As the Editor
Views the News ...

The Excluded One

FEP Proposal

A Detroit Citizens Committee for Equal
Employment Opportunities has framed an
ordinance, which it is proposing for adoption
by the Detroit Common Council, to assure
enforcement of equal employment considera-
tions for all, regardless of race, creed or
color.
The new proposal, which is aimed to
replace partisan FEPC ideas promulgated by
leftist groups whose efforts to take the lead
in advancing the cause of fair employment
practices has caused rifts in religious and
labor ranks, has much to commend it.
A declaratio- n of policy indicates that the
findings of the committee are that "discrim-
nation in employment results in grave injury
to public welfare, menaces community peace,
is incompatible with American principles of
fair play."
While excluding from the act domestic
servants, family members employed by the
family and sectarian and religious organiza-
tions, the proposed ordinance would apply to
employers of one or more persons, labor
organizations and employment agencies.
The mere fact that the new proposal in
support and defense of equal employment
opportunities would be administered by a
City of Detroit Commission on Equal Oppor-
tunities in Employment and Human Rela-
tions would in itself have great value. Such
a commission, which would be composed of
spokesmen for commerce and industry, labor
and the public at large, would have powers
derived from public opinion. At the same
time, it would have the right to hold public
hearings on complaints — a factor that
would, in itself, acquire strength to compel
abandonment of unfair practices.
It may be difficult to enforce such ideas
momentarily, but the appeal to the Ameri-
can idea of fair play should give the proposal
added strength, especially in view of the
emphasis it places on conciliation and per-
, suasion. The suggested fines and imprison-
ment for failure to abide the ordinance, the
required posting of notices setting forth
excerpts from the ordinance in places of
employment and' other advantages accruing
from the proposal should serve to bring the
desired advantages through an FEP in
Detroit.
The proposed, ordinance sounds reason-
able. In the course of time it might be
strengthened. In the meantime, as a start
in defense of equal employment opportuni-
ties, it should be given the wholehearted
support of the Detroit Common Council and
of our entire community.

A Notable Achievement

The Jewish News, as a member of the
American Jewish Press, the news service of
the American Association of English-Jewish
Newspapers, is proud to be able to join with
the major English-Jewish newspapers in this
country, in South Africa and in Israel in
turning out a new "first" in Jewish journal-
ism—the first wirephoto appearing on the
first page of this issue.
This is the first time that a transoceanic
wirephoto has been flashed to Jewish news-
papers in the United States. It is an indica-
tion of the type of service that can be rend-
ered—provided that news services and the
newspapers they represent are strong enough
to carry the burdens of extended news and
photo coverage.
To the American Jewish Press recently
went credit for another service marked by
vision in respect to the position it holds on
the American Jewish scene. By making
available the material it produces to the U. S.
State Department's "Voice of America,"
AJP now plays an important role in broad-
casts aimed at keeping the people in Israel
fully informed on the activities of American
Jewry.

First American Jewish College
Opened Doors in 1855

An American Jewish Press Feature

By JUDAH GILEADI
Zion College, the first Jewish school of higher
learning established in this country, opened in
the fall of 1855 with 12 Jewish and two Christian
students. It was founded in Cincinnati by the
Zion College Association which was formed by
Dr. Isaac M. Wise, founder of the Reform Jewish
movement in the United States.
Financial difficulties forced the closing of
Zion College in 1857.
While Zion College was sponsored by the Re-
form Jewish elements, Maimonides College,
which was founded in 1867 in Philadelphia, was
the creation of the Orthodox group.
Other unsuccessful attempts were made to
found Jewish Colleges in several American cities.
Hebrew Union College, Dropsie College, Jewish
Theological Seminary, and Isaac Elchanan
Yeshiva were among the first schools formed
that have survived all obstacles. Brandeis Uni-
versity is another pride of American Jewry.

