Iraq Injects Itself Into Internal U.S. Affairs

By MILTON FRIEDMAN

(Copyright, 1954, JTA,

Inc.)

WASHINGTON—Iraq has em-
barked on a propaganda cam-
paign urging the United States
Government to adopt domestic
anti-Jewish policies. This
emerged coincidentally with
the State Department's an-
nouncement of Iraq's new status
as the first Arab League nation
to receive American arms aid.
Iraqi Ambassador Moussa Al-
Shabandar, in an address before
American officials at Washing-
ton's Shoreham Hotel, sought
publicly to engender suspicions
regarding the loyalty of Ameri-
can Jewry. A similar speech
previously came from Charge
d'Affaires Abdullah I b r a him
Bakr of the Iraqi Embassy. The
Bakr address, however, was not
delivered personally but was
read on the Iraqi's behalf at the
Statler Hotel by Edwin M.
Wright, State 'Department of-
ficer in charge of Turkish af-
fairs.
Publicity has been given in
Washington to an April 15
radio broadcast over the Iraqi
Home Service originating in
Baghdad. In this broadcast of
Iraqi government views it was
indicated that Iraq is placing
its trust in Sen. Joseph R. Mc-
Carthy because "McCarthy is
distinguished by his intense
aversion to Communists and
Zionists." The broadcast said
"the latest scandal which Mc-
Carthy has been able to dis-
cover is the attitude of Oppen-
heimer, the Jew . ." In this
Manner Iraq has injected it-
self into the internal affairs
of the United States. The
State Department's only re-
action has been to express
pleasure that Iraq sees fit to
accept free American muni-
tions for "the defense of .. .
the free world."
Expressing the view that anti-
Jewish elements are now at work
behind the scenes in Washing-
ton, the Iraqi broadcast said
4 `the recent months have wit-
nessed a tangible change in the

policy of the United States tow-
ard the Middle East, with less
attention being paid to the in-
terests of Israel." It added that
"the Arabs have welcomed this
change which demonstrates that
America has begun to see the
truth in this part of the world."
"President Eisenhower," the
Iraqi said, "steers a middle-of-
the-road course between the two
wings of his party . . . Eisen-
hower is, however, more inclined
to McCarthy than to Dewey.
This is a natural corollary of the
stand taken by the Jews of New
York . . . In this manner, all
these tangible contraditions in
the trends of U. S. policy, now
for the Arabs, now for Israel,
become apparent. In fact, it is
a violent and secret tug of war
between the Jewish and anti-
Jewish forces in America. The
mere emergence of this tug of
war should fill the Arabs with
optimism and faith."
Concentration on the sus-
pension by the Atomic Com-
mission of Dr. J. Robert Op-
penheimer, the Baghdad radio
welcomed this as evidence that
the United States considers
Jews as likely security risks.
Baghdad sa i d : "This new
scandal exploded like a bomb-
shell in the United States, and
its results will become appar-
ent in the near future. At any
rate, the results will not be
gratifying to the Jews of
America."
A few days after the Iraqi
broadcast, the Israeli Home Serv-
ice went on the air from Jeru-
salem with a defense of Dr. Op-
penheimer. The Israeli com-
mentator's view was that "if
henceforth the principle intro-
duced that a person making a
mistake in judgment, as it may
transpire a few years hence, is a
traitor, saboteur, or the like, all
sorts of scientists and experts
will become fear-ridden . A
very enlightened imagination is
not needed to realize the politi-
cal consequences . . . While all
sorts of demagogues are being

Between You and Me

By BORIS SMOLAR

(Copyright, 1954, Jewish Telegraphic Agency)

Washington Trends

High officials of the State Department are now advancina
privately a new "argument" to justify supplying the Arab states
with arms . . . They claim that the Arab s t at es are in no
position to s t a rt a war against Israel even if they are
given arms, but that Israel could start war against the Arabs
countries, if she wished to do so . . . This "argument" is being
given in private talks even by Assistant Secretary of State Henry
A. Byroade, the key man in the State Department when it comes
to formulating the American policy with regard to the Arab-Is-
rael issue . . Mr. Byroade has much to say in praise of Israel
Premier Moshe Sharett . . . He thinks that Arab-Israel tension
would have run much deeper were it not for Mr. Sharett's very
healthy and very restraining effect on the situation . . . Mr. By-
roade is now telling people that his recent statement that Israel
should not consider itself as a "headquarters" of world Jewry
should not be misinterpreted to mean that American Jews should
not help Israel < .. At a private gathering of Jews and non-Jews,
Mr. Byroade made it clear that there is no basis for such reading
of his statement .. . He urged continuation of American Jewish
financial aid to Israel on a philanthropic basis and without any
reservations.

