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November 03, 1967 - Image 2

Resource type:
Text
Publication:
The Detroit Jewish News, 1967-11-03

Disclaimer: Computer generated plain text may have errors. Read more about this.

Purely Commentary Big Power 'Sellout' of Israel Is Warned

By Philip Slomovitz

Martin Luther King's Position on Anti-Semitism
It is imperative that all elements in our population should learn
. to live in harmony and to understand one another, thereby repudiat-
ing all efforts to inject suspicions and to engender fears. The race
issue that is plaguing this _country has been aggravated by the spread
of anti-Semitism in some Negro ranks. A number of the more res-
ponsible Negro leaders have repudiated these prejudices. But at the
Chicago "New Politics" convention the Negro anti-Semites gained
the upper hand, although they were compelled to tone down their
pro-Arab anti-Israel and anti-Jewish resolution.
The Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., attended the Chicago conven-
tion. As head of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference
(SCLC) he was on the spot and he was challenged for a clarification
of his views and to disocciate himself "publicly from the malevolence
which found expression in the resolutions of the New Politics Con-
vention." This was the challenge addressed to him by the heads of
the 10 leading American Jewish organizations. Dr. King replied in
the affirmative, stating:
Serious distortions by the press have created an impression
that SCLC was part of a group at the Chicago Conference of
New Politics which introduced a resolution condemning Israel
and unqualifiedly endorsing all the policies of the Arab powers.
The facts are as follows:
1. The staff members of SCLC who attended the conference
(not as official delegates) were the most vigorous and articulate
opponents of the simplistic resolution on the Middle East ques-
tion. As a result of this opposition, the Black caucus modified
its stand and the convention voted to eliminate references to
Zionism and referred to the executive board the matter of final
wording. This change was the direct result of the spirited oppo-
sition on the floor by Hosea Williams, Director of Voter Regis-
tration and Political Education of SCLC. Incidentally, I only
attended the conference to make the opening speech and left
immediately after. I had no part in planning the structure or
policy of the conference, nor was I a delegate. If I had been at
the conference during the discussion of the resolutions, I would
have made it crystal clear that I could not have supported any
resolution calling for black separatism or calling for a con-
demnation of Israel and an unqualified endorsement of the policy
of the Arab powers. I later made this clear to the press but a
disclaimer seldom gets the attention that an original sensational
attack receives.
2. SCLC has repeatedly stated that the Middle East problem
embodies the related questions of security and development. Is-
rael's right to exist as a state in security is incontestable. At
the same time the great powers have the obligation to recognize
that the Arab world is in a state of impose poverty and back-
wardness that must threaten peace_and harmony. Until a con-
certed and democratic program of assistance is affected, tensions
cannot be relieved. Neither Israel nor its neighbors can live in
peace without an underlying basis of economic and social develop-
ment.
At the heart of the problem are oil interests. As the American
Jewish Congress has stated, "American policies in the Middle
East have been motivated in no no small measure by the desire
to protect the $2,500,000,000 stake which U.S. oil companies
have invested in the area." Some Arab feudal rulers are no less
concerned for oil wealth and neglect the plight of their own
peoples. The solution will have to be found in statesmanship
by Israel and progressive Arab forces who in concert with the
great powers recognize that fair and peaceful solutions are the
concern of all of humanity and must be found.
Neither military measures nor a stubborn effort to reverse
history can provide a permanent solution for peoples who need
and deserve both development and security.
3. SCLC has expressly, frequently and vigorously denounced
anti-Semitism and will continue to do so. It is not only that anti-
Semitism is immoral—though that alone is enough. It is used to
divide Negro and Jew, who have effectively collaborated in the
struggle for justice. It injures Negroes because it upholds the
doctrine of racism which they have the greatest stake in destroy-
ing. The individual Jew or gentile who may be an exploiter acts
out of his greed as an individual, not his religious precepts—
just as a criminal—Negro or white—is expressing his anti-social
tendencies—not the ethical values of his race.
On the general question of anti-Semitism, I would like to
quote a few paragraphs from my recent book WHERE DO WE
GO FROM HERE?

