Purely Commentary

By PHILIP SLOMOVITZ

Horns de Plume: Rufus Learsi and Other Pseudonyms
Many well known writers have written under assumed names.
Sholom Aleichem was the psuedonym of Sholom Rabinowitch.
Mendele Mocher Seforim, "the grandfather of Yiddish literature,"
was Solomon Abramovitch. Yehoash was Solomon Bloomgarden.
Rufus Learsi is Israel Goldberg.
Describing Pseudonymous Performances by noted authors, in
a recent New York Times Book Review Section, William Du Bois
wrote as follows on "Noms de Guerre":
"The practice of writing under a pseudonym is, of course,
far older than Voltaire, George Eliot or Anatole France. The
practice of inventing a pseudonym and then holding it up to a
mirror, as it were, before transcribing it seems a bit rarer in
literary annals.
"All . this came up when Rufus Learsi's 'The Jews of Amer-
ica' arrived for revieu). A linguist on our staff, testing
the the title - pace in i. e r compact mirror, reported,
that 'Rufus Learsi', read from right to left, could be "freely trans-
lated in Hebrew as 'the Scribe of Israel.' We'd known that Mr. L.
was a teacher in the New York schools, working under wraps;
we're still wondering why he went to such extra pains to de-
ceive us."
The fact is that in Rufus Learsi the Learsi is Israel spelled
backwards and the entire name means "Israel the Redhead,"
Under the pseudonym "Rufus Learsi," Israel Goldberg has
written many fine Jewish poems and has compiled two books of
Jewish humor. In addition to his American Jewish history he has
authored two excellent histories of Zionism and world Jewry.
The occasion to set the record straight gives this Com-
mentator the added opportunity to say that his friend's newest
history, "The Jews of America," is an outstanding work, a splendid
evaluation of the American . Jewish story and certainly one of the
best Jewish histories written by an American Jew.
His "The Jews of America". is one of the major literary ac-
complishments of the American Jewish Tercentenary Year.

Political Note: Ferguson, Williams and the -Bond Audience
This note is being written before the election, and will be read
several days after the results will have been a matter of record.
While it passes judgment on two candidates, it is intended as a
tribute to the .American electorate.
It is a comment on the impressive Israel bond dinner at which
Israel's Minister of Labor, Mrs. Golda Myerson, was the guest of
honor. Two important candidates for office, on whom the eyes
of the entire country were riveted, because of the importance at-
tached to the verdicts of the voters on their positions and the
parties they represented, were among the guest speakers. One of
them, Governor G. Mennen Williams, the Democrat, has been a
popular figure with Jewish audiences. Re was given a good hand
when he came in and upon the conclusion of his rather inconse-
quential talk. The other was the distinguished Republican Senator
from Michigan, Homer Ferguson.
We were a bit concerned about audience reaction. "Soapy"
Williams is so popular among the masses that we were frankly
worried lest it show up in the comparative receptions were
given to candidates of both parties. But the audience proved once
again that the American voter has good sense, that he 10iows how
to judge personalities and that—while the choice of his caididates
and parties is his own private business—he knows how to be a
gentleman.
More than that: the gathered voters at the bond meeting
proved that they were well informed. They knew Ferguson's ex-
cellent record in behalf of Israel. They appreciated the man's
sincerity and they showed it by staging an ovation for him.
This is only one part of the story involving "Soapy," who, as
stated, delivered a rather unimpressive talk. He would have been
well received no matter what he might have said -: But he did
something against which we warned him about two years ago:
his rather childish repetitions of a couple of Hebrew phrases he
has learned. He has been taught "sholem aleichem" and "mazel
tov" and he repeats them ad nauseam. We expressed our sense
of disgust at this type of flattery on previous occasions. Many
resented it. He is liked suffiCiently without needing to resort to the
art of superficial complimenting of loyal friends. We sincerely
advise him to, abandon, as one of his admirers put it, "clowning
With Hebrew phrases."
*
*
*
•
Post-Election Note on Arms-to-Arabs Issue
The immorality of the act of sending arms to Arabs, thereby
adding to the insecurity of the State of Israel, caused the injec-
tion of the Israel-Arab problem into the political campaign that
ended with Tuesday's election.
There will be considerable discussion of the wisdom of the poll
of candidates on this qUestion. Had the State Department shown
the slightest concern over the feelings of the Jews of this country,
who were unanimous (except for the fragment of less than a
tenth of one per cent known as the Council for Judaism) in their
urgent appeals against arms shipments to Arabs, the entire issue
could and would have been avoided. But the more Jews, and the
handful of Christians who recognized the immorality of the act,
pleaded, the faster the shoulders froze. As a result, the very im-
portant delegation that met with Secretary of State John Foster
Dulles left the State Department disillusioned. And the Democrats
picked up the cudgels and used them in their own interests.
A measure of injustice was in evidence in the campaign. When
men like Senators Ferguson, Saltenstall and Ives are accused of
being pro-Arab, the accusers are misrepresenting truth. Men in
public office should be judged on the merits of their own attitudes
in public matters and not on the demerits of the State Department.
It —ill be said that they must be judged by the actions of the
Administration they represent: true! But if, as in the instance of
the Senators we have mentioned, they have been pro-Israel, we
should not pin the pro-Arab label on them. If it belongs on the
lapel of the Administration, let it stay there, but unjust blame
should not be leveled at good friends who have encouraged Israel
and upon whose assistance we continue to count and in whose
friendship we continue to place faith.

