Purely Commentary
By PHILIP SLOMOVITZ
Kolb, Lefton Head
Mechanical Trades
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Direct JTA Teletype Wire to The Jewish News
JERUSALEM—Ambassador °Eric Johnston, President Eisen-
hower's personal envoy to the Near East, returned to the United
States Wednesday without having obtained an Israel-Arab agree-
ment on the American proposal for regional development of the
Jordan River Valley.
His earlier optimism was reported to have been dispelled after
a meeting with Israel experts Tuesday. The main stumbling bloc,
it is understood, is the question of water quotas for the Arab
states—Jordan, Lebanon and Syria. The Arabs wanted water
quotas which would have cut Israel's supplies, while at the same
time Israel 'was asked to agree to an American proposal for a
$190,000,000 project, ostensibly for the resettlement of Arab refu-
gees in the Jordan Valley, by utilization of Yarmuk River waters
brought through Israel reservoirs and channels.
Dr. Fatemi's Town Hall Lecture
Detroit Town Hall rendered a valuable service to our commun-
ity and to the cause of truth about the Middle Eastern situation
by sponsoring the informative lecture by Dr. - Tasrollah Saifpour
Fatemi.
The Iranian statesman pointed to the most serious problem
that faces the Middle East: the poverty that oppresses that area
in which are included 10 countries—Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan,
Saudi-Arabia, Israel, Iraq, Turkey, Iran and Pakistan.
Except for Lebanon, Israel and Turkey, these countries are
disease-ridden, they suffer from illiteracy and only a policy of
serious social reforms can solve their problems, Dr. Fatemi pointed
out. He advocated a reversal of present policies by the nations of
the world and urged ef7orts in the direction of assuring that what-
ever aid is given to these countries goes to the people themselves—
for improvement of health, for education, for technological aid.
Israel, quite naturally, plays an important role in the Middle
Eastern situation. Dr. Fatemi sees a boon for all the countries in-
volved from the technological aid that can come from Israel. He
made it clear to his audience here last week that the Middle East's
society is primitive, that 400 to 500 rich families control all the
wealth, that 94 per cent of the people are landless and propertyless
and the national income in these backward countries is $75 per
capita, with the rampant diseases continually adding to the peo-
ples' burdens.
How can the drastic reforms be brought about? With Com-
munism the major threat to that area; with the Middle East on
the blueprint of Communism, a solution to the Arab-Jewish prob-
km should be among the first issues resolved. Dr. Fatemi ad-
vanced some interesting points on this score:
1. The first Zionist, he said, was Cyrus the Great, who helped
rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem in 567 BCE and who assisted the
exiled Jews to return to their homeland and to establish the Sec-
ond Commonwealth.
2. Fundamentally, he said, it is quite natural that Palestine
should become an independent state for Jews, but it was unfor-
tunately dragged into politics—the major offender having been
the late Ernest Bevin who caused most of the trouble in that area
by promising help to the Arabs and by assuring them that the
Jews would be defeated if they declared war upon them.
3. "I believe the State of Israel is a fait accompli. I believe
that as far as the Middle East and the peace of the world and of
human society are concerned, the State of Israel does not hamper-
but completes that society," Dr. Fatemi said. "Israel can be a
useful bulwark to stop Communism."
4. In the path of peace are three conditions: a. Every one
talks about it, no one does anything about it; b. some Arabs
use the existing conflict to rally power for themselves; c. there
are extremist elements in Israel who interfere with a proper
solution.
5. The solutions: a. No arms for any• nation until the entire
question is solved; b. the U. S. and the UN must join hands to
force an Arab-Jewish peace parley, by direct negotiations; c. a
guarantee to the Israel borders.
At the luncheon in his honor after the lecture, Dr. Fatemi
made the additional point that realistically we can not go back to
the UN partition boundaries and that the -present boundaries
must be respected.
The Fatemi lecture was important as an indication of the
friendly position toward Israel taken by the non-Arabic Middle
Eastern nations like Turkey and Iran. His address helped to ele-
vate the Detroit Town Hall to a high position as a public forum
at which serious issues are treated fairly and unbiasedly. Both the
sponsor and the lecturer were fair in their sponsorship and treat-
ment of the Arab-Jewish problem, and we commend them for it.
Looking for a Scapegoat in the Bond Scandal
Self-vindication when committing errors usually is sought
through the creation of scapegoats.-
In the present Israel bond scandal in Detroit, the scapegoats
are Isidore Sobeloff and the Jewish Welfare Federation. We gather
it from the grapevine that the way the supporters of the anti-
democratic elements in the bond office are seeking to justify their
arbitrary position is by accusing Sobeloff and Federation of seek-
ing to dominate over all elements in Detroit and to control the
situation here.
