Purely Commentary

By PHILIP SLOMOVITZ

Indigenous Fascism: America's Prestige in Danger

In his address before the National Community Relations Ad-
visory Council in Chicago, last week, Senator Herbert H. Lehman
of New York commented, on the basis of his impressions gathered
on his recent European trip, that American prestige has never been
as low as it is today among Europeans. He reported that "we are
viewed in Europe today as already under the shadow of indigenous
fascism." This view, he said, while "strained and distorted," never-
theless "has some • basis in fact."
Thus we are warned of a danger which it is difficult for the
aherage person to observe. Senator Wayne Morse of Oregon was
even more pessimistic on his recent visit in Detroit, when he said
to this Commentator that it is foolish merely to speak of an en-
croaching fascism in this country "because it is already here."
And then we began to wonder whether those of us who are com-
placent are not lulled into unreality, or whether Senators Lehman
and Morse are not influenced by political considerations.
Then we began to examine the increasing influence of Mc-
Carthy, the cold air that emanates from the Dulles office in the
State Department Building, the failure of those who pledged to
work for peace in the Middle East to pursue their goal, and we
no longer wondered: we recognized that there is ground for deep
concern over happenings in this great land which are humiliating
our heritage.
We would be more hopeful if the President had curbed Mc-
Carthy, if he had succeeded in amending the vicious immigration
laws, if he had been more encouraging to the small band of people
who are clamoring for peace in Israel. At the moment there is no
hope for improvement in any of these areas.
Nevertheless, we are not discouraged. We have confidence
that there will be improvement in the issues we have listed and
that in the course of time the errors of our present ways will be
corrected. We retain confidence in the better sense of the Ameri-
can people whose influence, we believe, will cause the present ad-
ministration to follow a more realistic path,—away from fascism.
All the principles inherent in our American heritage militate
against any path akin to fascism, and our democratic militancy
must re-assert itself in due time.

