Friday, April 18, 1958—THE DETROIT JEWISH NEW S-2

Purely Commentary Charge American Express Co.

By PHILIP SLOMOVITZ

Alexander Werth's 'Lost Statesman':
'The Strange Story of Pierre Mendes-France'

Alexander Werth, who writes with authority on France and
' French problems, in his newest book, "Lost Statesman," the
biography of Pierre Mendes-France, published by Abelard-Schu-
man (404 4th, N. Y. 16), speaks of the French-Jewish statesman
as a very lonely man. The sub-title. of the book is that it is
"the strange story" of the former Premier of France.
It is, indeed, a very strange story, but it is no wonder that
this man, who has been subjected to many attacks for his Jewish
background and family connections, should emerge "lonely."
He has been fighting a lone battle for his views and even in
the most recent Middle Eastern situation he was "desperately
lonely again," for: "Apart from the Communists and Poujadists
(Who now voted against the government systematically) prac-
tically no one, except Mendes and 14 other Radicals voted against
the motion approving Mollet's foreign policy, including Suez."
It is no wonder that "as a deliberate demonstration, Guy
Mollet walked out of the Assembly just as Mendes-France was
about to start his speech. 'I'm off. I've got work to do,' he said."
"Lost Statesman" adds so much to an understanding of the
current political situation in the Middle East, in Algeria and
in Tunis, that it serves as an important document in viewing
the present world situation.
In spite of France's repudiation of Mendes-France •since he
was ousted from the Premiership, he emerges as a truly great
man in Werth's interesting story. He was accused of many things
—too often unjustly—and many of his enemies utilized his
Jewishness and his marriage to Lily Cicurel, "one of Cairo's
wealthiest heiresses," as methods of knifing him.
Nevertheless, he had a strong following. For instance, in
his long-time associate, "Francois Mauriac, the great Catholic
novelist and liberal cursader for the colonial peoples, he used,
for a long time, to arouse feelings bordering on reverence,
hero-worship and adoration; to Mauriac, Mendes was like the
answer to France's prayer for a major statesman. Mauriac ac-
cepted him almost mystically, as a Providential Figure."
Werth points out, in describing Mauriac's defense of Mendes-
France before his defeat in a non-confidence vote on the North
Africa question:
"Mauriac, who, already before the war, had taken the de-
fense of the Spanish republicans against Franco, Hitler and
Mussolini, and the defense of Abyssinia against the Duce; who
was one of the rare French writers of the older generation—and
practically the only academician—to have been anti-Vichyite and
to have played an honorable part in the Resistance; and who,
especially since 1952, had fought, more effectively than any
other man, against the follies of the French colonialists in Tunisia
and Morocco, convinced himself, during 1954, that Mendes-
France came closest to that ideal of a statesman who would lead
France along the road of social justice and a fair deal for the
Arabs.
"The hero-worship that Mauriac, the Catholic, developed,
more and more, for Mendes-France, the Jew and agnostic, is one
of the strangest psychological cases in recent French history ...
Somehow, Mauriac convinced himself .. . Mendes-France could,
thanks to his qualities of mind - and character, and his realistic
assessment of the possibilities of the present time, restore France
to greatness . . . "
Mendes-France had been labeled by his enemies "petit juif
du Sentier" and was accused of coming from the "soft-goods"
district of Paris. But his true family background is shown in
Werth's book. His family left Portugal. between 1500 and 1600
and have been established at Bordeaux ever since. An unques-
tioned patrotism attaches to him and his family. Nevertheless, his
Jewishness always was brought up—as were also those of two
other members of French . governments, Georges Mandel and
Jean Zay.
Another Jewish government official, Rene Mayer, took the
lead in the opposition to Mendes when he was ousted from the
Premiership.
Mendes-France's courage as a statesman, even when he had
to stand alone, was matched by his military heroism. Werth
describes his battle against the Nazis and the Vichyites, his ar-
rest, escape, service in the air force.
The filthy attacks on. Mendes, especially those in which he
was linked for condemnation in a biased press with "the Jew
(M. Gilbert) Grandvall,"• who was named Resident-General in
Morocco, are exposed in this "strange story" of the French
statesman.
"Lost Statesman" is an important historical document and
is, in the main, a tribute to a great statesman. Even in his
blunders he emerges as one of the brilliant men of our time.