Our Deadline: At Noon Mondays

The deadline for all Jewish News copy, beginning
with the next issue, will be at noon on Mondays.

Photographs must be 'submitted earlier to assure
their use.
The Deadline for Classified Display Advertising has
been advanced to 4:30 p.m. on Tuesdays, for technical
reasons. Classified Liners will be accepted until 11 a.m.
on Wednesdays.

.

2—DETROIT JEWISH NEWS

Friday, November 5, 1954

Detroiter Present Gift to UJA

Hadassah Names
Sunday as 'H-Day'

Sunday, Nov. 7 has been de-
signated by the Detroit Chapter
of Hadassah a.s its annual
H-Day.
According to Mrs. William B.
Isenberg, president, this is the
day that hundreds of volunteer
membership workers will ring.
doorbells throughout the city in
an effort to en-
roll new mem-
bers in the or
ganization, t h e
largest women's
Zionist group in I
the world.
M r s. Samuel
N. Perlmutter,'
who is Chapter
IRVING W. BLUMBERG, JOSEPH HOLTZMAN and SAMUEL
embership' H. RUBINER present Detroit's check in behalf of the United Jew-
Mrs. Perlmutter chair man, is- ish Appeal's nation-wide emergency drive for $50,000,000 in cash
sued an appeal to women in the in the final months of 1954, with which to meet the needs of dis-
community to welcome "your tressed Jews in Europe and tension-ridden North Africa and the
Hadassah worker when she calls. resettlement and rehabilitation needs of newcomers to Israel. The
Join Hadassah and learn to live occasion is the UJA's national report conference, held Oct. 23-24
creatively as an American and at Cincinnati. Looking on are EDWARD M. M. WARBURG, UJA
a Jew."
general chairman and MORRIS W. BERINSTEIN, UJA's national
Hadassah members, their hus- cash chairman.
bands and friends will, on Tues-
day, hear a talk by Dr. Joseph
Hirsh, executive secretary of the
medical advisory board of He-
brew University-Hadassah Med-
ical School.
The program, to be held at
The maturing of the Ameri- throughout the day, conferred
8:15 p.m., at Temple Israel, will can Jewish community was de- with the Bnai Brith Women in
feature Dr.' Hirsh's address on scribed here in a series of ad- the afternoon and addressed a
"H a d a s s a h's Role in Israel dresses delivered by Philip M. large evening meeting at the
Health Program." Israeli songs Klutznick; national president of i Beth Aaron Hall.
will be sung by Detroit soprano, Bnai Brith, at an entire day's
1
Emma Schaver.
Meetings with community lead-
A reception honoring Dr. Hirsh ers and Bnai Brith men's and Historical Society
will follow in the temple youth women's lodge officers.
To Honor Businessmen
hall. Mrs. Leo Orecklin, vice-
Reporting on the meeting of
president of program, is the eve- the powerful delegation of Jew-
A special dinner meeting has
ning's chairman.
ish leaders who met with Sec- been convened by the Business
retary of State John Foster Founder Members (BFM) of the
Dulles, Mr. Kutznick chairman Detroit Historical Society for
Sobeloff to Address
of the delegation, said there was 7 p.m., Monday, at the Park
Assembly of CJFWF
great satisfaction in the know- Shelton Hotel. Prentiss IL
ledge that the various elements Brown, retiring board chairman
Many Detroiters will play a could get together in a cooper- of the Detroit Edison Company,
prominent role in the 23rd Gen- ative effort.
will be master of ceremonies.
eral Assembly of the Council of
The 150 local firms belonging
Mr. Klutznick declared that
Jewish Federations and Welfare American citizens- have a right to BFM will be presented with
Funds, a t Ambassador Hotel, to criticize their government a plaque from the Society in
Atlantic City, November 18-21.
recognition of contributions from
when they believe the admini-
Isidore Sobeloff, executive di- stration to be wrong, and 1 membership fees which have
rector of t h e Jewish Welfare charged that those who op- made possible a series of film
Federation, of Detroit, will be pose such rights for free men strips on Detroit history. The
among the principal speakers, are un-American.
strips have been made available
Julian Freeman, CJFWF presi-
to all of Detroit's school children.
This
American
tradition
to
dent, announced.
Following the meeting, mem-
criticize, Mr. Klutznick said, was
Speakers who have already ac- utilized in the Jewish delega- bers will visit the Museum where
cepted invitations to address the tion's conference with Mr. Dul- they will be shown the current
Assembly include Dr. Buell G. les to present American Jewry's exhibits, of which the Jewish
Gallagher, president, College of protest against the arming of Life and Culture in Detroit ex-
hibition is featured.
the City of New York; Dr. Abram the Arabs.
Howard Peckham, president . of
L. Saehar, president, Brandeis
Describing the Bnai Brith
University; Dr. Joseph J. Sch- project to advance the Israel the American Association for
wartz, executive vice-president bond drive, Mr. Klutznick said State and Local History, will pre-
of the United Jewish Appeal; that "the Israel program is now sent citations to the J. L. Hudson
Company, Detroit Edison and
Charles I. Schottland, Commis-
sioner of Social Security for the a child of Bnai Brith, but so is Cosumers Power for substantial-
U.S. Department of Health, Edu- the Anti-Defamation League, ly contributing to the further-
cation and Welfare; Sobeloff Hillel Foundations, the summer ance of • American historical
and Dr. Oscar I. Janowsky of institutes. Each has its place in knowledge.
the College of the City of New our activities.
He spoke with particular
York, who is directing a national
Berlin OK's Genocide Pact
Jewish education survey for the pride of the Bnai Brith spon-
sorship
of
the
synagogue
and
BERLIN,
(JTA)
This city,
American Association for Jewish
center established at the Mayo which - is not part of the West
Education.
Members of the board of gov- Clinic in Rochester, N. Y., where German. Federal Republic in the
ernors of t h e Jewish Welfare social service programs are constitutional' sense, has -ap-
Federation are delegates to the sponsored for patients, guests proved the United Nations Gen-
Assembly. Julian H. Krolik, and the community.
ocide Convention of 1948 by a
Samuel H. Rubiner and Sobeloff
Mr. Klutznick addressed com- unanimous vote of the Munici-
are members of the CJFWF munity leaders at a luncheon, pal parliament, the House a
board of directors.
met with Bnai Brith leaders Delegates.

