Sabotage Threatens Memorial to 'Exodus;
U. S. National Museum Director's Negation
By MILTON FRIEDMAN
(Copyright 1968, JTA Inc.)
WASHINGTON—A new blockalle
has been imposed on the famous
refugee ship, S.S. Exodus, 20 years
after the establishment of Israel.
This time it is not the British Roy-
al Navy but a minor functionary of
the U.S. National Museum of His-
tory and Technology.
Melvin H. Jackson, the muse-
um's curator of marine transpor-
tation, has obected to the wording
on a plaque commemorating the
American "illegal" ships and vol-
unteers of the Jewish freedom
struggle. Americans of all faiths
served on the vessels that helped
Jews escape from the scene of
Nazi genocide to the promised
land.
A ceremony at the Museum
about eight months ago, attended
by Israeli diplomats and U.S. gov-
ernment officials, marked the ded-
ication of a plaque commemorat-
ing the Exodus and other refugee
ships. The plaque and dedication
were agreed to by museum author-
ities when it was pointed out that
a model of the Exodus was on
display with a misleading and in-
adequate inscription.
Elihu Bergman, of Seattle,
Wash., then an official of the
government "VISTA" anti-pov-
erty program, is a veteran of
the "illegal" rescue operations
Of the 1940s. A lover of marine
lore, he visited the National Mu-
seum and accidentally discovered
bow improperly the Exodus had
been labeled. It was then that
the plaque and dedication cere-
mony were agreed upon.
The descriptive plaque was paid
for by surviving veterans and do-
nated to the government. However,
its physical dimensions proved
slightly too large for the institu-
tion's requirements.
But marine curator Jackson has
now decided that even the reduced
wording is unacceptable. He voiced
fear lest certain words "offend
British and Arab visitors to the
museum." He indicated that the
British Empire was now in a sad
state and the Arabs are suffering
through humiliating days.
"On her final voyage in July
1947, with 4,550 refugees aboard,
Exodus was attacked and cap-
tured by British naval units. In
the battle her American first
mate, William Bernstein was
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
Friday, March 1, 1968-3
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6 Vietnam Protestors
GEORGE
OHRENSTEIN
killed," are the words the cura- the U.S. role in Jewish "illegal" Rush Tel Aviv Consulate
tor finds obectionable.
immigration.
Jackson tended to justify the
Somewhere in the bureaucracy
British action against the "illegal" of the State Department the mu-
ship. Hence, in his view, no real scum may seek support to renege
"battle" took place. Apparently, it on the agreement. The Exodus
was just some disorderly, emo- model may sink into some obscure
tional Jews fighting with their bare basement crate and the plaque
hands against the Royal Navy to might never see the light of day.
find freedom in their own land.
This grudging attitude by Jack-
They resisted shipment back to son baffles the veterans. Last
detention camps in Germany — a summer they stood in a beauti
resistance that Smithsonian does ful reception room of the mu-
not seem to want to record for his- scum, a building erected by and
' tory. for the people of the United
Chief Mate Bernstein died in the States by their government.
battle at sea. But Curator Jackson Tears flowed as they silently re-
insists that it is "inappropriate" membered Bernstein and other
to memorialize Bernstein. His Americans who died so freedom
death is deemed of no historic in- could live in a distant land.
terest in the annals of American
President Johnson has voiced
marine lore.
great friendship for Israel and
The agreement made by the Israeli-American cooperation as a
Smithsonian with the survivors concept. Yet a single federal em-
of the ships covered inclusion of ployee appears to have achieved
the names of the few other yes- something the Arabs would want—
sets on which Americans sailed the seeming sabotage of a little
from the United States — such plaque enshrining the "Aliya Beth"
historic ships as the Ilaganah, in U.S. history.
Ben Hecht, Hatikva, Paducah.
The "offensive" plaque would
Jackson now insists that these bear the inscription "presented to
ships cannot be mentioned because the Smithsonian Institution by the
they are "not relevant." In fact, American Volunteers — in tribute
he has decided to minimize as to the spirit of their mission and
much as posible the exhibit citing the courage of their passengers."
TEL AVIV (JTA)—Six demon-
strators against American partici-
pation in the Vietnam war were de-
tained here after they tried to
break through police lines in front
of the American consulate. The
demonstration, organized by Com-
munists, was given a police permit
on condition the demonstrators re-
mained a specified distance from
the consulate.
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