THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS 47—Friday, March 17, 1967 ■ waawre ■ o4........o.m.r.t. ■ oormre.m... ■ .•••....04 ■o■ Nottomenmas. Boris Smolar's 'Between You .. and Me' By BORIS SMOLAR (Copyright, 1967, JTA, Inc.) COMMUNAL AFFAIRS: With the growing expansion of Jewish Community Centers throughout the country, the question of non- Jewish membership in these Centers is now developing into a serious issue .. . Ten years ago, it was estimated — on the basis of studies — that the non-Jewish members averaged 5 per cent of the entire membership in the Center field . . . In some Centers they constituted 7 per cent but, in others, the percentage was lower . . . Today, the National Jewish Welfare Board believes that there has been no sub- stantial change in the proportion as a whole since 10 years ago . . . In some communities, local Jewish leaders claim however that the proportion there exceeds 10 per cent . . . In all the Centers and Ys throughout th country affiliated with the National Jewish Welfare Board there are today more than 700,000 registered members . . . The JWB points out that, while the proportion remained the same as in 1957, the actual number of non-Jewish members increased in pro- portion to the rise of total membership in the Centers . .. Thus, the impression that there is today a greater number of non-Jewish mem- bers in Centers is supported . .. The impact of this is most marked in Centers that opened new facilities . . . JWB experts believe that non-Jewish affiliation is related to special programs of the Centers which meet the needs of Jewish and non-Jewish families alike . . . Activities and group projects for children in the Centers have, for instance, attracted sizeable numbers of persons who are not Jewish . . . The experts note that programs with high emphasis on Jewish purpose and content attract principally Jewish participation . . . In contrast, programs in the Centers which have a limited relation to the factor of Jewish purpose and content have attracted relatively more non-Jews . . . The issue is coming more and more to the fore- front as the Jewish Centers are increasingly becoming the nerve center of local Jewish family activities — communal, educational and athletic, especially in the small communities . . . By the beginning of this year, Community Centers and Ys affiliated with the JWB have built 107 new buildings since World War II, at a cost of approximately '$102,000,000 . . . During 1966 alone, eight buildings were completed at a cost of more than $9,000,000 . .. And it is expected that, by the end of the 1966-75 decade, the total original investment in all center buildings — including $8,000,000 representing pre-World War II buildings — will be approaching the $200,000,000 mark. Pleas for Ratification of Convention Against Genocide Fall on Deaf Ears; Senate Defers Action for Entire Year WASHINGTON (JTA) — A sub- committee of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on March 8 dererred for a year proposals to urge the Senate to ratify the United Nations Convention Against Genocide. This action was taken although the subcommittee heard massive testimony from spokesmen for major national Jewish organiza- tions and local Jewish communal councils throughout the United States, as well as other witnesses, calling for early Senate action on the anti-genocide convention adopted by the United Nations in 1948. The Convention has been rati- fied by more than 50 countries, in- cluding the Soviet Union. Sen. Thomas J. Dodd, Connecti- cut Democrat, chairman of the sub- committee, said it is "a great pity" that the Senate has not yet acted on the genocide issue. However, he pointed out that his group had not been given authority to tackle the issue by its parent body, the full Senate Committee on Foreign Re- lations. Disappointment over the subcommittee's inability to take the action on the issue of major inter- est to American Jewry was also expressed by Sen. Joseph S. Clark, of Pennsylvania, and Sen. William F. Proxmire, of Wisconsin, both Democrats. , Administrative sources revealed that the genocide issue was de- ferred due to opposition by con- servatives in the Senate. State De- partment officials are also opposed to action on genocide, presUmably fearing that the -United States might, under the U.N. Convention, be charged with genocide in Viet- nam. Advocates of ratification of the Genocide Convention were told it would be "easier" next year, af- ter the Senate has ratified three other U.N. instruments on human rights, dealing with prohibition of slavery, outlawing forced labor, and giving political right to women. The Jewish spokesman cited be- fore the subcommittee America's traditional concern for international human rights, and marshaled an array of arguments in support of the constitutionality of the Geno- cide Convention's