Purely Commentar Another Nazi Incident—Its Worldwide Factors On Aug. 25, four photographs of Adolf Hitler were mounted 1:0 on the wall of Berlin's Jewish Community House, and underneath cn _m it were English anti-Semitic slogans and the address of the London Socialist movement: cz1 Commenting on the new neo-Nazi demonstrations in West E.4 Germany, the American Jewish Committee asserted that worldwide 0.4 neo-Nazi groups are supporting one another and carrying on unified campaigns." E CLI propaganda Such new developments review the challenge to the com- 21 placent among us who had begun to believe that we were on the Pz4 road to a panacea and that Nazism was dead and buried. Nothing could be farther from the truth. The American Jewish Committee certainly is not a panic- stirring movement. It is cautious and conservative. When, there- of fore, its executive vice president, Dr. John Slawson, finds it neces- sary to say that "though Nazi organizations in different countries, West Germany, have not merged, they have succeeded in ca including establishing informal liaison with one another—as well as with 't former Nazis and Fasicsts in hiding, or beyond the arm of the law, in Spain, Argentina and the United Arab Republic," it is time once again to take note of the new developments and to renew the cis vigilance that is so urgently necessary to assure the prevention of any new recurrences of Nazi propaganda. ;14 There is a warning by Dr. Slawson that "anti-Semitic propa- ganda is sent from country to country and from continent to continent," that "anti-Semitic journals frequently borrow each other's themes and carry advertisements for one another." The re- cent American Jewish Committee survey of anti-Semitic activities abroad found - that "supra-national anti-Semitism today is not a unified movement, but a tangle of small, loosely-knit alliances, torn by doctrinal disagreements and personal jealousies." The survey stressed that: "The neo-Nazi internationals today are weak and divided and likely to remain so—certainly if western Europe's prosperity continues. Yet, if nothing else, they are keeping Nazi ideology alive in the hope that some future political catastrophe or economic disaster will afford them the opportunities they now lack." It pointed out that while there are "several hun- dred neo-Nazi, fascist and anti-Semitic groups" in 11 countries survey in Europe and South America, "only a comparatively small number pose any major threat." The survey also found that "anti-Semitism is being used as a political weapon in countries which are in the midst of political turmoil and instability." It stressed that anti-Semitic movements are aiming their propaganda particularly at youth and youth groups in some countries. Does anything else need to be said in support of those who warn that a new vigilance is necessary, that we must be on guard against the repetition of the events that were inaugurated by Hitler, that every manifestation of anti-Semitism must be taken seriously? Enough said! If ever we relent in our. watchfulness there is no foretelling how serious the situation may become and how damaging anti-Semitism may become not only to Jewry but to the peace of the world. Hitler's initial campaign was directed against the Jews, then it became a war on mankind. That is how it always works: first the Jews, then the Negroes and the Catholics, then all mankind is on the defensive. Let there be protection against it now, before we have another world calamity. The Six Million and the Current Racial Issue At his recent press conference, President Kennedy was asked a rather perplexing question regarding "dispensation" for the Negroes on a basis of "reparations" that have been paid to suf- ferers from Nazism. The question as addressed to the President and his answer appear in the stenographic report as follows: Q. Mr. President, some Negro leaders are saying that, like the Jews persecuted by the Nazis, the Negro is entitled to some kind of special dispensation for the pain of second-class citizenship over these many decades and generations. What is your view of that in general, and what is your view in particular on the specific point that they are recommending of job quotas by race? A. Well, I don't think—I don't think that is the generally held view, at least as I understand it, of the Negro community —that there is some compensation due for the lost years, particularly in the field of education. What I think they would like is to see their children well educated so that they could hold jobs and have their children accepted—have themselves accepted—as equal members of the community. So, I don't think we can undo the past. In fact, the past is going to be with us a good many years in uneducated men and women who lost their chance for a decent education. And we have to do the best we can now. That's what we're trying to do. I don't think quotas are a good idea. I think it's a mistake to begin to assign quotas on the basis of religion, or race, color, nationality. I think we'd get into a good deal of trouble. Our whole view of ourselves is a sort of one society. Now, that hasn't