. Pure y
47 I -sr-,
Friday, December 2,
co
m
ommentary
Leonard N. Simons Renders Valuable Service:
Institutes Campaign Against Dictionary Slurs
Early in August this column ,carried an -item about the
"suppression of anti-Semitic definitions in dictionaries," and
emplisized the necessity for the removal of all anti-Semitic
definitions in dictionaries and encyclopedias.
The item was based on recommendations
that were made in Bogota, Colombia, at the
congress of Spanish language academies of
South America, that words and definitions that
are anti-Semitic in nature should be suppressed
in Spanish dictionaries.
We stated at that time: "Much remains
to be clone to remove anti-Jewish comments
from textbooks, encyclopedias and dictionaries.
Having attained that, we shall come much
closer to assuring fairness in education and
Simons
in human relations. Then, it will be perfidy
to distort the true meaning of words and to instigate man against
man hatefully."
It must have been telepathic that Leonard N. Simons, one
of our most distinguished Detroiters, at the same time also
should have discovered a number of insulting references to Jews
in the Oxford University Press Dictionary. He then began the
personal campaign to assure the elimination of insulting refer-.
ences from important dictionaries..
He wrote national organizations—American Jewish commit-
tee, Anti-Defamation League of Bnai Brith, Jewish Publication
Society and others—presented the facts to them and urged that
action be taken immediately to assure the elimination of refer-
ences that are insulting in character and which misrepresent the
status of the Jews and the Jewish people.
Leonard Simons, who has been known locally as a great
champion of humanitarian causes, as a brilliant advertising
executive, with remarkable skill as a • researcher, determinedly
pursued the task of assuring the elimination of injustice in public
documents. Let it be said to his credit that on several previous
occasions he succeeded and was responsible for apologies for
anti-Semitic remarks by irresponsible people.
Simons found that in the Oxford University Press Dictionary .
the only definition for the word "Moses" is "(nickname) Jewish
money lender."
Simons found that the term "Jew," in the Oxford dic-
tionary is interpreted as: "Person of Hebrew race; (transf.
colloq.) extortionate usurer. Driver of hard bargains; rich as a
Jew: unbelieving Jew, incredulous person; Jew (colloq.) Cheat,
over-reach. Jewing—Wattles at base of beak in some domestic
pigeons, (from resemblance to hooked nose)."
Simons proceeded to do some more research and found
that in Webster's Dictionary the definition of the word Jewish is
given as follows: "JEWISH: in this sense used vulgarly, as by
anti-Semites .. . to get the better of in bargaining, as by sharp
practices or haggle with in order to get a lower price or a
better bargain: vulgar and offensive, expression in allusion to
methods attributed to Jewish merchants by anti-Semites."
It is interesting to know, too, in this connection, that
Webster's states that the insulting interpretation given there is:
"Vulgar and offensive."
The 1934 edition of Webster's New International Dictionary
gave the following definitions for the term Jew: "to overreach
by sharp practice."
As a result of the action instituted by Leonard Simons,
both the Bnai Brith Anti-Defamation League and the American
Jewish Committee went into action. They began to correspond
with other publishers of dictionaries and to indicate to them
the injustice of using some of the terms that have been incorpo-
rated in their dictionaries. While the ADL reports "too small
concessions," the effort is afoot to correct an injustice.
It is already apparent that Leonard Simons has rendered a
tremendous service to the Jewish people by instituting action
against the misuse of the terms Jew and Jewish. He has enlisted
the cooperation of many individual leaders, in addition to the
national Jewish organizations. Max Fisher, president of the
Detroit Jewish Welfare Federation, is communicating with
British sources—since most of the harm stems from the Oxford
dictionary. Thus, a debt of gratitude is due to Mr. Simons for
a courageous undertaking to wipe out an injustice and to prevent
the spread of its medieval character into the minds of modern
men.
Prof. C6 tn
. bergin
SIOMOVitZ -Israel to Advise
isri-2.2caiie-itT,rizr-.1.cy!,softf°'
The Israel Goldsteins Go to Israel
Dr. and Mrs. Israel Goldstein are carrying with them to T echnionLeci del's
A Salute to Leonard
By Philip
Israel, where they henceforth will make their home, the good
wishes of all American JeWs and of - many thousands of non-
Jews with whom they labored in behalf of scores of humani-
tarian causes.