LOS ANGELES — A Republican
Congressman warned guests at a
Sinai Temple forum here to be-
ware of an attempted Big Power
"sellout" of Israel in their anxiety
to secure a speedy solution to the
Middle East problem.

The warning came from Rep.
Alonzo Bell, who accused the
Johnson administration of lacking
a forthright policy and the United
Nations of maintaining a "double
standard." He said the unification
of Jerusalem should be recognized
and that Israel's security and free-
dom of navigation should be as-
sured by the dispositions made for
the Golan Heights and Sharm el
Sheikh, which controls the Strait
of Tiran.

In Washington, government
officials indicated Tuesday their
concern for friendly relations with
Arab countries at a ceremony
marking the swearing in of a new
United States ambassador to Jor-
dan and in a statement regretting
action by the House of Representa-
tives for a ban on further imports
of cotton from Egypt and the
Sudan.

Undersecretary of State Nicholas
Katzenbach, who participated in
the swearing in of career Foreign
Service officer Harrison Symmes,
stressed in his remarks the im-
portance the United States attached
to "warm and close relations" with
the government of Jordan.

Symmes pledged that, as envoy,
he would seek to promote "under-
standing and good will" between
the United States and Jordan. He
said the two countries had "a sub-
stantial and enduring interest in
ensuring the peace and stability in
the Near East." Katzenbach said
Symmes was being sent to Amman
with the "full and complete confi-
dence" of President Johnson and
Secretary of State Dean Rusk.
In Chicago, Sen. Jacob K. Javits
called on the Soviet Union Tuesday
night to join with the United States
"in the exercise of restraint and
limitation in arms shipments" to
the Middle East. The New York
Republican told the annual meet-
ing of the Jewish Welfare Fund of
metropolitan Chicago that the key
to the Middle East situation was
for the Soviet Union to cease its
policy of arming the United Arab
Republic, of supplying the Arabs
with generals and with the techni-
cians to operate highly sophisti-
cated weaponry and for training.
He warned that "This is a dan-
gerous and incendiary course for
the USSR to follow."

states together for bilateral peace
It was revealed meanwhile that
no negotiations are under way for
talks.
Earlier, a bill was introduced in new weapons for Israel or the five
the House to authorize the United Arab states also affected by the
States government to loan Israel limited lifting of the June em-
a destroyer to replace the Elath bargo. The United States is not
which was sunk by a Soviet-made now undertaking new military
equipment commitments because
missile.
The bill was offered by Rep. of the administration policy, of-
Richard Schweiker, Pa. Rep., a ficials said in reference to the
member of the House Committee possibility of subsequent shipments
on Armed Services. Rep.Schweiker to the Middle East. The items
announced that he was consulting cleared for export unier the Oct.
with committee leadership on the 25 announcement by the State De-
legislation. Strong support for the partment were described as a
move was developing among both "one-shot" transaction.
Republicans and Democrats.
(The London Daily Telegraph re-
Rep. Schweiker introduced the ported from Paris that the French,
bill to implement a proposal made concerned over the introduction of
by House Republican Leader new sophisticated weapons into the
Gerald Ford of Michigan.
Middle East by the Soviet Union,
The bill banning cotton imports
were considering lifting the em-
from Egypt and the Sudan was
bargo on military shipments to the
passed by a 274 to 64 vote in the
area imposed by President de
House of Representatives Mon-
Gaulle last June. French military
day, despite efforts by the ad-
circles, it said, favored the im-
ministration to kill the measure.
mediate supply of the Mirage V jet
The bill, which goes to the Sen- fighter—the most advanced model
ate, would prohibit imports of of the plane that is the backbone
cotton from countries that have of the Israeli Air Force — to Israel
severed relations with the United along with spare parts, air-to-air
States, and was clearly aimed at missiles and tanks.)
the Moslem governments which
French-Israeli fri.n4 ,hip con-
broke diplomatic relations follow-
tinues, despite the pe-ition of de
ing the Israel-Arab Six-Day War.
Gaulle, according to Christian
The measure was supported by
Pinean, former foreign minister.
the House Agriculture Committee
He made that statement in an
but was opposed by the adminis-
article in the newspaper Droit
tration, whose spokesman argued
et Liberte.
that it was important to maintain
flexibility because of the need to
Pineau saw two rel..-ms for the
change policies from time to time. French people's 'revulsion' against
Some but definitely not all of the Gen. de Gaulle's Middle East
36 Douglas A-4 Skyhawk jet bomb- policy. First, he wrote. de Gaulle
ers approved for export to Israel wanted to speak out against the
will be delivered in 1967, State De- United States. Secondly. he "wants
partment officials saigi. These of- to keep the Algerian oil " In spite
ficials said shipment would begin of these attitudes, however, Pineau
soon. But they did not anticipate declared, the French-Israeli friend-
that the entire consignment would ship not only continues but offers
be in Israeli hands until early in the opportunity of continuing in
the future.
1968.

