THE DETROIT JEW ISH NEWS -- Friday, Nov ember 9, 1962
N
Purely Commentary
Refugees Loom as Top Problem in Jewry
Despite Progress of Europe Communities
By PHILIP SLOMOVITZ
GENEVA, (JTA)—The or- of the need. He pointed to the pendent on us. Further, because
ganized Jewish communities in large JDC budget required for of lack of funds, we have not
Anniversary of Declaration of Emancipation:
Western Europe's highly indus- care of aged and handicapped yet been able to care for the
Lincoln's Attitude on Slavery, Negroes' status
trialized countries have not Jews in Israel; ORT, which does Jewish aged in Morocco. Since
The observance of the 100th anniversary of the issuance of only, for the greater part, the major part of its work in continued neglect creates ever-
the Emancipation Declaration by President Lincoln revives achieved economic independ- Israel, where it provides half increasing problems, this prob-
interest in the Emancipator's attitude toward the Negroes.
ence, but are also capable now of the vocational training done lem has become a must."
In his book, "Conversations with Lincoln," published by of coming to the aid of com- in that country; and the needs Another speaker at the as-
Putnam, which was reviewed in these columns some months ago, munities that are hardpressed, of Hias. He pointed out that sembly was Dr. Astorre Mayer
the author, Charles M. Segal, points out that when he took the like that of France, Edward Hias activities resulting from of Milan, chairman of the con-
Presidential oath Lincoln "had promised not to interfere with M. M. Warburg, chairman of the exodus of Jews from Cuba ference, who expressed gratifi-
the American Jewish Joint Dis- "continues at a higher rate cation over the fact that the
slavery where it then existed." He states further:
tribution Committee, declared than anticipated." Hias, he said, new European organization will
When Fremont tried to abolish slavery in the Department
has helped resettle 3,000 Cuban be the first international body
of the West, Lincoln promptly rescinded the general's order. here.
Warburg was one of the prin- Jews in the United States since to receive the coveted Schroder
When Major General David Hunter on May 9, 1862, declared
Memorial Award. That award
"forever free" persons "heretofore held as slaves" in Georgia, cipal speakers at the third an- 1960.
"Finally," Jordan told the will be given the Conference
Florida 'and South Carolina, Lincoln also repudiated this nual assembly of the Standing
assembly, "enormous problems when the Council of Jewish
pronunciamento, stating that granting freedom to slaves was Conference on European Jew-
still face us all in Morocco, Federations and Welfare Funds
ish
Community
Services,
which
a responsibility "I reserve to myself, and which I can not feel
Tunisia, Iran and in Algeria convenes next week at its an-
justified in leaving to the decision of commanders in the field." convened here with the partici- itself, where the residual Jew- nual assembly to be held in
Lincoln knew full well that "in repudiating Hunter's proclama- pation of 150 Jewish leaders ish population is totally de- Philadelphia.
tion, I gave dissatisfaction, if not offence, to many whose from 14 European countries.
support the country can not afford to lose." The "pressure" Simultaneously, meetings were
being held by the International
in favor of emancipation "is still upon me, and is increasing,"
Council on Jewish Social and
he told Border State representatives in July.
Welfare Services, and by the
In his approach to the slavery question, Lincoln was 16th annual Country Directors
concerned with keeping the Border States from joining the
Conference of the JDC.
LONDON, (JTA) — Voicing ing of Soviet rockets in Cuba
Confederacy. He had felt they "must be conciliated and kept
Due to the unit of Euro- concern over the threat to Is- as a threat to the United States,
in the Union by pleasant promises." On the other hand,
pean Jewry brought about by rael of Egyptian rockets, Sir while no voices have been
"Border State Conservatives . . . looked upon the President's
the Standing Conference, Barnett Janner, Laborite Mem- raised to demand the dismantl-
policy of conciliation as an evidence of weakness, and treated
Warburg declared, there have ber of Parliament and president ing of Egyptian rockets threat- .
his concessions, not as grateful acts of mercy and condescen-
resulted not only strength but of the Board of Deputies of ening Israel, which were even
sion, but as surrenders to their just demands, and, consequently,
also action. "This kind of British Jews, said that it was nearer to Egypt than Cuba is
deputations of borderers, impudent in their exactions, have
mutual assistance," he stated, "remarkable" that vigorous pro- to U.S. shores. He spoke at the
visited the White House, presuming upon the conciliatory
"would not have been pos- tests are forcing the dismantl- 38th annual conference of the
policy of the President, to secure their growing demands."
sible if the European Jewish
-Jewish National Fund.
