Purely Commentary By PH ILIP SLOMOVITZ The Eternal Struggle Against Hellenism Hanukah is the Feast of the Maccabees commemorating the triumph of the Hebraic spirit over Hellenism and idolatry. It was a victory for religious liberty. Without it Judaism and Hebraism would have perished and the resultant factor would nave meant the erasing, through elimination of the Jewish spirit and the Prophets, of the possibility of the emergence of Christianity. But the struggle with Hellenism was not limited to the pre-Christian era. It recurs in our time. It is a problem that rises anew every time tyranny seeks to gain control over mankind. It becomes evi- dent whenever reactionary ideas sprout forth in our midst. There are Hellenistic evidences in our own ranks as well as among our neighbors. They continue to call for revival of Maccabean valor in all ages. The horror that has been imposed upon Eastern and Central Europe through instigations from Moscow is typical of the tyran, nical thinking that sought domination for Greek idol-worshippers over Jewish monotheists 2,000 years ago. The Communists are posing in varied roles, but in reality they are in no sense differ- ent from the bigots and tyrants of by-gone ages. They seek to destroy free thinking, freedom of speech, the right of men to utter their thoughts in public. They are motivated by the same despotism which caused the Czars of Russia to resort to pogroms in order to blind the minds and the eyes of the populace living under their heels to the realities of oppression and suppression. By creating scapegoats, the Communists of today, like their pre- cursors under the Czars, seek to blot out the truth about their own misrule. Thus, there is need to keep alive the Maccabean spirit, in or- der that the tyrants may not rise up to dominate over the entire world. Prague's terrorists have cast gloom over our current Hanu- kah celebration. But they also have provided us with food for thought: they remind us that the Maccabees were not totally triumphant for all ages and that there remains the need for vigilance, for understanding. for remaining on guard lest we lose the right to speak, to think, to worship. * * 'The Harbinger of a New Barbarism' The New York Times, discussing editorially the "Purge in Prague," comments that it is the "harbinger of a new barbarism." It is an understatement, and the barbarism is not new. It existed under the Czars. It continued under Hitler. The Commies are re- enforcing it to blind the populace in their slavery. But to a gen- eration that knows not the barbarians, it is a new warning to prepare for an endless battle for justice. It'll be a tough battle, and we pray that it should not break out into a new war. If it does, the Jews will be blamed again with responsibility for it. It will be said by the bigots: Aren't we fighting to defend the Jews who were purged by Prague?" The irony of it is: the Jews who were purged were not Zionists but anti-Zionists; they were not Jews but Jewish anti-Semites. Winston Churchill Bites His Tongue Emanuel Shinwell, who was the Defense Minister in the former British Labor Cabinet, and Winston Churchill are involved in a dispute which is causing the present Prime Minister an un- told amount of embarrassment. According to Raymond Daniell's cable from London to the New York Times, under date of Dec. 3, "an exasperated and tired House of Commons that had been up half the night went into a series of verbal explosions after Prime Minister Churchill had impugned the patriotism of Emanuel Shinwell • . . in terms that unintentionally smacked of East European totalitarian phraseology." Mr. Daniell's cable stated: "The Prime Minister refused to apologize to Mr. Shinwell because, he said, his implication of a lack of patriotism might have been even more unparliamentary than the original charge, and he used the words, 'cosmopolitanism' and Inter- nationalism' in reference to Mr. Shinwell. Im- Shinwell mediateTy thereafter he looked as if he could have bitten off his tongue. "These are words that Hitler used. They are the terms of opprobrium now being used by prosecutors in the Communist satellite countries against so-called enemies of the state. There, they generally mean that the target of the attack is a Jew and Mr. Shinwell is a Jew. "For that reason, Mr. Churchill's verbal onslaught against an adversary on the other side of the House took on. implications that the Prime Minister obviously never intended. He spoke in the heat of debate. "Nevertheless, the opposition took the matter very seriously. Coupled with Mr. Churchill's implication that Mr. Shinwell put Britain's interests second to his political ideology was the idea, which Mr. Churchill put into words later, that Mr. Shinwell owed a loyalty to an idea beyond this country's frontiers." We quote the Daniell report in its totality in order that the dispute, which arose "in the heat of debate," should be understood. Had Churchill known the famous saying by Benjamin Franklin— - "Remember not only to say the right thing in the right place, but, far more difficult still, to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment," he might not have uttered an impugning remark that calls for tongue-biting. But anything is possible "in the heat of debate,"— even with the man who avows high regard for Jewry. The disturbing factor is the ease with which men in public life are so free with derogatory statements about Jews. The late• Wendell Willkie once was