Purely Commentary
By PHILIP SLOMOVITZ
Rabbi Adler's Well-Earned Honorary LLD
A well-earned honor will be accorded Rabbi Morris Adler
when he will receive the honorary Doctor of Laws degree next
Thursday evening, at the Wayne State University commence-
ment exercises.
His services to the entire community, his devotion to major
civic causes, the assistance he has given to movements dedicated
to efforts for civil rights, his scholarship, his role as a guide to
the distressed, have - elevated him to a high role of leadership
in our community.
It is most appropriate that he should have been chosen
for this great honor at a time when he is celebrating his own
25th anniversary in the rabbinate, when the congregation he
now serves—Shaarey Zedek—is about to mark its 100th anniver-
sary and on the eve of the commencement of the construction
of a new Shaarey Zedek building, under his leadership.
Wayne State University is honoring him "as a great
citizen of the whole community," and the entire community
undoubtedly will join in congratulating him on the merited
honor.
*
*
A Catholic Newspaper's Quest for Justice for Eichmann
It was not so very long ago that we took occasion to com-
mend the Pilot, the Boston Catholic weekly, for the manner
ill which it rose to great heights in condemning bigotry, during
the period of the swastika daubing craze throughout the world.
Dealing again with the horrors that were perpetrated upon
mankind by Nazism, the Pilot last week descended to a lower
level and judged poorly in its editorial comments on the Adolf
Eichmann case.
The Pilot, while expressing regret that justice "has been
so long coming," nevertheless poses an unfair question—"is
Eichmann being brought to justice? italics of justice
being the Pilot's. The demand is for "a stronger commitment in
favor of justice even for criminals."
A good case can be made for the position taken by the
Pilot against kidnapings, because of the precedent it may set
in international actions in tracking down enemies of states.
Expressing sympathy for the feelings of the Israelis and those
who seek punishment for the Nazi crimes, the Pilot neverthe-
less doubts Israel's- ability to dispense justice, and on this score
we are compelled to take exception to our Catholic confrere's
declarations. There is nothing in Israel's record of judicial
fairness to justify suspicions, and we are compelled to view the
Pilot's statement as unjustified.
We also take exception to this concluding statement in the
Pilot's editorial: "American Jews have always shown them-
selves sensitive on the matter of civil rights and elementary
justice; their voices should be heard at the present time as a
guide to their co-religionists in Israel. Justice is for everyone
—even Nazi brutes."
Due credit has been given both the Israelis and American
Jews, all of whom have . demonstrated their passionate desires
for the enforcement of justice for all. However, by creating
doubts regarding the Israelis' abilities to dispense justice, the
Pil-ot has nullified much of the sympathy it has expressed with
the need to bring Nazis to justice. It also committed the blunder
of asking American Jews to interfere in internal Israeli affairs.
It is clear that the Pilot's editors are on a wrong track
in their analysis of the Eichmann case. They have not recognized
the failure of either Germany or any other state to bring
Eichmann to justice, since his escape from American occupation
forces in 1945. They did not take into account Israel's scrupu-
lousness in meting out justice. They have merely expressed
suspicions, and suspicions tend to create distrust. We view such
an attitude as objectionable.
* * *
'The Fear Makers'
—
Expose of Neo Nazi Dangers
-
This Commentator recommends highly, as a means of ac-
quiring knowledge about the neo-Nazi activities in post-war
Germany the revealing novel by Wilfrid Schilling, "The Fear
Makers," which has just been published by Doubleday.
"The Fear Makers" is a story about an anti-Nazi who
worked with the French at the end of the last war to bring
Nazi SS leaders to justice and who, 11 years later, is himself
brought to justice in a vendetta conducted by Nazis remaining
in power in West Germany. Alfred Link is again being perse-
cuted. He is jailed but finally released, and even after his
release he is unable to enlist the aid of an attorney because
of the organized neo-Nazi power in Germany.
While it is a horror story of the repulsiveness of prison
life in Germany, of the terrorism that dominates continuous
SS-Nazi thinking, of the ruthlessness of a heritage from
Hitlerism, "The Fear Makers" has the weight of an expose
of a system that has not come to an end with the victory of
the Allies. On the contrary, a re-emerging German power
again is threatening the free world, and Schilling's book
serves to awaken the democracies to a realization of what is
taking place in Germany today.
One of the horrifying descriptions in Schilling's book, as
he recalls the manner in which he helped bring Nazi criminals
to justice, is the exhuming of the bodies of many victims. There
is a serious indictment of the Nazis in this horror scene.
