Purely Commentary

By PHILIP SLOMOVITZ

U. S., Great Britain, France Join Israel
In Protest to Bulgaria; Compensation is
Demanded for Shooting Down EL Al's Plane

Mrs. FDR's Comment on FDR's Comment to Ibn Saud
WASHINGTON (JTA) — The "horrible act" and expressing its
. In justice_ to the Roosevelts, since we have commented on the
report that the late President had spoken jocularly about American United States, Britain and France sympathy for the families of the

Jewry when he met Ibn Saud, we present Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt's
reply.
- Writing. in McCall's Magazine, in her column "If You Ask Me,"
Mrs. Roosevelt quoted a correspondent who wrote to her:
"As a Jew I have been hurt deeply by the story that your hus-
band once jokingly offered the King of Saudi Arabia the six million
Jews in the U. S. Is there any - basis for this anecdote?"
Mrs. Roosevelt replied:
"I never heard this anecdote until I saw the newspaper clipping
which you sent me. I would question whether there was any basis
for it. If my husband said it, he must have known full well that
what he was offering the King of Saudi Arabia was complete sub-
jection. Six million Jews from the U. S. would have taken possession
of Saudi Arabia and both my husband and the king knew that full
well, so if it was said at all it was a very wry joke which I feel
sure the King realized was at his own expense."
The Roosevelt name always was linked friendlily with our peo-
ple. All the Roosevelts—the Republicans (beginning with Theodore
Roosevelt) and the Democrats—with the exception of only one (Ker-
mit, who is pro-Arab and anti-Israel)—have been sympathetic to
Jewish causes. Mrs. .Franklin D. Roosevelt continues to head the
list of philo-Jews. Her statement is, therefore, a source of comfort
to all who, like her above quoted correspondent, were deeply hurt
by the FDR-Ibn Saud report.
*
*

An Interesting Story: Draw Your Own Conclusions

Under the heading "For Moslems Only," the London Jewish
Chronicle published the following item from Johannesburg: .

Describing his experiences as a traveling minister in South
African country communities, Rabbi Dr. J. Newman wrote in a
local paper: "In the Northern Cape I came across a tragi-comic
situation. I learned that among the 15 Jewish families, there was
not a single kosher home.. I was therefore more than astonished to
_ hear that shechita was performed there regularly twice a week.
`For whom?' I asked, in amazement. I was told: 'We have a rather
large Moslem community here. Their religion prescribes a partic-
ular way of slaughtering. The Jewish method is acceptable to
- them. The Moslems buy the kosher meat."
It's an interesting story, but—does it have a moral? In varying
•

protested to Bulgaria against the
shooting down of the El Al Con-
stellation plane last Wednesday,
denounced the affair as brutal
and demanded payment of com-
pensation to the families of vic-
tims who were their nationals.
The Canadian and South Afri-
can governments are reported
preparing to take similar action.
The American protest, in the
form of an aide memoir sent
through Swiss diplomatic offi-
cials who represent American in-
terests in Sofia, with which
Washington has no formal rela-
tions, called the incident, in
which 58 persons perished, a
"brutal attack" and a "grave vi-
olation" of international law. The
American memorandum, whose
text was not made public pend-
ing its receipt in Sofia, brushed
aside the assertion that the
plane was off course and insisted
that the basic question was why
a peaceful ship was attacked. It
demanded that the Bulgarian
government:

1. Take measures to guar-
antee against recurrence of
such an incident, and inform
the United States Government
-what action was taken; 2.
Punish those responsible for
the incident, and inform the
U. S. of who was punished
and how, and 3. Pay prompt
and adequate compensation to
the families of the American
victims. Payment was de-
manded through the United
States Government.