been true, but at least that's where we're frying to go. And I think that we ought to—not to begin the quota system. On the other hand, I do think that we ought to make an effort to give a fair chance to everyone who's qualified—not through a quota, but just look over our employment rolls; look over our areas where we're hiring people and at least make sure we're giving everyone a fair chance. But not hard, fast quotas. So much for the—we're too mixed, this society of ours, to begin to divide ourselves on the basis of race or color. Indeed, our society has become "too mixed" up by racial and color divisions—and our society was on the verge of bank- ruptcy when a strange and cruel ideology was permitted to destroy six million people. Entire communities were annihilated, fortunes were confis- cated, properties were destroyed. It was not like the 300-year-old sin which enslaved a people. Under the Nazis there were people who considered themselves "free men" who abused their neighbors who were their equals, who robbed their possessions after sending them off to death camps. There were many lynchings, just as there were many pogroms. Jews were not compensated after pogroms in Russia and Poland, during the Inquisition and after the CrUsades. The number of Reparations and Racial Issue—The Six Million and Worldwide Nazism By Philip Slomovitz lynchings in the South is infinitesimal compared with the numbers of Jews who died enmasse in synagogues in which they were burned during the Crusades, on the autos-da-fe in Spain, in the massacres that were condoned by the Czarist regimes. When, therefore, we are told that we, who had lost six millions at the hands of "civilized" Germans (many of the execu- tions and exterminations were condoned by collaborators in the vanquished countries—Poland, Romania, Hungary, Czechoslovakia), must view the Negro problem as being exactly like the tragedy that was suffered under Nazism, are misguided. It is known exactly where to begin with reparations for the Nazi crimes: the names of those who were robbed are known, the losses they suffered have been calculated, the relatives they lost are a matter of record. The sin of slavery that was practiced against the Negro and the failure to liberate him completely during the century that followed the Emancipation Proclamation call for atonement. They demand reparations—in the form of better housing, good schooling, opportunities to share alike with all of us the bounties we enjoy in this great land. But the comparison with the era of Nazism is totally lacking. The President said that we can not "undo the past." We can atone for it. And in our atonement we can take pride that Americans were never like the Nazis and never will be; that we not only did not and could not condone slavery, but we even fought a war of the brothers to end it; that the sins of the past are now being recounted for the purpose of assuring that it will not be repeated. Whenever there was a lynching, only a handful approved of ■ it. Even the South deplored it. Only the minority in the South was bent upon murder. Now we are certain that the good people in the South will join their fellow men in the entire country in guaranteeing the human values that are due to the Negroes. Thank God for America whose libertarian-humanitarian prin- ciples made it impossible for anything like the murder of six million to be enacted upon our shores! Let us be thankful for the oppOsite role we play against Nazism, and let us not fall prey to the error of likening the era of Hitler to that of democratic America. * * * Eric Johnston's Role for Peace in Middle East Dayan Loses Power Fight, Quitsillinistry (Direct JTA Teletype wire to The Jewish News) JERUSALEM — Sources close to Moshe Dayan verified Wednesday a press report that the former Chief of Staff plans to resign as Agriculture Min- ister on Sept. 10. He was understood to have so informed Prime Minister Levi Eshkol in a letter in which z he reiterated the reasons for •h i s quitting t h e cabinet which he gave Eshkol when the latter was forming a cab- inet, following t h e surprise resignation of :;David Ben- Gurion as Pre- ,) mier last June. Dayan, at that time, told Eshkol he join the cab- inet but only for two or Dayan three months unless changes in the cabinet structure were made to give him a greater voice in high policy fields, particularly in security and economic planning. The departing minister is con- sidered one of the "y o u n g Turks" of the Mapai Party who have been chafing under what they contend is the continuing dominance of the older Mapai leaders. In the death of Eric Johnston, this country lost one of its most distinguished leaders and one of its ablest public servants. He served under three Presidents in various capacities, and his dedication to public causes made him stand out as a man of great stature. He will be remembered as the person who was designated by President Eisen- hower to propose a solution to the war Draftees to Get problem involving the harnessing of the Deferments for Jordan River. After a thorough study of the issue, he suggested a plan that would High Holy