THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS—Friday, October 16, 1959-32
Detroiter Believed Destined for Pulitzer Prize
Engel Talks with Adenauer Show
Professor Richard Ellmann Acclaimed as Need for German Re-Education
One of World's Authorities on Joyce
To a native Detroiter —
Richard Ellmann, son of Judge
and Mrs. James I. Ellmann, of
55 Connecticut—may go the dis-
tinct honor of a Pulitzer Prize
in literature, if the predictions
of scholars and university pro-
fessors who have head his new-
est book are to materialize.
Ellmann, professor of English
at Northwestern University, is
the author of the monumental
work, "James Joyce," just pub-
lished by Oxford Press.
Already acknowledged to be
one of the outstanding authori-
tie:, in the world on Joyce. Prof.
Ellmann's excellent work, the
result of several years' research,
is being hailed as worthy of
highest literary honors.
The young Detroit scholar
also has written extensively on
William B. Yeats — including
two highly acclaimed books on
the life and works of the Irish
poet — and is considered an
authority on Yeats.
The new Joyce biography,
the most *complete to be writ-
ten of the famous author of
"Ulysses", emerges as a great
literary document, not only
because its able author has
succeeded in gathering all
the available facts, but pri-
marily because it is such a
superb composition, so well
written, couched in a style
that enlightens and emerges
as a gem in literature and
holds the reader's attention
from cover to cover.
Prof. Ellmann is a master
stylist. He is a conscientious
student, and he has traveled
widely, to Ireland, to England
And to France — wherever he
could locate a relative or ac-
quaintance of Joyce—for un-
published letters, for facts
about his life, for anecdotes
and data that were hitherto
unknown.
There are a number of ref-
erences to Joyce's interest in
Jews. "Joyce's interest in the
Jews," we read, "was growing
as he recognized his own
place to be as ambiguous as
theirs. He was interested in
a Jewish divorce case in Dub-
lin, in the fact that Georg
Brandes was a Jew, and in
Ferrero's theories of anti-
Semitism."
In a footnote, Ellman relates
the story of the Dublin divorce
case in relation to Joyce's char-
acters of Bloom in "Ulysses"
and Earwicker in "Finnegan's
Wake."
Also in relation to Bloom,
Ellmann reveals that Joyce "one
day went with a man named
Meissel — 'Pimply Meissel' he
calls him—to the Jewish ceme-
tery, to visit the grave of Meis-
sel's wife who died by suicide."
A note explains that Joyce's
"Bloom considers a visit to the
grave of his father, also a sui-
cide, in Ennis."
The lengthy references to
Joyce and his concern with
Jews indicate that on this, as
• on all subjects involving his
hero, Ellmann devoted him-
self in deep research. We
read: "In making his hero
Leopold Bloom, Joyce recog-
nized implicitly what he often
spoke of directly, his affinity
for the Jews as a wandering,
persecuted people. 'I some-
times think,' he said later to
Frank Budgen, 'that it was a
heroic sacrifice on their part
when they refused to accept
the Christian revelation. Look
at them. They are better hus-
bands than we are, better
fathers and better sons'." (In
a footnote, Ellmann states:
"He was interested too, in the
way that, as he said, 'A Jew
is both king and priest in his
own family'.").
Prof. Ellman explains that
Joyce was affected by the Drey-
PROF. RICHARD ELLMANN
fus affair in France and by the
Zola incident. He writes that
"Joyce was not a propagandist
for better treatment of minori-
ties. The conception of the like-
able Jew attracted without ov-
erwhelming hirn."
But on one occasion, when
he was asked what was the sin
of the Jew; Joyce replied that
it was only one—"to have cru-
cified Jesus."
Joyce apparently was not
moved by Zionism about which
Bloom says in his "Ulysses,":
"Nothing doing. Still an idea
behind it."
On one occasion Joyce quoted
the Talmud: "We Jews are like
the olive: we give our best
when we are being crushed,
when we are collapsing under
the burden of our foliage." Con-
stantly he showed curiosity over
the Jews.
An incident is recorded of
Joyce sitting down at the
piano to play the Hatikvah.
The Russians regarded Joyce
with suspicion. He "referred to
Germany derisively as 'Hitler-
land'."
Joyce remarked to Maria
Jolas of anti-Semitism, 'It's one
of the easiest and oldest preju-
dices to "prove".' When a Har-
vard student wrote to praise
"Ulysses" but complain against
Joyce's attitude toward his
race, Joyce remarked, 'I have
written with the greatest sym-
pathy about the Jews.'