Communal Affairs

The administrative budget of an important organization en-
gaged in fund-raising for Israel will be reduced this year to one-
half of what it was in 1952, as a result of the visit paid to this
country by Dr. Giora Josephthal, Jewish Agency treasurer . . . The
Jewish Agency is now interested in seeing to it that less money is
spent in this country, in order to use the maximum amount pos-
sible of contributed funds in Israel itself . . . Dr. Josephthal has,
during his stay in New York, gone over the budgets of various
organizations and institutions benefiting from the United Jewish
Appeal . . He also conferred with leaders of Jewish Federations
and Welfare Funds on fund-raising campaigns conducted by Israeli
institutions in this country ... Among other things, he empha-
sized that leaders of the Israel government and of the Jewish
Agency feel strongly that the separate drives for the Hebrew
University, Weizmann Institute and Haifa Technion should be
merged as soon as possible . . . This would enable the three insti-
tutions to put a substantial part of the approximately $650,000 be-
ing spent on fund-raising and administration in this country to
direct use by the Institutions in Israel . . . Dr. Josephthal revealed
that a joint 'Committee of representatives of the Israel govern-
ment and the Jewish Agency is now examining the needs and
finances of the three institutions and will be ready with a report
by May 31 . . . The committee will then advise the Council of
Federations and Welfare Funds on whether to continue distribu-
tions of funds to the three institutions according to the formula
previously recommended by Dr. Josephthal, or whether a revision
in that formula is indicated . . . Under Dr. Josephthal's formula
the Hebrew University is to receive 55 per cent, the Haifa Tech-
:pion, 23 per cent, and the Weizmann Institute, 22 per cent ... Dr.
Josephthal's formula is followed by many communities in their
budgeting . . He was assured by CJFWF leaders that they will
accept the recommendations of the Israel government-Jewish
Agency committee as to the relative requirements of the three in-
stitutions.