responsible for a slur he did not mean. President Truman once used rebuking terms about Jews. On the tongues of sincere and good men, such remarks can be scraped off. But when they reach the palates of men with tongues in cheek and bigots with poisoned minds, we are not only placed on the defensive, but have cause to be 'a bit worried. After all, the average man-on-the-street does not analyze: he just swallows slurs. Henry Meyers — Unselfish Public Servant Henry Meyers belonged to that group of community leaders who set a pattern for unselfish devotion to duty. He was inspired by family traditions, by a love for Jewish art and literature, by a desire to elevate the standards of our community. He was a Peer in our generation. We recall with gratitude our association with him and these brief words of tribute are designed to express appreciation for the gift s he has left our com- munity as a heritage and a guide for good leadership. 2 — THE JEWISH NEWS Friday, December 12, 1952 Tobias Elected W.M. Of Perfection Lodge Julian S. Tobias has been elected worshipful master of Perfection Lodge No. 486, F. & A. M.. for 1953. Also elected are Jack Jackman, senior warden; Stanley M. Yates, junior ,warden; Samuel B. Danto, treas- urer; David Col- man, secretary; Samuel M. Bez, senior deacon; ,,,Abraham B. ;)Miller, junior J. S. Tobias deacon. Appointed officers for 1953 in- clude Samuel Dreyman, William Feldman, Leonard Fink, Eman- uel J. Green, Jack Holzman, Gordon Kozda, Arthur M. Stern, and Arthur R. Wendell, stew- ards; Max Edwards, chaplain; Sol Adler, marshall; Emil Dom- brower, tiler; and E. Mark Wis- dom, organist. Installation ceremonies will be held at 7:30 p.m. Wednes- day at the Masonic Temple, fol- lowed by a reception and ball at 9 p. m. in the Fountain Ball- room. Ceremonies will be con- ducted by Arthur I. Gould, as- sisted by other past masters of the lodge. OS' Jewish Weekly Publisher On Korean GI Board WASHINGTON, (JTA) — Ap- pointment of Dr. Alexander Brin, Boston educator a n d publisher, as chairman of the National Board of Review on the GI Bill of Rights for Ko- rean veterans, was announced here by Dr._ Earl J. McGrath, U.S. C o m m i ssioner of Education. Dr. Brin Dr. Brin, publisher of the Jewish Advocate, is dean of the Massachusetts State Board of Education of which he was pres- ident for two terms. CIO Blasts Czech `Mythical Conspiracy ATLANTIC CITY, (JTA) — A resolution condemning "Corn- munist anti-Semitism" as re- flected in the recent Prague "purge" trial, was adopted at the convention of the Congress of In d u s t r i al Organizations, (CIO). The resolution accused the Czech government of "invent- ing" a mythical international Jewish conspiracy in an attempt to divert the attention of the Czech people from the oppres- sive conditions in the satellite countries. The CIO urged the American government to "bring the Soviet dictators before the bar of world opinion through the United Nations and other ap- propriate international bodies, to obtain the verdict of the civi- lized world upon this latest of- fense against mankind." In New York, the Internation- al Confederation of Free Trade Unions adopted a resolution stating that the "fantastic and fraudulent accusations" at the Prague trial of a "Jewish plot" were "only the logical expres- sion of the policy of anti-Semi- tism and genocide pursued so ruthlessly by the powers behind the Iron Curtain." The resolu- tion which blamed the Kremlin for wrecking Czechoslovakia's economy was in t r o d u c e d by George Meany, new president of the American Federation of Labor. . Israeli Artist's Exhibit NEW YORK, (JTA)—An exhi- bition of paintings by Moshe Castel, one of Israel's outstand- ing artists, has opened at Ste- phen Wise Congress House, headquarters of the American Jewish Congress. Successful Job-Placement Campaign By IFS Saves Community Relief Funds Substantial savings to the Jew- ish community in relief costs are one immediate result of a to- date highly successful job cam- paign being conducted by the Jewish Vocational Service, Er- win Simon, JVS president, has announced. Initiated with the aim of find- ing a job for every employable new American receiving relief from Resettlement Service, the drive is rapidly approaching 100% success. It is estimated that relief savings resulting from these placements recently reach- ed the rate of $7,500 per month. Cooperating in the drive, with the JVS, were Resettlement, Service, the Jewish community's agency for assistance to new- comers, North End Clinic, and JVS's many friendly employer clients, Albert Cohen, JVS exe- cutive director, said. Herman Murov is counselor in charge of the program on the JVS staff, assisted by Anna Rose Hersh, placement director. More than 60 relief clients— supported by contributions to the Allied Jewish Campaign — have been placed since January, 1952, as a direct result of this special JVS program. Helping new Americans obtain useful employment and attain self-sufficiency is a major re- sponsibility of JVS, like its co- operating agencies, a member of the Jewish Welfare Federation. Teamwork among the Federa- tion agencies involved in work- ing with the newcomer is an es- sential part of his adjustment. Resettlement Service, which first welcomes the newcomer, helps him deal with the family prob- lems of daily living in Detroit. North End Clinic gives him a thorough medical examination and provides him with necessary medical and dental care and physical rehabilitation ; t h e Twelfth Street Council Center, branch of the Jewish Commun- ity Center, instructs him in Eng- lish and offers opportunities to develop a social life. The Jewish Vocational Service begins its job by making a care- ful vocational appraisal of each individual based on his abilities and interests and previous ex- perience, and taking into ac- count his physical capacities and the limitations of the labor m a r k e t. The job development campaigns, including telephone calls, letters and field visits di- rected at employers, are under- taken to locate the right job for the right client. The Jewish Vocational Service, located in the Fred M. Butzel Memorial Building, 163 Madison at John R, is supported by the Allied Jewish Campaign. The agency charges no fees. Between You and Me By BORIS SMOLAR (Copyright, 1952, Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Inc.) The American Scene: During the Presidential election campaign the American Jew Committee alerted its correspondents in about 300 cities to report on any expressions of bigotry by candidates or party work- ers in the course of their speeches . . . The National Council of Churches of Christ in America similarly alerted correspondents in about 5,000-communities on the same subject ... It will be gratify- ing to American Jews to learn that no reports whatever came in to either organization of anti-Jewish agitation by anyone con- nected with the major parties . . . Objectionable literature was distributed by the Constitution Party and the Christian Nation- alist Party,' but aroused no concern in any locality . These parties, even when they bought radio • time, were not permitted to say anything anti-Semitic on the air .. . The general reports received by the American Jewish Committee and the National Council all emphasized that the climate of opinion throughout the country during the election camp_aign was one of pronounced opposition to bigotry ... President Truman's injection of the issue of bigotry into the campaign by accusing Gen. Eisenhower of sup- porting the "master race" theory turned out to be a political liability, the AJC survey established. The Zionist Scene: Inter-party negotiations have started now among the Zionist groups in this country on the Jerusalem agreement' to expand the functions of the American Zionist Council . . . The major issue is the structure of the expanded Council . . . Since the Council will take over part of the activities of the American section of the Jewish Agency, it will become a really powerful Zionist body in America ... Hence, the competition among Zionist groups for the presidency of the Council is getting stronger from day to day . Not that anyone objects to Louis Lipsky's present leadership of the Council, but it is merely the striving for power that drives others, too, to seek the post which Mr. Lipsky now holds . .. Even in the ranks of the Z 0 A—of which Mr. Lipsky is a leading member— there are top leaders with ambitions to become president of an expanded American Zionist Council . . . Not to speak of leaders of other Zionist groups . . . Major differences are also developing now among the Zionist parties over convening an American Zion- ist Assembly with delegates from all Zionist groups in the coun- try . . . The Z 0 A opposes such an Assembly, fearing that out of this Assembly may emerge a Zionist federation as an over - all body of the entire American Zionist movement . The Zionist Laborites, on the other hand, advocate the calling of such an Assembly . . . They also insist that the election of delegates to the Assembly should take place on the basis of the sale of a special American Shekel . . Each holder of this Shekel, they urge, should have the right to vote for delegates for the Assembly in the same fashion as voting for delegates to the World Zionist Congress . . . This issue will probably cause the hottest debates of the year in the American Zionist movement. The Political Scene: Arab diplomats in the United States closely watch the Yiddish and the English-Jewish press for any material that can be quoted to the detriment of Israel . . . A number of Jew _ ish publications have already been cited by Arab delegates at the current United Nations sessions . . . A Syrian press mission is spending four weeks in the United States as guest of the State. Department . And Emil el-Ghory, of the Arab Higher Commit- tee of Palestine, which is dominated by the ex-Mufti of Jeru- salem, is coming to tour the United States and stir up more pro Arab propaganda in this country • . . Egypt is also seeking to spread its influence in the United States ... The only Arab League country which does not seem eager to promote anti-Israel senti- ment in America is Lebanon . . . It is--no secret that Lebanon was actually forced to join the anti-Israel boycott . . . It is the only Arab League nation to let Israel ships pass through its waters . . If not for her fear of Arab countries, Lebanon would trade openly with Israel ... Incidentally, Lebanon is considered the most civil- ized among the Arab states . . . Illiteracy there is very low as compared with the other Arab countries . . . There are no less than 35 daily newspapers published in Beirut, capital of Lebanon, which has a population of 350,000 . . And speakinc speaking , of Arab countries, it is interesting to note that the Syrian of Economics has published a population figure showing that there are still 31,157 Jews residing in that country.