When he was once referred
to as a Jew, Joyce exclaimed
on being informed of it: "C'est
le bouquet, vraiment."
Prof. Ellmann has enough
material on Joyce and the Jews
to compile a book on that sub-
ject alone.
His complete study contains
such a staggering amount of
material that the reader is over-
whelmed, and the student of
literature and history will find
in his biographical work a verit-
able treasure. Ellmann's "James
Joyce" is a very great book.
See UN Political Committee as New
Battlefield for Arab-Israel Debate
UNITED N AT I 0 N S, N.Y.,
(JTA) — The General Assem-
bly's Special Political Commit-
tee convened here for the first
meeting of this year's session.
The Arab refugee problem was
one of the main topics on its
agenda.
The Arab League promptly
jumped into an anti-Israel fray
by presenting to Secretary Gen-
eral D a g Hammarskjold a
memorandum insisting on the
return of all the refugees to
Israel as the only solution to
that problem.
The memorandum, given to
Hammarskjold by Abdel Khalek
Hassouna, Secretary General of
the Arab League, made these
points:
1. The League rejects the
Hammarskjold plan for integra-
tion of the refugees into the
economics of the Middle East.
Such a plan, the League con-
tends, is "incompatible with ex-
isting United Nations resolu-
tions on Palestine 'and will be
strongly resisted by the Arab
states."
2. The memorandum called
the UN's attention to "the
danger of Jewish immigration
to Palestine which constitutes a
major obstacle to . the imple-
mentation of the United Nations
resolution on the repatriation of
the refugees." According to the
League, "every material or po-
litical assistance facilitating
such immigration is considered
by the Arab states as an un-
friendly act."
3. The League endorses Ham-
marskjold's proposal that the
work of the United Nations Re-
lief and Works Agency for Pal-
estine Refugees be continued
beyond the agency's present ex-
piration date, which is June 30,
1960. The League warns, how-
ever, against any plan "to trans-
fer any of UNRWA's responsi-
bility to the host Arab states."
These "host" states are the
United Arab Republic. Lebanon
and Jordan, which have juris-
diction over the areas where
the refugees are maintained.
This year's URNWA report
again criticizes the "host" states
for lack of cooperation with the
UN relief agency.
The committee is not ex-
pected to start debating the
Arab refugee problem until
next week. The first meeting
dealt only with organizational
matters and the election of offi-
cers, besides Charles T. 0. King.
of Liberia, who is the chairman.
The importance of the com-
mittee's work is emphasized by
the fact that Britain is rep-re-
sented in the group by its dele-
gation chairman, Sir Pierson
Dixon.
Sitting in for the United
States was the American dele-
gation's only Jewish member.
Harold Riegelman. Later the
U.S. delegation may be repre-
sented by Undersecretary of
State Walter S. Robertson.
The focussing of attention on
the. Arab refugee problem fol-
lowed the completion in the
Assembly's debate of a three-
week long discussion centered
often on Israel's grievance
against the United Arab Re-
public's blockade of the Suez
Canal.
PARIS, (JTA) — There is a scientiously striving to make
growing concern among West democratic roots sink deeper
Germans about the need for into German soil."
Adenauer told Engel and
education for citizenship and
democracy, Irving M. Engel, Zachariah Shuster, European
honorary president of the Am- director of the AJ committee,
erican Jewish Committee, re- that "until recently, the Ger-
ported upon his arrival from man people had to concern
Germany, where he discussed themselves primarily with re-
this problem with Chancellor construction, but now there has
been such material advancement
Konrad Adenauer.
. He said West German poli- I believe they will turn more
tical leaders also discussed this to matters of culture and edu-
problem with John J. McCloy cation."
*
and Dr. James B. Conant.
former U.S. High Commission- Nazi Ideas Influence
ers for Germany; Shepherd Youth, Poll Reveals
Stone, of the Ford Foundation;
FRANKFURT, (JTA) — The
and Dr. Harry Gideonse. presi-
German Institute of Social Re-
dent of Brooklyn College.
search released the results of
West German participants in- a nation-wide poll of West Ger-
cluded representatives of the man youth indicating such youth
Christian Democrats and the is still influenced to a consid-
Social Democrats, as well as erable degree by Nazi ideology.
heads of two West German
A majority replied in the af-
states and leading West Ger- firmative when asked if they
man educators, he reported.
considered the German nation
"Like Chancellor Adenauer, superior to other nations.
with whom I discussed this
To the question as to whether
problem, there are many. re- Hitler would have been Ger-
sponsible leaders aware of the many's greatest man had there
serious vacuum that exists in been no war, 42 percent said
German education," Engel said. "yes," 36 percent said "no,"
He added that it was clear "to the remainder giving indefinite
all that this task of re-education replies. An older group—in the
must be done by Germans them- 30-to-44-year-old bracket—were
selves, and cannot be done by asked the same question. Fifty-
outsiders.
five percent said "yes." 35 per-
"While various attempts are cent said "no," and the remain-
being made at local and state der said they did not know.
levels throughout Germany to The youth group interviewed
improve the situation in the was in the 18-to-29-year cate-
field of civic education and en- gory.