Through HIAS, It's Back to Israel

given a free hand to exploit the
life struggle of democracy with
false accusations, defamation,
and persecution of innocent per-
sons, in an attempt to stir up in-
tentional hysteria, at this very
moment there is danger that
democracy is adopting the very
methods it set out to fight."
Some in Washington seem to
forget the tragic participation in
the pro-Nazi revolt in Baghdad
during World War II. There are
Iraqis who were actually train-
ed in propaganda methods in
Germany as guests of Dr. Joseph
Goebbels. In 1949 and 1950 the
Iraqis carried out Nazi-like po-
groms which resulted in the
mass flight of Iraq's Jews to Is-
rael. Israel is the only Arab
League member which refused to
conclude an armistice with Is-
rael at the conclusion of the
Palestine War and today it is the
loudest Arab voice for renewed
hostilities. Yet Iraq has been
selected by the United States as
the first Arab League recipient
JERRY KOLIEB, (rear) director in Germany for HIAS, He-
of free American munitions.
brew Immigrant Aid Society, hands transportation tickets to a,
group of Jews who returned to Munich, Germany, from Israel,
realized their mistake, and sought HIAS help to be repatriated
U. S. Policy Evokes
to the Jewish State. Under an agreement with officials in Israel,
`Isolation Feeling',
HIAS is returning to Israel all persons who left that country in
an effort to find immigration opportunities in Germany and other
Goldmann Declares
European countries, but found themselves stranded. HIAS is
NEW YORK, (JTA)—Israel's seeking 'to emigrate out of Germany all persons facing arrest
because they entered there "illegally."
hopes for an early peace with
the Arab states have been "shat-
tered" by the "intransigent at- Klutznick Calls Parley for BB Bond Workers
titude of the Arab world, the
mounting tensions along her
WASHINGTON, D. C.—Aiming conference for Israel develop-
border and the overt pro-Arab toward the early implementa- ment bonds this week-end in
policy of the Soviet Union and tion and achievement of the re- i• Chicago.
the Soviet satellites," Dr. Nahum
Klutznick pointed out that
established in Bnai
Goldmann, chairman of the cently
goal of $7,500,000
Israel Brith
bond Saturday is the sixth anniversary
Jewish Agency, said, addressing
of Israel's independence, and de-
the annual dinner sponsored by sales for 1954, Philip M. Klutz- clared that there could be no
the American Jewish Congress
more appropriate or historic oc-
on behalf of the United Jewish nick,
president
of leaders
Bnai Brith,
has called
on the
of the casion for launching Bnai Brith's
Appeal.
order to join with him at a participation in fortifying Isra-
Although Israelis are careful national Bnai Brith planning el's economic security.
not to reach any hasty conclu-
sions in interpreting America's
policy in the Middle East, he
said, "the vague and often va-
cillating policy of the United
States" contributes to "a feeling
By NATHAN ZIPRIN
(Copyright, 1954, Seven Arts Feature Syndicate)
of isolation" in Israel.
The major portion of Dr. On the Zionist Front
There is stirring in the ZOA as the convention approaches.
Goldmann's speech was devoted
to statements which Assistant For a time it seemed as if Mortimer May would be the only presi-
Secretary of State Byroade had dential candidate and the unanimous choice of the .convention—
made in Dayton, Ohio address. a situation by no means eliminated—but it now appears there Is
Dr. Goldmann praised Mr. By- a movement to project the candidacy of Max Bressler of Chicago.
roade's statements as an honest Maybe a good convention fight is the best prescription for what-
effort to strike a balance be- ever ails the ZOA now.
tween Israel and the Arab states,
although decisions such au arm- Judaism with a Hechsher
The word "hechsher" is in all likelihood alien to the American
ing the Arab states baffle Israel
and are the cause of anxiety. He Council for Judaism. What is a hechsher? Since a semantic
replied sharply to Mr. Byroade's twister can frequently best be defined by an illustration, we might
advice to the Israelis that they suggest that a hechsher is what the Council got when it received
should "come to truly look upon official Arab approval of its Judaistic theme-song. The schizo-
yourselves as a Middle Eastern phranic thinking behind the Council concept of Americanism and
state rather than as a head- patriotism reached the apex of indecency when one of its principal
quarters—or nucleus to speak— convention speakers questioned the Americanism of Zionists and
of world-wide groupings of peo- non-Zionists claiming to be pro-Israel and pro-America. Poor
Councilites, their leaders didn't have the moral courage to raise
ples of a religious faith."
Charging that Mr. Byroade a voice of indignation over the Scorpion Pass massacre. But they
has accepted on this issue, un- did have the impudence to counsel Israel to revise its immigra-
wittingly perhaps, the theories tion laws. We :thought all along that only Zionists were sinners
and concepts of the American in the direction of counselling and helping Israel.
*
*
Council for Judaism which rep-
resents a tiny'minority of Amer- One Man's Opinion
ican Jews," Dr. Goldmann said:
I don't like Geprge Sokolsky's politics nor his McCarthyite as-
"It is not the function nor
sociations, but I wouldn't vote against him if he applied for mem-
the business of the State De-
bership in my congregation for the simple reason that he might
partment, nor any of its
change views under the benign influence of my synagogue. That
spokesmen, to advise Jewish
evidently is not the view of energetic and brilliant Rabbi Joseph
communities on their relations
H. Lookstein of New York City. Recently a Yiddish columnist in
to Israel. The American Jew-
the Forward erroneously asserted that Sokolsky was a member of
ish community must reject
Dr. Lookstein's congregation. The Rabbi quickly corrected the
any attempt, from whatever
columnist and simultaneously noted that if Sokoisky were to at-
quarter and whatever source,
tempt affiliation with his congregation he would cast a vote
to interfere in such problems.
against it.
The relationship between the
Jewish people and Israel has
Reflection on My Age
the profoundest religious, mor-
The other night I watched a televised wrestling match, with
al, intellectual and spirit-
one of the principals a powerful young man of 25. When the
ual significance. American de-
match was over, the broadcaster, or is it televiser, voiced amaze-
mocracy has always been
ment at the brutality of the young man, declaring "he is only 25
characterized by great rever-
years old and he is already so brutal." I Was rather felled by the
ence for relationships of this
remark. In the more than half decade since turning 50 I thought
nature between the diverse I learned that softness and mellowness were the rewards of ripen-
components of its citizenry
ing.
and historic groups."
United States Solicitor Gen-
From Many Corners
eral -Simon E. Sobeloff, making
There are now 36 American students at the Hebrew Univer-
his first major address at the sity in Jerusalem, a small but understandable number in view
dinner since his induction into of the situation in Israel. During the year 1951-52 the university
office, called for "vigilance to
had 30 such students. The following year, 52-53, showed a regis-.
preserve our liberties not only tration of 38 with secondary schooling in the United States .
from those who go over to the The anti-shechitah movement is gaining momentum in Germany.
enemy, but from misguided Where were the merceyites when our millions were brought to
persons at both extremes:
slaughter like cattle in the death houses of Maidenak, Treblinka
those who are asleep upon
and Dachau? . . . At his publisher's suggestion Dr. J. L. Teller's
their watch and those whose next book will bear the title "Scapegoats of Revolution." The
zeal as they stand watch leads book, a survey and evaluation of five centuries of Jewish history, is
them into error that may
slated for publication by Scribners in October . . . Dr. Nahum
prove no less destructive,
Goldmann was never on firmer ground than when he asserted
that the intra-mural Jewish issue is not a legitimate concern of
28—DETROIT. JEWISH NEWS American foreign policy. Byroade deserved a strong reply to his
ill-advised Dayton pronouncement and he got it..
Friday, May 7, 1954

On the Record

