Purely Commentary
By PHILIP SLOMOVITZ
An Invasion of Arab Propagandists
On Feb. 20, a group of Arab propagandists will arrive in this
country to deliver Town Hall lectures in 17 cities. We are in-
formed that this group, and their origins, are:
Principal Topic
Speaker
WOMEN
Mrs Amina El Said Journalist and Feminist, Cairo
Major Amin Shaker, Press Advisor to Prime Minister
Habib Naficy, Deputy Prime Minister for Industries;
LABOR
former Minister of Labor
Abdul "Kerim Uzri, MP; former Minister
Iraq
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
of Finance
Jordan Musa Bey Alami, President, Arab Development URAL RECONSTRUCTION
Society, Jericho
COMMUNICATIONS
Lebanon Ghassan Tuene, Editor, Al Na a , Beirut;
EDUCATION
Lebanon Fuad Sarruf, Vice President, Atnerican University
Rashad Jabri, Manager, Near East
Syria
BUSINESS
Resources, Damascus; MP
Turkey Mrs. Ulviye Isvan, Istanbul Alderman and
SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
President of Red Crescent
Turkey Fadil Hakki Sur, Professor of Political
POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT
Science, University of Ankara
Country
Egypt
- Egypt
Iran
South African Premier Assures Jews of Equal
Rights; Backs Restricted Immigration Policy
Declares Israel Has Raised Status of Jewry
Direct JTA Teletype Wire
to The Jewish News
JOHANNESBURG—"The
rights of Jews as full and equal
citizens of South Africa with
all other sections of the white
population remain the same un-
der my government as under
previous governments of the
Union," Johannes Gerhardus
Strijdom, who recently suc-
ceeded Dr. Daniel F. Malan as
Prime Minister of South Africa,
This is a free country and every one has a right to his opinion told
Bernstein, South Af-
and to the expression of it. But when people misrepresent facts rican Edgar
correspondent of the JTA,
and set out to harm a small nation that is surrounded and con-
stantly threatened by the peoples whom the lecturers listed repre- in an exclusive interview in the
sent, it is important that they should be challenged to present Prime Minister's office in Cape-
town last Thursday. The Prime
the truth. That is why it . is so vital that the names of those who Minister has given his assent to
are coming here should be known.
the publication of the following
Only too often, such propagandists make it a point to inject report.
-their anti-Israel attitudes, regardless of whether they discuss topics
Mr. Bernstein said that the
relating to women, communications, rural reconstruction, or any
other that may sound irrelevant. Therefore we say: be on guard JTA was concerned about re-
ports in certain foreign news-
against the *spread of untruth.
papers which expressed misgiv-
.
small
Being on guard involves the obligation of protecting a
ings about the Union govern-
that
is
threatened
constantly
by
warring
neighbors
against
nation
ment's attitude to the Jews in
misrepresentations and untruths. Too many speakers, who come South Africa. The JTA would
continually
inject
the
here purportedly as travelogue lecturers,
welcome an authoritative state-
biased view about the Arab refugees, whose problem should have ment from the Union's new Pre-
been solved long ago, if it were not for the Arab politicians who mier as to what was the atti-
prefer to keep them under subjection as pawns in a political tude of his government to Jew-
struggle against Israel. Next Wednesday, an Iranian will speak
citizens.
to the Town Hall audience on the Israel-Arab question. It is a ish Mr.
Strijdom said: "The reply
loaded topic and we naturally hope that the sponsors of the lec- has been given over and over
ture are correct in their prediction that Dr. Fatemi will give "an again. I made this point clpar
unbiased analysis" of the question. If he does not, then, in the in my radio addresses after as-
interest of truth, that audience is entitled at least to-hear Israel's suming office. Our policy is to
side.
mete out fair treatment to all
It is difficult to be on guard against so many infiltrators— sections of the population. No
her
borders
against
protect
equally as difficult as it is for Israel to
differential treatment will be
seven sabre-rattling Arab nations whose war cries thus far have meted out by my government
silenced Israel's cries for peace.
to Afrikaner, English, Jewish or
Unfortunately, the challenge is not limited to the infiltrations any other section of the white
by Arabs. The anti-Israel forces are receiving encouragement population. All are full and
from a domestic group, the American Friends of the Middle East, equal citizens without differen-
whose president is Dorothy Thompson, one-time lecturer on Zionist tiation."
platforms and now Zionism's arch-enemy; and the Rev. L. R.
