41 1111110111WRINOlik
Purely Commentary
I
uesoay s election:
ne. v ot -
ers' Responsibilities . . . The ify Phili p .
Candidates and the muddled Slomovitz
-
Middle Eastern Problem
•
.
•
He was a Democrat. One of the country's most distinguished
One Road on Tuesday: TO THE POLLS
Republicans, the late Senator Arthur H. Vandenberg, held im-
The entire world is watching us. On Tuesday, we shall have portant positions in that committee.
one obligation: to go to the polls, to cast our ballots, to show
The inter-party attitude on Zionism and Israel was indicated
the world that the Ballot is more vital than the bullet.
by Mr. Javits, who said that American interest in the issue is
above parties. That is as it should -be. This country played a
great role in Zionism and Israel's rebirth. It continues to share
an interest in Israel's survival as. an independent nation.
But Mr. Javits has a tough time explaining the Dulles poli-
cies or the lack of them, the vacillating attitudes which were
responsible for frequent consternations in Israeli . ranks and
among Americans who are convinced that this country must
take a strong position in defense of the only democracy in the
Middle East—Israel.
Where do the Presidential candidates themselves stand?
Governor Stevenson expressed his views in his speech in Madi-
son Square Garden on Oct. 23. President Eisenhower was ex-
pected to refer to the Middle Eastern situation in his speech,
in the same hall, to a much larger audience, two nights later,
but he completely ignored the foreign issue in that address.
However, the President did answer a question on the Middle
East in the broadcast panel discussion with seven women from
several parts of the country. We present the views of the tw o
candidates in parallel columns, so that we may be fully aware of
the approaches of Messrs. Stevenson arid Eisenhower:
On this important day in our lives, we again have the op-
portunity of treating the pencil as more powerful than the
sword. Many of us may be using the modern substitute for a pen-
cil — the voting machine lever — but both serve the same pur-
pose: of utilizing the only
weapon free people are in-
terested in: the free expression
of voters at the polling places,
instead of sharpshooters at bar-
ricades.
Important issues have been
injected in the current political
campaign. Domestic problems
are involved and there are
foreign issues, some of which
have been muddied in the past
few years. The time has come
for clarification of the issues,
for an effective American
policy, for a single standard of
political morality for this na-
tion and for the international
organization — the United Na-
tions — in behalf of which we
are spending our dollars and ex-
erting our energies. The issues
have been discussed at length by
the major candidates. At times
we were in the midst of confusion. But enough has been said to
assist the voter in forming decisions. The electorate has surely
made up its mind by this time. Now it is urgent that the decision
be made: by every, qualified voter who must go to the polls and
east his ballot on Tuesday. .
Tuesday will be the Day of Judgment. Whoever the winner,
he will be the choice of the American people and will be our
Chief of State. We pray for .a wise choice, in the best interest of
America and the world. - • • .
• * _*
the
little
stub
pencil that is
more powerful
than the sword
The Election — and -Prophecies
There is an old Yiddish - saying that "a Novi is a narr"—
a prophet is a fool. When the prophet—being in reality a guesser
—proves to be right in his prognostications, he is a wise fellow.
He often wins bets. If he is wise enough, he doesn't gamble.
After all, in elections you deal with a, large silent vote.
People listen to many broadcasts. They watch candidates on the
TV screens. They are influenced by many factors.
When the prophet is clever enough to be like the poll-takers,
who always qualify their predictions with lots- of maybe safety
phrases, they can twist results to suit their purposes.
If we may be permitted a few guesses, we believe that
Governor Williams will carry Michigan and that he may (we
say it in Gallop-like, Drew Pearson-fashioned conjecture) carry
this state for Stevenson.
But our major guess is that hero-worship plays an important
role, and_ that an Ike-admiring electorate will return the Presi-
dent to the White House. But there may be a one-percent margin
one way_ or the other, with the Democrats possessing a last-
minute fighting chance.
We are inclined to agree with most pollsters: that the Demo-
crats will retain control of both Houses of Congress, that even
the unbeatable Jack Javits may lose the Senatorship to Mayor
Wagner in New York, that Senator Morse has a good chance
to be re-elected and that a few popular Republicans will be
recalled to their homes from their present -Congressional seats.