U.S. Charged With Indifference,
Negligence in Nazi Murder of
Jews, Secret 1944 Report Reveals

Indifference and negligence on organizations today who . . . see
the part of the United States gov- plain anti-Semitism motivating the
ernment helped Adolf Hitler carry actions of these State Department
out mass extermination of Eur- officials and, rightly or wrongly,
ope's Jews, a hitherto secret re- it will require little more in the
port to President Franklin D. way of proof for this suspicion to
explode into a nasty scandal."
Roosevelt charges.
The original draft report,
The report, submitted to Roose-
Morse writes, was "an 18-page
velt in 1944 by then Secretary of
narrative prepared by three
The New Yorker stressed that the Treasury Henry Morgenthau,
Protestants" on the staff of
only direct negotiations could
was made public Monday in an
Morgenthau, who had himself
resolve the state of belligerency
article in the new issue of Look
ordered the study after the U.S.
and affirmed that "true peace
magazine.
allegedly
failed to act promptly
cannot be imposed from the out-
According to writer Arthur D.
ths.e rescue of 70,000 Romanian
side by third parties."
Morse, a detailed list of charges,
He urged the United Nations, directed against the State Depart-
Morgenthau's investigators
with active American support "to ment, was handed to Roosevelt in
assert itself effectively for peace a dramatic confrontation with charged:
Morgenthau at the White House on
"One fact is decisive for perspective and balance: the amount of in the Middle East.
"(1) (State Department officials)
anti-Semitism found among Negroes is no greater than if found among
In New York, the National Social Jan. 16, 1944.
have not only failed to use the
among white groups of the same economic strata. Two polls cited by
Projesor Thomas Pettegrew and a very recent study in depth conducted Action Conference of the National
governmental machinery at their
A draft of the Treasury De-
by Dr. Oscar Le-teish arrived at this same conclusion. These revelations
disposal to rescue Jews from Hit-
should allay the alarm that has arisen from exploitation and exaggera- Women's League of the United
partment staff paper was titled
tion of the issue by smile white and Negro publicists ,chose appetite for Synagogue of America was on
ler, but have even gone so far as
"Report
to
the
Secretary
on
the
attention exceeds their attachment to truth and responsibility.
record Wednesday with an appeal
to use this governmental machine-
Acquiescence of This Govern-
"The question that troubles many Jews and other concerned Ameri-
ryewtso. prevent the rescue of these
J
cans is why oppressed Negroes should harbor any anti-Semitism at all. to the United States government
ment in the Murder of the
Prejudice and discrimination can only harm them; therefore it would to help bring Israel and the Arab
Jews," Morse writes. Morgen-
appear that they should be virtually immune to their sinister appeal.
than's condensed version, cap-
"The limited degree of Negro anti-Semitism is substantially a
"(2) They have not only failed to
Northern ghetto phenomenon; it virtually does not exist in the South.
"Let me thank you for writing
tioned "Personal Report to the
cooperate with private otganIza-
The urban Negro has a special and unique relationship to Jews. On
ing and also for your consistent
President," was read by Roose-
dons,. . . but have taken steps
the one hand, he is associated with Jews as some of his most committed
and generous partners in the civil rights struggle. On the other hand,
support. I realize that this letter
velt in the presence of Morgen-
designed to prevent (private) pro-
he meets them daily as some of his most direct exploiters in the