The trouble with the argument of the interlopers is that it is
too old, that it was used before and fell by the wayside. All
Detroiters need do is read and study the facts, examine the names
of the people who have protested against the dictatorial methods
of an invading army of bond officials, and then judge for them-
selves. They will learn that Sobeloff, who now is in Florida pre-
paring for the Allied Jewish Campaign, had nothing to do with the
flareup; that while he, Hy Safran and Sam Rubiner tried to reason
with the bond group at a single meeting, in order to establish
amity in our good community, the refusal of local leaders to be
used as puppets came not from the Federation but from an out - .
raged community leadership that is devoted to Israel, whether by
_ means of philanthropy or through investments. Anyone who has
a different idea should study the facts. It is utterly ridiculous and
unfair for any person of responsibility to listen to rumors that
malign devoted leaders. This is one community where such tactics
won't work.
* - *
The Riddle of Oppenheimer's Jewish Background
In their commendable expose of the Oppenheimer Case—"We
.
Accuse"— which was published by Simon and Schuster, Joseph
and Stewart Alsop, commenting on Dr. J. Robert Oppenheimer's
Jewish background, stated: "Characteristically, Oppenheimer's
education began at the Ethical Culture School—where else would
such a family send a promising son?"
This reveals the enigmatic position of Oppenheimer as a Jew.
His "interest in politics was stimulated by Hitler's persecution of
the Jews in Germany, where he still had relatives whom he helped
later to escape," the Alsops state. That was normal. But what
makes it characteristic for a family to send a son to a school
that is not Jewish, whose beginnings were steeped in assimilation-
ist tendencies? The answer, of course, is that it was in itself a
mark of assimilation. Therefore, while sharing the indignation
against the disgrace which has led to the emergence of the
Oppenheimer Case, it must be said that, in the main, Dr. Oppen-
heimer's background was chiefly "Jewish by birth," certainly not
by education.
2--DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
Friday, February 25, 1955
Johnston Returns Without
An Israel-Arab Agreement
Between You and Me
NATHAN KOLB (left), and
JACK 0. LEFTON have been as-
signed the top posts in the Me-
By BORIS SMOLAR
chanical Trades Division for the
1955 Allied Jewish Campaign,
(Copyright, 1955, Jewish - relegraphic Agency, inc.)
John E. Lurie, campaign chair-
man, 'announced. The - Division is The Washington Parley
The conference called by the presidents of 16 major_Jewish
now gearing itself for important
tasks of the drive, including its organizations for next week-end—in Washington—seems to have
annual Mechanarama Dinner.
provoked a good deal of interest in high government circles . .
Mo'os Hitim Group
Begins Passover
Drive for Needy
It can now be stated -that high government officials agreed to
address the two-day gathering which will be attended by about
600 selected top Jewish leaders from all parts of the country
One of these officials is George V. Allen, the new Undersecretary
of State who deals- with affairs affecting Israel and the Arab
countries . .. He will outline for the delegates the present stand
of the State Department on the Arab-Israel situation . . . Another
speaker will be Norman Paul, a high official of the Foreign
Operations Administration, who will explain the policy of the
American Government with regard to U. S. financial and techni-
cal aid to Israel . . . There may also be an American high official
speaking on military aspects of igiddle East security . .. All this
points to the extraordinary importance which the U. S. Govern-
ment attaches to the conference . . . And no wonder . . . The
two-day parley will not be just a conference designed to conclude
with the usual protest resolutions against the arming of the Arab
countries . . . It will be much more than that .. . It will express
the interest of American Jews,. as American citizens, in the long-
term policy now being launched by the U. S. in the Middle East ...
And it will make constructive suggestions as to how certain
aspects of this policy can be amended so as not to adversely
affect the Jewish State . . It can be visualized that the center
of attention at the conference will be an overall review by Dr.
Nahum Goldmann, as well as the talks delivered by the high
officials of the U. S. Government .. However, the sessions will
also be addressed by experts from Israel and by prominent Ameri-
can Zionists and non-Zionists.
* .* *
The Mo'os Hitim Organization
of Detroit, through its president
Harry Cohen, has issued a letter
to Detroiters urging them to
back the work of the group in
providing matzos and essential
items for needy families in time
for Passover.
Last year, Cohen states in the
letter, Mo'os Hitim provided
holiday checks to 2,000 persons
who "otherwise would not have
had the necessities with which
to observe Passover."
T h e organization, formerly
caned the Mo'os Hitim Commit-
tee, has been assisting families
in Detroit for over a half cen-
tury.
