Purely Commentary
By PHILIP SLOMOVITZ
The Strasser Lesson: Always Be on Guard Against Nazis
Dr. Otto Strasser is returning to Germany! This should be
viewed as one of. the symptoms of a returning Nazi spirit in
Germany. The former associate of Adolf Hitler, who lived for
several years in Canada, whose brother was among the purged,
who was himself involved in a plot on Hitler's life, remains a Nazi.
He has said so and Dr. James B. Conant, U. S. High Commissioner
to Germany, has advised Chancellor Konrad Adenauer not to
permit Strasser's return to Germany. But Dr. Adenauer, upon
restoring to Strasser the citizenship that was taken from him by
Hitler, said that Strasser, who is considered one of the chief
architects of the Nazi ideology, would return to the land of his
birth to find that hiS ideas no longer have an appeal there.
We can't endorse the Adenauer viewpoint, in view of the
following statement made by Frank Lowe in a syndicated NANA
article from Montreal: .
"His exile has not changed Strasser's ideas. In Paradise, he
wrote for a variety of publications and carried on such a
voluminous correspondence the post office had to double its
facilities.
"He will seek to regroup Germans under a Nazi-type
philosophy dubbed 'national solidarism,' Strasser declared.
"Basic tenet of his plan, Strasser said, is that World War III
is inevitable and to be encouraged. In a clash between East and
West, he explained, Germany could make advantageous deals.
• "He said bluntly that `solidarism' is anti-Semitic, as was
Nazism. If he came to power, he said, he would tell Jews that
they must either go to Israel, or 'remain in the country of their
choice only after swearing to give up their religion and conform
to the habits of the country.'
"Strasser plans to buy a newspaper through which to
express his views, and will start a political party with 'branches
in 500 cities and towns.'
"Before entering Germany, he intends to remain a short
time in Switzerland where he can plan strategy."
Thus, Strasser's return is to be. marked by planned strategy.
That's just the warning: look out for a new Nazi idea out of
which can come only evil. To the Jews, Strasser the Nazi says:
"Do or die, mostly die," not having learned the lesson of the hope-
lessness of anti-Semitism which must end in the destruction of
the anti-Semite. But it is not only his assurance of a con-
tinued antagonism to Jewry but the danger that comes from such
a man's thinking that must serve as a warning to humankind
against the rebirth of Hitlerism.
This interesting editorial observation, under the heading
"Exile's Return," was made recently in the Baltimore Evening
sun:
"As a hack writer in t_lie service of the. late Nazi party, Otto
Strasser learned well the value of the psychological and publi-
cational buildup. He is using this technique to hill advantage
now as he makes his slow return to Germany. Having ponti-
ficated from his exile- in Canada, these postwar years, and
having won back his German citizenship on , the grounds that
Hitler expelled him, he now sits in Switzerland waiting for his
followers to prepare whatever they can in the way, of a reception
when he re-enters Bavaria soon. In advance, he Is assured the
support of something calling itself the League for Germany"s
Renewal, a title shorter but no more meaningful_ thaitiNational
Socialist German Workers' Party, as . movement' was
named. Thee question will be how much similarit is there
between the two groups' aims and Methods? =• •
"From his preliminary statements, -it IS pretty, dear that
,experience has taught nothing to Otto, Strasser, whose old col-
leagues succeeded. only in making hia fatherland an object of
world hatred and whose. brother, Gregor, was assassinated in the
1934 blood purge at Hitler's command. Gregor was party head
in Bavaria, while Otto helped formulate much of its discredited
racist nonsense. Each at the time Was in his thirties• today, at
57, Otto mouths much of the old extreme. Right-wing national-
ism, with the addition that now he calls a third world war
inevitable. Germany would be trampled in such an event, yet
Strasser still favors a unilateral stand against Russia, without
western Europe.
"Western nations, and even Chancellor Adenauer, regard
his return as a gauge upon the prevalence and potency of Nazi
sentiment in postwar Germany. In general, the expectation
is that he not have the old popular appeal. Strasser, by
fleeing Germany in 1933, escaped the taint of most of Hitler's
.barbarities; now, under the leeway of the democratic process,
he is free to speak again his tawdry piece, so long as he does
not incite to forcible revolt. However, he will carry with him,
crossing the frontier, a solid burden of international hopes for
his political failure."
The Baltimore newspaper viewed the Strasser problem wisely
but a bit too tolerantly. Mere hope for "a solid burden of inter-
national hope for his political failure" is not enough. There must
be vigilance against all Nazi manifestations, whether they come
from "a hack writer" like Strasser or advocates of a return to
German militarism and to the Hun's ideology of murder, pillage
and disregard of human rights.
