Purely Commentary
By
PHILIP SLOMOVITZ
Register . . . Register . .. Register Now!
We are facing a serious period that will be marked by
many controversies and conflicts during which the American
constituency will have to choose the ablest and most depend-
able men to represent us in local offices, in the State Legis-
lature, in the governorships, in Congress and in the White
Mouse.
Those who have not voted during the past two years are
especially affected by a plank in the new state constitution
which disqualifies them from voting unless they re-register.
There are many young citizens who have just reached
Voting age and who have not qualified as registered voters.
Others are affected by recent removals to new homes.
A battle is ensuing for political domination, and regard-
less of the party of any citizen's preference, he must become
acquainted with the candidates. And what is especially im-
portant is that all qualified voters should cast their ballots
at the primary election on Sept. 1 and at the national election
on Nov. 3.
But too many of our citizens are unregistered, and this
presents a serious problem.
The last day for registration, to be able to vote on
Sept. 1, is Monday, Aug. 3.
Whatever responsibilities our citizens may have, how-
ever busy they may be, they must take time to register—
now, immediately, or before the end of the Monday deadline!
This is a duty to our country, to ourselves, to our chil-
dren!
Register now, if you are not already registered! The
urgency of the serious time in which we live demands the
prompt fulfillment of this responsibility.
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Race Riots . . . A Country Divided
The crisis in our midst resulting from disrupted race relations has
emerged into a challenge to our sense of fair play, to our ability to
rationalize properly and dispassionately, to be able to judge our fellow
men by the standards of humanitarianism rather than the passions
which have caused human beings temporarily to turn into hoodlums.
It is to the credit of the leaders of the afflicted minority in our
midst that they have begun to think and to act in terms of an extended
educational program to guide their youth and those who have acted
as gangs away from the paths of destruction.
An encouraging result of the conferences held in New York be-
tween Martin Luther King and Mayor Wagner in the past few days
is the decision by the Negroes to declare a moratorium on demonstra-
tions during the political campaign. That should be helpful in the crisis.
It is inconceivable that a large portion of our population, the close
to 20,000,000 Negroes who are such a vital factor in our large cities,
should condone the rioting that has taken place in several cities.
What has happened in Harlem and in Rochester, the pillaging and
plundering in the Brooklyn area, the sense of fear that has been in-
jected in our population, is the result of hoodlumism. The responsible
leaders among the colored population, like the level-headed among the
whites, must, as many already have done, condemn lawlessness.
Some agitators, however, are responsible for extremism which must
not be condoned.
There are extremist actions that are often justified: when they
are conducted within the law. When Negro leaders demand their
rights NOW,.they have justified arguments to defend their position.
Those who struggle for liberty should carry on their efforts in accord-
ance with their convictions.
But the moment people take the law in their own hands, as soon
as every riot is interpreted as a campaign against police brutality, with
or without justification for such charges, the dangers that are faced by
our people begin to multiply.
In every instance of charge-hurling that police brutality has been
responsible for the riots we learned afterwards that many concessions
had been made, that more Negro policemen were placed in areas of
discord. It is possible that in some instances the charge is justified.
In that case the demand for equality and for just treatment should be
carried to the highest authorities with proposals for reforms and for
enforcement of just approaches to all emerging problems. But it must
be done lawfully, else we will become an embattled people fighting
another civil war.
There is cause for serious concern.
In his report on what had happened in Harlem, where one Negro
leader was especially extreme in his accusations against the author-
ities, thereby inciting to riot, the New York Times reporter told the
following to which he was a witness:
"Some of the policemen were Negroes. Shouts of 'black cop, black
cop' and 'Uncle Tom' were directed at them.
"A loud cheer arose when one demonstrator shouted, 'Let's get
the Jews before this is over.'
Indeed, Jewish stores were not the only ones that were looted:
the sufferers also were Negro-store owners.
Indeed, the entire population is the sufferer.
The brunt of it all is the responsibility of Negro leaders as much
as •of white leaders and heads of city, state and federal governments.
Unless the pillagers and the rioters are outlawed the troubles will
multiply and the fears that have invaded our communities will multiply.
Gangsters, whatever the color of their skin, must be branded outside
the law and undeserving either of our respect, our defense of them
or even their rights to honorable citizenship in our American society.
