Purely Commentary
Arthur Goldberg's Role: 'Good for Jews' Attitude
Sad Echoes of Political
Maneuvers in Washington
By Philip Weisgal Elected
SIOMOVitZ
Goldberg's "overbearing" manner and Stevenson's cool, detached
(if self-pitying) elegance. In the middle of the Pakistan-Indian
"war," a UN delegate remembered, Goldberg called a press con-
ference for '7:30 on a Saturday night. There had been rumors all
day that China was moving against Sikkim, and correspondents and
representatives crowded into Goldberg's conference to hear the
announcement of what they supposed was a major U.S. demarche
in Asia. Instead, Goldberg was all smiles, and he casually told
the audience that he had some good news: his son was engaged
to be married: "Seasoned correspondents went green," the dele-
gate said. "It was horrifying."
Despite the occasional displays of sentiment and naivete which
stuffier delegates find annoying, Goldberg seems to have won the
respect of many UN members for his sheer energy and a certain
honesty in holding up the U.S. side. "He has great technical
ability in international affairs," a Western European diplomat
said of Goldberg, "although I sometimes wonder whether he has
any great flair for understanding what foreigners are up to. He
has boundless energy, of course. He carefully prepares all this
work, and is amazingly well-informed on every subject. Ambas-
sador Stevenson was not, you know. Especially toward the end,
he did not seem to care about his work. He was quick to tell
you privately how much he disagreed with U.S. policy. I don't
know why he didn't resign. He was a very vain man, but Goldberg
is a very ambitious man. . .
Despite the traps and the frustrations, Goldberg is enjoying
himself. He might agree with Angie March: " may well be a
flop at this line of endeavor. Columbus too thought he was a
flop, probably, when they sent him back in chains. Which didn't
prove there was no America."
This is a logical analysis of existing conditions at the UN, and
the partial quotation from the Kopkind article throws light on Gold-
berg's role. But why the jolly Jewish good fellow business? And if
the reference does stem from the White House, what kind of game
is this — of first introducing Goldberg as the great negotiator and
then diminishing him to a role of a nice gesture "good for the Jews"?
Perhaps the White House and the State Department should explain
this new trend to the American people. There is too much at stake
for this country, especially in the Vietnam crisis, to play favoritisms
and gestures to voters.
Head of Institute
at Rehovot Parley
(Direct JTA Teletype Wire
On the eve of every important election, the Jewish issue inevitably
to The Jewish News)
gets dragged in. Someone is certain to magnify the "Jewish vote"
TEL AVIV—Meyer W. Weisgal,
as a threatening matter—just as the Negro and Catholic votes have
for many years chairman and
been used as footballs. But never before has a major spokesman for
chief executive officer of the
the United States been spoken as of a "Jewish representative" and
Weizmann Institute of Science at
Rehovot, was elected unanimously
as a factor in- politics. Arthur Goldberg has become such a target.
president of the institute Tuesday.
When he was enticed from the United States Supreme Court to
He succeeded Abba Eban, Israel's
succeed the late Adlai Stevenson as our nation's chief spokesman
foreign minister.
at the international organization, there was general acclaim. Repre-
sentatives of both major parties in this country, UN officials and
Weisgal said he was moved by
foreign government diplomats considered the appointment as a
the fact that he had been named
to the office formerly held by Dr.
notable one.
Chaim Weizmann, Israel's first ,
Now, with all the dangers hanging over his head, Arthur Gold-
president, and by Eban. The,
berg suddenly has become "the nice Jewish fellow" whose appoint-
foreign minister will remain a '
ment was such a good plum for Jews! What a mockery! Yet, the
member of the institute directorate
mocking continues. Note, for example, the article in this week's New
Republic by Andrew Kopkind who, writing from the United Nations,
stated inter alia about "The Adventures of Arthur Goldberg:"
The whole system works against Goldberg. He has an impact
on only a few issues, but he lends his name, and his liberal
following to the range of President Johnson's foreign policy. That
is nothing new with UN ambassadors. Since President Eisenhower
made Henry Cabot Lodge a member of his cabinet, the ambassa-
dors have always been chief spokesmen for the most "liberal" line
of the. Administration they serve.