Yielded to Anti-Israel Boycott

JERUSALEM, (JTA) — The
Israel Government Tourist Of-
fice charged that the American
Express Company had surren-
dered to the pressure of the
Arab boycott in closing down
its operations in the State of
Israel and had, more recently,
prevented the Hertz Driv-Ur-Self
Company from opening a branch
in Israel. This is the first time
that the State of Israel has pub-
licly voiced its indignation
against firms which gave way
before Arab pressure, and may
be the beginning of a new pol-
icy in this direction.
The Israeli statement said that
for the past two years Israel
has been negotiating, unsuc-
cessfully, with the American
Express Company for re-open-
ing of its branch in this country.
(In New York, a spokesman for
American Express said that "for
the time being" the company
had no comment on the Israel
statement.) The text of the
statement reads:
"The American Express Com-
pany which is one of the largest
travel and tourist agencies in
the world has maintained an
independent office in Israel
since the time of the British
Mandate and up to the begin-
ning of 1956. In March 1956 the
company closed its Israeli office,
claiming that there is no com-
mercial justification for its ex-
istence. The American Express
Company left the management
of its business in the hands of
a local agent.
"We have been convinced be-
yond any doubt that the closing
of the offices of the American
Express Company was a result
of yielding to the threats of the
Arab boycott. During the last
two years, the Government
Tourist Corporation was in con-
stant contact with the American
Express Company asking them
to re-open the offices, but with
no results.
"During the last months the
Government Tourist Corporation
has been in contact with vari-

ous firms in the field of 'rent-
ing cars to tourists.' Hertz
Drive-Ur-Self was included in
this contact. This company
agreed tentatively to open a
branch in Israel. We have been
informed that the new partner-
ship of American Express and
the Hertz Company was a factor
in the cancellation of the nego-
tiations with the Hertz Com-
pany. This shows that not only
did the American Express Com-
pany cease to function in Is-
rael, but that it has kept an-
other company from functioning
there.
"Let us assume for the mo-
ment that the closing of the
American Express office in Is-
rael was indeed an outcome of

a purely commercial consider-
ation and that there was no
commercial justification for its
activities in 1956. Then we have
to point out that since then
other companies have widened
their activities in Israel as a
result of the mounting number
of tourists in this country. The
airlines have added many flights .
to Tel Aviv and the shipping
lines have put in more or larger
ships.
"The public should know that
in spite of all this American
Express Company not only did
not re-open its offices in Israel,
but is conducting a policy to-
ward Israel which is in contra-
diction to every accepted com-
mercial consideration."

Boris Smolar's

'Between You
... and Me'

(Copyright, 1958,
Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Inc.)

Recession Talk

There was much talk at the Zionist Actions Committee session
about the possible effect of the economic recession in the United
States on fund-raising for Israel . . . The fear expressed by some
of the speakers turns out to be a bit exaggerated . . . Leaders of
the United Jewish Appeal have adopted an attitude of "cau-
tious optimism" on the ultimate results of the UJA drive this year
. . . They have studied the list of the 200 top givers—people
who contribute from $50,000 to $250,000 a year to the UJA and
more—and they see no reason for pessimism . . . The Council
of Jewish Federations and Welfare Funds similarly forsees that
on the whole the contributions to the local community campaigns
will not be affected by the recesssion.