Mr. Bernstein asked how his
Elson of the National Presbyterian Church - of Washington, Presi- position would be affected if
dent Eisenhower's pastor, who is chairman of the AFME. -On top South Africa decided to become
of it, this .group is receiving encouragement from the destructive a republic in accordance with
handful of Jews that calls itself a Council for Judaism. They have the ultimate aims of the Na-
enlisted the new chairman of the U..S. House of Representative tional Party which Mr. Strijdom
Foreign Affairs Committee, Rep. James P. Richards (D., S.C.) for heads.
anti-Zionist purposes. They were given encouragement also by
The Premier replied : "Estab-
Mrs. Hiram Houghton, assistant director of the U. S. Foreign Oper- lishment • of a republic would
ations Administration, who advocated concessions by Israel to the make np difference whatsoever
Arabs at an AFME luncheon in Washington on Monday—and con- to the position. The republic
cessions of the type her enemies would impose upon Israel might would be a democratic republic
mean the destruction of the small state. With so many known with full equality for all citizens.
enemies, Israel and her friends really have a most serious battle
"I have in any case made it
on their hands.
clear," Mr. Strijdom added, "that
•
a republic will not be proclaimed
during the life of the present
The Arab League: Master of Distortion
A World Jewish Affairs report from London tells about attacks parliament. The decision to be-
in Cairo on Dr. Trygve Lie, the former Secretary General of the come a republic would only be
United Nations, whose recent statements before the Netherlands taken by an adequate majority
States-General were branded as "propaganda for the Zionists." In vote at a referendum or general
another broadcast from Cairo, the former UN leader was admon- election. Our program of prin-
ished to "abandon his role as an instrument of Zionism and the ciples lays down that a repub-
trumpet of imperialism in its worst form," and the Arab League's lic -will only be brought about
on the broad basis of the peo-
Secretary General was quoted as having said:
ples'
will."
"The Arabs did not invade Palestine; they entered it, as
Mr. Bernstein said that an-
stated in the Arab League Note to the U.N. of 15th May, 1948, not other matter which gave rise
as invaders, but to defend the Arabs against the outrages of the to concern overseas as a result
Jews and to stop the chaos from spreading to neighbouring coun- of some foreign press reports
tries. The Arabs were not defeated, but the truce was forced on was how the "Christian Na-
them."
tional" concept of the Premier's
There have been many distortions from the ranks of the party would affect the rights of
Arab League, but this one surely takes the prize. Such reported citizens who were not of the
refutations of factual statements made by Dr.- Lie, who has merely Christian faith. What did the
stated the facts about the invasion of Palestine by Egypt and -the concept of Christian National-
Arab states, merely expose the Arab spokesmen as "bad losers," ism imply and involve?
The truth is that if the Israeli fighters had not been stopped
Mr. Strijdom said this should
by UN orders to which they adhered—the great powers of the be easy for the Jews to under-
world were silent when Israelis were losing battles, but always stand. "South Africa is a Christ-
spoke up when the new state was winning skirmishes!—all of ian country in the same way as
Jerusalem would have been in Jewish hands, in addition to other Israel is a Jewish country. Our
tracts of land that are now held by Jordan, Syria and LebanOn. laws are based on the principles
But the point to remember is that Arab League big talk is of the Christian faith in the
always uttered for home consumption. That's how the sabre- same way as the laws of Israel
rattlers retain control of their ill-gotten powers. Pity the Arabs! are based on the principles of
the Jewish faith. That does not
-
Ben-Gurion's Philosophy Revealed in Evaluation of Shekel
Those who were shocked by David Ben-Gurion's consistent
call for pioneers and for the settlement of American Jews in Israel
will find adequate explanation dating back to his settlement in
Palestine as a youth. When he first went to Palestine, in 1908, he
wrote from the Galil to his father, Avigdor Green, in Plonsk,
Russia:
"Eight months ago I was here and the place was covered with
thorns, it was stony and desolate. Now I find European houses
and fields newly-ploughed by the latest methOds. Hebrew workers
have made it part of our life. People should remember that a
new village in Palestine counts for more than all the shekalim
purchased, all the meetings, all the congresses. Settlement on
the land is the only Zionism I know. All the rest is a waste of
time."
This letter is quoted from Barnet Litvinoff's "Ben-Gurion of
Israel," published by Frederick A. Praeger (105 W. 40th, N. Y. 18).
What he wrote then is reflected in what he says and does now
That's Ben-Gurion's philosophy, unadulterated, frank, undiluted,
consistent.
2—DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
Friday, February 11, 1955
Center Young Adults
Plan Tamarack Outing
imply. suppression of any other
religion, nor does it affect the
political or other rights of non-
Christian citizens. For us as
Calvinists it is a fundamental
principle that there will be free-
dom of religion and equality for
all citizens in the state."
Asked the government's atti-
tude on immigration, and in the
context of this interview, the
immigration. of Jews, the Pre-
mier said: "Our principle is that
we must have controlled im-
migration. in accordance with
the country's requirements and
subject to that condition that
we must not have a greater im-
migration of persons of any par-
ticular race than can be ab-
sorbed into the existing popula-
tion without any racial problem
arising. This policy has existed
for a quarter of a century or
more and we have not changed
it."
Asked the government's atti-
tude to Israel, Mr. Strijdom re-
plied: "We have relations of
mutual friendship with Israel.
We were the first country in
the Commonwealth to accord
full recognition to the State of
Israel and we wish Israel well."
Mr. Bernstein asked the Pre-
mier whether he thought the
establishment of Israel had had
a beneficial effect on the gen-
eral position of the Jews of the
world.
