Opposition to Woman Suffrage,
Purely Commentary Herzl's
Their Role in Zionist Movement Recalled

By PHILIP SLOMOVITZ

By JOSEF FRAENKEL
Jewish News' Special
Correspondent in London
The three-day meeting of the
First Zionist Congress, from Au-
gust 29-31, 1897, constituted the
great revolution of the Jewish peo-
ple. It was the beginning of a
gradual revolutionary change, in
the life of Jews and Jewesses all
over the world.
When Leo Pinsker convened the
first, Conference of the Hovevei
Zion in November, 1884, not a sin-
gle woman came to Katowice.
Jewish women showed little inter-
est in this movement, which con-
cerned itself almost exclusively
with the demand that Jews should
work on the land, and with sup-
porting the colonies in Palestine.
It is doubtful, moreover, whether
a woman, even if a member of
Hovevei Zion, would have been
admitted to the meetings in Ka-
towice. The leaders of Hovevei
Zion had no understanding of
"political rights for women," and
Jewish women themselves were
not yet imbued with the necessary
fighting spirit to claim full equal-
ity.
Twelve years later, following the
appearance of "The Jewish State,"
young Jewesses in many countries
raised their voices in order to gain
the support of other Jewish worn-
en for the Zionist cause.
When the First Zionist Congress
was opened in Basle by Theodor
Herzl, the delegates and guests in-
,
cluded a number of women who
were swept by the wave of en-
Was 'Unconditional Surrender' an ErrOr?
thusiasm for that great dream —
Is it possible that Adolf Hitler's mentality remains misunderstood the Jewish State. Actually the in-
or unknown even at this late date?
vitations to the First Congress
Former President Dwight D. Eisenhower has expressed the view, were addressed to the men, but
echoing the beliefs of a handful of military historians. that Franklin nevertheless women came to Basle,
D. Roosevelt's demand for "unconditional surrender" by the Germans, most of them accompanying rela-
made in Casablanca, Morocco. .Jan. 24, 1943, was a mistake, that it tives who were delegates. Only
prolonged the war and caused Hitler to become stubborn and to_; three had been appointed as dele-
persuade the Germans "to fight longer than they might have."
gates by their Zionist societies.
At that time women were not
It is difficult to accept General Eisenhower's judgment in this
vital issue. Students of the conditions in Germany in the last two allowed to sit in the House of
years of World War II know that a number of Hitler's generals had Commons. Not only in England,
foreseen the inevitable consequences, that they urged him to end the but likewise in France. Switzer-
war. They were so distressed with their "fuehrer" that they joined in land, Austria, Germany, and other
countries, women had no suffrage.
schemes to assassinate him.
Hitler was adamant. He was determined to fight to the bitter end. It was only after the First World
He would not concede defeat even in the hour of defeat. Is it reason- War that women attained political
able. therefore. to believe that the Nazi barbarian would have been equality.
According to the protocol of the
deterred from continuing the war if Roosevelt had not demanded "un-
conditional surrender?" Every factor in Hitler's program points to the First Zionist Congress, no worn-
an took part in the discussion, and
contrary.

USSR's Anti-Religious Policies and the Jews

Writing in the New Republic on "Religion in Russia," Philip Ben,
a correspondent for French and Israeli newspapers who has visited
Soviet Russia several times, reports in part as follows:
The authorities are also closing Orthodox churches in Western
Ukraine, as well as most of the few remaining Roman Catholic
churches and the Jewish synagogues, though the Poles and Jews
could hardly be suspected of sympathy for the Ukrainian national-
ists. To a Jewish engineer in Lvov, a man occupying an executive
office in a local industrial combine, the reasons were clear: "The
only remaining synagogue in our town was closed a year ago under
the pretext that people coming to pray there were in reality en-
gaged in black market and illicit foreign currency dealings. All
this was nonsense. One doesn't need a synagogue or a church for
a black market deal. But our regime couldn't afford to close
Orthodox churches and let the synagogue remain untouched. The
regime is still afraid of being considered pro-Jewish. This dates
from the early days of the Hitler aggression, when Stalin dis-
covered with what tremendous speed the anti-Jewish slogans of
the Nazis were spreading among the Soviet masses, including the
Soviet soldiers fighting with such bravery against the aggressors.
I was then a major in the army and will never forget the day when
the order came that we would get new, assumed, Russian-sounding
names. And under those new names we were soon transferred to
other units where the soldiers didn't know us. Well, I don't be-
lieve it helped much. Since Hitler, the Russians, Ukrainians, and
Lithuanians know how to find out who a Jew is."
While it is generally conceded that the Russian drive against re-
ligion includes all faiths. there have been evidences of such gross
prejudice against Jews that there is no doubt about the anti-Semitic
factor in Soviet attitudes. There is an inheritance in the USSR from
the Czarist times and fair-minded in Communist ranks have a difficult
time eradicating it.
The feeling is that Russia is amendable to criticism as Westerners.
That i s why there is such strong sentiment in support of protests
against the anti-Semitic evidences in the Soviet Union. There is a prayer
in every .Jewish heart that these demands for justice for our kinsmen in
Russia will bring the desired results — that Russia's doors will be
opened for the emigration of those who desire to settle in Israel and
that restrictions on Jewish religious and cultural activities wlil be
abandoned.