Lincoln's advocacy of compensated, voluntary emancipation was
•
communities had not banded
Arthur Lourie, Israel's .Am-
an .attempt to reconcile the conflicting abolitionist and con-
together in the Standing Con-
bassador to London, told the
servative viewpoints. Instead, both groups regarded it with
ference three years ago. Its
delegates to the two-day con-
suspicion. Refusal of the Border States to accept this plan
formation and development
ference that the . sale of U.S.
demonstrated Lincoln's "Border State" policy to be "a failure."
have changed the relationship
Hawk anti-aircraft missles to
As Lincoln wrestled with the slavery issue, the radicals
"between European and Amer-
Israel was an important devel-
ican Jewry. Where, once,
kept hammering away at him with a vindictive ferocity. To
opment which was welcomed by
JDC was the life-line from
the fiery Wendell Phillips, Lincoln was "a first rate second rate
WASHINGTON, (JTA) — The Israel, but did not constitute a
America to Europe, it has
man." This discontented abolitionist warned: "As long as you
now become the connecting Arab leaders continued this week new arms race in the Middle
keep the present turtle at the head of the government, you
link between the two com- to link the United States decision East as some persons have
make a pit with one hand and fill it with the other." William
to supply Hawk anti-aircraft mis- claimed.
munities."
Lloyd Garrison had become "skeptical as to the 'honesty' of
He noted the build-up in arms
Lincoln," whom he characterized as "nothing better than a wet
Another of the assembly siles to Israel with support of
rag." Lincoln reportedly told Senator John B. Henderson of speakers, Ambassador Moshe Cuba's Castro, denunciation of and aircraft, of all types, by
Missouri: "Stevens, Sumner and Wilson, simply haunt me .. . Bartur, Israel's permanent rep- the United States and support of neighboring countries which
resentative at the United Na- the Soviet Union in the crisis have publicly asserted their de-
With their importunities for a Proclamation of Emancipation.
termination to destroy Israel.
tions
European Headquarters over Cuba.
I
go
and
whatever
way
I
turn,
they
are
on
my
trail,
•Wherever
The
Hawk anti-aircraft missile,
here, also emphasized what he
Syrian Premier Khalid el-Azim
and still in my heart, I have the deep conviction that the hour
has not yet come." The editor of the North American feared called "the basic revolutionary cabled Premier Khrushchev to with its 40,000 foot ceiling, Lou-
"that the President is rapidly alienating his friends and will transformation which Europe is express "a dmir a tio n" for rie said, merely restores the
soon find himself without a party, if not without a country." undergoing at present" and the Russia's "noble stand" in Cuba. arms balance in t: ;! area, mak-
bearing these changes "will un- Iraq's Premier Kassem de- ing an attack on Israel a haz-
The eccentric Polish Count Adam Gurowski opined: "Lincoln
doubtedly have on the activities nounced President Kennedy's ardous adventure.
acts . . . (only) when the gases of public exasperation rise
Jewish National Fund income
of the Jewish communities in "flagrant violation of the prin-
powerfully and strike his nose."
in Britain during the current
Europe."
ciple
of
international
seas."
Segal, in his interesting book, which is one of the great
year totaled more than 750,000
"European Jewry," said the Egypt's Nasser accused the
contributions to Lincolniana in this anniversary year of the
pounds sterling ($2,100,00), of
United
States
of
undermining
Israeli envoy, "which had re.
Emancipation Declaration, states also:
vThieh 700,000 pounds ($1,960,-
cived an almost mortal blow Middle East peace by offering
Lincoln himself was a moderate liberal, who wished "all
000) has already been remitted
by
war
and
mass
annihilation,
Hawk
missiles
to
Israel
and
men to be free." He hated slavery; hated "to see the poor
to Israel, according to a report
is
recovering
slowly
and
blockading
Cuba.
creatures hunted down, and caught, and carried back to their
submitted to the convention.
The new regime in Yemen The delegates decided to ex-
stripes, and unrewarded toils;" hated it "because it deprives surely." Noting European Jew-
ry's
"geographical
proximity"
broadcast on its domestic radio pand JNF activities in the so-
our republican example of its just influence in the world—
enables the enemies of free institutions; with plausibility, to' to Israel, he expressed the hope service a charge that President cial, educational and fund-rais-
taunt us as hypocrites—causes the real friends of freedom to that, when Israel has estab- Kennedy had committed "piracy" ing fields.
doubt our sincerity, and especially because it forces so many lished its link with the Euro- and that Cuba had only sought to
•
really good men amongst ourselves into an open war with the pean Common Market. "it is protect itself against Mr. Ken-
very fundamental principles of civil liberty—criticizing the not inconceivable that Israel, nedy's "evils." The Yemen radio U.S. May Give Israel
as
part of the
area said rhetorically to the United
represented
in European
the Euromart,
Declaration of Independence, and insisting that there is no
with States: "Are you not the ones Financial Help in
right principle of action but "self-interest." He had seen slavery
will find itself, together
who supplied Israel with bases.
in New Orleans as a young man. In 1841, while returning by
European Jewry, in the same rockets and bombs, and told it Buying Hawk Missiles
steamboat from Louisville to Springfield, he was horrified at
TEL AVIV (JTA) — The
Common Market." He voiced to be a thorn in the side of the
the sight of "ten or a dozen slaves" aboard ship, "shackled
the belief that Europe's in- Arabs?"
