Alone at the Peace Table

THE JEWISH NEWS

incorporating the Detroit Jewish Chronicle commencing with issue of hail 20 1951

!Member American Association of t!:Tiglish-Jewish Newspapers. Michigan Press Association.
Mile Road Detroit 3.5 Mich. VE. 8-93134
Puntisheo every Friday hy The Jewish News Publishing Co.. 17100 West Seven
Subscription S4. a year foreign $5
Nattered as second class matte! Aug. 6, 1942. at Post Office. Detroit. Mich. untie) Act of March 3 1879

PHILIP SLOMOV ► • Z
Editor and Publisher

Vol. XX1V, No. 20

SIDNEY SHMARAK
Advertising Manager

FRANK SIMONS
City Editor

January 22, 1954

Page 4

Sabbath Scriptural Selections
This Sabbath, the nineteenth day o f Shevat, 5714, the following Scriptural selections will be
read in our synagogues:
Pentateuchal portion, Ex. 18:1-20-26. Prophetical portion, Is. 6:1-7:6; 9:5, 6.

Licht Benshen, Friday, Jan. 22, 5:20 p.m.

Is Economic issue the Root of Arab-israel Issue

Many reasons have been advanced for the
trouble ,that is brewing in the Middle East.
The refugee problem, compensation for land,
repatriation and geographical adjustments
have been listed as causes for the existing
war-threatening situation.
But the Middle East correspondent of the
Christian Science Monitor, Harry B. Ellis,
writing from Beirut, Lebanon, in an interest-
ing analysis of the economic issue, claims that
the search for trade and the need for ports
are the major causes of the rift. His article
presents arguments worth studying and we
present it here in full: '

One reason many Arabs steadily refuse to
negotiate with Israel is their apprehension
that an Israel at - peace with the Arabs soon
would dominate the area in an economic sense.
Many Lebanese and Syrian businessmen;
for example, would stand to lose heavily should
Israeli merchants succeed in diverting any
substantial amount of international trade
away from the Lebanese port of Beirut to the
Jewish port of Haifa.
As matters now stand the Hashemite
Kingdom of Jordan, with no well-developed
port of its own, is forced to import the great
bulk of its requirements through Beirut, and
thence by Lebanese and Syrian railroads
through Damascus and south to Amman.
Hashemite Jordan's modest exports are
forced to follow the same route in reverse, and
both Syria and Lebanon have placed such con-
ditions on Jordanian transit goods that export
and import have become expensive, laborious
processes for the isolated Arab kingdom.
One of Jordan's first demands in any set-
tlement with Israel is known to be access on
favorable terms to the port of Haifa, Jordan's
natural outlet, and Beirut businessmen see no
reason why Israel would not be quick to take
advantage of a substantial flow of trade right
at its back door.
Since Syria and Lebanon scarcely could
compete with the shorter Haifa route, even
if they relaxed their restrictions, the result of
a switch of Jordanian traffic to Haifa would
mean the loss to Beirut of 22 per cent of its
entire transit trade, and an even greater per-
centage loss to the Syrian state railroad.
Apart from the question of Jordanian traf-
fic, many Lebanese traders are known to sup-
pose that Israeli merchants, with excellent
contacts throughout the business world,
might be able to attract a considerable vol-
ume of international trade away from Beirut
to Haifa, once the latter port's lines of com-
munication became open to the Arab world.
In isolated cases, on the other hand, one is
able to find Arabs who secretly give the im-
pression of desiring normal economic relations
with Israel. Farmers in south Lebanon, who
have been hard hit by the closing of the Israeli
frontier to their produce, feel that the opening
of that border would make it easier for them
to dispose of their crops.
Even in this instance, however, farm au-
thorities in Beirut are convinced that Lebanese
agriculture in general would suffer if Jewish
crops, particularly citrus fruits, were allowed
to enter and compete on the Arab market.
It is known, for example, that oil com-
panies in Kuwait and Arabia persistently com-
plain that a large percentage of fruits and veg-
etables they now obtain from Lebanon are
spoiled through poor handling.
Israeli growers, believed to be better versed
in western packaging techniques, would make
a direct bid for this lucrative Arabian market,
in the opinion of observers here. (Despite this
possible threat, Point Four packaging experts
have found it difficult to persuade Lebanese
producers to adopt more efficient handling
methods, designed to please the customer.)
Traditionally France has been the great-
est single buyer of Lebanese oranges. Last
year, however, France bought its oranges from
Spain, and when Lebanese authorities sought
the reason why, they were told that the Span-
ish fruit could be obtained more cheaply—and
in better condition.
Apart from these local instances of appre-
hension over Israeli competition, a general un-
easy feeling appears to pervade the Arab at-
mosphere that the Israelis possess a superior
technology which somehow would allow them
to create a demand for Jewish manufactured
goods throughout the Arab world, and thus—
despite whatever trade barriers the Arab states
might throw up—eventually would subject
Arab economies to Israeli domination.
There may be many other factors, some
of them in Arab favor, which would govern
Arab-Jewish economic relations in the event
of a settlement. But the general Arab attitude