Mid-East Holocaust Not Impossible, Says French Expert
in Atlantic Monthly: Urges Soviet Union, United States
Block Introduction of Nuclear Arms to Explosive Area

However, he added, the two
The commentator concluded'
NEW YORK (JTA)—The Mid-
dle East "is the one region" in the that if there was one area in the t great nuclear powers could agree
world "where intervention of world where the major powers among themselves not to inter-
atomic weapons on either or both have an obligation to block the in- vene or at least they could re-
sides would fatally aggravate ten- troduction of nuclear arms, it is , nounce their promises of uncon-
ditional aid once enemies, allies
sions." in the opinion of Raymond "certainly" the Middle East.
He noted that Israel and Egypt or uncommitted nations obtained
Aron. one of France's leading poli-
both signed the partial test ban possession of atomic weapons.
tical commentators.
HoWever, in his survey on the and that though both countries
spread of nuclear weapons in the "have missiles." no other country Socialist Union in Vienna
January 1965 Atlantic Monthly, is ready for the time being to
Wins Majority of Vote for
Aron doubted that the United -.supply warheads. The manufacture
States and the Soviet Union would of nuclear warheads, he added, re- Jewish Council Members
be "dragged into a holocaust by , quires time, money and tests out-
VIENNA (JTA) — The Socialist-' t
the possible insanity of Middle ' lawed by the treaty.
oriented Union of Working Jews I
He warned that the danger to
Eastern nations."
won a clear majority, garnering 13 I
which Israel and Egypt would
He cited two reasons for the
of the 24 seats in the Jewish com-1
expose themselves by bringing
likelihood of nuclear holocaust
munity of Vienna, as a result of
nuclear
components
into
their
in the Middle East. First he
elections Dec. 20 for representa-
present arms race would be
noted, "Israel is a small country
tives in the Jewish community or-
"great and perhaps fatal" but
in close • proximity to Egypt,
ganization here.
that he doubted the United
whose cities in turn are of ma-
The election tabulations, com-
States and Russia would be in-
jor importance." He argued this
pleted also showed that two small
volved in any outbreak of nu-
would make for a highly un-
Zionist parties elected a total of
clear warfare.
stable situation because the ad-
only four representatives, while
vantage of a "preemptive strike"
The writer suggested that when the Orthodox bloc in this city did
would probably be decisive for
and if nuclear arms appeared in not obtain a single seat in the Jew-
the country taking such action.
the Middle East. "a diplomatic ish community's council.
The other reason, he declared, subsystem would automatically de-
Second place on the council,
was that for either side, "wiping tach itself -from the global system." after the 13 seats won by the Union
out the entire population" now
He said he based his doubts on of Working Jews, went to the new-
in the areas would not be incom- Big Power involvement on the ly created Organization of Jewish
patible "with the aims of one of fact that the United States and Persecutees, which received six
Russia had been progressively less seats. This group is headed by
the belligerents."
Moreover, he noted the atomic able to impose their will on the Simon Wiesenthal, noted as the
weapon would be a supremely smaller states over nuclear head of a research center credited
efficient instrument for imposing weapons because the threat of ex- with having tracked down the late
a drastic peace on the loser be- termination as a means of such Adolf Eichmann, among other
cause extermination of the enemy control was "far too disproportion- Nazis. The Communist group elect-
ately outrageous to be plausible." ed one representative.
could precede victory.

