Purely Commentary
A Salute to Truman,
"the modern Cyrus,"
on his 75th Birthday
By Philip U. of M. Junior
S ► omovitz to Serve as Guide
name will go down in history as the man who knew the arrival at Moscow Show
of an historic moment and he linked it promptly with Ameri-
Dan I. Slobin, a 20-year-old
can history. He saw the emergence of an oppressed people as University of Michigan junior,
a free, sovereign state, and he used his great office to extend will be one of four Michigan
to that people a friendly hand. For that reason, we say that students chosen to guide Rus-
sians around the American Na-
he is The Modern Cyrus.
There were other occasions when Truman rose to great tional Exhibition in Moscow.
heights, especially when he aligned himself with the liberal from July 25 to Sept. 4.
forces in defense of humane immigration and naturalization
Leaving June 18 aboard the
laws. He proved his genius when he took the lead in propa- Italian ocean liner Irpinia, Slo-
gating civil rights and legislation for the advancement of our bin and the '74 other guides
highest social sense. In these roles, as Senator Morse said, he selected from all over the
was a great President.
country, will land on June 30,
Cyrus' deeds are recorded in four Biblical books—Ezra, spending nearly a month visit-
Isaiah, Daniel and Second Chronicles. Truman's name is indel- ing in Italy, Czechoslovakia,
ibly written in modern Jewish history, to be remembered by Germany and Poland before
all generations to come.
going to Moscow.
*
*
Slobin, son of Mr. and Mrs.
2500th Anniversary of Reign of Cyrus
Norval Slobin, of 2974 Colling-
A timely addendum belongs here. Two months ago, Dr. Israel wood, speaks German, Spanish
Goldstein, distinguished American Jewish leader, was in Teheran and Russian. He graduated
to convey the greetings of the World Jewish Congress to the from Central High School in
Iranian government, on the occasion of the 2500th anniversary January, 1957.
His father is a history teach-
of the reign of King Cyrus.
Iran is one of the few states in the Middle East that deals er at Mumford High School,
fairly with Israel, thereby following the traditions of Cyrus who and his 16-year-old brother,
freed the Babylonian Jews and permitted them to return to Eretz Mark, a student at Cass Tech-
man has sent to the Congress; indeed, I regard it as one of
Israel. Very little has been said either about the Cyrus anniver- nical High School, is taking
the greatest messages ever sent to the Congress by any
sary or Dr. Goldstein's visit in Teheran. We are happy to make special courses in German and
its
ideals,
reassur-
President in our history. It is dramatic in
note of both and to link them with the birthday of the modern Russian.
duty,
to patriotic
While his father was in
ing in its goals, inspiring in its appeals
Cyrus.
Vienna on a Fulbright Scholar-
and convincing in its citizenship challenge. • of a Presi-
"In my judgment, it is a fitting valedictory
ship, Dan spent a year there
Careless Copyreading
will
dent who I am convinced, in the judgment of history,
with him. A psychology major,
A
Reuters
report
from
Budapest,
which
told
about
11
Jew-
be a much greater President than his critics now realize
ish Hungarian leaders who took oaths of allegiance to the young Slobin will receive his
or appreciate."
Communist Hungarian state after similar oaths had been taken BA degree a year from June,
Senator Morse was not alone in his commendation of by
bishops and a Catholic archbishop, appeared in then continue with his studies
Harry S. Truman. Other Republicans and a number of Repub- the Protestant
Detroit
News
under the heading: "Jewish Leaders Take for a PhD.
lican newspapers commended the retiring leader for his fine
Pledge."
analysis of the state of the union as he turned over his office Rea We
prefer to call it careless copyreading, in order to avert Marvin Stollman Gets
to Dwight D. Eisenhower. There will, of course, be disagree- the impression that the man who wrote the headline was moti-
ment on the choice of adjectives used by Senator Morse in
Four-Year Scholarship
by prejudice.
describing Mr. Truman's record. But in Jewish history Mr. vated Religious
Marvin Stollman, son of Mr.
leaders
of
all
faiths
took
the
Communist
oaths,
Truman will be recorded as a great man who understood our not merely the Jewish leaders. The misleading headline was a and Mrs. Samuel Stollman, of
problems, who recognized an historic moment and utilized it type of carelessness that often leads to ill will. Fortunately, 2652 Glendale, who will gradu-
properly.
