We like to talk about the
simple democracy of Thomas
Jefferson. How he sat on the
morning of his inauguration
in his usual place at the table
at the Washington boarding
house where he lived. How he
refused to take a seat at the
head of the table. How he just
walked, without ceremony, to
the Capitol to be sworn in as
President.
I have just heard a compan-
ion story about Itzhak Ben-Zvi,
President of Israel. The news
of his election came as a com-
plete surprise and when he
went home and saw a soldier
standing in front of his home,
he felt ill at ease. He told the
soldier he didn't need him.
"Sorry, but I have orders to
guard the President," said the
soldier.
Ben - Zvi had to reconcile
himself to it. He went inside.
But it was a cold night. The
idea of the soldier standing out
in the cold worried him. He
went outside to the soldier.
"Maybe you will come in and
have a cup of tea?"
"Sorry," said the Israeli sol-
dier," but that would be a
violation of his responsibilities
as a sentry." No, he couldn't
come in.
"Well, I'll tell you what,"
said President Ben-Zvi. "You
come in and have some tea.
Give me the gun. I will stand
guard for you."
* * *
From an Israeli paper, I
glean an interesting anecdote
about Mrs. Ben-Zvi and the
Austrian Ambassador to Israel.
The Austrian Ambassador
and his wife were being dined
at the President's . residence
on the occassion of their de-
parture for Austria.
Mrs. Ben-Zvi was very much
taken by the outfit worn by
the wife of the Ambassador.
"It is beautiful, and so Vien-
nese. It has the perfect Vien-
nese touch," she said.
The wife of the Ambassador
smiled: "I bought it in Tel
Aviv and it was made in Tel
Aviv. Everything I have on is
Israeli-made."

Israeli violinist Zvi Zeitlin is
scheduled for 60 concerts
through the United States. Spon-
sored by Columbia Artists, the
houses have been sold out in
advance.

for
easy
slicing

NO MORE NICKED FINGERS!

NO MORE UNEVEN SLICES!

CUT UNIFORMLY FOR

* toasting
* sandwiches
* "open face" spreads

Beautiful molded plastic
in shell pink, turquoise,
maize, ivory. Perfect for
home use, bridge prizes,
door prizes, fund-rAising

projects, gifts.
Specify 2nd color choice

each postpaid in the U.S.A.

One dozen for 510

(Send for prices
on larger quantities)

Mail cash, check or money order tO:

PRODUCT PROMOTIONS CO.

P.O. BOX 721 • Hollywood, Ffa.

"Independent Man: The Life.
of Senator James Couzens," by
Harry Barnard (published by
Charles Scribner's Sons, 597 5th,
N. Y. 17), is as the title indi-
cates—the record of a man who
followed the dictates of his con-
science, who defended man's
freedoms and who refused to
be frightened by panic-mongers.
This self-made man, Henry
Ford's partner who was the ac-
knowledged business genius of
the Ford Motor Company's early
years, was independent even in
his political thinking: as a Re-
publican Senator he certainly
was more the Democrat, and
many Republicans hated him
for his refusal to be tied into
party knots.
A typical example of his inde-
pendence was when the radical
"Big Bill" Haywood was slated
to deliver an address in Detroit.
Couzens was Mayor of the city
then. His police commissioner,
Dr. John Inches, advised him to
suppress the meeting. In spite
of the post-war "Bolshevism"
hysteria, Couzens said, "as long
as Haywood conducts himself
within the law he can speak."
Haywood spoke, Couzens at-
tended the meeting, and nothing
untoward happened.
Couzens ordered the end of
the "red raid" practices intro-
duced by A. Mitchell Palmer,
President Woodrow Wilson's At-
torney General. Frank Murphy
was then an assistant U.S. Dis-
trict Attorney here who was
told that Couzens would not
be "stampeded by federal offi-
cials."

* * *

The late Senator Couzens had
many friendly associations with
Detroit Jewish leaders.
"Albert Kahn, the industrial
architect who had designed the
(Ford) Highland _Park plant,
built him a fine brick house at
92 (later 610) Longfellow Ave-
nue."
There are numerous . refer-
ences to his personal physician,
Dr. Hugo Freund, who became
closely associated with him
when Senator Couzens gave
$10,000,000 for the Children's
Fund of Michigan. The two be-
came close friends, and Dr.
Freund made numerous trips to
Washington to take care of the
Senator during his recurring ill-
nesses.
In fact, Dr. Freund and Wil-
liam J. Norton were the guiding
spirits of the Children's Fund.
Harry Barnard writes about it
in "Independent Man":
"Dr. Freund, a physician of
unusual social and psychologi-
cal insight, was exceptionally
well qualified to be Couzens'
advisor in this field. Aside
from the experience that came
from a large medical prac-
tice, he was well grounded in
public - health work, having
been a member of the Detroit
Board of Health for a number
of years, under Couzens as
well as other mayors. He was
interested in research. Per-
haps most of all, Dr. Freund
concerned himself with the
general problem of mental
health, and he was a doctor
interested in social conditions.
He was named president of
the Fund and much that the
Fund accomplished bore the
impress of his broad and in-
formed interests."
Couzens, although a Repub-
lican, backed Franklin D. Roose-
velt. When Dr. Freund asked
him in 1936 why it was impor-
tant to re-elect FDR, Couzens
said: "Here's something I have
never told anyone. The Presi-
dent has told me that he is
afraid that war is coining. It
may come from Japan. If that
happens, all this opposition to
the New Deal will not mean
anything. I think Roosevelt is

