Purely Commentary

By PHILIP SLOMOVITZ

Penology: 'Crimes Become Glorious .. . By Their Excess'

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THE JEWISH NEWS

Between You and Me

Friday, May 2, 1952

Rabbi Bernard Heller
Is Greeted in India

A famous maxim by La Rochefoucauld-

"There are crimes which become innocent, and even glori-
ous, by their fame, their number and their excess,"

is applicable today to the horrible chapter that was written last
week in Michigan's prison history.
Crimes emerge clad in glory only if the lessons attained by
sad experiences are applied towards solution of social problems.
Our state's tragic acquaintance with an issue involving penolOgY
must be treated with a view of resolving it and of making
advances towards the unraveling of matters which have puzzled
governments and social scientists through the ages.
Linked with our current penological problem are many issues.
We still are faced with the unresolved proposals for the intro-
duction of capital punishment. We must. if the human spark
is not to be extinguished, think of the illnesses that afflict most
criminals whom we must treat as sick in heart and in mind and
as patients for whom we should try to find cures. But it won't
be easy to secure agreement on such issues.
Dr. Max Lerner, in an article in the N. Y. Post on "The Des-
perate Men," exposes a complaint which has not been discussed
but which deserves attention. We have been so busy watching
the scene of battle, the destruction at the Jackson prison, 'the
demands and the threats, that we may have ignored too much of
the realistic elements involved in the prison revolt. Dr. Lerner
makes these points:

It is interesting that one of thre complaints at Michigan is
the charge that vicious homosexuals have been placed in the
cell block.
It ought to be clear enough by now that prisons the world
over are vicious factories for the manufacture of homosexuals.
As a tightly segregated all-male group, a prison is worse than
an army. An army, at least, has the Japanses girls, or the Ger-
man girls, or the camp followers of the army camps. Prisoners
have nothing—except each other. The estimates of the number
of prisoners who engage in homosexual practice at some time
during their terms ranges from 40 per cent to 80 per cent. Worse
than the sporadic practice is the seduction of the younger
"punks" or "girls" by the more aggressive "wolves." An article
in a recent issue of the magazine "U.S. Crime" is pretty explicit
on the continuing partnerships that are formed in prison, and
the corrupting relations that some of the prisoners are either
forced into by the threats of violence or starved into by being
cut off from normal heterosexual relations.
I don't mean to pick for emphasis one element out of a
whole tangle of them, but the sexual life of prisoners shows
the festering relation between crime and punishment. We send
men to prison because they are warped. but they come out
more warped.
There are some hopeful ways out, Mexico has gone so far as
to allow the wives of prisoners to visit them overnight. It is at
least a step toward understanding that "prisoners are people."
I take the phrase from Kenyon Scudder's recent book on the
Chino project, in California, in which he has tried for 12 years
with considerable success to explore what self-reliance and
responsible st,sigs and human trust can do for prisonert.
This will be called "soft.".But how do we expect human be-
ings to behave when they are dehumanized? They are stripped
of family, friends, productive work, normal sex-relations. We
think it is their "privileges" we are taking away, but it isn't—
it is their humanity. And then we are surprised when men thus
dehumanized turn desperate, ready to riot, break jail, and kill in
order at least to end like men.

Rabbi BERNARD HELLER of
New York City (center) who re-
turned recently after a unique
preaching mission to the Jewish
community of India, is shown
being greeted by members of a
delegation on his arrival in
Bombay. The mission was spon-
sored by the World Union for
Progressive Judaism, The Union
of American Hebrew Congrega-
tions and the National Federa-
tion of Temple Sisterhoods.

Israel Freedom Stamps

By BORIS SMOLAR

(Copyright, 1952. Jewish Telegraphic Agency. inc.)