to date appears to be negative and defensive
in the economic sphere, and thus, in the judg-
ment of observers here, should not be wholly
discounted in assessing Arab reluctance to
discuss peace with the Jewish neighbor.

While this statement fails to account for
the assertions of Arab leaders that they will
not tolerate Israel's existence. and does not
explain the rabid determination of Israel's
adversaries who are bent upon destroying
the young state, Mr. Ellis' arguments are
worth serious consideration. If the issue is
one of economics, then we see no reason why
Arabs and Jews can not get together on an
amicable basis.
Israel's leaders have stated time and
again that they are prepared to make con-
cessions. There have been offers to repatriate
a number of Arab refugees, there is on foot
a plan for compensation to refugees for their
former possessions in Israel and not so long
ago there was a scheme on foot for port
rights for Jordan in Haifa. We are convinced
that if reasonable men can be gotten to sit
together at a peace conference, the difficul-
ties would be ironed out. very amicably.
Unfortunately, the Arab League still is
dominated by the ex-Mufti's group and anti-
Semites in this country are arrogant in their-
anti-Israel attitude. Even some Jews have
fallen victims to the plan to destroy Israel..
Let there be an elimination of any at-
tempt to harm Israel, of all war talk, of
propaganda aimed at Israel's destruction,
and let the two contenders sit down and talk
sense. We are confident that we shall then
have peace.

The Genocide Issue

The UnitedfNations Genocide Convention
has been adopted by 43 nations, but the
United States, Great Britain and the Soviet
Union remain adamant in their refusal to
join the overwhelming majority in declaring
genocide an international crime. Pressure
from the American Bar Association, which
has led the opposition to the UN Genocide
Convention, has influenced the United States
Senate in its hesitancy on this issue.
An editorial in the New York Times,
which has made consistent efforts in sup-
port of the Genocide Convention, analyzes
the issue, under the heading "The Genocide
Treaty," as follows:

Forty-three governments, members and non-
members of the United Nations, have ratified
the genocide convention, which, now an inter-
national law, outlaws the destruction of human
groups and sets punishments for the violators.
Recently the Secretariat sent a note to the
thirty-nine member nations which have not
ratified the pact, including the United States,
Great Britain and Soviet Russia, in essence
drawing their attention to the Assembly's
resolution urging the hastening of ratifications
and the diffusing of facts and information
about the convention.
We cannot tell "how other nations will pro-
ceed to fulfill this mandate, which was ap-
proved 50-0 in the Assembly. We believe that
we know how the American people expect this
nation to act. Their testimony, collected at
hearings before the Senate three years ago
from. international lawyers, religious leaders,
labor leaders, civic, women's and lay organiza-
tions, fill a volume of over 600 pages which
has been gathering dust ever since a sub-
commKtee completed its documentation.
The reaction of the people of the world
to genocide has been demonstrated already in
the ratification by forty-three nations. The
American people need also to feel that they
are part of the world-wide fight against bar-
barism. To say that we abhor genocide is not
enough. We have to participate in the only
available instrument by discussing this pact
freely, by familiarizing ourselves with it—and
ratifying it.