There is a warning to those who are falling prey to the
wiles of German women: Link admonished: "The people who
won the war go to bed with those who lost it, and in the end
it's the losers who win."
The Jewish question enters into the narrative from time
to time, and often a neo-Nazi is heard to defend Hitlerism while
half-heartedly deploring anti-Semitism, yet it is evident through-
out that the sense of guilt is lacking and that Nazis even deny
having known that there were extermination camps.
"Evil never sleeps, even when it's camouflaged under
fair round bellies which look harmless enough," Link evaluates
the new condition as he considers his own tragedy during his
imprisonment.
Schilling's book, which was translated from the German by
Oliver Coburn, originally appeared, anonymously in British and
Dutch editions. He was reproached in Germany for failing to
give his name and was accused of "generalization, incapacity
and cowardice." When he thereupon revealed his name, he was
accused of being a Nazi himself, received letters advising him
Brochure Offers
Clarification of
Genocide Issues
Genocide, the crime of mass
murders committed by nations,•
remains a debated issue, in spite
of international efforts to out-
law mass destruction of nations.
The late Prof. Rafael Lemkin
coined the word, and the Geno-
cide Convention has been propa-
gated in the United Nations and
in the counsels of many nations
since 1946.
But the issue still is being
debated in many lands, and be-
cause it has not enlisted the
backing of all nations, clarifica-
tion of the Genocide Convention
is of vital necessity.
Dr. Nehemiah Robinson, di-
rector of the Institute of Jewish
Affairs of the World Jewish
Congress, has written an im-
portant commentary, "The
Genocide Convention," pub-
lished by the WJCongress, 15
E. 84th St., N.Y. 28. It is a
valuable brochu -e, due to its
factualness.
Describing the preliminary
stages, Dr. Robinson's pamphlet
contains a guide to documents
and explanations of the prep-
aration of the Convention.
Action taken by TIN agencies
and by the UN General Assem-
bly are reviewed, and there are
explanations of the special
problems involved in its appli-
cation.
Dr. Robinson's analysis is
especially valuable for the
interpretation of the general
structure of the Convention.
In addition, the text of the
Convention and related docu-
ments assist the s ,-.ident in ac-
quiring the information desired
about the impertan issue relat-
ing to the enforcement of a
Genocide Convention and the
problems revolving around the
opposition to it.
Included among the appen-
dices are texts of exceptions to
the Convention taken by the
USSR and its satellites.
to hang himself "and others re-
gretting that the SS had failed
to finish me off in a gas
chamber." In his foreward, ex-
plaining the reactions to him,
Schilling states:
There are many sincere demo-
crats in the German Federal
Republic, "the cooperation be-
tween Jews and Christians is
being cultivated," young Ger-
mans went on pilgrimages to
Anne Frank's grave, "there are
men in the press and in broad-
casting who fight against the
evil spirit of the past." But
the other side of the medal
shows "former Nazis en-
trenched in ministerial depart-
ments of the individual Federal
states, in banking, in industry,
in the police, in the judiciary,
in Parliament, in diplomatic
service, even in the Federal
government itself.
Schilling, who now is living in
Belgium, makes this warning:
"Hardly more than 14 years
have passed since the experi-
ences of the Nazi regime, yet at
the height of the business boom
the old murder slogans reap-
peared on German houses, like
the handwriting on the wall.
"It is nonsense to maintain
that this book is apt to rouse
anti- German resentments in
foreign readers, let alone that
it is a carrier of 'Eastern' in-
fection. T h e attentive reader
will know himself how to make
distinctions. After the lessons
of the Second World War,
Nazism in all its forms is no
longer an internal affair of
Germany's; it concerns the
whole world and particularly
those people who helped to over-
throw Nazism."
His novel proves the points
he makes in his explanatory
foreward. It is a book of great
value as a warning against the
repetition of the crimes of
Hitlerism.
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Boris Smolar's
Between You
...and Me'
I
(Copyright, 1960,
Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Inc.)
Communal Assets
Jewish federations in numerous communities are now
developing more and more action in the direction of securing
endowment funds from local sources . • The endowment funds
of 13 federations have grown considerably during the last five
years and now reach about $50,000,000 book value . . . Their
market value is no doubt much higher . . . Securities comprise
more than 80 percent of the total value of the endowment
funds held by the federations • . . Of these, preferred stocks
and bonds, including U.S. Government bonds, constitute 67 per-
cent compared with 33 percent in common stocks . . . One of
the basic objectives for which federations seek endowment
funds is to be able to meet emergencies in crisis situations,
and to provide income for operating needs of federations or
their beneficiary agencies supplementing the amounts available
from campaign sources . . . A study among large-city Federa-
tions on their endownment funds has just been completed by
Henry L. Zuker, executive director of the Cleveland Federa-
tion . . . It provides a rich source of information about the
endowment fund programs of the largest federations.