The Reparations Talks:

Jewish groups interested in the outcome of the German-
Israeli reparations talks should watch closely the current nego-
tiations between the Western Powers and the Bonn government
. . . The negotiations are expected to culminate lin an agreement
which will be signed in May in Bonn bringing Germany into the
family of Western _nations . . . Once this agreement is signed, it
is bound to have an effect on the German-Israeli talks. when
and if they are resumed in June . . . The agreement will have
its effect on the international conference on Germany's external
debts which is now taking place in London and to which the
Bonn government is trying to link the Israeli claim . . . Bonn's
argument to the democratic world will be: How do you expect
us to pay foreign debts to any considerable extent when you
want to build up a West German Army and maintain it as a
bulwark against possible Soviet aggression? .. . Inasmuch as the
West German government knows that the Big Powers are inter-
, ested in a strong German army, it also knows wherein its bar-
gaining strength vis-a-vis its creditors lies . . . This is true not
only with regard to Germany's intention to "settle" her foreign
financial commitments by paying only a small part of them, but
also with regard to her plan to drag out even these minimum
payments over as long a period as possible . . . German diplomats
are already beirig quoted as stating publicly that they expect
Israel's reparations claim—for whatever figure it is settled—
will be paid out "within a generation," which they consider to be
35 years . . They make such statements, although- they are
aware that Chancellor Konrad Adenauer wishes sincerely to
come to some reasonable understanding with the Jews about the
Israeli and other Jewish claims . . . As the situation stands at
present, Adenauer is in a minority on this issue even in his own
party . . . The only German group that is solid for an immediate
and just settlement in Gerntany today . . . The credit for this
outspoken stand of the German Socialist Party must go to
Adolph Held, president of the American Jewish Labor Committee
and member of the Presidium of the Conference of Jewish
Material Claims Against Germany . . . It was Mr. Held who also
inspired Lord Henderson to raise in the House of Lords the issue
of the German-Israeli reparations talks during which the British
government made it clear that it expects Germany to pay repara-
tions to Israel as a "non-commercial" debt. '

ZOA Agreement:

After lengthy negotiations. the Jewish Agency and the Zion-
ist Organization of America have reached agreement on ZOA.
fund-raising in 1952. . . Last year, the Jewish Agency, by agree-
ment with the ZOA, made an allocation of $935,000 to the World
Confederation of General Zionists for various constructive pro-
iects, including projects sponsored by the ZOA. Under that agree-
nent, ZOA was not to conduct any fund-raising campaigns in
he U. S. in 1951 ". . . This year the Jewish Agency offered the
ZOA a similar agreement, but ZOA insisted upon conducting an
independent campaign for its own projects . . . The Agency
agreed to permit the ZOA to launch such .a campaign providing
it is restricted to ZOA membership . . . The ZOA agreed also to
other limitations . . . ZOA publicity must indicate that the cam-
paign is directed only to its members . . . There is to be no pub-
licity in the general press ... ZOA is not to apply to welfare funds
for its Israel projects and is not to accept allocations for that
purpose, even if they are offered . . . ZOA is not to launch its
campaign in any community until after completion of the major
portion of the local UJA drive . . . While it will not include ZOA
in its allocations, the Agency will continue its allocations to the
Mizrachi Palestine Fund. Aglidath Israel and Poale Agudath Is-
Because this is "soft," it won't be accepted. But perhaps it
rael . . . The Mizrachi Palestine Fund will receive $850.000 from
isn't even as simple as Dr. Lerner describes it. In olden days,
the Agency in 1952 . . . Agudath Israel will get about $180,000
people, by Biblical injunction, were stoned to death for crimes.
These are the new stamps is- and the Poale Agudath Israel will receive about $200,000
. . None
Today, we are more lenient. Today, we are compelled to be more sued by the state of Israel in of
these three organizations are permitted to conduct Israeli cam-
kindly out of our knowledge that crime is often illness and that honor of the state's fourth an- paigns in the United States in 1952.
society does not kill the sick. But to cure the sick it is necessary niversary.
that we have enough curative power, that we provide means for
solving mental illness, that we do not crowd hurnh.n beings like
cattle, that we get at the root of problems in order to find so- 'High Wall' Receives
Praise of Polish Leader
lutions for them. -
The Jackson riot was a tragedy, but out of it may come much
With leaders of Detroit's Polish
good. It will make people think. It will cause greater study of
UNITED NATIONS, N.Y., (JTA) time conditions.
penology. It should guide those responsible for law and order community in attendance, a
towards proper segregation of har.:lened criminals. Perhaps it will screening of a new film, "The —A series of resolutions aimed
A second resolution called for
lend glory to one crime out of whi:h is to come solution for human High Wall" was held recently at at providing greater assistance concerted action to remove ob-
the Jewish Community Council and protection to migrants was stacles in the way of refugees
ills. For, there is no ill wind th:t doesn't bring some good.
Meanwhile we are involved in a complicated vicious circle office. This film, depicting prob- adopted at the conference of belonging to professional groups
created by demands and promises, by pledges to prisoners and lems of prejudice as they relate non-governmental organizations who are blocked from obtaining
permits to practice their profes-
by prison officials' temptations to curb them. by angry shouts to Polish immigrants and their interested in migration.
A resolution called on the UN sions in the country of resettle..
"that ," directed by warden to convict, convict to guard, down children, deals with the whole
the line—indicating that pent-up emotions have not been reduced, scope of nationality, religious High Commissioner for Refugees m en t.
and other inter-governmental
A third resolution asked gay-
that the desire for vengeance, the talk of "reprisals," is strong and racial prejudice.
in the hearts of the condemned criminals and those who are
The film won warm endorse- agencies to cooperate in the re- ernments which have not yet
charged with the duty of keeping them in confinement and away ment from Joseph W. Skutecki, moval of difficulties encounter- ratified the convention on refu-
from further troubles:
President of the Michigan Di- ed by refugees in obtaining im- gees which was approved in
Man's intelligence is challenged by the problem. Government vision of the Polish American migration visas because of minor 1951 to do so as quickly as possi-
devotes more time and money to planning defensive war against Congress. Skutecki's statement offenses committed under war- ble.
the outside world than it does of . protective internal interests recommended the" showing of
involving the multitudes of mentally sick. Perhaps a solution to the film "in schools, community
war scares lies in the healing of our domestic illnesses, in setting halls, and other places where it
our own houses in order, in establishing a more healthy society, will be appreci4ted by Ameri-
with provisions for the care of the unfortunates who depend upon can audiences .). ."
Society to cure their depressions, to fulfill their elementary needs.
Local bookings for the film
have been arranged through the
office of the Jewish Community
Council.

UN Conference Urges Technical
Assistance to Migrants, Refugees

G--Day Workers Relax for Lunch

Pre-Campaigners in Action

UN Allocates $300,000 for
Aid to Israel Children

UN11. ED NATIONS, N. Y.,
(JTA)—The 26-nation executive
board of the United Nations In-
ternational Children's E m e r-
gency Fund has allocated a
$300.000 project to Israel of
$637,000 assigned to the entire
Middle East.
The Israeli project is for the
purchase of equipment for bot-
tling Pasteurized milk, for re-
frigeration and for equipment
for making milk bottles. This is
the first milk conservation pro-
gram aided by UNICEF in the
Middle East region:

.

Among the 70 wlio attended the pre-campaign meeting to pick
up their Allied Jewish - Campaign assignments are (left to right)
SAMUEL J. GREENBERG, TOM BORMAN, FRED A. GINSBURG
and MOREY L. ROSENTHAL. Greenberg is also chairman of the
Services Division.• • •

Training meetings for workers in general solicitation of tin

Women's Division in the Allied Jewish Campaign took on a social

warmth, as division leaders acted as hostesses, holding 80 different
training sessions in preparation for G-Day, Sunday. Relaxing
over the dessert luncheon table in this group are (left to right)
Mrs. A. GOLDMAN, Mrs. JESSE RICE, hosteSs) captain, Mrs. H. S.
BAILES, Mrs. A. EIZELMAN and Mrs. ED LUTZ.

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