Officers besides Cohen include
Mrs. Julia Ring, Meyer Shuger-
man and • David Zack, vice-
presidents; Harry M. Shulman,
treasurer; Mrs. Abe Katzman Unified Action
The Washington parley will in effect be the most representa-
and Mrs. Joseph M. Markel, sec-
retaries. The late Charles A. tive gathering of American Jewry since the American Jewish
Smith was honorary president. Conference . . . In addition to the 25 delegates each of the 16
organizations will send to the conclave, there will also be 100
Board members include:
Mesdames Samuel Aaron, Reuben Al- prominent Jews personally invited . . Fifty of them are well-
lendar, Hyman Altman, E. Ehrenwald, known Jewish leaders and the other fifty are representative
S. Faber, Joseph Fisher, Paul Freeman,
Maurice Garelik, Sam Goldman, Samuel figures in their communities ... These one hundred people have
Guttenberg, Sam Katz, Max Kogan, Jo- been chosen because of their private stature and will not be
seph Kunin, Jack Miller, Meyer Shuger-
man, Harry M. Shulman, Irving Small, designated by organizations . . The Council of Jewish Federa-
Charles A. Smith, Al Weisman, Frank tions and Welfare Funds—which is the 'central body of the
Winston, Sam Wexler, and Messrs. David American Jewish communities—will not assign any delegates to
T. Cohen, Morris Gould, Dr. Joseph
Jacobs, Abe Katzman, Irving L Katz, the Washington conference becauSe the CJFWF is a non-
William Nadler, Edward Robinson, Sam political organization . . . However, it will be represented at the
Schwartz, Charles N. Shere, Lee M. parley by ten observers . The sentiments expressed by the
Shulman, Dr. Leonard Sidlow, Harold
Silver, Barney Smith and Dr. and conference will thus reflect the general mood prevailing among
Joseph Rottenberg.
the largest part of American Jewry . . . The conference will
Rabbinical advisory board members
demonstrate the continuity of the meetings which the presidents
are Rabbis Morris Adler, Milton Arm,
Jacob M. Chinitz, Hayim Donin, Leon of major organization hold from time to time in New York on
Fram, Benjamin H. Gorrelick, A. M. problems concerning Israel ... It will prove the usefulness of the
Hershman, Richard C. Hertz, Moses Lehr- creation of a representative body of Zionists and non-Zionists in,
man, Frank Rosenthal, Samuel H. Prero,
Jacob E. Segal, 'Joshua S. Sperka, Isaac this country interested in seeing that justice is done to Israel
Stollman and Max J. Wohlgelernter.
within the framework of a long term U. S. policy for the Middle
All contributions should be East.
mailed to the Mo'os Hitim. Or-
ganization of Detroit, c/o Harry Communal Problems
Cohen, 7303 W. McNichols, De-
How to strengthen fund-raising in 1955 is the question
troit 21, Mich.
uppermost in the minds of the leaders of Jewish federations and
welfare funds throughout the country . . . The Council of Jewish
Federations and Welfare Funds asked a number of these leaders
liabonim's Kinneret
to set down their ideas in concrete proposals on how to intensify
Open to Registrants
fund-raising in the communities ... There was widespread agree-
Registration for the 16th ment that one of the major tasks of communities is to re-
season of Habonim's Camp Kin- emphasize the primacy of the central campaigns . . . Communities
neret was announced this week need to be reminded of the bigness, the overall nature of the
by officials of the Labor Zionist central drive, and that it is the largest fund-raising campaign
youth organization. Several reg- in the community . . . There was. also agreement on the necessity
istrants have already enrolled for re-examining the inclusiveness of the central ,campaigns to
from Detroit and the six other see whether they have been adapted both to changing needs and
communities that participate to changing interests of contributors . . . Also, whether they
each year.
should take in other legitimate community responsibilities which
Camp Kinneret, with its He- are still outside the welfare fund drive . . . Some of these are
brew-speaking program, features attractive to the contributors and are attracting• their gifts away
recreational and study programs, from the welfare funds . „ It was also pointed out that campaign
geared to combining an outdoor methods must be re-examined to see whether they have become
program with positive Jewish ton impersonal and too mechanical . . . A re - examination was
cultural activities.
also recommended of the actual value of solicitation meetings in
Accommodating boys and girls view of the experience that a large number of prospects, the
12 to 18, Camp Kinneret is one most difficult ones, stay away . .. More attention, it was urged,
of 10 camps operated by Hab- should be paid to the shift of the Jewish population from the
onim in the United States and large cities to the suburbs ... In some cases the shift of popula-
Canada. The camp is sponsored tion makes prospects more difficult to reach, in others it has
by the Labor Zionist Organiza- brought in new people who have never been solicited before .
tion of America, Pioneer Wo- Some cities which were alert to new prospects and how best to
men, Farband and Habonim, reach them obtained hundreds of new givers in 1954, it was
and boasts competent adult or- established . . . The timing of campaigns was also considered
ganizers and supervisors.
an important factor in getting better results . . . Campaigns in a
According to the Habonim of- numbei of communities run too long, so that workers who have
fice, early registrants will be en- months to cover their cards never do . . . Some communities with
titled to a 20 percent reduction the best fund-raising totals and the largest number of actual
of regular season rates. Tor in- contributors have the shortest campaigns, it was discovered .
formation, write or phone Geli Of course, there is still no substitute for the crucial importance
Gelfond, 13623 Linwood, TO. 8- of big gifts . . . When all is said and done, that is still the key
to the success or failure ,ot calnpaign..:,, , ,
3233 or TY. 6-3468.
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