2—THE JEWISH NEWS

Purely . Commentary

Friday, August 22, 1952

Succeeds Kaplan

By PHILIP SLOMOVITZ

German Reparations: Forgiveness, Abominations and Morality
Challenges that involve questions of morality and forgiveness
are now on top of the agenda of Jewish planning with reference
to our people's future relations with the Germans.
The London Times last week criticized the secrecy of German-
Jewish reparations talks at The Hague, declaring that the veil
of sCCFcCy is harmful to general relations, leading to increased
bitterness. The leading British newspaper revealed that the Is-
raeli delegates at The Hague conference refused to smoke in the I
meeting rooms so that they should not have to offer cigarettes '
to or be offered them by the Germans. The Times sums up its
ron•insions by stating:

The most that can be said is that good beginnings have
been made at The Hague and that the Jews, by virtue of their
unfortunate history, have never made a cult of the long
mc orp."

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Only Minor Points Prevent Complete
Aareement in Bonn Reparations Talks

pay reparations to Aus-
THE HAGUE, (JTA) — Mem should
I
bers of the delegation of the Irian Jews.
It was reported from Bonn
Conference on Jewish Material
Claims Against Germany indi- that 45% of the goods to be ex-
cated here that the German- ported to Israel by Germany will
Jewish reparations talks may be be steel, while 25% will be iron-
concluded at the end of this ware and non-ferrous products,
month, while a spokesman for and 30(?;; chemicals.
•
the Israel delegation said that
only one point of disagreement VIENNA, tJTAI—Negotiations .
prevents conclusion of the nego- between Israel and Austrian rep,
resentatives on the goods to be
tiations.
The point of disagreement is supplied to the Jewish State

-

the "stability clause" which the under the Austrian government

Israel delegation demands in 100.000,000 schilling credit have
order to secure a guarantee been successfully concluded here.
against any loss from possible The following quotas have been
devaluation of German curren- established:
Up to 25% of the credit may
cy. The Germans oppose this
demand on the ground that it be used for the purchase of tim-
casts doubt on the stability of ber, houses and other goods pro-
German currency. However, a ( -Weed from' wood: a similar
compromise is expected to be quota may be used for the pur-
reached after members of the chase of machinery. industrial
. German Cabinet return from equipment, tools, agricultural
PINKAS LAVON
. their vacation. implements. textile machinery,
JERUSALEM. , JTA ► — Pinkas The point of difference be- wood and metal working ma-
Lavon, former Minister of Agri- tween the Conference delegation • chinery: up to 15% may be used
culture. was named minister and the Germans is the exten- for woolen, cotton. rayon and
may be
without portfolio to succeed the sion of restitution to Austrian mixed yarns; up 5:3
late Eliezer Kaplan as deputy Jews who suffered during Ger- used for construction materials;
to Premier David Ben-Gurion - many's occupation of Austria. and up to 25r for miscellaneous

In the meantime. however. Israel Foreign Ministry spokesmen
in Jerusalem declared that their government will not permit pur-
chase of merchandise in Germany, even after The Hague talks, by
individuals or firms and that a special government agency will '
supervise acquisition of German materials for use in Israel or
by Israeli importers.
It is difficult to accept the idea of "forgiveness --even with
reservations — as advocated by the "Peace With Israel - movement
in Germany. by the London Times, by Americans in the State
Department. Yet, there are Jews who had escaped from the Nazi
terror who advocate a - moral" reconciliation. A Cleveland rabbi,
who formerly held a pulpit in Germany, antagonized his congre-
gation by urging "forgiveness." There are others who would like
to see a measure of friendship with Germans who repudiate The Israel Parliament approved The German delegation claims items, including trucks, buses,
Nazism and admit the crimes that were committed by their fellow-
that. Austria had a Nazi govern- bicycles. microscopes, hospital
the appointment.
Clerinans. -
ment of her csa . n. The Germans. equipment. chemicals, glass and
Manfred George. the editor of the German-language Jewish
therefore. argue that the present rubber products, grinding and
weekly. "Aufbau" I - Reconstruction"). published in New York.
Austrian government and not abrasive materials, wire and
offers the most interesting analysis of the entire question in a
the West German government graphite.
long letter published in the New York Herald Tribune. After out-

U7.S. Report Says
s Exports
lining "the burning desire" on the part of "a group of Germans" i srael'
"to atone for the crimes committed by their compatriots against Increased in '51
the Jewish people and the world," makes these statements which

merit consideration:

Israel Answers SN rian Threat; Spivs
Army Will Repulse Any Aggressions

WASHINGTON. ∎ JTA) — The
Some time ago the "Peace With Israel" movement launched
Department of Commerce has
an action which parallels the well known Jewish appeals for
issued a report on Israel's for-
the planting of trees. Among the signers of this "Appeal to
JERUSALEM. (JTA)--The Is- ,have international repercus-
eign trade during 1951 which rael government made it clear sions." It added that the feel-
Donate Olive Trees." which explicitly acknowledges the crimes
indicated
that
Israel
exported
committed by Hitler. we find leading German liberals. university
that its armed forces "are al- Mg of insecurity wag "height-
more goods than in the preced- ways on the alert to repulse any cried - by the "encouragement
professors. writers and politicians. Most of them seem to be fully
aware of the fact that the majority of their countrymen are
ing year.
aggression." A statement to this and support" given Israel by
The report is based on Israel effect was made by a spokesman America.
either unwilling or uninterested in the whole matter. With
Finance Ministry figures, and of the Foreign Ministry.
Eichler writes in the monthly "Geist and Tat": "It is depressing
shows total imports of 122.6 mil-
to see the lack of good will in many restitution cases." And the
Tne statement was made in
lion Israel pounds and exports connection with a threat voiced Circulate Petition for
writer Stefan Andres admonished his hearers in a speech made
of 16.7 million Israel pounds. recently by the Syrian military Repeal of McCarron Act
at West Berlin's Titania Palast: "You have to realize that there
representing a 19.5 per cent gain dictator, Gen. Shishakly that
are crimes which cannot ever be forgotten . . . We are all dis-
in imports and a 27 per cent
gusted and nauseated to see the brown hydra rising again out
the Jews will be thrown into CHICAGO. (JTA )—A petition
gain in exports over 1950. Ex- the sea." A Damascus broadcast to the U.S. Congress for repeal
of their the victims') own bl000d."
cent
ports constituted 13.6 per
Tociavv-as the relations between the United States and Ger-
also reported that the Syrian of the McCarran-Walter Immi-
of imports by value, compared government has renewed its gration Act of 1952 was published
many are becoming normal and to a degree even friendly, as
with 12.8 per cent in 1950.
the ever-present dangers of German militarism and neo-Nazism
protests against financial sup- for distribution by The Sentinel,
"It appears that the increase port of Israel "either directly Chicago Jewish weekly.
The
are being soft-pedaled in the name of political expediency. it is
in
import
value
in
1951
was
clue
all the more important to listen carefully to the scattered Ger-
from. Washington or through petition, denounces the measure
s.
exclusively
to
price
increases
man voices which are trying to reach the world not through
with the reparations." as a violation of the spirit of the
and that the physical volume of
German efficiency and technical ability, but through self-criti-
Zionism rather than Commu- Declaration of Independence and
imports were on per cent lower nism threatens Middle Eastern the Bill of Rights and urges that
eisin and a humble and honest analysis of their situation. This
y
than in 1950,' the report sas.
is not a question of sentimentality or the emotions, nor of con-
security, the broadcast claimed. "this anti-American measure be
"Israel's population increased The
stantly reminding the German people of Hitler's abominations,
keg" in the Middle repealed without d e l a y, and a
e
through immigration in 1951 by Tli
lest they forget. The German menace has never ceased to exist.
East. the broadcast said, is the liberal, humane immigration
almost 15 per cent.
But we might eliminate it in our day if we had the wisdom to
State of Israel whose expansion- policy. more in consonance with
'The greatest decline in volume ist plans create a feeling of in- the American spirit be adopted
mold the small minority of morally awakened Germans into an
of imports was registere d
active ally of Western democracy.
security- in the Middle East and in its place."
We say that this - merits consideration" because it is only manufactured articles. Food im-
the beginning of a rapidly spreading movement to speak in terms ports were slightly lower in
of peace between the post-Hitler-era Germans and the Jews. But volume. whereas imports of raw
we hasten to add that such proposals must be taken with a grain materials increased 25 per cent,
of salt and that they must be studied carefully and realistically. largely because -crude petroleum
Any peace with Germany—and we doubt whether it is possible was imported instead of refined :
By BORIS SMOLAR
(Copyright, 1952, Jewish Telegraphic AireheY. Ines
in our lifetime—must begin with an accord between Germans products and more lumber was
and Israelis. Half the population of Israel is composed of sue- imported.' the report states.
Domestic Scene
, The The
vivors from Nazism or descendants of the victims who perished
negotiations for co-ordination between the United Jewish
i
in the crematoria and concentration camps. It. would be utterly Israeli, JTA Journalists
Appeal and the Israel bond drive are making very slow progress.
to
U.S.
Press
,
Express
Friendship
corn
stupid to ask these people to forget the wrongs that were
At present they are being directed on the basis of a plan tO
mitted against them. The worldwide Jewish boycott against Spain,1 WASHINGTON, (JTA) — The form a co-ordinating committee composed of two representatives