Klutznick Inspires Detroit Audiences;
Reports on Conference With Dulles

Feature Israel Booth
At International Institute

Israeli products again will be
exhibited by Israel Enterprises
at the annual Old World Market,
to be held Nov. 18 to 21, under
the sponsorship of the Interna-
tional Institute ; Kirby and John
R.
According to Jules Doneson,
director of Israel Enterprises, of
the 21 nationality booths feat-
ured in last year's exhibition, the
Israel exhibit placed third in
dollar volume sales.
Doneson and Mrs. Doneson,
who will operate the Israeli
booth, are anxious to have the
assistance of one or two Israeli
students, who will be in town on
the dates mentioned above, to
help staff the booth.
As a Red Feather agency, the
Institute will receive a portion
of the proceeds of all particip-
ating booths.

Between You and Me

By BORIS SMOLAR

(Copyright, 1954, Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Inc.)

Washington Moods

The conference between Secretary of State John Foster Duna
and a delegation representing 16 major Jewish organizations on
U. S. policy in the Middle East did not contribute much toward
improving the situation against which American Jews are protest-
Secretary Dulles clearly told the Jewish leaders that he
, ing .
does not intend to enter into discussion either with them, or with
the Israel Ambassador ire Washington, on the Middle East policy
until after the November elections . .. He was very polite when
he accepted the memorandum which the delegation presented to
him, but: he did not even go as far as to reiterate the recent assur-
ance,. given by President Eisenhower that the U. S. Government
will. not create an. imbalance in the military equilibrium between
Israel and the Arab states . . . He referred to the fact that he had
made some statements earlier with regard to Israel and added
that he stands on these statements . . ..He also .indicated that tie
will attempt to solve the Israel-Arab problem as successfully as he
recently solved other international problems . All in all,. the
Jewish leaders left with the impression that he will probably look
for an occasion after the elections to make some kind of a public
statement, but what this statement will contain is anybody's guess.