All who seek an end to world terrorism,
to the type of mass destruction of human
lives which had made Nazism the world's
worst scourge, must concur with these sen-
timents and must strive—by appeals to our
representatives in Congress — to se cur e
American cooperation in making the Geno-
cide Treaty a reality.

Jerusalem's 3,000th Anniversary

By N. E. ARONSTAM, M.D.
"I will betroth thee unto Me in righteousness,
and in justice and in lovingkindness."
Shalom! Peace unto thee, Jerusalem!
Peace, the ultimate avowal and consummation
Of the preordained continuity of our ancestery,
Promoted neither by cowardice nor submission,
But actuated by the call of Destiny,
As promulgated by the soul-stirring words of the Prophets:
"Behold, Zion shall be redeemed by Justice."
A justice rooted in Freedom and Selfrespect.
The entire wealth of the Earth cannot efface
The despicable atrocities of nations
Whose intent it was to obliterate the historical march of Israel,
Israel the renascent, whose mandates form
The pillars and stanchions upon which our civilization rests.
Aye, Peace with Justice!
A condign judgment to the perpetrators and fiends of unut-
terable crimes!
March on Jerusalem with thy mission of Peace and Freedom;
Go forth and God be with thee! Shalom!

Benshalom's 'Hebrew Literature'

A Book's Values and Shortcomings

"Hebrew Literature Between the Two World Wars" by Ben-
Zion Benshalom, published in Jerusalem by the Youth and Hech-
alutz Department of the World Zionist Organization (F.O.B. 92,
Jerusalem, Israel), makes this interesting revelation:
"The theme of the poem, 'Facing Timura's Tent.' written
by B. N. Silkiner in America, entitles it to be considered the first
specifically American contribution to Hebrew literature. It was
published in 1910, but significantly enough, in Jerusalem and not
in New York."
This is one of many facts about Hebrew literary efforts out-
lined in Benshalom's enlightening book.
Of special value in this little book is the set of biographical
sketches of Hebrew writers appended to the end of the volume.
Included in this analysis are many Americans who have
written or continue to write in Hebrew. Among them are the late
Ches Aleph Friedland of Cleveland, the poet Abraham Regelson,
Simon Halkin, the late Harry Sackler and others.
But there are many notable omissions. For instance: the
late Menahem Ribalow is not mentioned. This brands the book
as totally incomplete. Ribalow, as editor of the Hadoar, as writer
and as leader in the Histadrut Ivrith, rendered such important
services in the advancement of the Hebrew language in this
country that such an omission is. inexcusable.
Equally inexcusable is the omission of the name of Daniel
Persky whose determination and devotion, whose valuable essays,
have made him stand out among the re-creators of Hebrew as
a living language. The author also should have included the
name of Detroiter Bernard Iaacs whose short stories have thrill-
ed Hebrew readers.
The facts given by Benshalom are, however, valuable and
important. It would be well for him to revise his book to make it
complete.
Benshalom's "Hebrew Literature" is the second volume in
the series "Modern Israel Library" published by the Zionist Or-
ganization's Youth Department. Isaac Halevy-Levin directs the
publications department. The first volume was written by Eliezer
Livneh and is entitled "State and Diaspora." .

Bon Mot: Authentic Story

By NATHAN
ZIPRIN

This is an authentic story. It was related to me recently,
at the JDC dinner by a prominent rabbi whOse name is synony-
mous with authenticity. A prominent Orthodox rabbi of recent
arrival in the United States who lived in the neighborhood of one
of the leading Reform temples in the city suddenly developed a
yen for finding out how services were conducted on the other side
of the fence. When he was through with his Sabbath services,
the rabbi leisurely perambulated to the temple. On entering the
house of worship he naturally did not remove his - hat. An usher at
the door gently reminded the would-be-worshipper to remove his
hat. The visitor declined, declaring he was an Orthodox Jew.
The first usher yielded. As the rabbi proceeded along the aisle,
he was again stopped by an usher who again reminded him about.
removing the hat. By this time the visitor was beginning to lose
his patience and he somewhat bluntly told' the man that the first
usher had 'given him the green light. ."That . gentleman may have
given you the authority not to .•rernole. your -hat;" • replied the
second usher, "but he knew no better--he is not a Jew."

