Report to American Jewry
THE JEWISH NEWS
Incorporating the Detroit Jewish Chronicle commencing with issue of July 20, 1951
Member American Association of English—Jewish Newspaper, Michigan Press Association, National Edi-
torial Association.
Published every Friday by The Jewish News Pub lishing Co., 17100. West Seven Mile Road, Detroit 35,
.
Mich.. VE 8-9364. Subscription $5 a year. Foreign $6.
Entered as second class matter Aug. 6, 1942 at Po st Office, Detroit, Mich. under act of Congress of March
8, 1879.
PHILIP SLOMOVITZ
Editor and Publisher
SIDNEY SHMARAK CARMI M. SLOMOVITZ HARVEY ZUCKERBERG
Business Manager
Advertising Manager
City Editor
Sabbath Scriptural Selections
This Sabbath, the twenty-third day of Ab, 5721, the following Scriptural selections will be read
in our synagogues:
Pentatenehal portion ; Ekev. Dent. 7:12-11:25. Prophetical portion, Isaiah 49:14-51:3.
. Licht Benshen, Friday, Aug. 4, 7 :20 p.m.
VOL. XXXIX
No. 23
Page Four
August 4, 1961
SRAE
SY 11 -IE
DELEGATION OF COUNCIL
OF JEWISH FEDERATIONS
AND WELFARE FUNDS
'Taking Sides': A Blow to American Principles
Contrary to the strong stand that was
taken last year by the United States Sen-
ate against the boycotting of American
Jews, as well as of the State of Israel, by
Arab states, the Senate Foreign Relations
Committee has so watered down the
clause referrina to the boycott, in the
foreign aid bill,
b that a severe blow has
been given to basic American principles.
While . the chairman of the commit-
tee, Senator J. W. Fulbright of Arkansas,
continues to fight against any reference
to Arab antagonism not only to Israel
but to all Jews, including Americans, the
committee has finally nullified even the
weak "Kennedy clause." The adopted
nullifying clause reads:
"These principles shall be sup-
ported in such a way as to avoid taking
sides in any controversy between coun-
tries having friendly relations with the
United States, while urging both sides
to adjudicate the issues involved by
means of procedures available to the
parties."
This is the most shocking demonstra-
tion of cold-blooded yielding to Arab pres-
sures yet to be registered in our nation's
capital. The great United States, now
fighting for principles involving human
rights on several international fronts, will
be skirting responsibility in - a major
human issue if the clause adopted by
Fullbright's committee finally is adopted.
At a time when Arab states that are
receiving hundreds of millions of our tax
dollars through the foreign aid program
are waging war against another nation
that has friendly relations with the
United States—little Israel—members of
the great legislative body in Washington
have seen fit to write into a major
measure that will add to the - taxpayers'
burdens a reference to "taking sides.' At
a time when Arab states are interfering
with free shippina of American goods,
while the Arab states
that benefit so
b
much from us are making it impossible
for Americans to do business with Israel,
and are perpetuating a policy of refusing
to admit Americans of the Jewish faith
to be stationed with U. S. troops in• -their
countries, members of the United States
Senate have the audacity- to speak of
"taking sides." .
Are we taking sides when Americans
are molested in Cuba? Would we be tak-
ing sides if Jewish members of our armed
forces who are stationed in West Berlin
were to be molested there? Would we
take sides if American Jewish soldiers
were to be mistreated in the Panama
Canal zone?
But while Arabs are taking sides and
are discriminating against American
Jews, and are refusing the talk peace
with Israel, the Senate Foreign Relations
Committee acts unfairly by urging
"both sides to adjudicate the issues in-
volved by means of procedures available
to the parties." Can't the wise men in the
Senate recognize that means of such pro-
cedures have been denied to Israel and
that there will be further deprivation of
the right to direct peace negotiations if
our Congress will refrain from condemn-
ing injustices now flagrantly imposed
upon Americans?
*
Several days before the Senate For-
eign Relations Committee took the self-
humiliating stand of not taking sides,
James . Marshall, vice president of the
American Jewish Committee, in a letter
• to the New York Times, made this appeal
for the prevention of injustices emanating
from the Arab 'boycott through proper
action in the foreign aid bill:
There has been discrimination among
holders of United States passports, among
American military personnel and among
American business concerns doing business
with Arab League nations.
Saudi Arabia, by refusing to permit Ameri-
can military personnel and technicians of the
Jewish faith to be stationed in that country,
has dictated to our armed forces how they
may deploy United States troops.
Some Arab League nations have submitted
questionnaires to American firms inquiring
whether their owners or officers are Jewish.
Thus, in effect, the Arab League countries
have attempted to exert pressure on the De-
partment of Defense and many American
business concerns to discriminate against
Jews.
The 1960 Mutual Security Appropriations
Act characterized the insidious religious dis-
tinctions imposed among American citizens
as "repugnant to our principles." The act
asked that these principles be applied in the
granting of funds under the act "as the
President may determine." Two Presidents
have, nevertheless, granted aid on "repug-
nant" terms:
Holland, Turkey, England and West Ger-
many have refused to be intimidated by the
Arab states.
The platforms of both major political par-
ties in 1960 pledged opposition to the boy-
cott. President Kennedy, during the cam-
paign, specifically stated: "I would also carry
out the mandate, twice expressed by the
Senate, that the Presid -ent act affirmatively
to protect all American citizens from the
practice of religious or racial discrimination
by foreign governments."