Proof that our anxiety is not unfounded was provided this week
in this Jewish Telegraphic Agency cable from Frankfurt:
Otto Strasser, the leader of the dissident Nazi "Black Front"
sect, who returned to Germany last month from. Canada, is vigor-
ously assailed by "Frankfurter Allgemeine," influential conserva-
tive daily, for the anti-Semitic propaganda campaign he resumed
almost immediately after his return.
In Munich„ Strasser had told the press that the Jews of Ger-
many would either have to - "assimilate" or face the loss of
German citizenship. As foreign nationals, Germany should treat
them in the same fashion as German nationals are treated in
Israel, he said.
Such inflammatory propaganda should be countered by hav-
ing the Federal Constitutional Court strip Strasser of his consti-
tional rights, demands the paper. "We know these tunes," it
points out. "Herr Hitler also started his campaign with the
expressed wish that the Jews be deprived of their citizenship. We
hope that neither the government nor the people merely look on
silently and inactively as this Strasser propaganda goes on. This
time we do not have the excuse that we did not know any better,
because the past is our warning."
, While it is encouraging to know that there are newspapers
with an understanding of the existing problem and a realization
of the dangers that lurk from corners occupied by Strasser
and many other returning Nazis, all of us must be on guard always
lest the Hitler spirit take hold again of Germany. It already 1)14.3
taken hold of a portion of it.
2—DETROIT JEWISH NEWS -
-Friday, April 15, 1955
Kidron to Speak at Gymnasium Exhibitors to Feature
Anniversary Event Dedication of Davison Center Annex
"On the seventh anniversary
of Israel's independence, the
young state is still very much
in need of the support of our
entire community in view of the
difficult days through which it
is living."
This joint statement was made
by Sidney M. Shevitz, president
of the Jewish Community Coun-
cil, and Irving W. Schlussel,
chairman of the Zionist Council
of Detroit, who are 'sponsoring
the Detroit celebration at 8:30
p.m., April 30, in Mumford High
School.
Mordecai R. Kidron, deputy
permanent representative of
Israel to the United Nations,
will be principal speaker. He
served in the Israeli Army dur-
ing the War of Independence
and as Military Governor of
North Jerusalem during its
siege by the Arabs.
A musical program also is
planned to mark the occasion.
Participants will be announced
at a later date.
Gov. Williams to Speak
From Jerusalem April 27
Governor G. Mennen Williams,
who will accompany a group of
leaders representing the Ameri-
can-Israel Society for participa-
tion in Israel's seventh anniver-
sary celebration in Israel, will
address the society's dinner in
Washington from Jerusalem,
over the transoceanic telephone,
on April 26.
The Governor will speak in
Jerusalem at 4 a.m. on April 27,
his address to start the Inde-
pendence Day festivities in Is-
rael. It will reach the dinner in
Washington, at which Governor
Theodore R. McKeldin of Mary-
land will preside, at 10 p.m. on
April 26.
Accompanying Governor Wil-
liams on his trip to Israel will be
Herman Wouk, the eminent au-
thor of "The Caine Mutiny,''
Prof. Howard Mumford Jones of
Harvard, Prof. Henry Steele
Comanager of Columbia and
Methodist Bishop Donald Tip-
pett.,
Lionel Hampton Assists
Israeli Health Service
Lionel Hampton, noted band
leader, returned from Israel
aboard the Ile de France with the
keys to practically every major
Israeli city in his pocket. The
net proceeds of his engagements
in Israel have been donated
toward the construction of the
"Lionel Hampton First-Aid Sta-
tion" in Jaffa.
Mr. Hampton, whose band is
famous for its jazz, was sched-
uled for a single performance to
test the -reaction of the Israeli
people to this type of music. He
received such an enthusiastic
response that he was held over
for additional performances.
Mrs. Gordon, Mrs. Rudner
Head Flint UJA Women
Mrs. Martin Gordon_ and Mrs.
Louis Rudner, prominent Flint
civic leaders, have been named
chairmen of the Flint United
Jewish Appeal Women's Division
for 1955, it was announced by
Dr. Julian Feiler and Edwin Elk,
chairmen of the 1955 Flint UJA.
In 1955, the Flint UJA cam-
paign will seek to top last year's
total of $109,000, as part of the
$100,000,000 goal of the nation-
wide United Jewish Appeal.
The Flint drive assists over 40
overseas, national and local Jew-
ish agencies supported by the
Flint Jewish Community Coun-
cil, engaged in relief, rehabilita-
tion, educational, health and cul-
tural activities.