At the age of 64, Rabbi Goldstein is leaVing the pulpit he
occupied at Congregation Bnai Jeshurun, in New York City,
for 42 years. While inspiring hiS own congregation, he played
a - vital role in the most important Jewish movements — in
Zionism, in the American and World Jewish Congresses, in the
United Jewish Appeal, Jewish National Fund, United Syna-
gogue, Jewish Conciliation Board, Israel Bonds and so many
more worthy causes that it is difficult to list them all.
Mrs. Goldstein, in her own right, has rendered_ great
service to Jewry — as the leader of Pioneer Women and in
other capacities.
Dr. Goldstein is one of America's •best known orators. He
has so much genius for organization and administration that
whatever he had undertaken proved successful. .
He will preach his farewell sermon on Dec. 10 and on Dec.
6 he will be honored by his congregation at a farewell dinner.
Wherever he will go, whoever will honor him, he will be ac-
companied by the good wishes of all Jewry.
Dr. and MrS. Goldstein undoubtedly will be as active in
Israel as they were in the United States. Israel will gain by
having them in their midst.
*
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*
John Rankin of Mississippi
Write in your own description of the man. With his passing
this week, the judges in the Great Beyond will have a difficult
task to decide whether John Rankin was to have been pitied for
his hatred, or whether he should have been chosen for severe
punishment. In the chronicles of •history it will be recorded
that he had punished himself—with the infamy that goes with
the venom with which he sought to harm
his fellow-men.
He hated Jews, he despised Negroes, he
was anti-Catholic. He loved the word "kike"
and hurled it at a fellow-Congressman—Rep.
Sam Weiss, now Judge Weiss, of Pittsburgh.
"Jew" and "communist" were interchangeable
terms to him.
After the race riots in Detroit, in 1943,
Rankin delivered a speech in the U.S. House
of Representatives in which he said:
"When these communistic Jews---of whom
the decent Jews are ashamed—go around here
and hug and kiss these Negroes, dance with
them, intermarry with them, and try to force
John Rankin
_their way into white restaurants, white hotels
and white picture shows, they are not deceiving any red-blooded
American, and, above all, they are not deceiving the man in
our armed forces—as to who is at the bottom of all this race
trouble.
"The better element of the Jews, and especially the old line
American Jews throughout the South and West, are not only
'ashamed of, but they are alarmed at, the activities of these com-
munistic Jews who are stirring this trouble up."
That was one of the tricks used by anti-Semites—to speak
of good Jews and bad Jews but inter alia to group all Jews
as communistic.
He used all available tricks to suit his purpose. He hated
Russia, but he loved the Russians when they persecuted Jews.
He hated Dubinsky, and he delighted in attacking him for hav-
ing criticized Soviet Russia at the time when the communists
executed two distinguished Russian Jewish labor leaders, Ehrlich
and Alter.
He blessed the Nazis and cursed his fellow-Americans. He
was the idol of the bigots. He was himself the arch-bigot.
Hate does not pay, however. His own constituents finally
told him to stay home. There apparently is no room in Congress
for those who instigate to murder.
There were no blessings for John Rankin in his lifetime.
There is only pity for him even among the most charitable
and most forgiving.
HAIFA, Israel — Prof. Henry
J. Gomberg, world famous nucle-
ar scientist and head of the
Phoenix Laboratory at the Uni-
versity of Michigan, is in Haifa
serving as adviser to the Depart-
ment of Nuclear Sciences at the
Technion, Israel Institute of
Technology.
His visit is un-
der the aus-
pices of the
U. S. Interna-
tional Coopera-
tion Adminis-
tr a ti on and
the University
of Michigan.
The noted
professor is
discussing
with Technion
scientists the
possibilities of
introducing
new teaching
a n d research
subjects, ex-
panding t h e Prof. Gomberg
teaching program, and the fu-
ture development of the Insti-
tute's Nuclear Science Depart-
ment, in view of Israel's grow-
ing demand for nuclear engi-
neers and scientists.
This is Prof. Gomberg's sec-
ond visit to Israel and the
Technion.
German Social Democrats
Agree on Establishment of
Diplomatic Ties with Israel
HANOVER (JTA) — The
Social Democratic Party of
Germany voted unanimously at
its annual convention that the
establishment of diplomatic re-
lations betwen the Federal Re-
public and Israel has become
both necessary and possible."
