Purely Commentary Arthur Goldberg's Role at UN Arthur Goldberg's resignation as the U. S. representative at the United Nations was not unexpected. It was known for some time that he was not happy in his role, that he wanted a change, that he was fed up being the mouthpiece for the State Department. He didn't say so, but that's what was understood. He leaves his post with honor. He con- ducted himself with dignity. There were times when government policies must have irked him. He followed orders but what he did he performed well. Goldberg's performances during the Middle East crisis especially earned for him great glory. He faced up to the USSR charges and inane attacks with courage. He had been attacked as a Jew and he . portrayed the role of a man of courage as well as dignity and earned for himself a place of great respect in the world arena. It is possible that conditions might have been much worse for Israel if some Arthur Goldberg one else had represented the White House and the State Department at the United Nations. He did not deviate from his skill as a brilliant researcher, that he has strengthened his crisis and finally attained a goal that averted a possible East-West conflict and greater tragedies in the Middle East. He has earned admiration and appreciation for his valiant efforts. India Prime Minister's Deluding Statement Look magazine's interesting issue in which 15 pages are devoted to Israel's 20th anniversary is marked by a sad coincidence. In the same issue appears an interview with India's Prime Minister Mrs. Indira Gandhi in which the lady who guides her country's destinies reiterated her position of antagonism to Israel. While asserting that India's official position is the same as in 1956, reflecting "also our long-established and strong friendship with the Arab world, especially with the United Arab Republic," she added: "If Israel is to live in peace, she can only do so in friendship with her neighbors." This was wisely said, but friendships must be attained and cemented on a partnership basis and on the international scene other nations can encourage peoples who are in conflict to establish amity. Israel desires friendship and the UAR rejects it; and Mrs. Gandhi has been an ele- ment of encouragement to Nasser not to effect the friendship she talked about. In reality, Mrs. Gandhi has been a factor in inducing enmities rather than friendships in the Middle East. It is not enough for Mrs. Gandhi to say that India is not anti-Israel by pointing out that there is an Israeli consul general in India. This is true and Israel hopes for and pleads with India's government to assure an exchange of ambassadorships in addition to the limited recognition accorded an Israeli representative. There is cause for appreciation of the fact stated by Mrs. Gandhi that in the interwar years India was among the first to condemn Nazi atrocities and she was "secretary of a committee set up to condemn atrocities against the Jews in Europe." But the fact that Mrs. Gandhi and her government are negating the wishes of the Indian people who are pro-Israel is the cause for deep regret. The true attitude of the Indian people towards Israel was outlined in a very revealing article in Orbis, the quarterly journal of world affairs published by the University of Pennsylvania Foreign Policy Research Institute. Commentary column in our issue of March 29 in .which the Orbis essays on the Middle East were reviewed contained reference to the article on India which we treated as follows: Richard J. Kozicki, University of Hawaii lecturer, an expert on South Asian affairs, in his essay "Indian Policy Toward the Middle East," presents data to show that the people of India do not go along with the policies of Prime Minister Gandhi and with the anti-Israel policies pursued at the UN. This essay alone justifies further study of the Orbis collection of essays. Suffice it to quote this from Kozicki's article: "A survey conducte.d in mid-July by the respected Indian Institute of Public Opinion on the 'West Asian crisis' has revealed that two out of three respondents in the cities of Bombay, Calcutta, Delhi and Madras oppose India's exten- sion of unqualified support in the 'Arab cause' and maintain that India needs to take a 'more objective and impartial stand' on the Arab-Israel issue . . ." Such is the regrettable factor about India—that the country's prime minister is antagonistic while avowing a desire for peace and friend- ship, ignoring by such policies the wishes of the Indian people. And those who read her views in Look while becoming acquainted with Israel's 20 years of progress have no way of learning that the Gandhi views do not coincide with those of her citizens! * * * Hussein's Strength and 'Peace Role' An interview by Louis E. Lomax with King Hussein, reported in this week's Look magazine, gives the impression that Israel's recent attack on El Fatah's hangout in Jordan destroyed a "peace mission" that was planned by Hussein. The Jordanian king had told Lomax that he was seeking "the peace initiative" and was about to "visit