Detroit News did not omit the paragraph which mentioned ate from Central High School
- It is your Commentator's firm belief that Mr. Truman will the
the
part that was played by Christians whose actions, according next month, has earned Phi
go down in history as The Modern Cyrus, in recognition of the to the
Beta Kappa honors and has been
Reuters story, were followed by the Jewish leaders.
very great role he has played in the establishment of Israel
awarded a four-year scholarship
Let
us
have
the
record
straight—even
in
newspaper
head-
and in causing this country to be the first to recognize the
at the University of Michigan.
lines.
infant Jewish state on May 14, 1948.
Truman at 75—The Modern Cyrus
At 75 former President Harry S. Truman is as alert today
as he was nearly 10 years ago, when we conferred with him at
the White House, at a Jewish editors' conference that marked
the 100th anniversary of the appearance of the
first English-Jewish periodical in this country.
When President Truman left the White
House, this Commentator referred to him, in
a column published on Jan. 23, 1953, as
modern Cyrus." Requests have been made, time
and again, by Truman admirers, that this
column should be reprinted. This is the proper
time for its reappearance. We are happy to
offer it again, as a tribute to Harry S. Truman
on his 75th birthday. The Jan 23, 1953, article
follows:
Harry S. Truman
Harry S. Truman : The Modern Cyrus
Senator Wayne Morse of Oregon, the Reptmlican rebel
who bolted his party to support the candidacy of the Demo-
cratic nominee., dramatically told the United States Senate last
week that he views Mr. Truman as having been a great Presi-
dent. He made these comments on the retiring President's
valedictory message:
to a great historic statement,
"I think we have listened
greatest lnessa.ge President Tru-
which is, in my opinion, the
Chapiter._ Written 'bv:Cv..rus
Titi, In
536 B.C., Cyrus, the founder the the Persian empire,
the conqueror of Babylon, emerged as the instrument for the
return of the Jews, who were exiled by Babylonia, to their
horneland in the Land of Israel. The great JeWish historian
Heinrich Graetz speaks of King CyruS as haNing been "but an
The Israeli vessel, loaded
instrument of God for furthering the deliverance of Judah and
The first Israeli ship to arrive Israeli flag and carrying an all-
the salvation of the world." Graetz wrote as follows about the in Detroit will not be here until Israeli crew, was scheduled to with a cargo of glass, hard
and wine, is the first fly-
great period in Jewish history in the time of Cyrus:
sometime next week, it was dock here this week. However, board
ing
the
Jewish flag to sail
congested
port
facilities
have
"The joy of those who were preparing for the exodus
learned by The Jewish News on
delayed its arrival until next through the newly-completed
from Babylon and the return to the Holy Land was over.; Wednesday.
St. Lawrence Seaway.
powering. To be permitted to tread the soil of their own
The SS Tamar, flying the Thursday.
seemed a
sanctuary
Steaming into the Port of De-
rebuild
and.
restore
the
and
to
country,
caused
great
sensation
on Wednesday, the Tamar
troit
event
sweet dream to them. The
was forced to anchor in the De-
amongst other nations; it was discussed, and considered as a
Jewish
Youths
Are
Missing
from
troit River until a berth could
miracle, which the God of Israel had wrought on behalf of
that Birobid jan; N.Y. Times Reports
be found.
His people. A poem faithfully reproduces the sentiments
It was learned, however, that
inspired the exiles:
NEW YORK, (JTA) — The I no mass migration of Soviet the ship would face a two-day
"'When the Lord turned against the captivity of Zion,
most striking aspect of Birobid- Jews to Birobidjan developed delay waiting to dock. Instead
we were like them that dream.
"'Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our jan, the so-called autonomous and the population now is 160,- of marking time here, the Tam-
Jewish Republic in Siberia, to 000, "perhaps half Jewish, two- ar's captain decided to proceed
tongue with singing; then said they among the nations, The
to Chicago and Milwaukee,
a New York Times reporter who thirds urban."
done
great
things
for
them.
Lord hath
Frankel noted Soviet govern- where cargo. will be dropped
"'The Lord hath done great things for us, whereof we toured it recently, was the ab-
ment denials of rumors that it before returning to Detroit.
sence of young Jews.
are glad.? (Ps. cxxvi.)
"As the patriots were preparing to make use of their
The Tamar's cargo here con-
Max Frankel, one of the few intended to send more Jews to
freedom to return to Jerusalem, one of their poets, in western correspondents ever to Birobidjan and added "there is sists of a shipment of flat glass
Psalm xxiv, bade them reflect whether they were worthy of visit Birobidjan, reported this no evidence of such plans in that will ultimately find its way
this boon. For only the righteous and those who sought the week that gefulte fish with horse Birobidjan. On the contrary." into windows of new homes in
Lord were to assemble upon God's ground.. But who would
radish and cheese blintzes with As far as cultural life was the Detroit area.