But in the process of re-establishing law and order there must be
an even greater effort to provide a group that has been turned into
pariahs with means to uplift itself, to acquire proper housing, to be
adequately trained for jobs, 10 be assured of the humane treatment
that is due all human beings. While assuring the due processes of law,
we must guarantee the due processes of decency and fair play. We
owe it to our colored fellow-citizens and must strive for the attainment
of the basis decencies in American life lest the cancerous race issue
grows into teh deadliest of all threats to the very existence of all our
sacred American traditions.
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Friday, July 31, 1964
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
French Aircraft Firm of Dessault Threatened
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With 'Blacklisting' by Arab League; Boycott
Is Condemned by Belgian Socialist Daily
(Direct JTA Teletype Wire
to The Jewish News)
LONDON—Thirteen Arab League
countries and five Arabian gulf
nations have warned the French
aircraft firm of Marcel Dessault it
will be blacklisted in three months
if it does not stop doing business
with Israel, it was reported here hub, also said that the French firm
Wednesday from Beirut.
must also cancel an agreement
The company makes the Mirage with Israel for production of air-
and Mystere jet fighters which craft spare parts.
Franch has supplied in substantial
BRUSSELS—The Socialist daily
quantities to Israel. The Arab boy-
cott commissioner, Mahammad Ma- "Le Peuple" sharply criticized
Wednesday the publication by al
government trade publication of
the content of an Iraqi anti-Israel
boycott statement aimed at Belgian
exporters.
London Commerce Chamber Members
Called 'Frightened Bunch of Men';
Group Backs Mancroft for President
LONDON (JTA) — While the
British press, as a whole, con-
tinued to assail the decision of
the London Chamber of Commerce
to cancel the candidacy of Lord
Mancroft for the Chamber's presi-
dency, due to Arab pressures, 10
members of the Chamber an-
nounced that they are ready of-
ficially to sponsor Lord Mancroft
as president.
W. S. Sharp, a member of the
Chamber, pointed out that, under
the organization's by-laws, only
six bona fide sponsors are needed
to make the nomination official.
He denounced "senior officials" of
the Chamber for forcing the with-
drawal of Lord Mancroft's can-
didacy. "If Arab pressure was not
the cause," the Board asked, "what
was?" "The implications of the
entire affair," the Board declared,
"are too ominous for us to leave
it at that."
The Sunday Citizen denounced
the effort to cancel Lord Man-
croft's candidacy as an illustra-
tion of the British government's
"craven acceptance of the Arab
boycott." The Sunday Times, re-
porting that the Earl of Verulam
is to meet with seven Kuwait busi-
nessmen who said they have come
here "to prepare the ground for
more infOrmal commercial rela-
tions between the two countries,"
said this move "illustrates just
why Mancroft is no longer the
heir apparent to the Chatnber's
presidency."
The Sunday_ Express said the
leaders of the Chamber of Corn-
merce are "a frightened bunch
of men, ashamed of themselves—
and so they should be."
* * *
Officials Probe Action
by Australian Airline
(Direct JTA Teletype Wire
to The Jewish News)
MELBOURNE—The reason why
Qantas, the Australian air line, can-
celled the appointment of a sales
representative to Israel is being
"fully investigated," Senator Den-
ham Henty, minister of civil avia-
tion, informed the Australian Par-
liament Tuesday. He m.a d e that
statement in a letter to. W. W.
Aston, government whip in parlia-
ment, who had asked for clarifica-
tion of the issue. Henty stated that
the matter "is receiving urgent
consideration."
Qantas had appointed an Aus-
tralian, Colin Atkinson, last May,
as its sales representative in Israel,
and Atkinson had left for his post
in Israel after having been offi-
cially presented here to leaders of
the Jewish community. Ti,vo weeks
ago, it was discovered that he was
Labor Committee Head,
Brandt Eye Restitution
BERLIN (JTA)—Adolph Held of
New York, chairman of the Jewish
Labor Committee, arrived here on
invitation from Mayor Willy Brandt
to discuss final liberalization of
West German compensation and
restitution legislation.
Held will go from here to Bonn
to discuss the problems with offi-
cials of the Social Democratic
Party. One of the principal re-
quests of Jewish organizations is
extension of the present October
1953 deadline for filing of claims
by victims of Nazism.
back in Australia, but there was
no official explanation from the
airline for his return. It was in-
dicated that his appointment had
been cancelled. and there were re-
ports that the cancellation was due
to Arab pressures.