there is only one reference to ria Reinus initiated "our corn-
"women's rights," as f ollows paign," and the Jewish women
themselves found "the right way."
(p. 133):
Henrietta Szold was elected a
Dr. M. Kornblueh: "I would
member of the Zionist Executive
only like to ask whether the
at the Fifteenth Congress (1927).
ladies are entitled to vote or
Today, Mrs. Rose Halprin is a
not?"
member of the Zionist Executive,
President (Theodor Herzl):
and Golda Meir is Israel Minister
"The ladies are, of course, our
for Foreign Affairs. The granting
very esteemed guests, but do not
of equal rights for women has
participate in the voting."
done much to add strength to the
The problem, however, did not Zionist Organization and to the
end with this statement, though State of Israel.
the protocol Makes no further
mention of it. Not all the ladies
were "esteemed guests." Three of
them, including Miss Maria Reinus
(Zurich). were delegates in their
own right.
NEW YORK (JTA) — The role
Maria Reinus — her name will which the Jewish Telegraphic
not be found in any book on Zion- Agency plays in keeping Jewish
ist history, the Wizo, or the Hadas- community leaders informed on
sah—won equality for women dur- events in Jewish life throughout
ing the First Congress. She the world is emphasized in an
emerged like a glowing torch, ful- article by George Maislen. presi-
filled her mission—and vanished. dent of the United Synagogue of
Maria was born in Russia, studied America, central organ of the 800
in Zurich, and came to the Basle Conservative synagogues in this
Congress, where she was very ac- country.
tive. She later returned to Rus-
The article, published in the cur-
sia and married, and her name and rent issue of the United Synagogue
great achievement were soon for- Review, official organ of the Con-
gotten.
servative movement, reads:
The women at the First Con-
"Organized Jewish life has be-
gress formed a united group, tak- come so ramified, so richly tex-
ing a lively interest in the his-
tured with eventful developments,
toric Basle sessions — and parti- that even 'men and women in the
cipating in the voting. When Dr. echelons of Jewish leadership find
Kornblueh asked his question it it increasingly difficult to keep
was probably directed against his
- abreast of current information.
own wife and against these worn-
"Much of what is active and im-
en "guests" who voted illegally.
mediate news for the American
But at this, Maria Reinus
Jew is necessarily ignored by the
stood up and declared that as
already flooded general press, and
a fully-fledged delegate she
most Jewish newspapers cannot
had taken an active part in the
publish all the news they would
deliberations of the Congress
like. Yet leaders of the American
and in the voting, and that she
Jewish community on all levels
would continue to vote — and she
must be intimately conversant with
did. To underline her brief
what is happening in Jewish life
speech she produced her dele-
if they are properly to discharge
gate's pass, issued by the Con-
their duties to their constituents.
gress Office. It m a y possibly
"This need is best met, as it
have slipped Herzl's mind for
has been for many years, by the
the moment that three women
Jewish Telegraphic Agenc 7,
had such passes. The matter was
whose daily bulletins provide
left at that, since Herzl did not
concise and accurate reports on
allow a discussion oil this point.
all aspects of Jewish life through-
However, in order to demon-
out the world. The reader of
strate that women had equal
JTA reports acquires a global
rights, Maria Reinus asked to
grasp of Jewish life and gains full
speak on the third and last day
familia rity wit Jewish history
of the Congress. Herzl, who had
as it is being made. No Jewish
probably ascertained in the mean-
leader who seeks to be well-in-
time that a few women were of-
formed can afford to be without
ficially delegates. promised to al-
this tool of leadership, a tool
low her the opportunity to speak.
that is indispensable to his voca-
The fact that she did not speak
tion.
after all was due to a "coincid-
"JTA is constantly improving its
ence"; instead, she spoke on the
equality of the Jewish women at facilities for quick and reliable
the banquet which the students i transmission of Jewish news; only
had arranged for the delegates a few weeks ago it opened its first
leased cable circuit directly link-
during the Congress.
Maria Reinus and other mem- ing its New York and London of-
bers of the Congress wrote a let- I fice and eliminating its vulnerabil-
ter, which was published in Der ity to the atmospheric disturb-
Bund, on Sept. 7. 1897, in which ances disrupting radio communica-
tions. It uses radioprinter facilities
they stated:
communicating with South Africa,
"... He (Herzl) meant by this
South America and Israel, where
that the women were welcome
its affiliated Israeli News Agency
as guests, but not entitled to
has its own receiving sation in Tel
vote. He was obviously not
Aviv.
aware that three of them were
"A non-profit organization , JTA
present as delegates to the Con-
is one of American Jewry's most
gress. It must be further
important and influential assets."
pointed out that one woman

Synagogue Organ
Lauds Role of JTA

member, Miss Reines (Reinus)
received tremendous applause
when she declared at the stu-
dents' banquet that the ques
tion of women's rights had been

solved by the Jewish people:
just as the same sufferings of
the past had united brothers as
well as sisters, so would the

identical duties of the future
unite them. There can be no
doubt that the Congress would
have pronounced itself it favour
of women's equality in the Zion-

Saturday Center Program
Defended in Atlantic City
ATLANTIC CITY (JTA) -- The

Atlantic County Jewish Commun-
ity Center here justified Monday
its program of limited Saturday
openings on grounds that it was
better for Jewish children to be
under Center supervision than in
other unsupervised activities which
might get them into trouble.
The statement was issued In
response to a criticism made by
members of the Atlantic County
Board of Rabbis against the Sab-
bath opening policy. David M.
Perskie, Center president, replied
for the Center, asserting that the
Saturday programs were "in con-
sonance with the spirit of the
Sabbath."

ist cause, had this question been
touched upon at all."
In January, 1901, the "Zionist
Women's Society" in Vienna in-
vited Herzl to speak to them on
"Women and Zionism." He said:
"What do women mean to Zion-
ism? I won't say: nothing. What
can they mean, what should they
mean? Perhaps everything. And if
our campaign goes the right way, THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
this is bound to happen . . ." Ma- 2—Friday, January 8, 1965