The glass, manufactured by
dare take on himself the right to pronounce judgement?"
sour cream were "the pleasant- concerned, Frankel reported
that "no Yiddish is taught in Phoenicia, Ltd., the Israel Glass
est
memories
and
realities"
of
Truman
Roles
The Related Cyrus
no Yiddish films are Works, is consigned to the win-
Transplant these impressions, written nearly a century ago his visit "to that much-pub- schools,
shown,
no
Yiddish books are dow division of the Standard
licized,
little-known
colon
y"
about the great and miraculous event of the return from the
printed. A well-stocked book- Building Products Co., 14200
which
he
called
"the
object
of
Babylonian exile, 2489 years ago, to our time, and it is easy to
store had not heard of a corn-
imagine as if the great historian were speaking of our time, pride in Moscow and concern memorative Yiddish edition of Cloverdale.
The Detroit firm is directed
and of the rebirth of Israel in 1948. And while the role of abroad."
The correspondent, reviewing some works of Sholem Alei- by Harry Z. Brown, president,
Cyrus and Truman were not entirely analogous, they were re-
chem, published in Moscow this and Benjamin Wilk, vice-presi-
lated. Cyrus was able to order the freedom of the return of the history of the area, said it year.
dent. Two other vice-presidents,
was
organized
in
1934,
with
Jews to the Holy _Land., and Truman used the great power of
He said that a two-page Yid- Morris H. Brown and Julian
f
anfare,
as
a
home
for
Israel's
rebirth
and
to
give
the
great
-
much
sanction
his office to
dish newspaper is published Scott, are in charge of the firm's
signal to the nations of the world that the greatest nation on Jews, "an empty plot on which three times a week and Soviet window division.
Jews
were
to
pioneer
and
exert
earth wills it that Jewish homelessness should end and that
Wilk said that the glass will
reference books list its cir-
Jews should have the right to reconstruct their lives in dignity their talents without getting culation as 1,000. Two news- be used in the assembly of
mixed
up
with
Zionism."
But
and freedom and through self-determination.
stands had a few copies; a third aluthinum windows made by
Some writers make mention of other gestures by Cyrus—
newsstand near a publicly the company. The windows,
such as the guarantee of freedom to the Greek cities of Ionia— Tel Hashomer Physicians
posted copy of the newspaper, then, will be sold to builders
implying that it was politically expedient, for the safety of his Win Professional Awards
for use in new homes, he added.
had not heard of it.
empire, to create friendships among his subjects. Graetz, too,
The shipment will be the
TEL
AVIV,
(JTA)—Two
phy-
The
correspondent
said
"no
wrote that "the true reason for his decision is unknown," but sicians at • Tel Hashomer Hos- youngster ever shows up at the first to come to Detroit directly
he made it a point to emphasize that "Cyrus was a humane pital here were awarded the shack that serves as a syna- from Haifa, although in the
conqueror."
Henrietta Szold gogue. Friday nights and Satur- past the company has bought
• By the same token, some historians have said that Arthur municipality's
Prizes
for
Medicine,
for re- days on the Jewish Sabbath, Israeli glass from distributors
James Balfour's famous Declaration was issued as an expedient search work into the hemolytic Cantor Caplan—there is no in New York, Wilk said.
The Tamar is a member of
move in time of war, and Truman has been charged with tendency among Oriental corn- rabbi—leads prayers for 30 per-
playing for Jewish votes. Yet, only the ungrateful will fail to munities in Israel. The winners sons, more women than men. the groWing fleet of ships oper-
recognize that Truman acted a humane role, and if he played are Dr. Haim Sheba, director of Last Yom Kippur, 400 worship- ated by the Zim-America Co.
for votes he knew how to gain it through a great historic act.
The Detroit representative of
the hospital, and Dr. H. Scho- pers walked to the little house, Zim Lines is the J. R. O'Brien
Truman Linked American and Jewish Histories
a half mile from the
nenberg,
head
of
the
hospital's
about
Co., in the Majestic Bldg.
We have said it while he was in the White House, and we
chemical laboratory. axed city center.
say it now that he is in Independence, Mo•1: Harry S. Truman's
First Israeli Ship Through St. Lawrence
Due to Arrive in Detroit Next Week
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