Javits versus Wagner, Ike versus Adlai
The Israel issue was discussed by candidates of both parties
last week. At the Brandeis Centennial celebration of the- Zionist
Organization of America, held in New York last week, New
York City's Mayor Wagner and Jack Javits, Attorney General
of the State of New York, presented their views on the Jewish
State's position and on American policy in the Middle East. The
exchange of views sounded like an old-time gathering of the
American Christian Palestine Committee, composed of members
of both parties. Mayor Wagner's father, the late Senator Robert
Wagner, was co-chairman of the Christian Palestine Committee.
eau 'ter
►
nu.- Ltf,s ,
Fund-RaisingData
By BORIS SMOLAR
(Copyright, 1956, JTA, Inc.)
The acuteeshortage of teach-
ers for Jewish schools in the
United States will be strikingly
brought home to American
Jewry this week-end at the
four-day national conference
on Jewish education in Wash-
ington. ... . The question to be
posed at the conference is:
Does American Jewry want to
have many of its Jewish
schools close or not? . . . The
t e a c her shortage definitely
threatens to have a disastrous
effect upon many Jewish com-
munities. . . . About 4,000
teachers are currently engaged
in week-day Jewish schools
throughout the country. . . .
This number is far short of the
actual need, because of the
great upsurge in. interest in
Jewish education. . . . For the
last 10 years enrollment in
Jewish schools has been in-
creasing steadily. . . . Today
Jewish schools have twice as
PRESIDENT
EISENHOWER
ADLAI STEVENSON
many pupils as 10 years ago.
(From panel discussion with
(From text prepared for
seven women, as recorded
delivery on Oct. 23)
. .. It is estimated that in 1946
by the New York Times)
there were 200,000 pupils in
There is no good news about
Question Cut Off
Jewish schools, and today there
the Middle East.
President Eisenhower was an-
are 440,000. . . At the same
swering a last question when
It is not good news—in fact,
the program went off the air.
time, Jewish colleges supply-
The following is the final ques-
it is the very, very bad news—
ing teachers have not kept
tion and the President's reply:
that the Soviets have in a few
MRS. MARGARITE LAURI- pace with the demand, not to
months penetrated the Middle
speak of the fact that about 13
ANTI — Mr. President, I am per cent of the Jewish teachers
East as the Czars couldn't in
not speaking for myself when leave Jewish teaching each
300 years of persistent effort.
I say this. I am speaking for year for a variety of reasons.
It is not good news that
never in history has • Russia
women that I come in contact . . . Thus, for every 100 teach-
ers now employed in Jewish
had such influence in the Mid-
with. Can you give us a picture
schools, 13 replacements will
dle East.
of this unrest that we are now be needed this year to keep
It is not good news that
having with the Suez Canal? present classrooms in opera-
Syria is th;eatened by a Com-
munist coup. It is not good
A.—Well, of course, the Mid- tion. . . . Most of the Jewish
teachers leave their posts for
news that the Western oil in-
dle East is almost historically a economic reasons. . The
terests, so vital to Western
center of unrest, of discontent. average salary of a Hebrew
Europe, are threatened by the
You
have the age-old quarrel school teacher is about $4,000
fires of nationalism.
between
the Jews of the area a year in a small city and
And it is not good news—
about $3,300 in a large city.
and the Arabs of the area, and ... There are many small corn-
it is very bad and sad news
—that our relations with our
this is complicated by others, munities that will pay a good
oldest and strongest allies, because the Christians also teacher $5,000 to $6,500 a year.