These pledges should be fulfilled in the
new foreign-aid bill.
It is clear that President Kennedy
shares responsibility for proper action in
the foreign aid measure with our Con-
gress. Last year, Vice President—then
Senator—Lyndon Johnson was among
those who led the fight against Senator
Fullbright's anti-Israel stand and in favor
of a strong plank opposing the Arab boy-
cott. That plank has never been enforced,
but it 4s at least on the record as Ameri-
can policy. Now the timid men in the
Senate would even eliminate a basic prin-
ciple froni American records!
President Kennedy was out campaign-
ing and did not vote on the measure last
year, but he had made his views known,
as is indicated in the above quotation in
Mr. Marshall's letter.
We therefore hold the President
equally responsible for the retention of
an American idea. Else, we are abdicating
a major positiOn of fighting for justice for
all Americans, regardless of their race or
creed; else, we are conceding that there
are classes of Americans, and that if a
bargainer for priiiileges holds a- club over
our headswhether it is oil or a- threat
of alignment with the East—Jews will be
sacrificed on an altar of utter indecency.
Perhaps the lower House of Congress
will be able to rescue the honor of the
Senate by refusing to go along with it in
a matter involving the rights of American
citizens. In any event, the proposed Sen-
ate clause in the foreign aid bill is an
insult to Americans and should not be
condoned.
This is an era when all Americans
owe a duty to uphold the President's
hands in the East-West crisis. Our Gov-
ernment's position will not be helped,
however, by . the lessening of moral values
— and by condoning discrimination
against American citizens, we will not be
ainina
favor in the Middle East: we will
gaining
b
merely encourage . further blackmailing,
even in relation to Soviet intrusions in
the Middle East. Thus, our position in the
present global struggle for decency can be
helped only by rejecting any attempt at
bias in international relations. The serious
test is contained in the foreign aid bill.
Humanism and Spiritual Values
Prof. Abraham Kaplan's Book
Excellent Guide to Philosophy
A series of lectures delivered by Dr. Abraham Kaplan, professor
of-philosophy at U.C.L.A., on the subjects of Pragmatism, Analytic
Philosophy, Existentialism, Freud and Modern Philosophy, Commu-
nism, Indian Philosophy, Buddhism, Chinese Philosophy and Zen,
comprise the text of his new book, "The New World of Philosophy,"
published by Random HouSe.
In his lectures, Prof. Kaplan conveyed "the commonality of
human problems," emphasizing "that sense of kinship expressed by
the Roman poet who wrote, 'Being human, nothing human is foreign
to me.' "
The philosopher's U.C.L.A. lectures dealt with humanism,
activism, rationality, preoccupation with moral and spiritual values.
Dr. Kaplan declares in his introduction to these essays'iliat •
"philosophy has in a certain respect more kinship with art than
with science." He declares that every - culture is not expected to
create the same style . of art, "while we do expect them ultimately
to arrive at and accept the same scientific truths." -
Prof. Kaplan considers Freud "a rationalist, following in the
Jewish tradition of Maimonides, Spinoza and Einstein, closer per-
haps to the intellectualism of the first than to the rational mysticism:
of the other two."
In his discussion of Communism, he maintains that there is one
point "at which the communist myth differs in a most critical way
from the Judaeo-Christian 'conception. It is that in the religious
tradition, the hero of the drama is the individual soul, his is the
sin and his the salvation."
The relationships between certain views in various religions
and Judaic conceptions, primarily Hassidic observances, are indi-
cated by the author.
In his discussion of Buddhism, Prof. Kaplan makes this interest-
ing observation:
"When orthodox Jews complete their animal public 'reading
of the Torah, it is the custom to proclaim, 'Be strong, and let us
strengthen one another!' A Buddhist, I think, would find this
congenial to his own outlook. But where the Jew strengthens him-
self for the arduous task of living by his Torah and so walking
with God, in Buddhism religion turns altogether from the worship
of God to the service of man. From the standpoint of our Western
tradition, we are tempted to argue that it is all morality and no
religion. This is only to say all over again that it is naturalistic
and humanistic."
On the subject of Zen, Prof. Kaplan states that "the Zen is
likely to be the careful distillation of a precious essence and not
the crude mixture that makes up the historical reality. A Japanese
student of Judaism and Christianity would in the same way be
advised to remember that the Synagogue, Church and State are not
too clearly represented in the Book of Job, Isaiah, or the Sermon
on the Mount."
Is there need for a Master? He. poses the question, also in
treating the subject of Zen. On this score he relates a Hasidic
tale which he describes as being "much to the point":
"A Hasidic saint appeared in a certain community, and in a
short time a good part of the congregation withdrew from the
synagogue and spent their time in his company. Summoned by the
rabbi for this challenge to established religious authority, the
saint assured him he would soon put a stop to it. Accordingly, on
the Sabbath he arose and announced that he was as much a sinner
as everyone else, had no particular sacred learning, and exhorted
his hearers not to follow him. Of course they flocked to him more
than ever. Once more the rabbi summoned him. 'This time,' he
said, 'you must tell them that you are a great saint, a master of
scriptures and commentaries, and prepared to give instruction
in the path of the True World.' At this the saint shook his head.
`Not even if my rabbi commands me could I bring myself to
tell a lie.' "
Those seeking knowledge about the living philosophies of our
time will be greatly enlightened by Dr. Kaplan's book and will find
it an excellent guide to their studies.