2 DETROIT JEWISH NEWS

—

Friday, October 23, 1953

Shaarey Zedek
To Dedicate NW
Religions School

On Sunday afternoon, at 2:30
p.m. the branch school building
of Cong. Shaarey Zedek, at W.
Seven Mile Rd. and Lesure Ave.,
will be dedicat-
ed.
This addition
to the Shaarey
Zedek physical
plant already
h a s received
favorable c o m-
=ents from ed-
ucators and par-
ents.
The e duc a-
tional u n i t,
which will be
Rubiner used for daily
Hebrew school, the Beth Hayeled
nursery program and Sunday
school, provides an atmosphere
conducive to Jewish learning
and experience.
The ceremonies, under the
chairmanship of the Hon.
Charles Rubiner, will include
participation by students of the
Shaarey Zedek Religious School
and a pledge of dedication on
behalf of the faculty and stu-
dent body.
The Jewish community of De-
troit is invited to join with the
Shaarey Zedek family in this
The Elements That Make Israel's Path Thorny
Chanukat Habayit, Rubiner stat-
When representatives of 190,000 immigrants in Israel called ed.
on President Itzhak Ben-Zvi to relate to him the hardships of
their life in wooden huts, they were asked how many of them were Veterans' Reception
willing to settle on the land. Not a single hand was raised! Mrs.
Ben-Zvi, who was herself a farm laborer, expressed the opinion In Madison's Honor
that those questioned possibly do not understand Hebrew, but a
by-standing official commented: "I believe they do."
President Ben-Zvi, whose home was a leaky Jerusalem butl Harry T. Madison, first De-
before his election to the Presidency, promised his government's troiter to be elected national
concern over the immigrants' plight, their grievances about plumb- commander of the 58-year-old
ing, employment, telephone service, roads, medical care and edu- Jewish War Veterans of the
cational facilities. Those who know the Israeli leaders have never United States, will be honored at
a reception in
doubted that the officials of the Jewish state would go the limit
the Jewish War
to solve the problems posed. But students of Israel's condition
Veterans Me-
also know that some unruly elements among the immigrants,
morial Building,
a few speculators, the ghetto-and concentration-camp-trained
4095 W. Davi-
refugees pose a serious problem because they refuse to settle on
son, Sunday, 2
the land but instead desire to become tradesmen. "Gescheft" is
to 5 p.m. The
his preference, a Moroccan told your Commentator in Israel—
reception is be-
having learned a Yiddishism in its worst connotation insofar as
g given by the
bis application to his homeland was concerned.
Department of
Yet, many blame Israel for her troubles! One of the evils in
"Michigan, Jew-
the land is the difficulty encountered in building up the morale
ish War Veter-
of nearly-demoralized people whom Israel accepted with open
ans of the U.S.,
arms, but whose arms some of these immigrants desire to break.
and Detroit
American Jews should be especially cognizant of this fact: these
Post No. 135 of
immigrants might have been our responsibility. Therefore, we
which Mr. Mad-
must aid Israel in every way to help her train the newcomers, to
assist her in fitting them—and especially their children—into Is- ison is a member.
rael's spirituality and economic standards. It was achieved with
Mr. Madison, a native of De-
others; it will be accomplished with the present ones who tem- troit, enlisted in the Army in
porarily appear irreconcilable to some of their homeland's needs. World War I at the age of 16,
In the long run, Israel will win the battle—and we must help her
and saw duty from December
in an hour of need.
1917 to December, 1918. Lone,
active in Detroit communal af-
Lord Strabolgi—Zionists' Friend Kenworthy
We remember him well. As Lieutenant-Commander Kenwor- fairs, he was cited in 1951 by
thy, the late Lord Strabolgi visited our communities, spoke to non- the Mayor and the Common
Jewish and Jewish gatherings, and propagated the Zionist idea. Council of Detroit for his con-
He defended the Jewish cause in the House of Commons and tributions to veterans' welfare
later in the House of Lords. With the late Josiah Wedgwood ite and services to the community.
formed an indefatigable team of Christian laborers for Zion. He He is a member of the board of
was fearless and he did not hesitate to condemn the anti-Jewish the Jewish Welfare Federation
tactics of his own Labor Party in the Palestine issue, Jewish history and served as a member of the
will record with gratitude that Strabolgi rejected Bevinism and Jewish Community Council and
held fast to principles—in his support of Zionism and in his de- the Jewish Community Center.
He is a member of George
fense of justice.
Washington Post 88 of American
•
•
Legion, a founder of the JWV
Israel Solves Education Problem
Memorial Home Association and
Enrollment of 230,000 chidren in government-administered now is president of this body.
elementary schools in Israel has put an end to four conflicting
ideological trends in as many school networks which now have
been relegated to a sad past.
Report Morgenthau
While the new system still excludes 46 schools conducted by
To Quit Bond Drive
Agudath Israel, the extremist orthodox party, the fact that 44
other Agudah schools were absorbed into the government network
JERUSALEM, (JTA)—The
is an indication of the wisdom of the new program, which has
news that Henry Morgenthau
resulted from the formation of the Mapai-General Zionist coali-
Jr., head of the organization
tion.
Having solved this painful issue and having eliminated the which is conducting the Is-
objectionable ideological conflicts in education, Israel's friends are rael Bond drive in the Unit-
ed States, requested that he
confident that she can solve all her other problems. But her area
of international relations remains most difficult. In that field, be relieved of his duties when
the new issue of Israel bonds
especially in the attainment of peace, she must have the help of
the United States, and all who can influence such action will be is launched next May, was
reported at a press confer-
serving the cause of peace and justice.
ence here by Henry Montor,
executive vice-president of
the organization.
Montor said that Morgen-
thau favors a "younger and
JERUSALEM, (JTA) — Israel's ing them for the first time stronger" man in his place.
first international exhibition, physical evidence of the great He added that in his opinion
"no Jew in the world has done
"The Conquest of the Desert concentrated effort of building
up the country and a record of
Exhibition," closed after 22 days. achievement — all concentrated more for Israel in the past
seven years than Morgen-
During that period 600,000 per- in one building. The Israel thau." He also reported that
sons visited . the fair in Jeru- Government's, pavilion drew the no friction whatsoever exists
largest number of visitors and
salem's convention center.
now between the United Jew-
The exhibits made a tremen- the greatest, praise for the ar- ish Appeal and his organiza-
dous impreSsioh on Visitors from rarigenient of the exhibits to tion.

.

Exhibition Closes; Visited by 600,000

ail- corners of the country;

highlight Israel's deVelOpmento

Governor Wiiiiams Welcomes
Trygve Lie Visit Here Oct. 25

In recognition of Trygve Lie's
visit to Detroit Sunday, when he
will speak at a dinner in his
honor at Hotel Statler, Governor
G. Mennen Williams has pro-
claimed that date as "Trygve Lie
Day." Because the statesman's
appearance occurs during' na-
tional United Nations Week, Oct.
21-27, the Governor has also
officially recognized this period
as "UN Week."
Acclaiming Mr. Lie's arrival
here on behalf of the Israel
Bond drive, Governor Williams
said in his document that "Under
the distinguished leadership of
its first Secretary-General, Tryg-
ve Lie. the United Nations cham-
pioned the right of existence of
new nations such as the State
of Israel."
In another part of the text
the Governor stated: "The Unit-
ed Nations is proving to be an
effective instrument in the
world's struggle for peace and
understanding among nations;
a forum for world opinion, and
a powerful stronghold for the
maintenance of the democratic
way of life." He urged all citi-
zens" to take part in any func-
tions" here in regard to the UN
and Trygve Lie.
Working jointly on plans for

