LONG THE JEWISH NEWS Incorporating the Detroit Jewish Chronicle commencing with issue of July 20, 1951 Member American Association of English—Jewish Newspapers, Michigan Press Association, National Editorial Association. Published every Friday by The Jewish News Publishing Co., 17100 West Seven Mile Road, Detroit 35, Mich., VE 8-9364. SubscripLion $6 a year. Foreign $7. Second Class Postage Paid At Detroit, Michigan PHILIP SLOMOVITZ Editor and Publisher CARMI M. SLOMOVITZ Business Manager moo oc JUSTICE 16 Y5Ag$ AFTER 1445 5ND OF Wont, WAR It. 4 011,05 SIDNEY SHMARAK Advertising Manager Sabbath Scriptural Selections This Sabbath, the nineteenth day of Tevet, 5724, the following Scriptural selections will be read in our synagogues: Pentateuchal portion: Exod. 1:1-6:1. Prophetical portion: Isaiah 27:6-28:13; 29:22-23. Licht Benshen, Friday, Jan. 2, 4:55 p.m. VOL. XLIV., No. 19 Page Four January 3, 1964 Must Reject Blackmail to Save Peace Having failed in so many respects in his efforts to inspire a new war on Israel, meeting with opposition to his propaganda campaign against the visit of Pope Paul VI in Israel, Egypt's dictator Gamal Abdel Nasser reportedly has reversed an earlier stand to refrain from participating in the campaign against Israel's water develop- ment program. Now he is once again seeking a place of leadership among all the Arab nations in his renewed attack on Israel and his call for a war to prevent the utilization by Israel of the Jordan and Lake Galilee waters to fill the need for irrigation and industrial purposes. Only a week ago, the Cairo weekly Rose al Youssef warned that Egypt will not join with the other Arab states in the anti-Israel steps involved in the water diversion project. The Cairo periodical charged that Jordan, Syria and Saudi Arabia—the three states that are consid- ered anti-Nasser—would like to see Egypt embroiled in a war against Israel so that they might find a way of stabbing her in the back. Yet, Nasser himself constantly taunts his neighbors into starting a war on Israel! And the blinded Western na- tions refuse to recognize that there is a division among the Moslems that would have led to a bloody war had it not been for the unrealistic unity that has emerged as a result of the hatred for "the common enemy," — Israel. It is under such conditions that turn the Middle East into an unfortunate caul- dron that Israel must struggle for her existence. It is under such tragic develop- ments in an area of malcontent, hatred among related nations and sheer ignor- ance that Israel must plead with her neighbors for amity and understanding. Israel must not only be on guard against aggressive forces but must repeatedly point out—to authorities in Washington, London, Paris and other world capitals how the arrogance of the Arab League is threatening the peace of the world by menacing the security of Israel. The heads of five major American Jewish organizations have called the USIA to task for its weaknesses. In an effective protest they have declared, in a statement to Secretary of State Dean Rusk: "Inevitably, our toleration of Arab anti-Jewish propaganda in this country, including Arab propagandists in the guise of exchange students, the "black- listing" of American enterprises owned by or employing Jews, the open use of Arab diplomatic missions to this coun- try for the most flagrant attacks upon the character of the American Jewish community have created in the minds of officials of technical agencies such as USIA the impression that United States policy requires that the irritation of Arab sensibilities be avoided—even at the cost of deliberate obscuring of one of our nation's glories, the har- monious living together of people of different faiths. "We believe it is time our govern- ment put the Arab governments on no- tice that we will not passively continue to tolerate their peddling of prejudice in our land, that their blacklists and boycotts and virulent anti-Jewish propa- ganda are breaches of international hospitality, meriting vigorous rebuke and official condemnation. "Such action by the Department of State, Mr. Secretary, will go far, we believe, to redress the truckling to Arab bigotry that emade the unhappy USIA episode possible." These things needed to be said, and it is encouraging to know that the "excuses" that were offered for the deletion of a rabbi's scene from the USIA film showing President Lyndon B. Johnson's daily activities have not frightened anyone. The battle for justice continues. While there is an unending struggle among kins- men in the Arab world, their campaigns of fratricide threatening to embroil areas much vaster than the Middle East, there are brazen accusations, never proven, that it is Israel that seeks aggrandizements and is searching for territorial gains. Israel's able spokesman, Foreign Min- ister Golda Meir, addressing the United Nations General Assembly recently, an- swered these charges in a firm statement in which she pointed to the Arabian defi- ciencies and defended her nation's posi- tion as follows : "Of the 111 member-States represented in this (Special Political) Committee, there are 86 with whom Israel is proud to have diplo- matic relations. Over 50 of them have repre- sentatives accredited to Israel. Certainly these envoys are more qualified to know and report what Israel is like—its democratic regime, the nature of its society, the quality of its people, its ways of living and thinking. "Any Arab delegate wishing to acquaint himself with the facts can obtain an entry visa to Israel from any Israel Consulate. I should appreciate the same courtesy being extended to an Israel representative wishing to visit an Arab country. I am sure we in turn would learn much about their countries. "It has been said in this debate that the existence of Israel is the cause of the instabil- ity in the Middle East. I would have thought that Israel was recognized as one of the few islands of stability in that turbulent area. Every newspaper