is long, but I hope it will shed
than and two aides.
grams from being put into effect.
ghetto as slum landlords and gouging shopkeepers. Jews have identified
with Negroes voluntarily in the freedom movement, motivated by their
some light on what can be an
The
"Personal
Report"
began:
religious and cultural commitment to justice. The other Jews who are
"(3) They have not only failed to
unfortunate
misunderstanding."
engaged in commerce in the ghettos are remnants of older communities.
"You are probably not as fa- facilitate the obtaining of informa-
A great number of Negro ghettos were formerly Jewish neighborhoods;
This
statement
is
of
sufficient
as
I
with
the
utter
failure
miliar
tion concerning Hitler's plans .. .
some storekeepers and landlords remained as population changes occur-
red. They operate with the ethics of marginal business entrepreneurs, importance to receive widest circu-
of certain officials in our State but . . have gone so far as to
not Jewish ethics, but the distinction is lost on some Negroes who are
lation. Dr. King is one of the ac- Department, who are charged with surreptitiously attempt to stop the
maltreated by them. Such Negroes, caught in frustration and irrational
anger, parrot racial epithets. They foolishly add to the social poison knowledged leaders in the Negro
actually carrying out (rescue) obtaining of information . . -
that injures themselves and their own people.
community. He has a considerable policy, to take any effective action
"(4) They have tried to cover up
Olt would be a tragic and immoral mistake to identify the mass
number
of
supporters
in
his
ranks
to prevent the extermination of the their guilt . . ."
of Negroes with the very small number mar succumb to cheap and
dishonest slogans, just as it would be a serious error to identfy all in rejecting prejudice against their Jews in German-controlled Eur-
Jews with the few who exploit Negroes under their economic sway.
The three investigators were
Jewish fellow-citizens, whose
"Negroes cannot rationally expect honorable Jews to curb the
Randolph Paul, the Treasury De-
few who are rapacious; they have no means of disciplining or suppres- spokesmen are among the leaders
"Whether one sees this failure partment's general counsel; his
sing them. We can ony expect them to share our disgust and disdain. in the effort to assure a total civil
as being deliberate on the part of subordinate, Joseph E. DuBois, Jr.,
Negroes cannot be expected to curb and eliminate the few who are
rights
program.
There
is
a
disrupt.
anti-Semitic, because they are subject to no controls we can exercise.
those officials handling the matter, chief counsel of the foreign funds
We can, however, oppose them and have, in concrete ways. There has ing element that is causing trouble
or merely due to their incompe-
never been an instance of articulated Negro anti-Semitism that was not
swiftly condemned by virtually alt Negro leaders with the support of the and is spreading venom and lies. To tence, is not too important from control division; and John Pehle,
head of foreign funds control, later
overwhelming majority. I have myself directly attacked it within the counteract the work of the obstruc-
my point of view.
Negro community, because it is wrong. I wilt continue to oppose it, tionists it is vital that men like Dr.
appointed by President Roosevelt
because it is immoral and self-destructive.
King should assert themselves, His
"However, there is a growing to direct a rescue operation for
number of responsible people and Jews, .
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS latest statement is valuable,
2—Friday, November 27, 1967

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