Vandenberg's Role in American Zionist History . . Myth of FDR's Friendship Population Predictions: Possible Exaggerations, Panic Must Be Averted Commentator recalls Michigan Senator's early associations with builders of Zion, his eventual skepticism . . . FDR's and HST's attitudes on Israel newly re-evaluated. Pages 2 and 32 HE JEWISH NEWS NA IC I-11 GA IN A Weekly Review Editorial Page 4 of Jewish Events April 15, 1966 17100 W. 7 Mile Rd.—Detroit 48235—VE 8-9364 Impressive Cultural Record, 1860 to 1917 Michigan's Only English-Jewish Newspaper --- Incorporating The Detroit Jewish Chronicle Vol. XLIX, No. 8 Russian Jewry's 27 Book Review Page 4 $6.00 Per Year; This Issue 20c USSR Weapons Step Up ME Arms Race; U.S. Increases Aid to Egypt Vietnam and Middle East Situations Equated; Arms Given Arabs Spell Danger By MILTON FRI EDMAN JTA. and Jewish News Washington Correspondent WASHINGTON—Is Israel jeopardized by the mas- sive new U. S. program for a coordinated Jordanian- Saudi Arabian air defense system which includes pro- vision- of U. S. military technicians, an ultra-modern radar grid, Hawk missiles, and jet fighters. U. S. official sources have briefed the press on the growing American commitment to the monarchies of Jordan and Saudi Arabia. Arms aid is depicted as a bulwark against Communism and Nasserism. American action is prompted by the decline of British power in the Near East and emergence of a "vacuum" requiring a greater American role support- ing Arab kingdoms threatened by Nasserism-Commun- ism. U. S. officials cite the enormous arms build-up in Egypt involving importation of Soviet weapons. Rus- sian arms are also arriving in Syria and Iraq. The disintegrating British situation in Aden is cited along with dangerous tendencies in Syria, in- creased Egyptian-Soviet naval cooperation, the renewed "anti-royalist" war waged by Nasser's "Arab socialism" in Yemen, instability in Iran, and so forth. Gen. Wallace Greene, conunandant of the U. S. Marine Corps, recently linked events in Vietnam with the Middle East. He said it was necessary to defeat Communism in Vietnam to prevent Communist-in- spired "wars of national liberation" in the Middle East and other areas. His specific reference to the Middle East revealed a clue to strategic thinking in terms of ex- panding worldwide commitments of the United States. The United States has revealed the expanding infra- structure and involvement in Saudi-Jordanian defense. The announced sale on bargain terms of U. S. F-104 jet fighters to Jordan followed a prior announcement of a $500,000,000 deal with Saudi Arabia to provide an air defense system. The Saudi transaction included radar, a missile system, and jets. About this time, Saudi Arabian King Feisal met with King Hussein of Jordan to perfect mutual defense cooperation in response to U. S. offers. It has now been revealed that Jordanian pilots have been in training in the United States for a year on -104s, an ultramodern jet. This followed disclosure ,at American personnel will be stationed in Saudi Arabia and Jordan to perfect a radar grid to link defense of the two countries, establish electronic weapons systems including the "Hawk" missile, and to maintain and service the new jets. An American sop to declining British interests was given by agreement in Washington for British (Continued on Page 3) LONDON—The Soviet Union intends to step up the Middle East arms race in the next few months by delivering large quantities of modern weapons, including planes and guided missiles, to Egypt and Iraq, the Daily Telegraph reported Wednesday in a dispatch from Beirut. An Iraqi military mission now in Moscow, the dispatch reported, is particularly anxious to ob- tain more modern planes to replace obsolete Soviet migs now being operated by the Iraqi air force. The report added that the Iraqis are also seeking to obtain from the USSR the type of anti-aircraft missiles now being used by North Vietnam. A press dispatch from Damascus reported that Syria's new regime also expects to receive fresh Soviet military supplies. This report was accepted here as having validity because under the new regime in Damascus the Russian backed local' Communist party has been permitted considerable liberty of action. India Rejects Aid Offered by Israel LONDON—Israel's offer of aid to meet the famine threat has been rejected by India, Sunday Observer reported from New Delhi. The report said the issue will be raised in the lower house of the Indian Parliament by deputies concerned over the extent to which the Indian government is willing to go on snubbing Israel for the sake of relations with the Arabs. Last month, members of the Indian Parliament criticized the government for the failure of Indian officials to treat Israel's President Zalman Shazar in a manner befitting a visiting dignitary when Shazar changed planes in India, en route to a state visit to Nepal. Israel's offer of help in connection with possible famine facing India was made in response to appeals by United Nations Secretary- General U Thant, and by the UN Food and Agriculture Organiza- tion. The Observer reported that Israel's consul was told by the Indian External Affairs Ministry that the offer would be refused on the grounds that its acceptance might harm India's relations with the Arab states. State Dept. Considering Increased Aid to Egypt; Food, Loans Sought WASHINGTON (JTA)—The State Depart- ment reacting to a report from Cairo revealing that the Egyptian government has formally asked the United States for $150,000,000 in sur- plus food—in addition to asking earlier for loans totaling $100,000,000 for industrial proj- ects—indicated that the matter of increased American aid to Egypt was under discussion. State Department sources said the United States government does not believe that in- creased American assistance to Egypt, now under consideration, would facilitate in any way the diversion of Egypt's domestic budget funds to purchase additional, Soviet military jet planes and other aims. 3 Hot Mid-East Issues Confront Thant By SAUL CARSON JTA Correspondent at the United Nations (Copyright, 1966, JTA, Inc.) UNITED NATIONS, N. Y.