Purely Commentary

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,-, Our Sympathies Go Forth to Stricken Persian Community

Sympathy to Persia .
By Philip
The New Justice . . . A ,
WOMOVitZ
Nasty Mich. Brochure

of a published work.
The Michigan soldier's published experiences relate in-
The entire world was shocked by the tragedy caused by
t.:
&., nature's eruption in Iran. The sufferings caused by the earth- stances involving foraging, looting of enemy property, abuses
I quake, the many deaths and the tragedy of the maimed, leave of privileges which would undoubtedly be declared illegal in
modern warfare. The Jewish incident is about a sutler, in a
us aghast.
-
In
expressing
our
sympathy
to
Iran—the
community
that
camp
near New Orleans, who was given permission to sell goods
r:z
tv is so well known to us as Persia—we feel a sense of kinship in the camp of the Sixth Michigan. There were remonstrances
ta
with the stricken people. It is only natural that Jews in many against the prices he was charging, but, so the Michigan soldier
:as lands, and the Israel government, should come to the aid of the relates in the WMU pamphlet, "he seemed bent on robbing us."
.
So the soldiers conspired instead to be rid of him and they
afflicted nation.
We recall the Persian friendships for Jewry and for Israel. robbed him instead.
;. 1
Since there may be a question not only of "historical ac-
It was the great Persian King Cyrus who made possible one
I • return of Jews to their homeland after the first dispersion.
curacy" but also whether "folklore" is to be suppressed, the
c/a
We also take into account the current friendship of Iran soldier's reminiscences are worth recording. We quote from the
;4 for Israel and its government's cooperative efforts with Jewish WMU brochure:
"One evening just 'after parade, it was whispered around,
communities. Iran also took note of the dangers to the Middle
•
'We are going to make our advance and raid the Jew Sutler.
East from the Cairo dictatorship, and . the Ahwas Radio of Iran,
•
Quietly the boys gathered in the vicinity of the sutler lodge
rnin a recent Arabic broadcast; declared:
or tent, and one could see mischief in their .eyes. A comrade
"Cairo
radio
has
portrayed
Gamal
Abdel
Nasser
as
a
R
assayed to - make a bargain with him for something, and as
miracle maker on the occasion of the launching of the
W
1-4
usual, the cut-throat price was demanded. The comrade
Egyptian rocket. What miracle has Nasser accomplished? Has
• remonstrated, telling him of his unfairness. He (the Jew)
he saved the Egyptian peasants from hunger and poverty?
tli
then saw there was something in the wind and withdrew
Has he saved them from bilharziasis, and trachoma? Has he
0
14
into his den, closing the portals. This signal is given and
raised the standard of living of the Egyptian people, which
•
W is regarded as the lowest in the world? Has he ended the sharp knives cut the guyropes at every stake. Instantly the
differences and altercations between himself and the Arab mammoth tent collapsed upon the sutler and his wares, and
r4 States? Had he done anything of this kind, we would have a score of strong arms reach under for the precious goods.
1:0
Mr. Jew crawls out, after a moment's time, only to see his
called him a miracle maker. For him to seek the help of
Et
costly merchandise vanishing in every direction. Boys carry-
foreign experts in producing a device of war and aggression
and to spend on its production the millions belonging to the
ing it by the armful to secret hiding places. He wrings his
hands in untold agony and implores the boys to desist. But
impoverished Egyptian people—this action cannot be called
miracle making. This name is accorded to him by the Nasserist
it is too late now, the ball is opened and the figure cut. He
propaganda factories. Even Abdel Nasser himself laughs at
hurries to the Colonel's tent and makes his pitiful appeal
to him.
this name. And he laughs even more at those who believe
these lies."—Ahwas Radio (in Arabic), 29.7.62.
"The Colonel comes over to the scene of the late sutler
lodge to stop the boys in their business of manipulating the
We pray that the people of Persia should find speedy
relief from its sufferings and that it should never again be
sutler's goods. Where, oh where, are they now? All is quiet,
afflicted by tragedies such as struck that land this week.
not a scamp of them to be seen; all are in their quarters
*
*
*
meekly attending to their camp duties. The fallen lodge is
removed, and only empty boxes are resealed. The goods
Felix Frankfurter and Arthur J. 'Goldberg
have been disposed of at a bargain and the boys stand in.
Felix Frankfurter's retirement and Arthur J. Goldberg's
Some little action is pretended toward searching for stolen
accession to his post in the highest court of the land marks a
goods, but nothing is revealed from its secure hiding place.
Zionist's succession to another Zionist.
•
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The officers return to their quarters,, and the disconsolate
Frankfurter was one of the - close associates of Louis D.
Jew moans audibly and taunts our boys as being thieves and
Brandeis during the latter's leadership in the Zionist Organiza-
robbers. They have put a stop to the repetition. Four strong
tion of America. He began his Zionist work when the ZOA was
comrades approach Mr. Sutler, and you will observe that
still the Federation of American Zionists, before the name was
they are dragging something in their rear which proves to
changed at Brandeis' suggestion. He was on Brandeis' side during
be a stout army blanket. In a twinkling the Jew finds him-
the sad ideological struggle between the Brandeisists and the
Weizmannites at the famous Cleveland Zionist convention in
self in the middle of said blanket, and with sprawling legs
1920.
and flying arms he leaps high up toward the sky, and with
Supporting Brandeis were Judge Julian W. Mack, Prof.
fearful velocity returns earthward again, only to find himself
Horace M. Kallen, Dr. Stephen S. Wise, Dr. Abba Hillel Silver
on the upward flight again; higher;----still higher, with long
and other noted leaders. Detroiters who lined up with Brandeis,
hair streaming in the evening breeze; hatless and shoeless
Frankfurter and their associates were the late Rabbi A. M. Hersh-
he makes his aerial flight, and swiftly, returns to the : loving
man and David - W. Simons. The majority of American Zionists,
embrace of the trusty friend, the army blanket. Several times
like the majority of the Detroit delegation, were with Weizmann.