The resolution had been in-
troduced by the Darmstadt dis-
trict chapter of the party. The
principle had been previously
enunciated by the party's exe-
cutive board and presidium. Ac-,
cording to the Darmstadt reso-
lution, Arab threats against
Germany's establishment of dip-
lomatic relations with Israel
"should be heeded less, when
there is a moral urgency" for
taking the step.
The Darmstadt delegation
told the convention that "econ-
omic disadvantages which might
arise from this step should be
treated as of secondary import-
ance." Israel's Mapai Party
was among the Socialist groups
from the free world having ob-
servers and guests at the con-
vention. Israel was represented
*
*
*
by Yitzhak Seminger, director
National Civil Defense Day—Peace Through Preparedness of the Ichud Hakibutzim.
Next Wednesday's designation as National Civil Defense Day
is based on aspirations for "peace through preparedness."
Arrest W. Berlin Official
For those of us who _live in urban communities it is especially
urgent that we should learn the details involved in preparedness on Charges of Shooting
Polish Jews During War
*
*
*
for emergencies in the event of nuclear attacks.
WEST BERLIN (JTA) —
Our
citizens
must
learn
to
know
community
plans
for
Walter Aronoff—Distinguished Circulation Manager
emergency action. They must. be fully informed on warning Paul Heilig, now director of . •
When the Detroit Times suddenly vanished from the scene, signals. They should be on guard against radioactive fallout. customs here, was arrested on
Your Commentator made mention of some of the able members All of us should be acquainted with first aid needs.
charges of having taken part in
of the defunct newspaper's editorial
There are other requirements, some of them more technical, the shooting of Jews in Poland .
such as knowledgd about battery-powered radio sets and other during the Second World War..
staff.
Heilig's arrest followed that of
Now, a word about another dis-
details.
tinguished member of the former De-
The important point is that Civil Defense Day admonishes H. Rohling, former deputy lead-
troit Times family' — the very able
us to be alerted to needs for survival preparations. December 7 er of detectives at Minden, who
—the National Civil Defense Day—should receive priority in was also charged with having
circulation manager, Walter Aronoff.
murdered Polish Jews.
our activities that involve "gamble with life."
As circulation director of the
Times, Aronoff gained national fame.
He helped build up his newspaper
from a circulation of 12,000, when
the late James Schermerhorn was its
By HAROLD U. RIBALOW
up in all diamond conversation. of a new team.
publisher, to a number that exceeded
Greenberg feels that he was
(Copyright. 1960, JeWish Telegraphic
While still a vice-president and
400,000.
Agency, Inc.)
stockholder in the Chicago White confident a team could be orga-
It was primarily as the guardian
This is the hot-stove season, so Sox, Hank made it clear, almost nized for the 1961 season but he
angel of the young newsboys that
it is - perfectly all right for a as soon as AL expansion was wasn't sure how long it would
Aronoff especially emerged as a man
writer to discuss baseball, even announced, that he wanted to take to get together a squad good
with a heart. As the friend of hun-
though we arestill•in the football head a club in Los Angeles.
enough to win a pennant.
dreds of distributors of his news-
and basketball'seasOn and we are He talked with all sorts of
There is no question that
paper, — of the driVers who worked
all involved, in one way or officials of the Coliseum and the hank Greenberg, one of the great
under him — he became known as
another, in a new Kennedy Ad- minor league clubs in the area sluggers of all time, and perhaps
Walter Aronoff
"the boss with a conscience." He
never let anyone down, and he never discriminated for or against ministration in the sense that we and made it plain that he expect- the finest Jewish player in the
have been following Kennedy's ed to get out of the White So:, history of the game (with Al
any one: his motto was fair play for all.
-selections for his "team."
situation and become a leader in Rosen running him a close sec-
had
won
the
award
of
the
International
Circulation
He
But back to baseball: with the the new Los Angeles club. It was ond, or neck-and-neck), is going
Managers' Association for most constructive newspaper boys
in the annals of the
programs. He helped make newspaper-carrying a genuine after- American and National Leagues obvious that no matter how long to go down
sport as a major Jewish executive
the
planning
phase
took,
Green-
name
of
the
.
both
expanding,
school avocation. He was among the ablest •men who served
Hank Greenberg keeps popping berg would be part and parcel as well.
the Detroit Times.
Greenberg Seen as Key Figure in Baseball Growth