Israel Medical Association
To Host World Physicians
NEW YORK, (JT.A)—The- Is-
rael Medical Association is spon-
soring the Third World Medical
Assembly which will be held in
Haifa, Tel Aviv and Jerusalem
Aug. 10-17, the Israel Govern-
ment Tourist Office in New York
announced.
Junior fencing in
new gym : Ted Rae-
zander, instructor,
and Juniors, Bar-
bara Maklir (right)
and Carol Gordon.
The dedication of the new
Davison Building gymnasium will
be a feature of the 21st annual
meeting of the Jewish Commu-
nity Center. The meeting takes
place on Sunday, April 24, at 2
p.m., in the Davison Bldg., 4059
W. Davison.
Dedication speeches will be
followed by an exhibition of
gymnasium activities. The dem-
onstrations will include weight-
lifting, fencing, boxing, acrobat-
ics and tumbling, and a Junior
basketball game.
Other features of the annual
meeting will include the honor-
ing of volunteers with awards;
the election of directors to the
board; the Hannah Schloss Old
Timers' report; the president's ,
annual report, and the presen-
tation of plans for new Jewish
Community Center buildings.
A reception will close the pro-
gram.
Basketball in New Gym
Between You and Me
By BORIS SMOLAR
(Copyright,
1955, Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Inc.)
Eyes on Israel
One of the most interesting and important studies on Israel
will be used by the Stanford University Research - Institute . .
The study was conducted by a team of four industrial experts
from this Institute at the invitation of the U. S. Operations Mis-
sion . . . It was sponsored by both the American and the Israel
governments, and its results will probably lay down the guiding
line for Israel's future industrial development . . . The purpose of
the study was to establish which of the many industries in Israel
are actually beneficial for the economy of the country, and which
are merely a waste of time, resources and foreign currency - and
will never become profitable enterprises . . . The four American
experts had to survey a huge number of the more than 20,000 in-
dustrial establishments in Israel for their potential . . . Their
findings—already known to the Israel government—are having
repercussions in Israel economic circles . . . The study
seems to indicate that . the best hope for Israel lies in agri-
culture and in the industrial use of agricultural products . . It
sees no future in an integrated steel industry, the beginnings of
which have been started by Israel ... It also warns against hasty
investment in cotton production until it is certain, that Israel
can produce at world prices . . Israel is now just beginning to
develop cotton fields for local production and for possible export.
. . . The Stanford experts discourage the development of indus-
tries requiring imported raw materials and using local labor to
secure dollars through re-export of the 'finished product . . . They
approve of the Israel industries which use local resources, in par-
ticular chemicals, pharmaceuticals, vegetable and food products.
. . . They are optimistic that Israel may eventually develop man-
agerial talents which will give her an edge over competing coun-
tries . . . They emphasize the determination of the Israel govern-
ment to obtain the best available expert advice in planning future
economic development . . . They analyze Israel's export possibili-
ties and they criticize the trend toward cartellization in certain
industries, restrictive currency and credit controls, and the mar-
keting practices by some of the bigger cooperatives.
Hall of Fame
The American Jewish labor movement is preparing to cele-
brate the 70th birthday of Adolph Held, one of its outstanding
leaders • . . Those who know Mr. Held would never suspect that
he has reached the age of 70 . . . He is young not only in appear-
ance, but also in spirit . And he has a long and varied record
of activities to his credit of which many a Jewish leader in this
country could be envious . . Long before he. became the chair-
man of the Jewish Labor Committee—representing 500,000 or-
ganized Jewish workers—he had established for ilimself• a wonder-
ful record as representative of the HIAS in Europe during World
War I . . . It was he who, after World War I, helped tens of
thousands of Jews to emigrate from Poland to the United States
.. Later, as president of the Amalgamated Bank, he helped many
individual Jews to secure credit to establish themselves financial-
ly in this country . . . His Jewish public interests range wide and
far beyond the labor movement . . . He is a board member of the
Joint Distribution Committee, ORT, United HIAS Service, Con-
ference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany, Jewish
Claims Committee Against Austria, and many other important
organizations . . . He is also the president of the Jewish Daily
Forward, largest Jewish newspaper in the world . . . It was he
who convinced the Social Democrats in Germany to vote in favor
of the German-Israel reparations pact ... Without the favorable
vote of, the Social Democratic deputies the pact would not have
received the necessary majority in the Bonn Parliament To
his credit also goes the initiative of the Jewish Labor Committee
during the early months of World War II in securing from the
State Department a collective visa for several hundred political
leaders who were in danger of falling into Nazi hands in Europe
. . . A modest person, Mr. Held—whose friends and well-wishers
are numbered in the thousands—refused to have his 70th birthday
marked by a public dinner ... The Jewish Labor - Committee has
decided to honor him by raising a special fund among his friends
to
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