he performs his wonderful feats •to. the - great amusement of
But that in no sense minimized the Zionist fervor of Frankfurter
scores of Michigan boys, now gathered to -witness : the finale
and the others who were in his group. They were dedicated to
of the programme. Then the iquestion is propounded: 'Jew,
the cause, and Frankfurter was a member of the American Zionist
will you pledge us your honor as an honest man to quit our
delegation that pleaded for the Jewish National Home in Palestine
camp, and never set foot in it again?' He threatens to have
after the First World War, at Versailles.
revenge and again he gyrates from earth heavenward; up,
Frankfurter made numerous appearances before Z i o n i s t
still more high, and as he returns to the blanket again the
audiences, and he was unhesitant in his pro-Zionism. His most
breath is nearly driven from the body of this detestable
recent appearance before a pro-Israel gathering was as speaker
object claiming to be a man. Shortly he is given time for
three years ago at the annual dinner for the Weizmann Institute
reply to the proposition, and this time he is not long in
in New York.
expressing his desire to depart peaceable from the camp.
The new U.S. Supreme Court Justice ; Arthur J. Goldberg, is
The boys conducted him to the guard line, admonish him
equally an avowed Zionist. Since his appointment as Secretary
if he values his life to depart, and never show his face again
of Labor, he spoke before a number of Jewish gatherings and
to a camp of Michigan men. He is given a parting salute in
mostly before Zionist groups. He was honored by Histadrut, and
the form of a lift in the boot and shoe trade and sent on his
way rejoicing.
as guest speaker at the convention of the Zionist Organization
of America, in Washington, less than two months ago, he ad-
"This is the way our boys adjusted their wrongs with
dressed the delegates as "fellow Zionists." This in itself indicates
Southern Jew sutlers, and the officers could never bring the
that the new Supreme Court Justice possesses courage. There
culprits to justice, for the whole regiment was en masse.
have been too many cowards in our midst who, failing to appre-
"In union there is strength. They were not down there
ciate the great humanitarian ideal represented by Zionism, be-
to be robbed by Southern citizens, and were ever equal to
came frightened every time an anti-Semite or an anti-Israeli,
the emergency. Boys, what did you get out of that old Jew's
seeking to abuse Jewry and Judaism, used the terms Zionist and
store that time? I got some canned goods, and they tasted
Zionism derogatively. Not so the retiring Supreme Court Justice
just as good as though I had paid him three times their
value."
and his successor. Both are avowed, determined, courageous
Zionists.
Is this folklore or is it just a plain account of thievery? Was
The retiring Justice Frankfurter has our sincerest good the sutler's artifice the major cheating practice during the Civil
wishes for uninterrupted productive work which, we guess, will War or was the soldiers' pillaging an even more abominable sin
be in the literary field; and Mr. Justice Arthur J. Goldberg has of the trying period of the war among brothers?
our heartiest good wishes for a long career in the high court.
Your Commentator's first impression was that the Michigan
We are confident that he will make great contributions to our soldier's reminiscences were those of a member of a group of
country and people with whatever interpretations of the law he pillaging soldiers who took advantage of a war condition to rob
may be called upon to make in his new career.
the defenseless. But we would be committing a crime and would
*
*
*
be submitting to immorality if we were to say that what the
An 'Unflattering' State Financed Pamphlet:
Michigan soldier reported was typical of all soldiers' actions.
That would be untrue.
Unfortunate Malignity in Sutlers' Issue
Similarly, it is untrue to say that "Jewish sutlers" were the
When the School of Graduate Studies of Western Michigan
University, at Kalamazoo, undertook to publish "A Soldier's Life guilty ones in a practice of speculation among soldiers. The
-- The Civil War Experiences of Ben C. Johnson — Originally sutlers who peddled their goods during the Civil War were not
Entitled 'Sketches of the Sixth Regiment Michigan Infantry'," all Jews. There were some. Jews among them, and as. a result
its faculty members in charge of publications must have known of one instance of dishonesty General Ulysses S. Grant ordered
that the pamphlet contains violently anti-Semitic statements. We Jews out of war areas. It was the only instance on record of anti-
must adopt this assumption on the basis of this statement made Semitism on the part of a man who was to become President
in the foreward to the brochure by Dean George G. Mallinson of the United States. It became evident at once that Grant's
order was unjust and it was rescinded.
of the WMU School of Graduate Studies:
One of the leading authorities on American Jewish history,
"In a few places in the text, it will be observed that Johnson
makes unflattering references to minority racial groups. This is, Dr. Jacob R. Marcus, director of the American Jewish Archives
of course, a reflection of the prejudice and custom of his own at Cincinnati, agrees with our contention that malpractices dur-
age. In interest of historical accuracy such references have been ing the Civil War, involving sutlers, were not limited to Jews;
retained, but it should be noted the retention of them does not that many elements were involved, and that a pamphlet like
reflect the opinion of the editor or publisher." the one published by one of the Michigan universities serves "to
Such an explanatory note may not be sufficient to counter- intensify the prejudiced stereotype of the Jew." Concurring with
act the damage that can be done by a state-financed pamphlet, our view, Dr. Marcus also wrote to this Commentator: .
appearing under the imprimatur of a university. When the mate-
"It should also be stressed that when an official agency
rial is damaging and untrue, it should be retained for "historical of .the name and standing of the Western Michigan University
accuracy" in archives, to be made available to students only. circulates an anti-Jewish publication it increases the stereo-
Otherwise it serves an evil purpose, for it is most difficult to type of the Jew as a criminal. This is eminently unfair to all
explain-. details involving .prejudice to every indiVidual reader Jews. - Hundreds • of Jews died' 'hi the Civil - War; -- thousands -