—Secretary-General U Thant has under consideration — as of this writing — a bid from four Arab countries to visit the Arab refugee camps. These are located in Jordan, where the refugees make up half of the country's total population; in Syria and Lebanon; and in the Gaza Strip, which is under Egyptian juris- diction. Mr. Thant has already indicated that he will not act on the invitation unless he felt he could make a "positive contribution" by visiting the area. Knowledgeable personages here, on the diplomatic level as well as inside Mr. Thant's own secretariat, are not sure he should go. These sources know that the Arab "host governments" hope Mr. Thant would boost their claims that the United Nations Relief and Works Agency — the vast organization charged with Arab refugee relief — should be strengthened. The sources know that, unless Mr. Thant is anxious to get into a first-class hassle with the Arab states, he would never be given the opportunity to discuss candidly the UN issues that are paramount at this time in regard to the Arab refugees. There is no doubt that the "host" countries. would not want him to bring up at least three of the current hot issues: 1. rectification of the relief rolls; 2. the "three generation" matter; and 3. recruitment of refugees into the Pal- estine Liberation Organization. It is more than two years now since Laurence Michelmore, UNRWA's head, had promised to file with the Gen- eral Assembly a special report touching on what is called here euphoniously "rectification." That term refers to efforts to rid the refugee relief rolls of chiselers, the dead in whose names many thousands of ration cards are held, the em- ployed who no longer need relief, many other ineligibles. During the 1964 session, Mr. Michelmore did not have to come through with his promised special report because the Assembly was a fiasco, having no power to vote on anything (Continued on Page 5) Coca-Cola !Denial Rejected; ADL, JWV Change Yielding to Arab Pressure NEW YORK (JTA) — Issue was taken by the Anti-Defamation League of Bnai Brith with the assertion of the Coca-Cola Company that it has refused to grant a franchise to an Israeli firm not because of political reasons but for economic con- siderations. In a statement analyzing all the facts involved, the Anti-Defamation League charged that the refusal of the Coca-Cola Company was motivated by "bowing to the Arab boycott' against Israel. (See story in last week's Jewish News.) Coca-Cola Co. has been concealing its real reason for refusing to grant a fran- chise to an Israeli bottler, ADL charged, stating: "In light of all the evidence, including the reported statements of certain of its spokesmen, that reason, in our judgment, is political, not economic. On balance, we are forced to the conclusion that the Arab boycott is the likeliest reason for the position of Coca-Cola:" The ADL statement concluded with a reference to three economic criteria allegedly set up by Coca-Cola for its refusal to grant a franchise, sought by Tempo Soft Drinks Co., an Israeli concern. These reasons reportedly were: 1. A company wishing a Coca-Cola franchise must make an investment of at least $1,000,000; 2. The franchised company must produce only Coca-Cola, and not any other soft drink; 3. Financial feasibility for a Coca-Cola franchise holder in Israel would not be successful. "The three criteria," ADT.. stated, "are obvious nonsense. We arc drawn to the reluctant conclusion that the Coca-Cola Company is collaborating." According to ADL, there are 31 Coca-Cola bottlers franchised in the Near and Middle East. "The deductible facts seem strongly to Andicate that, while submitting to the Arab boycott," the ADL declared, "Coca-Cola assiduously attempted to camou- flage its submission as a pure non-political, economic decision." The ADL noted that, in countries comparable in population to Israel's, the minimum $1,000,000 investment has not been required of local Coca-Cola bottlers. It cited as an example a company in El Salvador that began Coca-Cola bottling opera- tions in 1965 with capital of only $200,000, and a Kuwait bottler who was granted a franchise in 1953, when its total original assets were only $280,000. The Tempo firm in Israel, on the other hand, was shown through Dun & Brad- street reports to have a net worth of $500,000. Tempo owns a bottle plant which, alone. is expected to have a net worth of $1,750,000, the ADL stated. The League cited Tempo's vast success as a marketer of soft drinks in Israel, asserted that Tempo was willing to market Coca-Cola under that. brand name. James A. Farley, chairman of the board of Coca-Cola Export Corp., denied the charge. Protests against Coca-Cola Co.'s actions have been registered by dealers in soft drinks, by the Jewish War Veterans and other organizations. JWV announced that it will consider organizing a "counter-boycott" against the offending company. (Related Stories, Page 7)