Michigan
Samuel B. Kahn of Harrisville
Republican County Committee.
He was a 32nd Degree Mason
Samuel B. Kahn was born in and served as a past master of
Russia, Sept. 15, 1873, and came the Harrisville Lodge No. 292,
to Bay City, Mich., in 1892. Free and Accepted Masons.
In 1914, Mr. Kahn moved to
Detroit. Here he 'served as the
first Police and Fire Commis-
sioner of Highland Park from
1930 to 1932, as president of the
Detroit Jewish Orphan Home
from 1925 to 1932, and as the
First, Worshipful Master of Per-
fection Lodge. Mr. Kahn was
married in 1897 to Nellie San-
dorf of Bay City and they were
the parents of Ivor, Bernice
(Mrs. John C. Hopp), Louise
(Mrs. M. George Wayburn) and
Velma (Mrs. Conrad Friedman),
all of whom are now residents
of ,Detroit. Mr. Kahn died in
Defroit in 1932.
By IRVING I. KATZ
Eban Calls on Youth
Tie Help Build Israel
SAMUEL B. KAHN
Three years later he moved to
Harrisville, Mich., where he
opened a - general store. His
business prospered and soon be-
came known as one of the best
in Alcony County.
Mr. Kahn served as treasurer
of the School Board of Harris-
vile for nine years, was a mem-
ber of. the City Council for six
years and served as Mayor from
-1908 to 1911, in which year he
was elected as secretary of the
‘Kashruth' Eased
On Ethiopian Men
Headed for Korea
LAKE SUCCESS (AJP) — A
minor crisis centering around
"kashruth" was resolved for a
contingent of 1300 Ethiopian
officers • and men enroute to
join advancing United Nations'
troops on the Korean front.
The dispute centered around
food provisions for the Ethio-
pians whose dietary laws are
similar to the Jewish Icashruth."
UN officials had explained the
difficulty of providing . the type
of food in the front lines which
would meet Ethiopian religious
rulings.
On the eve of the troops' de-
_ parture, the Ethiopian church
granted special permission for
the contingent to deviate, when
necessary, froth, "kashruth" rul-
ings and partake in GI rations.
Although most Ethiopians are
followers of a Christian sect,
the country's emperor, Haille
Salassie, claims a kinship to the
Jews dating back to the era of
King Solomon.
Dr. Auerbach Innocent
Of Bavarian, Frauds
FRANKFURT, (JTA) — Dr.
Philip Auerbach, former director
of the Bavarian State - Restitu-
tion Office, now under arrest,
was found to be "above re-
proach" in his handling of
credit, it was announced by
Richard Ringelmann, Secretary
of State for Bavaria.
The announcement followed a
special investigation by the Bav-
arian Supreme Court of Ac-
counts which established that
Dr. Auerbach never advanced
any credit without first notify-
ing the Minister of Finance. The
investigation also established
that most of the loans have been
repaid. Whenever Dr. Auerbach
discovered forgeries in the credit
documents, he himself reported
the matter to the proper author-
ities, the investigators empha-
sized in their report.
Dr. Auerbach who several days
ago made an unsuccessful at-
tempt to commit suicide, is still
in the prison hospital. His law-
yer said that- Dr. Auerbach was
"in a temporary state of depres-
sion" when he attempted to take
his life.
Stassen, Sure Israel
- Will Fight Communism,
Is Backer of U.S. Loan
PHILADELPHIA (AJP)—Har-
old E. Stassen, Republican party
presidential asairant, told the
American Jewigh Press in an
exclusive statement that his
visit to 'Israel had convinced
him that the Jewish state
would fight any Soviet aggres-
sion.
"Under these circumstances,
the United States should grant
aid to Israel on a constructive
program of economic develop-
ment for mutual advantage and
for service to the future free-
dom of mankind," Stassen, now
president of the University of
Pennsylvania, told the AJP.
Hadassah President
Defends Wage Scale
For Israel's Nurses
Tel Aviv Police Raid Uncovers
$700,000 In Illegal Gold Coins
TEL AVIV, (JTA) — Following
up the recent government meas-
ures banning free trading in
gold, police carried out a large-
scale raiding operation and un-
covered about $700,000 in gold
coins illegally held by numerous
unauthorized dealers Several of
the dealers were arrested and
the coin.s were impounded pend-
ing legal pweedings.
NEW YORK-- Addressing 11, He-
brew rally of over one thousand
young men and women, under
auspices of the Hebrew Youth
Commission of Histadruth Iv-
nth of America, last Sunday, at
Joan of Arc Junior High School,
the Israeli Ambassador to the
United States, Abba S. Eban,
exhorted the Jewish youth of
America to give of their talent
and enthusiasm to the techni-
cal, economic and cultural prob-
lems that Israel is determined to
solve,
Mr. Eban pointed out that the
participation of American Jew-
ish youth in the strengthening
of Israel in no way detracts
from their 'devotion to the land
of their birth, America. America
was built, Mr. Eban said, by the
devotion and ability of youth
that came . from all corners of
the earth. By building America,
they did not in the slightest go
back on or betray their native
lands. They drew upon their na-
tive cultures and capacities for
the upbuilding and enrichment
of America.
The State of Israel $500,000,000 "Independence" Bond Issue, being floated at the time of
the third anniversary of Israel's Statehood, will provide the funds for large-scale indus-
trial and agricultural expansion in the Jewish State. Coupon Bonds, paying 3 1/2 % interest
per year, are issued in denominations of $500 to $100,000. Savings Bonds, redeemable aft-
er twelve years at 150% of their face value, are issued in denominations of $50 to $10,000.
Principal and interest are payable in dollars.
.
NEW YORK (AJP)—Mrs. Rose
Halprin, president Of Hada&sah, .
ripped into a General .Zionist
charge from Israel that Hadas-
sah nurses • and doctors in the
Jewish state were being paid
- too well.
The new argument was the
latest in a series of exchanges
between Hadassah forces, led- by
Mrs. Halprin, and elements in
General Zionism both in the
United States and Israel.
Mrs. Halprin defends the wage
scales as inevitable in a country
plagued by inflation and short- -
ages of skilled labor. She as-
serted that the monthly basic
salary of nurses in Israel was
30 pounds or about $85• a month,
plus a cost of living allowance
of about -$60 a month, for a 48-
hour week.