United States may grant Israel
together with irons." "That sight was a continual torment to creased social responsibility
some financial aid to help it
me," he told Sneed. Yet, as a citizen of a slave nation, he had "can and should find reflections
•
buy the Hawk anti-aircraft mis-
to "bite my lip and keep quiet."
also in Jewish life and crea- Britain Knew of Hawk siles it has decided to make
While Lincoln despised slavery, he was willing to condone tion."
Deal in Advance; U.S. available to Israel, it was learn-
it where it existed in the states. But he was vehemently op-
Charles H. Jordan, director-
ed here.
posed to permitting its extension to the territories.
general of overseas opera- Aid to Israel Backed
It was indicated that the
He professed no prejudice against the Southerners. "They
tions for the JDC, giving the
LONDON, (JTA) — Lord United States would not seek
are just what we would be in their situation," he had declared
assembly a world-wide report Privy Seal Edward Heath told
in a speech in Peoria in 1854. "When couthern people tell us
of Jewish needs and the ac- the House of Commons that the any political concessions in ex-
they are no more responsible for the - origin of slavery, than
tivities through which these British government was informed change for the Hawk sale, such
we; I acknowledge the fact. When it is said that the institution
are met, summarized the in advance of the plan of the as modifications in Israel's po-
exists; and that it is very difficult to get rid of it in any
greater demands for services, United States to sell Hawk de- sitions on the Lake Tiberias
water project or the Arab refu-
satisfactory way, I can understand and appreciate the saying.
not only by the JDC but also fense missiles to Israel.
gee problem.
. . . If all earthly power were given me, I should not know
by the World ORT Union and
He made the disclosure in a
what to do, as to the existing institution."
by United Hias Service. He written reply to a question from
Despite his belief that slavery was a "monstrous injustice,"
pointed out that ORT is op- Labor MP Roy Mason in which Mayor Wagner Marks
he never favored "bringing about in any way the social and
erating its vocational training he also said that the United
political equality of the white and black races." He did not
and teaching services in 20 States had stressed to Britain "Mizrachi Week
favor "making voters or jurors of negroes, . . . (or) qualifying
countries, while Hias will that the decision did not imply
NEW YORK, (JTA)—Mayor
provide. emigration assistance any change in its general policy Robert F. Wagner proclaimed
them to hold office." He could never advocate that the colored
this year to 9,000 Jews going about avoiding an arms race in this week as "AI izr a chi
"intermarry with the white people."
These facts are of great interest because they indicate that to countries other than Israel. the Middle East.
Women's Membership Mobiliza-
our generation has gone much farther than has Lincoln's in
Emphasizing the urgency of
The government leader added tion Week" marking the or-
advancing the status of the downtrodden and in assuring liberty the problem in France, where that the British government's ganization's nationwide mem-
for the enslaved. Segal shows that there mere many hesitations in the influx of Algerian Jewish policy on the supply of arms to bership campaign currently
issuing the Emancipation Proclamation. When Lincoln made it refugees has strained the Jew- the Middle East "has been di- under way.
In his proclamation, Mayor
public, it was with all his heart. But he had views on shipping ish community facilities, Jor- rected for many years to the
the Negroes back whence they came, for the establishment of dan noted that, even with maintenance of stability and Wagner called upon the citizens
homes for them in Liberia. The Negro leaders rejected his plan. French government subsidies to peace in the area. While we are of New York to "join in those
History has willed it that the Negroes should form a vital escapees from Algeria, there always ready to consider the humanitarian efforts of Miz-
part of this country's population, and the aid they received in will be no need for assistance legitimate defensive needs of rachi Women which are bring-
the last few years in attaining equality is far greater than any to the refugees in France "for the countries concerned, we have ing comfort, happiness and re-
no intention of stimulating an newed faith to children and
they might have hoped for under Lincoln. Which should prove a sustained period."
But the problem in France, arms race," he added. "This pol- newcomers in the State of
that humanity improves—in spite of the many ugly occurrences
Israel."
Jordan emphasized, is only part icy remains unchanged."
that mar our current experiences.
Janner Asks Why Egypt's ssiles
Are Not Dismantled, Like Cuba's
Arabs Link U.S.
Hawks in Israel
to Crisis in Cuba