in retaliation for the Inquisition and the wholesale murders that ; president of the National Press of the UJA, two representatives of the bond drive, one impartial
were instigated there by the Catholic church and the Catholic- 1Club accepted on behalf of the Jewish leader with voting privilege, and the Israel Ambassador....
dominated Spanish monarchs, lasted for generations. It was a I club, as a "symbol of Israel- The Israel Ambassador, although not enjoying voting privilege,
boycott that had led to a decline of Spain's importance in the Arnerican friendship" a woodcut will be the chairman of the committee, but the actual balance of
world. of the prophet Jeremiah by - power will be in the hands of the impartial member ... Such an
But even those of us who are extremely concerned that for- i Jacob Steinhardt, an Israeli art- impartial person, acceptable to all parties involved, is now being
giveness should not be accompanied by forgetfulness of what had ist. The woodcut was presented sought.... All indications point to the fact that he will be chosen
occurred, under the Nazis, must treat the issue with a practical , to the club by B. A. Barkai, an from the ranks of the federations and welfare funds . . . The
realism. We must notaforget that in spite of our boycott of Spain, i Israeli journalist, and Milton Council of JewEsh Federations and Welfare Funds, representing
Jews who escaped their former homes to other lands were 'Friedman, Washington corres- the Jewish communities, is apparently not involved in the UJA
Jewish
of the
Tele-
is
staunch spreaders of Spanish culture and the Spanish language. pondent
stage of the negotiations
. . • However, it .
talks at this Jewish
There is evidence of it in many Latin American countries where graphic Agency.
i obvious that although the talks concern only UJA and the bond
Marranos and their descendants planted their roots.
drive, the Council cannot be ignored ... In the meantime, there
German Jews. likewise, have not abandoned the culture they
is every indication on the part of the Israel government not to
imbibed in their former homeland. But the fact., as Manfred
permit the UJA bond conflict to drag on any longer . . . Aside
George points out, that "relations between the United States
from the fact that less money is raised for Israel because of the
and Germany are becoming normal and even friendly" will have
. conflict, the Israel government is interested in having American
the strongest impact on our own relations with Germany. It is
Jewry united rather than split . . . In Mr. Ben-Gurion's opinion;
JERUSALEM, (JTA)—Israel
not an easy pill to swallow, but it will be much more difficult to
Israel and American Jewry are at present two sides of the same
the
United
States
gov-
and
repudiate Germans and Germanism in an atmosphere of revived
coin . .. In this respect Israel's Premier entertains a much wider
the
last
two
ernments
signed
American friendship for the people whom we had met not so long
outlook than some of the Zionist leaders in Israel and in this
agreedients
for
the
release
of
ago on the battlefields, whose barbarism has resulted in the
country.
$73,000,000 from the American
death of 6.000.000 of our kinsmen, who sought our destruction.
grant-in-aid for the current
We face a grave problem. It involves our self-respect and our
United Nations Affairs
year. The agreements provide
innermost feelings. Time alone will bring solution to this aggra-
For the first time since its decision to partition Palestine into
for the spending of $70,000,000
vated issue which will be accompanied by debates, by split opin-
and Arab state, the United Nations General Assembly
a
Jewish
for relief and resettlement of
ions, by conflicts of sentiments. But one thing is certain: Jewry
will this year not have on its provisional agenda any question
Jewish immigrants, and $3,-
never will forget the crime that was committed against this gen-
concerning the Palestine issue . . . Not even the question of inter-
000,000 for technical assist-
nationalization of Jerusalem which some UN member states hoped
eration and against humanity by the Germans—all of whom must
ance.
to see on the agenda. . . . The general feelings among the Big
share in the Nazis' guilt.
A government spokesman
Powers is that the less Arab-Israel irritation the better.. . And
here said that Israel and the
since Israel on one side and Jordan on the other seem to get
United States will consult on
along well on the Jerusalem issue, it would serve no good purpose
the ways of using the funds.
to bring up this issue again on the agenda ... This is one of the
Intense negotiations, he
Because of the occurence of Labor Day on Sept. 1, The
reasons why the United States government has advised the Isreal
be-
stated,
are
now
going
on
Jewish News announces a new deadline schedule for mater-
government against transferring its Foreign Ministtry from Tel
both
governments
on
tween
ial, to be effective for the issue of Sept. 5.
Such a move would, in the opinion of the
Aviv to Jerusalem .
the
preparation
of
plans
for
Deadline for all news copy and photographs will be at
Big Powers, disturb the equilibrium which the United Nations is
the
expenditures
during
the
12 noon, Friday, August 29. Classified advertising will be
especially anxious to keep on the touchy questiOn of the status et
next few months.
accepted until 11 a.m. Sept. 3.
Jerusalem.

etween You and Me

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Israel, U. S. Sign Pact
Granting $73 Million

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Early Labor Day Deadline