ratification. They stressed that continued U.S. failure to ratify all four of the UN human rights documents, including one forbidding genocide, afford U.S. enemies the opportunity of charg- ing the U.S.A. with hypocrisy re- garding human rights. The March 8 subcommittee hearing was the first held on the entire human rights issue by any Senate body since 1949. Later, in Geneva, Gustav War- burg, B n a i Brith director in Geneva, speaking at the current session of the Human Rights Commission, expressed the hope that the UN General - Assembly would adopt the same system of implementation against religious discrimination as it has accepted for the convention against racial discrimination. He spoke not only in the name of the Coordinating Board of Jew- ish Organizations, his organization, but also for several other Jewish groups. These include the World Jewish Congress, the Consultative Council of Jewish Organizations, the International Council of Jewish Women and Agudath Israel. JWV's 5th Region Honors Gubow, Hears Attorney General Hit Extremists Representatives of Jewish War Veterans posts in 14 states, com- prising the 5th JWV Region, met last weekend at the Sheraton-Cadil- lac Hotel, and reviewed many problems involving the situation in Vietnam and the emergence of a rightist movement of bigots. They also reaffirmed the movement's role in efforts to protect the demo- cratic way of life. One of the sessions Saturday was devoted to a review of civic-pro- tective activities. Michigan's Attor- ney General Frank Kelly gave an address in which he pointed out that there can be no restrictions on freedom of expression, which makes the job of uprooting bigotry all the more difficult. In a symposium on "Reacting to the Extreme Right," Kelly said: "There is a new extremism with which we must now contend . . . the new extremism has developed to the, far right of the main current of American life. Its chief occupa- tion is with the threat of the Com- munist movement. It views welfare measures as Communist-inspired. It can and most often does, equate any action which it opposes with evidence of Communist influence . . . an almost paranoid reaction that every opponent must neces- sarily be a part of the Communist conspiracy or a dupe of that con- spiracy." The attorney general reported that in Michigan the John Birch Society flourishes with a reputed 225 chapters, one half of which are in Metropolitan Detroit. "We also find in Michigan," he said, "Pockets of that particularly obnoxious and despicable group, the American Nazi Party." There were heated debates over the current' situation in the Far East and there are strong expres- sions of support for President Johnson's policies. The conference banquet Satur- day night was devoted to trib- utes to the region's president, U. S. Attorney Lawrence Gubow, whose labors for civic and Jew- ish causes were praised by a number of veterans' leaders and by the guest speaker, U. S. Sena- tor Philip A. Hart. Senator Hart's speech was de- voted to a review of the American way of life which emphasizes the democratic traditions. In the course of his address he spoke with ad- miration of the Jewish traditions which is a bulwark of strength for liberalism. "Your sense of history is the kind of lesson which en- riches Americanism and makes us all the more rooted in our ideals for possesSing it," he said. He appealed against "narrowing the scope of freedom" while em- phasizing "the right to dissent," and he implied in his address a plea to the veterans to support the President in the difficult struggle he is directing at this time. His plea was against using dissent to propagate errors but rather to ar- arive at truth. "We must not encourage weak- ness of will," Senator Hart de- clared. He praised Gubow as a man of great sensitivity, for his "crafts- manship as a lawyer," for his "sense of deep feeling of what the Bill of Rights is 411 about." In behalf of Mayor Cavanagh, Robert Knox brought a citation to Gubow from the 'City of Detroit, and a specially engraved procla- mation. Sidney Shevitz greeted Gubow on behalf of the Jewish Community Council. An award was given Mary Love on behalf of JWV women, and he was honored with a Golden Award by Jay Gutlow in behalf of the Allied Veterans Council, in brief speeches by Shan Shaikowitz, former national JWV commander; Mrs. Betty Bulger, women's army veterans corps, who presented him with a plaque; and Marian Kozlow, women's JWV national president. There were many messages of greetings, including one from the new U. S. attorney general, Ram- sey Clark. Jack Berman, commander of the Michigan Department, and Irving S. Cane, who presided, added to the encomia for Gubow and re- viewed the history of the veterans' movement. Gubow, in his response, ex- pressed gratitude for the oppor- tunity given him to serve the causes he is aligned with. He joined