climes and ages, we had differing Jewish practices; although kash-
rut, unlike the report in this story, was always inherent in Jewish
traditions everywhere. However, there are unique situations in many
Jewish communities—and in contrasting practices among Jews and
non-Jews. Thus, while Catholic dignitaries wear skull caps, some
jews have discarded the yarmelke. While some Jews eat non-kosher
In London, the British gov-
meats, pork is trefa to Moslems. Therefore, each in his time will ernment announced ,it had sent
write his own moral to the Johannesburg item.
a note directly to Sofia stating
*
*
that it could not "accept that
Archaeological Discoveries and—`Chopped Liver'
any government is in its right
One shouldn't really poke fun at archaeological discoveries. The in shooting down a civil' aircraft
debate over. the authenticity of the Dead Sea Scrolls lends such in a time of peace. "The note
solemnity to discoveries in ancient caves that we are prepared to also demanded punishment of
view such matters with gravest concern.
those responsible for the inci-
Nevertheless, we are intrigued hkqiivisvtai.agraPhiabovit "Tasty dent and reserved. the right of
Morsel" in Chronicler's "Incidentally" column in the London Jewish compensation for the British,
Chronicle:
Canadian and South African
"Chopped liver" is, we know, a famous Jewish delicacy all
lives -lost in the crash. A report
over the world. Wherever there's a Jewish restaurant, or a tra-
by a British vice-consul in • Sofia
'ditionally run Jewish home, you. can be sure of having as an hors
who visited the scene of the
d'oeuvre that tasty compound, • sprinkled over roughly chopped
crash was being studied at the
hard-boiled egg. (And I feel pretty sure that the "pate maison"
Foreign Office.
served in some of the bigger restaurants in different parts of the
The French government, in a
world often owes more to ox livers than to goose livers!) But does
note sent to the Bulgarian Lega-
: anyone know how. far back this Jewish liking for chopped liver
tion in Paris, expressed its in-
goes? It is, I fear, purely a rhetorical question, but it has occurred
dignation at the shooting down
to me after reading the Manchester Guardian that finds from a
of the Israel plane. The attack
Middle Bronze Age tomb—dated at 180.0 B.C.E.—excavated at
was likened to an "act of war."
- Jericho are to be shown soon at the Birmingham City Museum
Among
the crash victims was
and Art Gallery. Owing to the presence in the tomb's atmosphere
Miss Sarah Zait, private secre-
of carbon dioxide and methane, certain ordinary perishable sub-
tary to Yaacov Tsur, Israel Am-
:stances have been preserved almost 4,000 years, and notable
bassador in France. •
among them -(it is illustrated in the newspaper) is a plate of —
(An American
unidentified
cookecl lis;er!
If we could only preserve Scrolls as well! But if archaeology civil plane with three Ameri-
cans aboard, including the own-
will help the. epicure in his nourishment, all to the good!
er-pilot, flew over Israel air
*
space while on a flight between
The Right - to Petition: Rep. Bentley's Blunder
A basic American principle is involved in the notoriety that has Cairo and Beirut. Two Israel
been given the statement issued by Michigan's Congressman Alvin fighters on patrol signalled the
M. Bentley in which he listed the names of Michigan men who plane to land. After the ship
and its occupants were identi-
signed a petition for changes in the existing immigration law.
The petition in question was. signed by 73 people and was sub- fied they were allowed to pro-
initted by the Rev. Dr. Henry Hitt Crane, who was known as a ceed.)
leading pacifist during World War I. Rep. Bentley said that 35 of Israel Mission Finds Plane
_
the signers were previously listed by the Un-American Activities Was Shot Down by Jets
ATHENS
(FLASH)—Evidence
Committee and were linked with 32 organizations that were listed
as subversive. While he emphasized that he was not making accusa- gathered by the three-man Is-
tions but was merely summarizing the "public record in committee rael investigating commission.
files," Rep. Bentley nevertheless exposed to - suspicion men who were which was allowed to enter Bul-
using their natural rights as American citizens to petition their rep- garia points to the fact that
resentatives in Congress in behalf of what they consider to be the El Al Constellation which
crashed in Bulgaria Wed-
human elements in the life of our people.
Rep. Bentley said that "these individuals are not necessarily nesday was shot down by two
Communists, Communist sympathizers or fellow travelers," but by Bulgarian jet planes, not by an-
raising suspicions he did two things: he became a party to character ti-aircraft batteries as the Bul-
assassination and he struck a blow at one of the most important garian government stated . last
American principles: the right to petition. He listed the names of week.
This statement was made by
the distinguished religious leader, Dr. Crane; the eminent professor
of Hebrew at the University of Michigan, Dr. Leroy Waterman; the Joel Palgi, of the El Al line,
well known labor leader, Emil Mazey; a prominent leader in the who headed the three-man group
Jewish community;, Nathan Rosenshine, and others, equally as which was not allowed to re-
main at the site of the crash for
prominent.
The prominence, or lack of prominence, of the signers, is, how- more than six hours. Mr. Palgi
ever, of no importance. What is important is that a principle is and Capt. Zvi Tohar of the Is-
being trarnpled upon. Every American citizen can be subjected, by rael Air Force and M. Laufer,
unwise methods like those used by Rep. Bentley, to suspicion of his of the Israel Ministry of Corn-
loyalty when signing a petition for a cause he. believes in—if the munications, returned here from
utilization of such a simple and a basic right can be linked by an Bulgaria.
opponent to another act that the opponent, who happens to be in Israel - Cabinet Reviews
an advantageous legislative position, considers to be subversive. It El Al Plane Tragedy
is a matter of record that millions of Catholics, Protestants and Jews
JERUSALEM (JTA)—The Is-
believe the McCarran-Walter Act, against which the petitioners rael Cabinet heard Premier
whom Rep. Bentley attacked had -acted, is harmful - to the honor and Moshe Sharett's -report on the
dignity of America.. But those of. us Who are so aligned did not "brutal" shooting down of the
abuse our privileges by calling the proponents of that measure Israel El Al Constellation -by
subversives. .
Bulgarian gunners. Afterwards,
When the Bentley-Crane issue first arose, our good friend and the Cabinet issued a statement
confrere, W. K. Kelsey of The Detroit News, wrote that he desired to expressing its abhorrence of this'
be associated with Dr. Crane in this issue: May we, also, - be counted
in with Kelsey, Crane, Rosenshine, Mazey and the rest of the un- 2—DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
Friday, August 5, 1955
justly-abused, unfairly-accused, group!