all of my brother Arab heads of state" to find a peace formula. Then came the Israeli attack upon the guerrillas and Hussein, angered, joined in a demand for continuation of the war with Israel. Lomax adds his comment: "All Israel accomplished was to weaken—perhaps fatally = the power of King Hussein, the only Arab leader actively seeking a peaceful settlement." In view of Hussein's inconsistencies, one wonders how naive an interviewer can possibly be—Hussein talked through both sides of the mouth. In Washington he was a peace-seeker, in Cairo he embraced Nasser. While there still is persistent view that Hussein desires peace, he has not shown courage enough to pursue it. It may well be that Israel's El Karameh attack was untimely, that it postponed peace for a time. But it could not have affected Hussein's attitude. He is in a dilemma, fearing assassination, desiring peace while unwilling to sacrifice the role of a collaborator with his fellow- Arab potentates. To believe anything else is to yield to sheer naivete. 2—Friday, May 3, 1968 THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS By Philip Slomovitz For Hubert Horatio Humphrey as President of Our Country For Hubert H. Humphrey: A Time to Choose the Ablest Man In the 47 years during which this column has been published, weekly, uninterruptedly, there were 11 Presidential elections. During those historic years your commentator analyzed and reviewed the emerg- ing issues, commented upon them, criticized often, advocated strict adherence to our nation's democra- tic ideals. Never before has this column, on no occasions have our editorial columns., taken a partisan stand. We adhered strictly to neutrality. For the first time we take a stand and advocate a preference for the Presidency of the 'United States. This is the most demanding occasion on which we feel it has become vitally urgent to seek the ablest man for the Presidency and to strive first for his nomination by his party and then to join in efforts to elect him to the highest office in the land. Vice President Hubert H. Humphrey is our choice for the high office, and we hope and pray for his success. In these turbulent times it is urgent that this nation should choose as its leader, for a period that is certain to be vital for the world and for America, a man with experience, one who has had the train- ing that should qualify him to tackle the many issues that face us. We face the world problems—the threats to our way of life, the East-West struggle. There is the race issue—already we are confronted with the danger of being forced into a posi- tion of "a nation divisible." Poverty must be fought and overcome—we dare not perpetuate conditions of degradation among „-- our fellow citizens. Educational institutions are under attack and there is a cultural revolution—it needs careful handl- ing in order that the high standards of American endeavors should not be sacrificed on an altar of in- difference. Scores of other issues involving the health of our people, law and order, means of solving the needs _ of the millions who are afflicted with mental ills, especially the mentally retarded children—these need strong leadership and wise approaches. It is the strong conviction of this commentator that Hubert H. Humphrey is the ablest man avail able for these tasks, and we add our voice to the mounting support for the vice president. Two things need to be understood: There are, of course, other able candidates in the running for the Presidency. None, in our view, possesses all the qualifications of Vice President Humphrey. We must avoid opportunism, we can not Word dreamers, we have had experience with some who have distinguished themselves in national and state positions but their total backgrounds do not begin to approach the training Hubert Humphrey has acquired in his many years of service to this country. And there is another matter: let it be recorded that, in our view, there is no such thing as a Jewish vote. We are all citizens of a great nation and in each group there are supporters for one or an- other of numerous candidates. Therefore what we do is as a duty of citizenship. It is this duty that impels us to join the ranks of those who are backing Hubert Horatio Humphrey for the Presidency. We wish to be listed as a non-partisan supporter, but because it is first necessary that the Vice President have the Democratic nomination we join the ranks of progressives in his party who are backing him for the most important position a man can attain. We believe in Humphrey's liberalism, in his progressive approaches to all issues, in his honesty and in his dignity. We have confidence in his integrity and the spirit with which he has dedicated his life in the serv- ice of our country. With this sense of trust in a great American's worthiness and reliability we join the :rorces backing Hubert Horatio Humphrey for President of the United States. * Japan and the Arab Boycott Japanese visitors in Israel have evinced enthusiasm over the progress that is so apparent in the Jewish State. Yet there are industrialists