Information Please
An interesting survey on the observance of religious holi-
days in public schools in the larger cities throughout the country
has now been completed by the office of research of the St.
Paul Public Schools • . . An inquiry on this subject has been
addressed by the St. Paul office to superintendents of education
in cities of over 200,000 in population . . Particular reference
was made in the inquiry to Christmas, Hanukah, Easter and
Passover . . . Out of 37 cities, 12 replied specifically that they
have no written policy regarding the observance of the holi-
days . . . An equal number said that the matter is left to the
principals . . . Half of the replies mentioned that children are
permitted to be absent from school on religious holidays . . .
Three cities said that no examinations or tests were given on
Jewish holidays, and one emphasized that athletic contests were
not held on such holidays . . . Some schools said that out of
deference to the Jews, school affairs are being held on Saturday
night instead of Friday night . .. One city said that Christmas
and Easter are observed in schools with songs and pageantry,
but that elements "most objectionable to Jews" were left out
. . . One large Middle-Western city said that in its schools there
was practically no observance of Hanukah, while another said
that both Hanukah and Christmas were emphasized . . . One
Middle-Western city advises its teachers that programs with
any religious significance be conducted so as not to embarrass
any of the pupils . . . In 15 cities, Jewish teachers in the public
school system are permitted to be absent from their classes on
Jewish holidays, if they so request.
Behind the Scene
The reorganized Jewish Agency in New York is still looking
around for a person qualified for the post of its permanent
representative in Israel, to be a kind of an ambassador of
American Jewry to Israel, inasmuch as all elements of Ameri-
can Jewry—Zionist and non-Zionist—are now in fact represented
on the Agency's new board of directors . . . This person will
hold the key to the spending of the funds raised in this country
by the United Jewish Appeal for work in Israel through the
Jewish Agency . . . He will be accountable only to the board
of directors of the reorganized Jewish Agency in New York
which includes seven members of the former board and 14
additional communal leaders, some of whom have never been
affiliated with any Zionist group . . . Offers have been made
by the reorganized Jewish Agency to Dr. Joseph Schwartz and
Professor William Haber, but both have declined . . . The name
of Dr. Isidore Lubin, noted economist, is mentioned by some,
but others point out that he has never taken much interest in
Israel . . . Some suggest Judge Louis Levinthal of Philadelphia,
or Dr. Israel Goldstein.
False Assumptions
There are some who try to link the reorganization of the
Jewish Agency with an alleged "ultimatum" given by the U.S.
Treasury Department to the United Jewish Appeal with regard
to the Agency's • subventions to constructive enterprises of the
political parties in Israel . . . This is entirely without founda--
Lion . . . The third alternative—the reorganization of the Jewish
Agency into a body providing the requisite control—was the
logical choice, since the leaders of the Jewish Agency have long
urged American Jewry to have a greater voice in the ultimate
disposition of funds raised through the UJA for work in Israel.
Similarly untrue are the reports that the Treasury Department
gave the UJA the ultimatum to discontinue the subsidies to the
constructive enterprises of the political groups in Israel . .
The Jewish Agency voluntarily decided to discontinue these
subsidies as of the end of this year . . . These parties may now
embark on independent campaigns in the United States for
funds for such programs.
The Inside Story
About a year ago the Treasury Department issued invita-
tions to representatives of the UJA and of other major American
organizations — Jewish and non - Jewish — engaged in overseas
relief to discuss a proposed directive regarding American con-
trol of expenditures of funds on overseas projects . . . The
directive provided that for any given organization to qualify for
tax-exempt status under the U.S. tax laws, Americans would
have to exercise control over the expenditure of the organiza-
tion's funds on the overseas projects . . • The proposed directive
presented no problem to the UJA insofar as the operation of
the Joint Distribution Committee—which is one of the major
partners in the UJA—were concerned ... However, it did have
a bearing on the UJA concerning the funds turned over to the
United Israel Appeal—the second major partner in the UJA-
for transmission to the Jewish Agency, because control over
expenditures of JD• funds abroad rests exclusively with Ameri-
cans, while no such American control is exercised over the
funds spent by the Jewish Agency in Israel . . . Three alterna-
tives were considered for establishing such a control system: con-
trols by the UJA, or by the UIA, or by the Jewish Agency for
Israel in New York .. .