Victor Gollancz's Great
'Man and God'
Abdullah—Democracy's Victim? Work:
"Powerful," "triumphant," "noble." These are

Dr. James G. McDonald's most intriguing book, "My
Mission in Israel," which will be released by his publisher,
Simon and Schuster, on Aug. 24, makes interesting reference
to Abdullah of Jordan, who was assassinated two weeks ago.
Dr. McDonald, whose fascinating story of his career as
the first U. S. Ambassador to Israel' will be the subject of
many debates, in view of his revelations of the attitude of the
State Department towards the Jewish state, comments time
and again on Abdullah's conciliatory attitude towards Israel
and his readiness to make peace with his neighboring state.
There is a hint in the former Ambassador's story that Ab-
dullah's readiness to cooperate with the democratic forces
may- have cost him his life. Here is a paragraph in Dr. Mc-
Donald's "My Mission in Israel" that refers to Abdullah's
"democratic handicap":

"The Arab question continued to concern us all, sounding
like a Leitmotif through the greater symphony of the Korea
crisis. Repeatedly during these last months of 1950 Israel at-
tempted to break the Arab cordon sanitaire and to transform at
least one of the armistices into a peace treaty. Abdullah of Jor-
dan offered the best chance of success, of course, but each of
his moves to negotiate with Israel—at least until near the end
of the year—aroused such opposition in his newly organized
Parliament that he had to retreat. Ironically, as a foreign dip-
lomat long resident in Jordan explained to me. Abdullah's hope
for peace might have been realized had he not as I have indi-
cated earlier—transformed his traditional personal and auto-
eratit regime into a parliamentary system—and this under
British encouragement. Despite this `democratic handicap,' the
beginning of 1951 gave promise that the latest of his Cabinets,
headed by his personal favorite, Samir Pasha Rifal might
succeed in ending the stalemate with Israel which had been in
effect since the end of the open fighting two years before."

At the moment, the autocratic forces appear to have
prevailed. Abdullah is dead and his "democratic" ideas may,
as Dr. McDonald indicated, have proved his undoing.
Another authority on Middle Eastern affairs, the noted
New York Times correspondent Cyrus L. Sulzberger, pointed
out in an article from Paris, on the day of Abdullah's assassi-
nation, that the King of Jordan "was always rather a lone
wolf in Arab politics." Mr. Sulzberger wrote: "The Egyptians
mistrusted him. King Ibn Saud of Saudi Arabia, who drove
the Hashemite family from Mecca and the Hedjas, disliked
him and coveted Jordan. Damascus feared his plan for a
`Greater Syria.' In 1948 the Arab League guaranteed to pay
his army the $5,600,000 annual subsidy furnished by Britian
to 'induce him to fight in the Palestine war. Abdullah's Brit-
ish-trained Arab Legion proved by far the most efficient
force arrayed against the Israelis. But immediately after
active hostilities ceased, he personally participated in secret
negotiations with representatives from Tel Aviv. When the
tale finally got around, his life was endangered."
Mr. Sulzberger quotes a prediction: "On April 5, 1950,
this correspondent wrote a dispatch from Dhahran, Saudi
Arabia, 'Ever since it became known that King Abdullah of
Jordan was conducting secret negotiations with Israel at El
Shuni, there have been rumors of plots to assassinate him
or his former permier, Samir Pasha Rifal'."
Now, Arab representatives at the United Nations, in-
stead of exercising a bit of caution and a certain amount of
Incorporating the Detroit Jewish Chronicle
humility, are utilizing Abdullah's death for attacks upon
commencing with issue of July 20,1951
Member: American Association of English-Jewish News- Zionism. Dr. Farid Zeineddine, chief Syrian UN delegate, re-
papers, Michigan Press Association.
ferring to the "deep political significance" of Abdullah's
Published every Friday by The Jewish News Publishing
Co. 708-10 David Stott Bldg., Detroit 26, Mich., W0.5-1155.
Subscription $4 a year; foreign $5.
death, stated on the very day of the murder: "There can be
Entered as second class matter Aug. 6, 1942 at Post Office,
little
doubt that this restlessness is mainly due to the impact
Detroit, Mich., under Act of March 3, 1879.
of Zionist expansion, supported by policies of some big pow-
PHILIP sLomovirz, Editor
ers." It is clear that Zeineddine and his cohorts are fanning
SIDNEY SHMARAK, Advertising Manager
new flames of hatred.
Vol. XIX—No. 21
Page 4
August 3, 1951
It is no wonder that Israel is on guard, that Washington
Sabbath Scriptural Selections
is concerned, that the defenses of the Jewish state are being
This Sabbath, the second day of Ab. 5711, the
following selections will be read in our syna- expanded. If the "democratic" ideas are handicaps to peace,
those who seek amity must seek self-protection while, at the
gogues:
Pentateuchal portion—Num. 30:2-36:13.
same time, extending a hand of friendship to the new Jordan
Prophetical portion—Jer. 2:4-28:3:4.
rulers as well as to the other Arab powers.