E

A

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Buenos Aires Police
Chief Confers with
Jewish Leaders

BUENOS AIRES, (JTA) —
Two top leaders of the DATA,
representative body of Argen-
tine Jewry, met for 90 minutes
with Police Captain Horacio
Green at the police official's
invitation.
Dr. Isaac Goldberg, DATA
president, and Dr. Alejandro
Lutsky, DAIA secretary, dis-
cussed questions affecting the
Jewish community. No other in-
formation on the content of the
talks, which followed the first
arrests in the outbursts of anti-
Semitic incidents in Argentina,
was released.
Two youths were under arrest
on charges of illegal possession
of firearms and damage • to
property. They admitted they
had fired at a theater present-
ing a Jewish play. A third youth
arrested in the incident was
released.
Captain Green told a press
conference last June 28 that he
opposed the action of the DMA
in calling a one - day protest
strike of Jewish stores, facto-
ries, offices and schools on that
day. The police official had
been summoned by President
Guido of Argentina for a report
on the incidents.
He told newsmen after the
meeting that he had "exposed"
to President Guido "the risk
represented by the manner in
which this Israelite organization
presents things, together with
the decision they took to take
justice in their own hands,
adopting measures of force."
The three arrested youths de-
nied they had any part in the
wave of anti-Semitic incidents
in Buenos Aires or that they
were members of the neo-Nazi
youth organization T a c u a r a.
Harrigue Castex was the youth
who was released. Luis Noettin-
ger and Julio Crotto were those
held. They were arrested in a
stationwagon as they were fir-
ing a machinegun at a Jewish-
owned tourist agency.

served in the armed forces,
and six persons of Jewish
descent achieved the distinc-
tion of reaching the rank of
General officers.
"Unfortunately it is the
case that there was corruption
in the army, but it is an
equally notorious fact that
much of the corruption in
the army was carried on by
the officers themselves."
The pamphlet to which we
take exception proves the latter
point as well. Yet, who would
dare to accuse all officers of
malpractices? But that is what
was done in the soldier's pam-
phlet in its treatment of "the
Jew sutler.' It implies that only
Jews were sutlers and that all
Jews were dishonest.
Such folkolre does not de-
serve the wide circulation that
a university-published pamphlet
might receive.
As in the case of Shake-
speare's Shylock, it is the Jew
who is portrayed as the evil fel-
low, while the non-Jews around
him are bent upon robbing him.
A correspondent, commenting
on our recent column on Shake-
speare and his Shylock, was
rather indignant about our in-
terpretation. The genius of
Shakespeare was called into
play and this writer was, in
turn, called to account for his
criticisms of the Shylock theme.
But Shakespeare's genius is not
the subject for discussion. One
does not debate over the his-
toric truth of a great play-
wright's superiority. But just
because, as in the instance of
the Michigan Civil War soldier's
account, he reflected "the preju
dice and custom of his age,"
does not justify the dissemina-
tion of the prejudice.