Mr. Strijdom replied in the af-
firmative: "I think that the 'es-
tablishment of an independent
Jewish state must have had tre-
mendous effect for good." He
said that "the unfortunate po-
sition in the past was that the
Jew was a wanderer on the face
of the earth. For others there
was a Holland, an England, a
France, etc. For the Jew there
was no country that was his na-
tional home. I think that the
establishment of the Jewish
State has changed this and
raised the status of the Jew
both in his own estimation and
vis-a-vis other races."
Between You and Me
By - BORIS SMOLAR
(Copyright, 1155, Jewish Telegraphic Agency, toe.)
Communal Affairs
The Israel Bond Organization has launched its 1955 campaign
with an attack against leaders of Jewish Federations and Welfare
Funds . Mincing no words, Henry Montor, executive head of the
bond drive, termed as "utter indefensible nonsense" the whole idea
of timing the campaigns for welfare funds and for the sale of
Israel bonds . . . He claims that an investigation reveals that the
doctrine of "timing" has no reality and charges that Welfare
Fund leaders who insist on the timing system are "the chief ad-
liocates of cutting to the bone the funds for Israel" ... He also
implies very strongly that most of the welfare fund leaders who
demand a - ban on the sale of Israel bonds while the local fund-
raising campaigns are in progress have never purchased any
bonds ...He backs up this statement with a warning that there is
a record of every single bond purchaser in his headquarters ...He
insists that the presidents and board members of Welfare Funds
who do not buy Israel bonds "should not continue to pose as
`friends of Israel' " And he says that their "antics" aimed at
hampering the sale of bonds have become "too costly to remain
unrebuked any longer".... Whether this means a declaration a
war remains to be seen.
*
Currents and Under Currents
Why did all major Jewish organizations in the United States
refrain from appealing to the Egyptian government for clemency
for the Jews convicted in the "Zionist spy trial" in Cairo? ... This
question is being asked even now, after two of the convicted Jews
have been hanged ...It is puzzling some of the Arab diplomats at
the United Nations as well as many Jews in this country ...Partic-
ularly; since Jewish organizations in other countries—including
Israel, France, Italy and Latin America—did try to prevent the
hangings by voicing their appeals to Egypt immediately after the
verdict was announced ... The answer to this question is that the
American Jewish groups made a mistake in thinking that inter-
vention on the part of the U. S. Government with the Cairo gov-
ernment. would be more effective ... especially if the U. S. Govern-
ment were - in a position to point out that such intervention was
undertaken not under Jewish pressure but in the interest of hu-
manity. and justice ... It seems that Col. Nasser, the Egyptian
dictator, originally indicated he would commute the sentence ...
He told non-Jewish personalities who intervened after the verdict
was issued that "there will be no hanging" ... One of these person-
alities is said- to be Roger Baldwin, leader of the Civil Liberties
Union and head of the International League for the Rights of
Man, who spoke to the Egyptian ruler in Cairo ...It was also taken
for granted -that he would heed pleas made to him by the Ameri-
can, British and French governments ... However, neither his own
promise nor the intervention of the Western Powers, prevented him
from ordering the execution of the Jews ... This double-cross
should serve as a lesson to Washington not to put too much trust
in Egypt and its statesmen even if they commit themselves to
certain things.
*
Israel Plans
As the tourist season starts in Israel, the Israel government is
The
determined to attract more tourists from the United States
number of tourists last year was close to 39,000, an increase 9f
12 percent over the previous year ...However, other countries in-
creased their tourist traffic last year by more than 25 per cent ...
Italy increased her tourist :trade by 2'7 per cent and admitted ap-
proximately 6,500,000 tourists ...Not to speak of France and Eng-
land ... Even Spain managed to increase her tourist trade last
year ... Why has Israel failed to benefit more than it has from s
traffic • for which she• seems well suited? ... Why were her best
hotels filled to only 45 per cent of capacity at the height of the
tourist season? ... These questions are being asked in. Israel and
an answer is being sought ...Proposals are made to reduce the
cost of travel to Israel which is costlier than travel to Europe be-
cause the distance is so much greater ...It is also urged that visa
requirements for American citizens—or at least the $10 fee charged
for Israel visas—be abolished ... The organizatior of "package
trips" to Israel is another suggestion aimed at increasing the
number of tourists from the United States ... All these suggestions
are being considered by the Israel government ... The importance
of tourism for Israel can be judged from the fact that the country's
gross income from tourists during 1954 amounted to $9,000,000...
This included about $4,000,000 paid for tickets to the El Al-Israel
. This income ymt• tov-v-
Airlinesl, the . Shohafn, Shippin?;:
Camp Tamarack will lure
Jewish Community Center young
adults to the camp's Helen L.
DeRoy Village for an outing on
Feb. 27. The group will start for
Holly, Mich. at 2 p.m. A car
pool is to provide transportation.
Ice skating and otehr outdoor
sports will provide afternoon re-
creation, while a buffet supper
and dancing are planned for
evening entertainment.
Leon Olshansky, chairman,
young adult advisory committee,
is in charge of arrangement. For
information, contact Marvin
ism' iii the'firsihremk
Schpeiser, WO. 5-2939.
currency - earning oettirkelett,