B. B. Newman, president of the
new South Wales Jewish Board of
Deputies, Tuesday requested of
Qantas that its chief executive
meet with a delegation of Jewish
leaders to explain the reasons for
the cancellation of Atkinson's ap-
pointment.
The statement was published by
the bi-weekly publication of the
Belgian Office of External Trade.
It called to the attention of ex-
porters the "obligation" to present
to the Iraq embassy in Brussels for
approval documents such as a
statement from the shipowners cer-
tifying that he ship carrying the
goods is not Israeli and will not
touch an Israeli port."
C
The Socialist daily said it was
"regrettable and even inadmissa-
ble" that an official Belgian publi-
cation should support the Arab
blockade against Israel by publi-
cizing the demands of the Iraqi
embassy.
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Boris Smolar's
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'Between You
... and Me'
(Copyright, 1964, Jewish
Telegraphic Agency, Inc.)
Communal Problems
The biggest problem of the Jewish Community Centers today is
the continuous decline in membership of young people between 18 and
24 ... This decline has been going on for the last 15 years, despite the
fact that this age group has increased in the general population . . . .
Why are the Jewish Centers unsuccessful in attracting young adults at
a time when the Center programs register success with other adults
and with juniors? . . . A joint study was undertaken by the National
Jewish Welfare Board and Brandeis University to identify the needs
of Jewish young adults who participate in Jewish Community Center
programs, as well as those who do not .. . This, it was believed, would
enable the gaining of a better understanding of the means by which
Jewish_ Comm-unity Centers can best meet the needs of Jewish young
adults today . The need for such a study was especially urgent be-
cause, since 1947, young adult members dropped from 23 per cent of
the total Center membership to less than 6 per cent within 10 years,
and is even lower today . . . In 1957, there were approximately
105,340 Center members in the 18 to 24 year-old category; within 10
.years, their number declined to approximately 34,600 . . . This at a
time when the number of community centers has been growing during
the same years . . . Many professional workers in the Centers claim
that, increasingly, a large proportion of young adult members are
"socially inept" or "inadequate" or "disturbed" . . . The study —
conducted' by Dr. Harry Specht — evaluates the loss of young adult
members in the Centers and suggests the kind of programs that might
meet their needs .. . A major suggestion is that the Center programs
for young Jewish adults should be so constructed as to offer courtship
opportunities on a mass basis . . . There are other suggestions, based
on the recognition of social class differences, on bridging the gap
between lower-educated young adults and those who have higher
education, and on characteristics by which different groups of young
adults are identified.
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The Young Generation
The most interesting part of the study is the picture that emerges
of the typical Jewish young adult . . . He is seen to be well integrated
into American society . . . His ties to Jewishness and to other Jews are
mainly on the level of social activity . . He is interested in group
activities, like dances and' parties, which provide opportunities to meet
members of the opposite sex . . ;He is native-born, and there is little
conflict in his mind between being "Jewish" and being "American" ...
He has little investment in formal Jewish religious and educational
institutions . . He is no longer the child around whom so much
Jewish religious and educational activity revolves .. Neither is he yet
one of the parents who plans and sponsors these activities for his
children . . He looks upon the Jewish Center as an institution, the
main function of which is to bring Jews together and "to have Jewish
boys meet Jewish girls" . . . Contrary to the beliefs of many Center
workers, the Jewish young adult appears, according to the study, to
be generally comfortable about his Jewishness . . While having little
interest in Jewish educational and religious experiences, an extremely
large proportion of young adults seeks opportunities through which
they can develop and maintain relationships with other Jewish young
adults .. . The lower-educated young adult is the most readily access-
ible element for the Jewish Centers . . . The more educated and more
cosmopolitan young adult between 21 and 27 years of age is not as
accessible . . . It is interesting to note that the study
which was
conducted for a period of two years—did not find any evidence that
there has been a Jewish population explosion in the United States .. .
Ev.en if there has been such an explosion, the study comes to the
conclusion that, in the next decade, the numbers of Jewish young
adults who use the Jewish Centers will be fewer than today . . . This
is because of such social factors as earlier marriage, more people
marrying, education, military ; service, and the generally high mobility
of the Jewish young adults . . . This mobility among Jewish young
adults is higher than among .young adults in general because of their
high educational level and the occupational patterns of a highly
educated population.
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(