-

58 victims. Because it is impos-
sible to identify the bodies of
the victims, the Cabinet accepted
the Premier's suggestion that
they be buried in a common
grave.
A special correspondent of
Maariv, a Tel Aviv evening
newspaper, reported from Bul-
garia—on the basis of eye-wit-
ness accounts and from sources
on the Israel investigating com-
mission—that the El Al plane
was pursued and shot down by
Russian-made Bulgarian jet
planes. The Maariv account says
that two Bulgarian planes forced
the Constellation to leave the
air corridor. between Greece and
Bulgaria and veer toward Bul-
garia. Both jets were firing on
the Constellation which explod-
ed in mid-air, the Maariv cor-
respondent said. He added that
the British air attache in Sofia
was also of the opinion that the
Constellation was shot down
from the air, not from the
ground as the Bulgarian ver-
sion had it.

In the wake of Bulgaria's
offer to pay partial compen-
sation for the material dam-
ages resulting from the inci-
dent, Dr. Walter Eytan, direc-
tor general of the Israel For-
eign Ministry, handed Christo
Goutev, Bulgarian Charge d'-
Affaires here, a note demand-
ing full compensation as well
as punishment of those who
were responsible. He also in-
sisted once again that the Is-
rael commission of inquiry,
whose six members were en-
camped on the Greek side of
the Bulgarian frontier near the
site of the crash, should be
given entry into Bulgarian

territory to - view the wreck-
age.

The Bulgarian government re-
treated from its position of re-
fusing to admit the commission,
and allowed three members of
the group to come in. This was
in addition to Baruch Nir, Is-
rael Charge d'Affaires at Sofia,
who was allowed to go to Pet-
rich, scene of the crash, earlier.

El Al has announced that it
has rerouted its flights from
Tel Aviv-Vienna and Tel Aviv-
Zurich so that they will travel
via Rome, rather than Istan-
bul. This will end the neces
sity of travelling near Bul-
garian territory. Separate di-
rect flights will be maintained
between Tel Aviv and Istan-
bul. El Al stressed that it will
continue to maintain all its
regular transatlantic and Eu-
ropean flights and has replaced
the downed craft with a Con-
stellation placed at its dis-
posal by South African Air-
ways.