in Japan who have yielded to Arab pressures and are condoning the economic boycott of Israel. From all indications the Japanese government is not very happy about a situation that compels Japan's merchants not to do business with Israel so that they may not jeopardize trade with Arabs. The cause for concern is the Japanese government's rejection of a bid to participate in the Tel Aviv trade fair in June. That's deplorable, and if one boycott should lead to another it will be another unhealthy episode in world trade rlations. * * Morris Epstein's Remarkable Classic Dr. Morris Epstein has produced so valuable a classic, resulting from his skill as a brilliant researcher, that he has strengthened his role as one of the ablest editors and students of Jewish folklore in our time. To many he is especially known as the editor of the children's magazine World Over. As the researcher who has made available the Hebrew counterpart of Boccac- cio, his thoroughly fascinating series of anec- dotal tales incorporated in "Tales of Sende- bar," a recent Jewish Publication Society volume, he emerges as one of the creative writers who has rescued significant docu- ments which have become part of his great book. His "Mishle Sendebar"—as, "Tales of Sendebar" are known by their Hebrew title —contain the originals and the translations of the "Seven Sages" and are based on un- published documents which have been gathered and edited by Dr. Epstein. The skillful editor of these entertaining tales drew upon more than 200 manuscripts Dr. Epstein from some 250 editions of works that con- tamed the stories of the Seven Sages of Rome, collectively known as the Book of Sindibad. Th oldest of the eight surviving Eastern versions from which stories were drawn for Dr. Epstein's book belong to the 10th Century. There were versions of these stories in Syriac, Arabic, Greek, Spanish and Persian and the most important of the eight Eastern versions is the Hebrew which, alone, according to Dr. Epstein, "contains features which distinguish the Western versions from the Eastern." He presents the "Mishle Sendebar" as the most important yet the most misinterpreted. Dr. Epstein's dedicated task of presenting the tales in their proper form makes his effort so distinctive. He has drawn upon the handwritten versions of the Leningrad manuscript, the French and Budapest texts, the manuscripts available at the Jewish Theological Seminary and Hebrew Union College as well as those at the Vatican. The result is the product of scholarship of so high a merit that this book is certain to remain among the imperishable JPS classics. The tales related in this book, the narratives accredited to Asian storyteller, the episodes about a weak king, a lascivious queen, a loyal son whom the young queen wishes to seduce—these vie with similar stories like Boccaccio's. The sages play their roles and there is great delight in the text of this splendidly compiled collection of episodes. Dr. Epstein's contribution to research among the Hebrew classics lies not only in his editing and translations but also in the inclusion in this text of reproductions of the historic manuscripts, the presentation on parallel pages of the Hebrew stories and his English translations and the explanatory essays and appendixes which evaluate the work and assure for it the permanence of a classic. Rescue of Jews Theme of Danish July 4th Event NEW YORK—Denmark's tradi- tional observance of the American Fouth of July in the Rebild Hills of Jutland will also commemorate the 25th anniversary of the rescue of the Danish Jewish community by their countrymen during World War II; and Richard Netter of New York, president of the Thanks to Scandinavia Fund, has been chosen as the American Rebild speaker. American Independence Day has been celebrated in Denmark every year since 1912 under the auspices of Danish-Americans in the Re- bild National Park Society. T h e Danish prime minister and the American ambassador are tradi- tionally among the participants and members of the Royal family often attend. Charles L. Hansen, president a the Rebild Society, has also an- nounced that Dr. Erik Husfeldt, professor of medicine at the Uni- versity of Copenhagen and a lead- ing figure in the wartime. Danish _\ Resistance, will be the Danish speaker at the July 4 celebrations.•- Previous American speakers at Rebild have included Chief Justice Earl Warren, Vice President Rich- ard M. Nixon, Walt Disney, Walter, Cronkite, Semon E. Knudsen, president of Ford Motor Company, and Robert F. Wagner, former mayor of New York City. "Thanks to Scandinavia" was organized in 1965 to commemorate the rescue of 8,000 Danes of Jew- ish faith from the Nazis and to perpetuate the memory of the moral act involved. Its collections to date have exceeded $350,000 and more than 36 young Scandi- navians have received scholarships to study in the United States. By the end of 1968, the Fund hopes to grant up to 20 scholarships an nually. Netter is a distinguished lawyer who joined with Victor Borge and others in creating the Thanks to Scandinavia Fund.