Most ambassadors from other countries have reasonably easy
times of it at the UN. But the American representatives have
more than any of them can successfully juggle. Goldberg has
constituencies all over the lot. He represents not only the U.S.,
but in a special sense, he is Lyndon Johnson's personal emissary
to the world. More than that, he was chosen, among many
reasons, because of his standing with the Liberals of his own
party (as was Lodge and Stevenson), as a kind of concession to
their concern with internationalism and the "peace issue." He
has a personal constituency in the labor movement, where he
spent most of his adult life before coming into President Ken-
nedy's cabinet as Secretary of Labor in 1961. In the middle of
his busiest week of the year at the UN, he took time out from
preparing the Assembly speech to address the Steelworkers'
Atlantic City convention (Johnson had been invited for that day, Sad Losses: Simonhoff, Binder, Saleski, Silver
MEYER W. WEISGAL
but couldn't make it).
Jewry has cause to mourn several distinguished personalities and president of the Rehovot
Like Stevenson, Goldberg is Washington's ambassador to New whose passing leaves voids in several fields of endeavor.
Scientific International Confer-
York. He goes to the opera (and deftly arbitrated a musicians'
Harry Simonhoff, the Florida lawyer, was an able historian. He
labor dispute at the Met five years ago) and floats freely in the was among the best informed men on the history of the Jews in the ences which have brought inter-
intellectual and cultural scene. "Goldberg's not an intellectual," South. He had written extensively about eminent American personali- national recognition to the institute.
Prof. Amos De Shalit, a nuclear
an old associate observed not long ago, "but he mixes well with ties. The literary world is poorer with his passing.
intellectuals; he's comfortable with them." His wife, Dorothy,
Two noted musicians are gone. A. W. Binder was an excellent physicist, was named director
will be
is an abstractionist painter. He keeps his lines open to New director, a fine composer, an authority on Jewish music. Gdal Saleski general of the institute. He
York politics, while not actually being in them, but he has a fine was a great cellist and he was the compiler of histories of Jews in music. aided by a committee of institute
Like his brother, the late Abba Hillel Silver, Dr. Maxwell Silver scientists. The changes were an-
political sense and could not stay away if he tried. "He has a
institute's annual
rather old-fashioned notion of the balanced ticket," the same was a Jewish scholar. He authored several good works and he was nounced at the
general meeting by Dr. Dewey
associate said. "He has to have someone from every ethnic bloc, dedicated to Zionism and to Jewish culture.
Blessed be the memories of these men of learning who have D. Stone, chairman of the board
every religion, every political camp around him. He thinks it's
of directors.
very important." Only occasionally now does he take part in passed on to the Great Beyond!
election campaigns; in the most recent example, he hedged his
•
"neutrality" toward aging (to be kind) Rep. Barratt O'Hara, a
Chicagoan of the Mayor Dailey persuasion, against a primary
challenge by Goldberg's long-time law associate, Abner Mikva.
Reform-minded Democrats were dismayed at Goldberg's behavior.
Youth competitions in oratory that orati,pns may not exceed six 7th and 8th grades (junior divis-
But the Chicago machine is another of his constituencies, O'Hara and in poster and painting will minutes f in length. Preliminary ion) and 9th through 12th grades
is a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee (and a play an important part among the competition will be held on school (senior division) are encouraged
former congressional member of the U.S. delegation to the UN), cultural programs planned for the or youth organization levels with to submit original work, dealing
and Mikva was sounding a bit too dove-like on Vietnam for the 15th annual Jewish Book Fair to the semi-finals and finals schedul- with a subject relating to Jewish
Administration's comfort. Whether Goldberg hankers after higher be held at the
ed for Sunday, Nov. 6, at the literature.
Young people who are interested
office himself is uncertain. When he took the ambassadorship, Jewish Center,
center. Prizes will be awarded.
Washington politicians guessed that he was really after a job November 5 - 13.
Mrs. Al Griffen is chairman of in either contest and wish further
as secretary of state, or perhaps senator from New York or
the poster and painting contest to information are asked to call the
The oratory
Illinois, or even the vice presidency. Anyone could draw contin- contest is open to
which young people of the 6th, center office, DI 1-4200.
gency plans for all those offices, but for the moment they appear high school stu-
to be occupied, and Goldberg must make do at the UN.
dents who may
Unlike any other ambassador, or indeed, unlike anyone else speak on one of
now in high office, Goldberg has a very peculiar constituency, the following top-
about which he has a deep ambivalence. He is the Administration's ics: "How Can
ambassador to the Jews, and the Jews' tribune in the government. Jewish Identity
He finds the idea somewhat dismaying, but there is not much Be Perpetuated
Dr. Israel Knox, author, scholar Joffe and Morris Schaver, all of
he can do about it. As a certified ethnic bloc in the pluralistic Through Litera-
and lecturer, will be the featured whom served as members of the
system Goldberg so stirringly defends, American Jews demand ture?" or "How
speaker at the opening night of founding board of the Schaver
that one of their number be chosen for a major office. Every Can Jewish Lit-
the Jewish Community Center's Fund, which this year celebratesi
Jewish grandmother knows that Goldberg's appointment to the erature Be Made
Jewish Book Fair, 8:15 p.m. Nov. 5. its 10th anniversary.