Louis A. Pincus, manager of
the airline, noted that interna-
tional practice required that in
the event of aviation accidents
an investigating committee
should be permitted to enter the
country where the plane met
disaster and should be provided
with all facilities for carrying
out its investigation. In some
cases, both countries might es-
tablish a joint commission to
look into the' matter, he noted.
"It is astonishing that four
days passed before a part of the
(investigating) committee was
permitted to cross the Bulgarian
border. This delay may consid-
erably influence the efficiency of
the investigation because traces
which would enable the estab-
. (Continued on Page 3)

Between You and Me

(Copyright,

The Israeli Scene

By BORIS SMOLAR

1955, Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Inc.)

For.the first time since Israel came into existence, the country's
actual income in foreign currency exceeded in 1954-55 the govern-
ment's forecast by $52,000,000 . . . And the contributions of American
Jewry to the United Jewish Appeal played no small role in this
significant development . . . The 'Israel government built its budget
on an expected income of $346,000,000 in foreign currency . . . How-
ever, the actual income turned out to be close to $398,000,000 . . .
This pleasant surprise was due to a number -of factors . . . First
Israel exports—both visible and invisible—brought in $5,000,000
more than anticipated in the budget . . . Then Germany paid Israel
$35,000,000 more in reparations than the $59,000,000 envisaged in
the Israel budget .. . Similarly the UJA and the bond campaign
brought to the Israel Treasury about $22,000,000 more than the gov-
ernment had expected . . . There were also other items of income
in Israel's foreign currency budget which exceeded the original
estimate . . . On the other hand, Israel figured on $74,000;000 from
U.S. grants-in-aid, but received about $30,000,000 less -. All in .
all, Israel's foregn currency income during the year was about
$398,000,000 . . . This figure spells: out lsrael's success in meeting
her foreign currency needs and, for the first time, in obtaining sums
beyond the minimum to meet pressing current needs . . • It enables
the Israel Treasury to maintain a reserve toward future 'repayment
of foreign currency debts, which amounts to over $400,000,000 .. .
This success, however, is still only a' partial one . .. It will riot be
complete until Israel is able to cover \her needs—at least for con-
sumption and export requirements—through her Own efforts . . . It
must be taken into consideration that the bulk of the 1954-55 income
came from sources which Israel did not control: American Jewish
aid, reparations from Germany and U.S. grants-in-aid.

The American Scene

Jewish organizations, such as the American Jewish Committee
and the Anti-Defamation League, are beginning to take seriously
the fact that Jews are not being admitted to certain clubs . .
Until now this type of anti-Jewish discrimination was considered
merely a petty annoyance and of no real consequence . . • In fact,
many Jews considered it below their dignity to seek admission into
a club where Jews were not welcomed . . A number of studies
however, have now established that social discrimination is not just
social, but also affects Jews economically . Many business firms
require their executives to join leading clubs where big deals are
discussed and made . . . This precludes Jews. from holding key
business positions if they are not admitted to such clubs .. . Fur-
thermore, the spirit of anti-Jewish discrimination prevailing in the
club affects the mentality of business executives who are members
. These executives subconsciously practice anti-Jewish discrimina-
tion in their own enterprises V. . . They would not promote their
Jewish employees-to high positions for the fear that they would not
be socially acceptable in places where their firms are interested in
maintaining contacts , .. Thus social anti-Semitism, to which Jews
in this country have tended to be indifferent, turns out to be more
than mere snobbery . . . Furthermore, some Of the studies established
that the clubs where Jews are not welcome are places' where im-
portant decisions are made for the entire community - . . . These basic
decisions often affect the economic and political life of all 'elements
of the population in: the community . . They are reached at infor-
mal "after-business hours" in clubs where Jews have no entre . . .
The Jewish part of the population has therefore no say in these
decisions and no way of influencing them . . . The result is that a
power structure is being developed by certain clubs which inevitably
forces upon Jews economic and political decisions without even con-
sulting them ... Therefore, Jewish organizations engaged in fighting
bigotry will from now on stress the importance of fighting social
anti-Semitism and not merely' ignore it by organizing Jewish clubs.

,