an earlier reception for Mr. and
Mrs. Trygve Lie in their Statler
suite, Mayor Cobo, chairman of
the honorary "Committee of *ix-
ty," met Monday with Daniel A.
Laven, chairman of the Trygve
Lie Dinner Committee, Dr. Laura
Osborn, Chairman of the Detroit
Chapter of the American Associ-
ation for the UN, Max Osnos,
chairman of the arrangements
committee.
Prominent persons added to
the 'Committee of Sixty" are
Senator Homer Ferguson, Rep.
Charles G. Oakman, U. S. Con-
gress and Mrs. Kent Poppe,
Members' Council of the Detroit
International Institute.

Service Group, Trade
Divisions Meet Nov. 8

The biennial meeting and
election of the Detroit Service
Group and the biennial meet-
ings and elections of its trade
and professional division will be
held Sunday, Nov. 8, at the
Woodward Center.
The meetings will begin at 11
a.m. Elections will be held for
officers and members of the
board of directors. The general
DSG meeting will follow at a
bruncheon at 12:15 p.m. when 33
members-at-large will be elect-
ed to the board.

First Secretary-General of
the UN. TRYGVIE LIE, who
will speak here Sunday is
shown (right) with the present
Secretary-General, DAG HAM-
MARSHJOLD, of Sweden, be-
hind a neat row of flags of the
60 member nations of the in-
ternational organization, with
the flag in the center.

On the Record

By NATHAN ZIPRIN

(Copyright, 1953, Seven Arts Feature Syndicate)

Footnote to History

How authentic are the rumors about Ben-Gurion's intention
to withdraw from the political leadership of Israel and to retire
to pastures where he could fulfill his great ambition of writing
the history of a dream in whose fulfillment he played the role of
leading architect? There is conjecture that his decision, if it
comes, will have been the result of unresolved differences within.
Mapai rather than of literary ambitions. That situation could
accelerate his decision but not influence it.
During the war years, I was at a press conference at Com-
modore Hotel, New York, where tenacious Ben-Gurion was in an
unusual fighting mood. His theme, if memory serves me correcti
ly was the British White Paper and Downing Street's rejection
of Truman's suggestion that 100,000 Jews be permitted to enter
Palestine. Ben-Gurion was bitter and pugnacious to the point
where he openly told the unprecedented number of reporters that
he would personally take the lead, underground if necessary, to
make sure that Britain's evil purpose was thwarted. When the
press conference was over I asked Ben-Gurion, whom I had ,pre-
viously met while a youngster in the days when I moved in Poale
Zion circles, what larger plans he had in mind—quite a daring
question. He gave no reply, merely intimating through a smile
what was on his mind. When that task was done, he told me,
"the scribes will have to take over," adding that while he did not
consider himself a scribe he hoped some day to pen the story of
the epic he helped weave.
This incident convinces me that Ben-Gurion sincerely be-
lieves the time is now ripe for him to become a scribe in Israel.

*

*

A Publicity Flop -

A publicity stunt by the American Friends of the Middle East
has turned sour and the Hebrew University professor, Hugo Berg-
man, who was the pawn of the scheme will soon return to Israel
a sadder but wiser man. When we first broke the story in this

column two weeks ago, friends of the professor were indignant and

some phoned in to say that the "scoop" was a fabrication. They
simply could not believe that Dr. Bergman would lend himself a
a tool in the manipulations of the anti-Zionist and anti-Israel
outfit. Well, the good professor has now learned perhaps too that

he has been duped. The twenty lectures he was to deliver under
the aegis of the organization were to be of a non-political nature,
but the professor is now wondering whether he has not been a

victim of semantics or, more crudely, of double-talk. His first talk,
delivered at the sumptuous penthouse in the building where the
Dorothy Thompson outfit is located in New York City, attracted a
select handful of people, mostly women, who gave the impression
that they came more to scrutinize this "curiosity" from Israel
than to listen to his theme-song of the moment—the development
of Messianism. When the lecture was over and the ."auclience"
was told it could ask questions, the lecturer must have at once

sensed that the basic and real purpose behind the organization's
lecture arrangement with him was to make : political capital. All
the questions were of a political nature. One lady was heard com-

plaining that it was a "disgrace" to have invited a than who dared
tell us that there, is no 'prospect of Israel , readinitting the Arab
refugees because the larip: is too small to re-absorb the Arabs Who
left the cOuntry."