UN was somehow "good for Jews," in the way that Kennedy's More Meaning-
Others appearing briefly on the (.4:
He will speak on
presidency was "good for the Irish" (as well as the Catholics), ful?" and "What
program will be Milton J. Miller, "-
and such figures as Anthony Celebrezze, Robert Weaver, and is Jewish Litera-
"Jewish Litera-
center president; Mrs. Julian S.
John Gronouski were good for their respective ethnic, racial or ture?"
ture and Jewish
Tobias, Book Fair chairman; Sid-
Life:
Portrait
of
"national" brethren. It works out, of course, that they can do
Mrs. David J. Mrs. Schachter
ney Shevitz, past president of the
very little "good" that would not be done by anyone in their Schachter, named oratory chair- a People."
Jewish Community Council and a
A well known
jobs, but their symbolic role is valuable for establishing identity man by Mrs. Julian S. Tobias,
representative of the administra-
and boosting morale. President Johnson understands the value Book Fair chairman, announces authority on phil-
tion of Wayne State University.
osophy and Jew-
as well as any grandmother. When he appointed Goldberg to the
ish culture, he
UN, Johnson told Internal Revenue Commissioner Sheldon Cohen
From this opening night the
how wonderful it was that a nice Jewish fellow from the West Chicago Code Change has written sev-
Jewish Book Fair, which is this
eral books.
Side of Chicago could be an ambassador to the United Nations!
year celebrating its 15th anniver-
He is currently
After some initial anxiety, UN hands have ceased worrying Sought to Ban Klan
sary, will continue through Nov.
Dr. Knox
associate profes-
about Goldberg's relationship with the Arab-bloc representatives.
The Arabs have not let up their attacks on Israel, but they do Robes, Nazi Symbols sor of philosophy at New York 13. Featured will be exhibits of
American Jewish literature as well
not hold Goldberg responsible for its existence; they take him
CHICAGO (JTA) — City code University.
The program, jointly sponsored as selections of English, Yiddish
as he is.
amendments introduced in the
by the Jewish Center and the Mor- and Hebrew books and periodicals,
For some, the faint aura of the West Side of Chicago about
Chicago City Council would make ris and Emma Schaver Publication all of which will be for • sale. The
Goldberg is his most attractive characteristic. He is proud, and a
public is invited to attend all pro-
little sell-conscious about it all; in Washington, he used to treat it unlawful to display the swastika, Fund of Wayne State University grams and exhibits, which will be
cabinet members and their families to Sunday morning brunches robes, uniforms and symbols of the Press, will include a memorial tri- open every afternoon and evening.
of lox and bagels, and he invited card-carrying WASPS to his Nazis and the Ku Klux Klan, and bute to Rabbi Morris Adler, Boris
Passover seder. Despite the overlay of sophistication and a lifetime would specifically prohibit the dis-
in political affairs, Goldberg has not lost those rich accents which tribution of hate literature directed
are a mixture of mid-America and the Jewish ghetto, the haimish against race or religion.
BONN (JTA) — Five thousand had tried and failed to persuade
and the heartland.
The amendments, which were in-
It does not attract everyone. Diplomats from foreign ministry
copies of Adolf Hitler's "Mein the Danish authorities to halt dis-
troduced
by
Alderman
Jack
Sper-
establishments around the world, as well as some career State
Kampf," in a Danish translation, tribution of the Hitler book, on
Department officers are baffled and sometimes put off by Gold- ling, would spell out prohibitions have been printed in Denmark and the grounds that Danish publication
against racial or anti-religious in-
own-
berg's free-wheeling, direct style. He is "patriotic" in the way sec-
citements and apply them to the are reportedly now being distribut- of the book violated German
ond-generation Americans often are. They find it smothering, or Nazis and the Ku Klux Klan. The ed in that country, the West Ger- ership of the copyright, it was em-
distasteful, or gauche. They make individual comparisons between city ordinance already generally man Foreign Ministry reported. phasized in the report issued by
Bonn's ambassador to Copenhagen the foreign ministry here.
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS bars provocative acts and displays.
Oratory, Poster, Painting Contest at Book Fair
.
Address by IDr. Knox to Open
Book Fair Events on Nov. 5
`Mein Kampf' Printed in Danish
2—Friday, October 14, 1966
-