in reaffirming the dedi- cation of his fellow workers to the JWV movement. In business sessions Sunday, the following resolutions were adopted by the Fifth Region: Support for the enactment of the consular treaty with the Soviet Union now before Congress; a plea for the up- grading of the Selective Service Act to eliminate inequities and in- justices; a reaffirmation of JWV's support of the government's Viet- nam policy with the commitment to negotiate whenever North Viet- nam shows a genuine willingness to resolve this conflict; and a posi- tive program for mobilizing opposi- tion to the American Nazi Party or any other extremist group, whether of left or right. He placed special stress on the right of individuals to complain to an international body against violations of their rights. The commission completed its deliberations on the religious con- vention. However, time was not available to deal with the articles on implementation of the conven- tion. That issue will go directly to the General Assembly. Strengthening of a draft reso- lution that would ban statutes of limitations on the prosecution and trial of war criminals was requested by Israel before the Human Rights Commission, As the d r a f t stands now, it would bar statutes of limitations for court actions against persons accused in general of "war crimes and crimes against humanity," linking the definition of such crimes to the Allied charter which guided the Nuremberg war crimes trials. Israel's Supreme Court Justice Haim H. Cohn, a member of the commission, insisted that the defi- nition stress particularly "crimes of murder and mass murder." He was supported by the representa- tives of Jamaica, Italy, Dahomey, Guatemala and the Philippine Islands. A plea that the commission speed its actions on banning war crimse statutes of limitations was voiced before the Commission by Dr. Maurice L. Perlzweig, who represents the World Jewish Congress. The ' WJC is among a number of world-wide non-govern- mental Jewish organizations that have a voice, but not a vote, before the commission. er Malcolm A. Tarlov in recog- "There is need to work swiftly," nition of the cardinal's role by Viet- Dr. Perlzweig warned, "so that nam and elsewhere as military the General Assembly could adopt vicar of the armed forces. this convention this year. Other- The first JWV life membership wise, many war criminals might awarded a veteran of Vietnam was escape just punishment." bestowed upon Col. Melvin Garten, much-decorated Jewish paratroop officer wounded in recent action. * * * YETZ-COBEN AUXILIARY will meet 8 p.m. Monday at the home of Eleanor Schwartz, 24260 Keno- widower seeks manag sha, Oak Park. First nomination of 47-year-old position. Will invest. Heavy officers will be , held. Members of erial experience in controllership, B.A. the auxiliary will service the D. J. Degree. Ask for resume. Healy Home Saturday with movies, Box 790 games, refreshments and new clothing. Raye Weimer, Battle The Jewish News Creek Hospital chairman, an- National JWVA Head 17100 W. 7 Mile Rd. nounces that it is planning the an- Detroit, Mich. 48235 Pays Visit to Detroit nual Passover seder for the Jewish Mrs. David Kozlow, national patients at the veterans hospital. president of the Jewish War Vet- erans Auxiliary of the U.S.A., on her official visit to the Depart- ment of Michigan Monday, saw an American flag presented to the Sherrard Junior High School in honor of her visit. Patriotic Instructor Mrs. Sol Goldberg presented the flag to Principal Mrs. J. Weston. Modera- PRESENTLY SERVING ON tor for the program was Past De- THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS partment President Mrs. Jack Iden, who is national legislative chair- OF THE MARRIED GROUP OF man. TEMPLE BETH EL, AND Also present at the program were Michigan's only past na- THEIR DELEGATE TO THE tional president, Mrs. John JEWISH COMMUNITY Nemen, and the presidents and patriotic instructors of Michi- COUNCIL OF METROPOLI- gan's 12 auxiliaries. Approxi- TAN DETROIT. mately 250 students will be present. A testimonial dinner honoring SOUTHFIELD COMMITTEE TO ELECT Mrs. Kozlow was held at Green- field's Restaurant. Mrs. Kozlow later heard reports of the Michi- Basil B. Nemer Councilman gan Department and responded with a report of her travels to presents JWVA auxiliaries and departments throughout the nation. "SNEAK PREVIEW at STUDIO-8" Jack Berman, Department of GREENFIELD - 8 MILE SHOPPING CENTER Michigan commander, b r ought greetings from his department. FILM'S FIRST SHOWING IN MICHIGAN Business Administrator Accountant X COUNCILMAN SOUTHFIELD . Basil B. NEMER • * * Veterans Honor Cardinal MIAMI (JTA) — Francis Car- dinal Spellman was awarded the Jewish War Veterans Medal of Merit by JWV National Command- WEDNESDAY, 'MARCH 29 Fund Donation $5.00 Per Person 9:15 P.M. Ticket Requests Phone: 647-4690