Communal Affairs

The National Jewish Welfare Board, which is now holding
its biennial convention in Washington, should be lauded for
many aspects of its program . . . Especially for its services to
Jews in the armed forces and to approximately 350 Jewish
centers throughout the country . . . However, in some fields the
effects of its work would have had more impact if other
national Jewish organizations had joined in its efforts. .
This is particularly true with regard to Jewish Youth Week,
which was observed last month throughout the country . . .
<>Doubt was expressed whether
even parents interested in giv-
Of this amount the federal and state governments took $5,000 in ing their children a Jewish ed
cation were aware that a Jew-
taxes, leaving a net of $30,000."
For a full understanding of the Leopold story, published ish Youth Week was being ob-
by Doubleday & Co. under the title "Life Plus 99 Years" (already served . . . I think that, at a
reviewed in this column), Arthur Weinberg's analysis and the time when so much talk is
text of Darrow's speech to the Loeb-Leopold jury would have heard about the need for win-
served a good purpose.
ning Jewish youth to Jewish
Weinberg's collection of data on the cases handled by education, it is not enough that
Darrow and the words Darrow "spoke in his most daring and a Jewish Youth Week should
crucial hours as Attorney for the Damned," published by Simon find expression primarily in
and Shuster (630 5th, N. Y. 20), is an exciting record of law- Jewish centers . . . A national
suits. Every one of the cases recorded here reads like a thriller. Jewish Youth Week must be-
Out of them emerges the truth that life is, indeed stranger than come part and parcel of the
activities of all the major Jew-
fiction.
ish organizations, not merely of
In a foreward to the book, U. S. Supreme Court Justice
the National Jewish Welfare
William 0. Douglas states that "Darrow may not have been
Board . . . It should be planned
steeped in psychoanalytic theories; but his instinct was true
and proclaimed jointly by the
to modern psychiatry, and his eloquence made a powerful
major Jewish groups interested
impact on judges and on juries. Darrow was champion of labor
in Jewish educational activities
at a time when a union was considered more a group bent
. • Until and unless the Jewish
on conspiracy than a lawful association that could use the
Youth Week becomes an insti-
strike and the boycott to raise wages and improve working
tution prepared and backed
conditions . . . Darrow pleaded for the men and women—the
jointly by all our major nation-
flesh and blood—that made the wheels of industry move. He
al groups, it will pass unnoticed.
placed them as high on the social scales as the capital in-
vested in industry . . . He was widely read and well versed
Between Covers
in the humanities . . . He knew people. He ran the gamut
If you are a lover of Yiddish
of emotions in his jury speeches. His arguments are a full
poetry, I highly recommend a
orchestration, carrying great power even in cold print . . ."
Clarence Darrow 'Attorney for the Damned'
That's the truth: those who will read his speeches in "At- new book by Aleph Katz pub-
When Clarence Darrow undertook the defense of Nathan
Leopold, Jr., and Richard Loeb, the newspapers spoke of "mil- torney for the Damned," edited by Arthur Weinberg, will be lished under the title "Cholem
lions to defend killers." In his "Attorney for the Damned," equally convinced by what Justice Douglas has written in his Aleichem" (not to be confused
which includes Darrow's major addresses in defense of his foreward. Whether it is in the Loeb-Leopold case, or in the with "Sholem Aleichem") . .
clients in some of the most sensational cases in history, Arthur Massie case in Honolulu, or the 1920 Communist trial in Chi- The author, the Yiddish editor
Weinberg, the editor of the thoroughly captivating book, states cago, or the Scopes Evolution case in Dayton, Tenn., or the Sweet of the Jewish Telegraphic Agen-
case in Detroit, Darrow is the great advocate and defender of cy, is one of the finest of con-
the facts:
temporary Yiddish poets, and
the
condemned and the damned.
Darrow was willing to leave the decision on a "reasonable"
has six other books to his cred-
Detroiters
will
be
especially
interested
in
the
case
of
Dr.
fee to the Bar Association. When he rescued the two boys from
it . . . Among other lenghty
the noose, he asked for $200,000. The parents of the two boys Sweet and the Negroes' attempt to find homes in a white neigh- poems, is a three-act play in
were shocked. Darrow reminded them of their agreement to let borhood—a case that developed out of rioting, the death of verse to be produced as a ballet
the Bar Association arbitrate. That frightened them: they thought several whites and great emotion, in 1926.
All the readers of this fine book will be interested not only . . . The title of his book
Darrow would be favored. The Darrow biography of Darrow
in
the
cases and the speeches, in Darrow's arguments against "Cholem Aleichem" means in
by Charles Yale Harrison is quoted: "After a few days, repre-
Vengeance,
Prejudice and Privilege and for Justice—these are English translation "Dreams Be
sentatives of the families thought that an arbitrator would
With You," but it is actually
have awarded $100,000 to Darrow, because the next day they the subtitles of sections of the book—but also in the historic built on the Jewish greeting,
Darrow
address
to
the
inmates
of
the
Chicago
County
Jail
in
came around and offered $75,000. Disgusted with the negotia-
"Sholem Aleichem" . . . The
tions, Darrow accepted, and told them to send their check 1902 and his arguments against capital punishment in his debate volume is exceptionally well
with
Judge
Talley
in
1924.
along. The next day it arrived. It was for $70,000. As Darrow
Briefly summarized, "Attorney for the Damned" is a most produced and is sold through
had an arrangement with his firm by which they were to supply
the Central Yiddish Cultural
him with assistants, clerical help, et cetera, and he was to interesting book—a must for the laity as well as for those en- Organization.
gaged
in
the
legal
profession.
divide all his fees equally with the firm, his net fee was $35,000.

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