THE JEWISH NEWS

some of the tributes given to Victor Gollancz's
"Man of God," published in this country by
Houghton Mifflin Co.
The eminent British publisher's work has well
earned these titles. He has fulfilled his mission
with marked ability and has succeeded in the
gathering of "passages chosen and arranged to
express a mood about the human and divine,"
as/the sub-title of "Man and God" declares.
Mr. Gollancz emphasizes "mood, not doc-
trine," as he points out in the preface. His book
is above' doctrine, all-inclusive in consideration
of faith. It contains passages that .range from,
one line—as the four-work sentence, quoting
the Talmud, "God wants the heart"—to the
long, beautiful, famous story by Isaac Loeb
Perez, "Bontzye Shweig."
There are numerous quotations from "Select-
ed Mystical Writings of William Law," lengthy
selections from Blake's ‘"Jerusalem," important
portions of the Bible and the Talmud, and
numerous JeWish legends and Hasidic tales.
He opens with the . Shema Israel and, on
the last page, is the Hebrew prayer—the
Shehecheyanu—in Hebrew. In every detail,
there is an appropriateness in Mr. Gollancz's
work that makes it stand out as a most mag-
nificent literary creation of our time.
The Jewish selections are b no means the
predominating' factors in "Man and God." But
they carry that weight that is needed to give a
great book noteworthy status.
A single sentence from Leon Bloy, "All that
happens is divine," is among the many gems in
this book which describe the volume itself. The
Bloy sentiment gets added weight. from this
quotation from Martin Buber, interpreting Ha-
sidism: "There is no not-holy, there is only that
which has not yet been hallowed, which has not
yet been redeemed to its holiness." Yet, as Mr.
Gollancz himself points out, there are contra-
dictions in this book. But these very contradic-
tions are the positive proofs of the moods "about
the human and divine."
There is a lesson in human relations on every
page of "Man and God." There is, as an example,
this passage from the Talmud:
"An aged man, whom Abraham hospitably
invited to his tent, refused to join him in
prayer to the one spiritual God. Learning that
he was a fire-worshiper, Abraham drove him.
from his door. - That night God appeared to
Abraham in a vision and said: 'I have borne
with that ignorant man for seventy years;
could you not have patiently suffered him one
night?' "
The lengthy selection from the Wisdom of
Solomon, noteworthy passages from Christian
literature, quotations from Albert Schweitzer,
Edmond Fleg, Traherne, Spinoza and scores of
others provide stirring experiences for the read-
er of this rnagnificient work. The added value of
selecting short or longer portions for at-random
reading should make it a cherished possession in
all homes.

Restore Our Days As of Yore

"Tel j'etais autrefois et tel je suis encore.'—Racine
By NOAH E. ARONSTAM,
Don't look at me as antiquated and archaic - .
I'm still the same—the man of yore;
And though perchance my age does spell
An obvious anachrony:
The elan of youth is still within my soul,
With all its tender agitations,
With all its sentiments and inspirations,
Which carried me through the labryinth of life,
Through baffled vanities,
And the enigmata of doubt
Into a land of Peace and clarity of Thought
Aye, I'm still the same—the man of yore!
My craftsmanship did not forsake me,
My muse has flared the sparks, the dying embers
To a veritable glow of renascent youth and hope.
Thus fearlessly I hurl my challenge and declare:
"I am still the same—the man of yore,
And bid defiance to the shadows of despair."