the one man to be our leader if
we have a war ... " That was
in 1936!
* * *
A major item of interest in
"Independent Man" is Couzens'
role in the bank holiday of 1933
and the reactions to him at that
time. Malcolm Bingay accused
him in the Free Press of respon-
sibility for the bank crash. He
was charged with unduly oppos-
ing extended loans to the bank-
ers. Other newspapers and a
number of prominent people
joined in the cry that Couzens
blocked loans for banks.
Judge Harry B. Keidan was
named to preside over a grand-
jury investigation of the bank
crash, and Senator Couzens, in-
furiated by the charges against
him, demanded to be heard.
There was a lot of confusion.
"Judge Keidan was strangely
impatient with Couzens. Con-
cerning Couzens' declarations
that the banks were undoubt-
edly insolvent, the judge de-
manded to know how this could
have been the case inasmuch as
the federal government per-
mitted the banks to continue to
operate until the holiday. Cou-
zens answered with some amaz-
ing evidence" and by producing
important documents, his biog-
rapher writes.
Just as Judge Keidan was
about to end the hearings, Sen-
ator Couzens demanded the
right to present additonal evi-
dence. He finally was given that
right, but "the judge ruled that
the inquiry was over, and at
once produced a previously pre-
pared document setting forth
his findings. This gave the bank-
ers and the banks a clean bill
of health."
Senator Couzens was an ad-
mirer of Judge Keidan and at
one time urged him to accept a
Federal Judgeship, which Judge
Keidan turned down. What ex-
planation can there possibly be
for the rift told in Couzens' bi-
ography? Barnard writes that
"Judge Keidan had enjoyed the
reputation of being one of the
most judicial of judges on the
bench in Detroit and an honor-
able man. Couzens had esteemed
him, at one time considered
recommending him for a place
in the federal judiciary." The
biographer of Senator Couzens
believes that Judge Keidan's
view "was to let sleeping dogs
lie," that "he wanted no part of
Couzens' program of getting the
causes of the banking crisis pre-
sented to the public" and that
"Judge Keidan, for whatever
reason, had no stomach for ex-
posing any wrongdoings on the
part of the bankers."
Those who knew Judge Kei-
dan will take this charge with
a grain of salt. There surely is
another angle to this tale, an-
other side to a story that has
created so much bad blood.
This is perhaps the sourest
note in the .Couzens biography—
a book that otherwise stands
out as the record of a truly in-
dependent man and a fine pub-
lic figure.

Producer Henry Blanke and movie, "The Nun's Story," on
director Fred Zinnemann have location in Central Africa and
completed the Audrey Hepburn in the studios of London.

CARIBE MOTEL

is the Place for your GUESTS attending
your Wedding, Bar Mitzvah or special

occasion.

CARIBE MOTEL offers at no extra cost

• Television & Radio
• Parking
• Continental Breakfast

ROOMS CONTAIN

• Complete Kitchens
• Phones
• Air Conditioning
• Carpeting Wall to Wall

19360 WOODWARD

Near Seven Mile

Road

RATES
START
AT $8.00

Phone TO 8-2662

HOSPITALIZATION

EDUCATION

How to
assure
your
future

FAMILY PROTECTION

No matter how good things may look for
you right now, the future you have planned for
your family is dependent on your ability to
provide for needs as they arise. You can assure
that future with a solid foundation of
BMA insurance protection.
For example: If you have children, they'll
need an education. You can provide for the
need through BMA's many education plans.
Regardless of your present age, someday
you're probably going to retire. Will it be a
happy or a sad occasion? You can do something
about that right now. Begin one of BMA's
many retirement income plans.
What about illness and accidents? Nobody
plans misfortunes. But people do plan against
them. You can too, with BMA hospitalization,
health, accident, and major medical insurance.
And what about your family in event of
your death? BMA life insurance protection like
the Family Plan and 30-Pay Life Plan guards
the future you want for them.
Why not take a more penetrating look into
what lies ahead? See how secure your future
really can be. Call your BMA representative
and go over the BMA checkchart "A
Look Into Your Future," with him.

FREE:

BMA Checkchart to the Future

helps you evaluate your future security.

Ask your BMA representative for your
free copy.

BUSINESS MEN ' S AS SURA_NCEE

O

Mandel-Clemenceau
Story Told by Laski

zvvu2A.L.c„a.....

Home Office: Union Station Plaza, Kansas City 41, Missouri

The late Harold Laski in his
„
letters to Justice Holmes (now
11111111
in book form) told this one
Call your nearest
about George Mandel, the Jew
BMA representativ0
who was a member of the
French cabinet and who had
served as secretary to Clem-
enceau. Hoping to relieve his
Howard H. Finsilver
Nathan N. Gurwin
boss of the necessity of signing
hundreds of letters, Mandel
Herman J. Agins
Henry Channel'
suggested that he himself sign
Irving A. Levy
them.
"I tell you what," compro-
DetrOit Branch Office:
mised Clemenceau. "I will con-
tinue to sign those letters be- 2612 N. Woodward Avenue, Royal Oak, Mich. Phone: JO 6-7193
ginning with "I am glad to"
Robert E. Cook, Branch Manager
and you sign those letters be-
ginning with, "I am sorry to."

iii

1111 iiiii

MA'"

1 3-THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS -- Frid ay, Ju ne 27 , 1958

Anecdotes About `Independent Man James Couzens,'
Itzhak Ben-Zvis Rifts with Judge Harry B. Keidan,
BY DAVID SCHWARTZ
Copyright. 1958, Jewish
Friendship with Dr. Hugo Freund
Telegraphic Agency Inc.