Britain and France, are more
look upon Jerusalem as their . . . But even such communi-
fragile than they have been
holy city, and SO you have ties have difficulty in getting
in a generation.
experienced teachers, because
other complications.
they fail to make provisions
The United States has a
But now because of the fact for regular advancement and
compelling interest in peace
in the Middle East the oil that the Arabs think that Israel security. . . . In a few com-
tank of Europe and Asia and was started by almost a vio- munities teachers are provided
the great bridge between East lence, they are very, very, an- with retirement and insurance
and West. We helped the
benefits.
tagonistic, and so they almost
Middle Eastern nations gain
Fund-Raising Pacts ,
their independence, founded look for ways in which they
The Council of Jewish Fed-
great universities to educate
can be, let's say, antagonistic. erations and Welfare Funds
their leaders and we want to
The same applies to the other has prepared an interesting re-
go on lending a helping hand
port on allocations received
side.
in achieving their hopes for a
from UJA funds by various
Now, on top of this, we have parties in Israel for their so-
better life for their peoples.
this Suez Canal, which we cial welfare and , agricultural
And we have a natural in-
terest in the nation of Israel thought was all settled until settlement activities. . . Un-
—a nation in whose creation,
1968 because. the treaty of 1888 der agreements which govern
as a member of the United
says that until 1968 it is going these allocations, the party or-
States delegation to the United
to be done this way. I think ganizations and their affiliates
are not allowed to conduct
Nations in 1947, I had a proud
no - one can challenge the legal public
campaigns for Israel
part.
right of Egypt to nationalize
Israel is not a cause to be the canal, but unquestionably programs in the United States.
cynitally remembered in late
there is involved in it the . . . Nor are they allowed to
October of an - election season.
point, not only :the point of apply for funds to federations
and welfare funds in this coun-
It is the symbol of man's tri-
national prestige, but the point
try. . . . Instead, they pledge
umph over one of the darkest
of personal prestige.
to mobilize their memberships
sorrows in human history —
So here you have got this in support of the United Jew-
the attempt of Adolph Hitler
great waterway on which so ish Appeal. . . . Prior to this
to deStroy a whole people.
much of the economy of the arrangement, there had been a
The first premise of any
world depends, particularly all sharp increase in the number
Middle Eastern policy is that
of the shipping nations.
of Israeli agencies raising funds
Israel is here to stay—and that
For example, there is an in the United States. .. . The
she must have the arms, the
average, I think of almost fifty -elimination of separate appeals
economic support and- the dip-
by party organizations was in-
lomatic guarantees necessary ships a day goes through that tended to strengthen central-
waterway. The commerce of
to assure her. independence
ized fund-raising for Israel and
our nation is dependent on it. other causes in this country.
and integrity.
. The agreements permit the
The President was asked to speak about the Suez Canal,
organizations to spend up to 15
exaggerated
"age-old
quarrel"
but he chose to speak about an
per cent of their allocations for
between Arabs and Jews. This is deplorable. Jews and Arabs purchases in the United States.
lived happily together. They created together in literature, in . . . The balance is paid out to
science, in medicine, in mathematics. The quarrel is now created the groups in Israeli currency
by Arab politicians who are determined to prevent progress in and must be spent in Israel . .
the Middle East; who are oppressing the masses of their kinsmen. The agreements also provide
. We hope that some One in his Cabinet, in his party, has set that the allocations must not
him straight on the subject. We hope Jack Javits will have the "be used for political purposes.
record corrected. Secretary of State Dulles corrected the record . . . Under these agreements,
when he pulled the fantastic blunder of telling a Congressional the World Confederation of
committee that Arabs hate Jews because the Jews were blamed General Zionists received last
for the assassination of Mohammed. The President was wrong in year the sum of $750,000 from
his reply to the women panelists. Let him correct the record, in United Israel Appeal income
order that the views of our President should not be distorted: from UJA . . Mizrachi and
This is the story. We are perplexed by Republican ap- Hapoel Hamizrachi received
proaches. We regret that the Presidential campaigns may wind $750,000; Agudath Israel, $160,-
000; Poale Agudath I s r a e 1,
up on such a sour note.
But we especially deplore the fact that the most' recent $181,875; Heruth and Revision-
developments in the Middle East seem, to indicate an increase ists, $90,000. The Labor Zion-
in unfriendliness towards Israel by our present . administration. ist groups receive no alloca-
What a sad development, in view of the historic friendship be- tions and get their funds from
the Histadrut campaign.
tween Israel and the United States!