reader knows that it is not our army divisions which were sent to fight in Yemen, nor is it our bombers which are de- stroying towns and villages there. It is not Israel soldiers who are involved in border war- fare in North Africa. It certainly was not Israel that forced Syria to secede from the United Arab Republic. The radio stations blar- ing insults at each other and calling upon civilians and armies to overthrow each other's governments are not located in Israel. "We would be only too happy if all the countries in our region could achieve peaceful co-existence, stop interfering in each other's affairs, halt the ruinous piling-up of arms, and co-operate as good neighbours for the welfare of their own peoples. In such a constructive effort Israel is prepared to join at any time. "There can be no doubt that had the Arab States made peace. with Israel years ago, there would be no refugee problem today. It remains our view that this specific issue should be resolved in the context of an overall settle- ment. However, my government is willing to negotiate directly with the Arab governments concerned on the refugee problem itself in order to reach an agreed solution. "If those governments are genuinely anx- ious to solve the refugee problem as such, they should respond to this offer. This is plain speaking. It states the facts as they need to be known. The Arabs should be the first to understand them, and the major world powers should take them into consideration when dealing with the problems that face mankind in the struggle for peace. But there are too many who are too ready to yield to pressures that are occa- sioned by hatreds that lead to conflicts and that may erupt into a world confla- gration. It is in the hope of averting such a state of war that we must. urge our Government to strive to avert a world crisis. But if we yield to blackmail our troubles will multiply. That is why it is necessary that the bluffs of saber-rattling war-mongers should be called promptly, before the entire world is gotten into most serious trouble. Noteworthy Israeli Literary Effort Hebrew Poems of Shin Shalom Appear in English Translations "On Ben Peleh" by Shin Shalom, the distinguished Israel poet, has been issued by Taplinger Publishing Co. (119 W. 57th, NY19, and was published for the Jewish Agency American Section. This impressive book of Hebrew poems with accompanying translations by Victor E. Reichert and Moses Zalesky, contains an essay evaluating the poet's work by Prof. Baruch Kurzweil. The essay was translated by Prof. C. Rabin. Prof. Kurzweil calls Shalom's poetry "the most profoundly mysterious phenomena in our literature"—meaning, of course, the Hebrew literature—and states that "his medium of expression is the lyric." Prof. Kurzweil's essay is entitled "Shin Shalom's Explora- tions in the Depths of the I." Comparing Shalom's works to Bialik's he indicates that the latter, "the greatest artist of the generation elevates the erring and forlorn I. In Shalom's instance, he states, "out of the childhood landscape, the I, center and purpose of the world, gradually crystallizes." In Shalom's poems, "the I determines what is justice . . . The way of the mysteries of the I in all its manifestations in Shalom's poetry is the way of the secularization of our literature. Probing the depths of the I raises man in God's place." A variety of Shalom's poetic works, commencing with "Elle Toldot"—"These Are the Generations"—is included in this volume. Included are "Aboard Ship," "Jerusalem," "Jackals," "Emek" and "At the Searchlight." They are powerful dissertations, and in "Jerusalem" the poet calls forth: Yihyeh, my teacher from Yemen, bears On his forehead a scar from Ishmael's sword. Threescore years before, the slaughter began, Still is Israel not redeemed. For threescore years he has pounded the rock. His children were born, they married and died. Threescore years he waits, Selah, for Him. Still the Messiah has not passed by .. Fair is our portion. Opposite on the mountain, Rises Zion's wall, David's tower looms high. Like a marvelous tapestry woven, Moab's hills, Valley of Vision, Prophecy. In an hour when the world is emerald, ruby clear, And pure is the heavenly expanse, Yihyeh rises, clasps his hands: "Glorious Is the radiance of the world. Let us dance." And "At the Searchlight," as he stands on the lookout tower, the poet sings hopefully: These are Hebrew posts, villages and camps, Through expanses of homeland they send their light. Surrounded by darkness and cruel foes, They stand ready to answer each voice that calls .. • There they milk the cows and bake the bread With a sidelong glance lest the ambusher strike. They plant faithful seed, a precious pledge For a world that shall rise on the ruined graves. Illustrations by Yehuda Bacon enhance the works of Shalom. The editor of this volume, part of a series of books issued by the Jewish Agency, was Isaac Halevy-Levin. National Issues Face U.S. in 1964 By MILTON FRIEDMAN Agency WASHINGTON—Clearer definition may be given to American policy in 1964—an election year—on issues of special interest to Americans of Jewish faith. The White House has made known that a continuity with the Kennedy policies may be anticipated. The need to maintain a balance of power in the Middle East to prevent Arab aggression is known to President Johnson. He commented meaningfully on this very subject when he served as Senate Majority leader. Working closely with Mr. Johnson on such issues will be his deputy special counsel, Myer Feldman, who performed the same duties for the late President. The White House will seek ratification of the United Nations treaties on Human Rights and Genocide. President Johnson voted, as a Senator, both against passage of the McCarran-Walter measure and also in the unsuccessful attempt to uphold President Truman's veto. President Johnson regards immigration reform as consistent with his drive for domestic civil rights. Copyright, 1964, Jewish Telegraphic