Another question asked
lightening prejudice, a much
more substantial e f f or t is whether it was better or not
better for Germany to have Jew-
needed," he asserted.
."The Germans themselves rec- ish citizens. Forty percent said
ognize that a general coordi- Germany sho'!ld, 24 percent said
nated effort by the Federal gov- it should not, and the rest did
had no opinion.
ernment, the various states, and not know or *
* *
non-governmental bodies of
Ex
-
Nazis
Thrive
in Germany
leadership is still required."
Noting that "we hear much of
PARIS, (JTA)—Twelve per-
anti-Semitic attitudes and inci- , cent of the members of the
dents in Germany," the AJC East German Parliament are
leader said: "We must continue former Nazis, according to a
to be vigilant. At the same study of Communist Germany
time, we should nay increasing published here by the Associa-
attention to and try to help tion for International Political
those elements in Germany con- Studies and Information.
Rabbis Claql.m o e Pennsylvania Law
PHILADELPHIA, (JTA) — ing to upset the law are the
The challenge to Pennsylvania's Eastern Pennsylvania Confer-
Sunday-closing law took on ence of Seventh Day Adventists,
added significance when the the Philadelphia Jewish Com-
Philadelphia Rabbinical Asso- munity Relations Council, the
ciation .and the Philadelphia Delaware Valley Council of the
Board of Rabbis, representing American Jewish Congress and
Reform, Conservative and Or- the two Philadelphia rabbinical •
thodox rabbis here, filed a joint grouns. Supporting the measure
"friend of the court" brief in is the Pennsylvania Retailers
support of five local Jewish Association.
merchants who seek to upset
At a hearing before the court
the state's newly - stiffened last month, the Jewish mer-
"blue" laws.
chants charged that the law
The latest brief was sub- violated the First and Four-
mitted to a Federal District teenth Amendments to the Con-
Court in what looms as a stitution by interfering with the
major test caseaffecting separa- free exercise of religion. They
tion of church and state. It was said they closed their stores in
signed by .Leo Pfeiffer, asso- observance of the Jewish Sab-
ciate general counsel of the bath and were unduly penalized
American Jewish Congress, and because the law requires them
Jacob Richman, president of to close on Sunday as well. The
the Pennsylvania State Region five Jewish storekeepers are
of the AJC, who are serving being represented without fee
without fee for the two rabbini- by attorneys active in the
American Jewish Congress.
cal groups.
Recently. Pennsylvania
Their brief brought to six the
number of "amicus curiae" strengthened the penalties for
briefs already submitted in the violations of its Sunday-closing
case — five attacking the Sun- law, based on a statue dating
day law and one in favor. Seek- back to 1794.
Nasser's New Offer on Suez Issue Dismissed by State Department
WASHINGTON, (JTA)—State
department officials studied an
offer made by President Nasser
of the United Arab Republic
with regard - to the Suez block-
ade issue and came to the con-
clusion that the offer contained
no new element in the Arab-
Israel dispute.
In his proposal, Nasser said
he would accept a United Na-
tions commission to implement
all United Nations resolutions
related to Israel, including the
1951 Security Council resolution
calling for freedom of transit in
the Suez .Canal.
The offer was made by Nasser
in a statement to representa-
tives of the American press in
Cairo. It was obvious that the
statement was primarily for
propaganda purposes. Nasser
emphasized that he would insist
on the plan to give Palestinian
Arab refugees the right to
their former homes or to accept
compensation, as well as on the
1947 plan for partition of Pal-
estine and the internationaliza-
tion of Jerusalem, if he were to
accept the UN resolution on
freedom of shipping in the Suez
Canal.
Nasser said in his statement
that "if Israel accepts all UN
resolutions, we will accept the
Security Council resolution of
1951." He was quoted as de-
Glaring: "We are ready to ac-
cept a UN board or commission
to put these resolutions into
effect for both Israel and us.
But it would be unfair if only
we are asked to implement the
resolutions on our side while
Israel does not implement those
on her side." He said such a
board might be the Palestine
Conciliation Commission estab-
lished in 1949 or a new body.