Days have given the three countries equal oppor- tunities to benefit from the studies that The National Jewish Welfare were made by Israel to utilize available Board's Commission on Jewish water supplies. The waters that would have Chaplaincy has been officially been harnessed would have been divided advised by the Selective Serv- equally among the three nations. Eric Johnston ice Commission that all draft Israel accepted the plan. Her antagonists rejected it because i boards have been asked to give it might have been considered an act of recognition of Israel. consideration. when- What a pity that this great American's idea, which could I "favorable ever possible" to requests from have led to peace in the entire Middle East, fell on the deaf ears Jewish registrants for postpone- of hate-inspired enemies of Israel! ment of their physical examina- His plan provided 'a workable solution to the most serious or induction into the Armed problem in the Middle East: that of providing the most precious tion Forces during the coming Jew- substance for survival: water. Yet, it seems to have been more ish High Holy Days. important for Arabs to obstruct Israel than to improve their own This official word was re- position! by Rabbi Israel Miller, Eric Johnston's name will come up time and time again ceived the Kingsbridge Heights Jew- whenever the water issue emerges as another matter of contention 1of ish Center, Bronx, N.Y., corn- —as it may very soon when the new water pipes installed by i mission chairman, from Brig. Israel begin to be filled for the transmission of water from the Gen. Lewis B. Hershey, director north to the south of the Jewish State. When the issue will be of the Selective Service System, reviewed, the name of the good American who departed last week in the form of Operations Bulle- will be spoken of as that of a leader with vision, who knew the tin No. 81, amended as of June road to peace, but whose good advice was rejected by people bent 20, 1963, and addressed to draft upon war rather than the aim of providing higher standards of boards throughout the country. living for their people. Bulletin No. 81 applies to * * Phyllis Bottome's `J'Accuse' There were so few who had the vision to foresee the approach of a great danger to the world in the person of Adolf Hitler that those who were able to look into the future must be viewed as modern prophets who have earned our respect and unbounded and unending gratitude. Phyllis Bottome rose to great heights not only as one of the most brilliant writers of our time but as a courageous fighter for justice and against tyranny and brutality. Even before the outbreak of the second world war, which caused the world's democratic statesmen to abandon their attitude of awe for Hitler (even David Lloyd George and Winston Churchill were among Hitler's early admirers), Phyllis Bottome had the vision to recognize the dangers that were imminent and to warn against Nazism. She had lived with her husband, Capt. A. E. Forbes Dennis. in Vienna, from the period of the last years of the first world war until 1937. They left their Vienna home three days before Hitler took control of Austria. As a result of her experi- ences she wrote her most powerful novel, "The Mortal Storm," in which she warned mankind of the dangers that were emerging with Nazism. Miss Bottome was determined to do more. She pleaded for action against Hitler and wrote a pamphlet in which she resorted to Emil Zola's title condemning those who were hiding the facts in the Dreyfus Case—"J'Accuse." She accused her own govern- ment, the British, of unwillingness to recognize the danger of Fascism. She couldn't get it published and she became a circuit lecturer as her means of bringing the messages against Nazi- Fascism to the United States as well as to the British. Miss Bottome wrote 50 books. She will. be known especially for the anti-Nazi novel "The Mortal Storm" and for her pamphlet "J'Accuse." Blessed be the memory of this saintly lady who had the vision that so many statesmen lacked! Would that her words had been listened to! Perhaps the tragic World War II and its accompanying holocaust might have been averted! Rosh Hashana (Sept. 18 and 19), the Jewish New Year; Yom Kippur (Sept. 28), the Day of Atonement, and Sukkoth (Oct. 3-11), the Feast of Tabernacles. Since all the Holy Days corn- , mence at sundown of the day previous to these dates, Bulletin No. 81 states that "normally, the registrant's physical exam- ination or induction should be postponed to a date following the religious holiday involved." Rockwell Nazi Held on Weapons Charge WASHINGTON, (JTA)—Au- thorities made known that prior to the Civil Rights March on Washington, a Nazi adherent of George Lincoln Ro ckwell's group, identified as Benton Lee Johnson, 39, was arrested under a federal law which prohibits felons from carrying weapons across a state line. Johnson was said to be a dishwasher from Clearwater, Fla. Arlington Police Inspector Raymond Cole said Johnson was carrying a .38 caliber pistol. He was arraigned in Alexandria before a United States Com- missioner and ordered held in $2,500 bond.