Purely Commentary
Hullabaloo on the Miami Menu: Great Political Game About
to Commence . . . Quest for Inspiration.
Get ready for the hullabaloo! All ears will be atuned to the Miami
shouts. to the competitive clamor for power. The Democrats will be in
session, and the nation will be subjected to a demonstration of ora-
torical skills as well as the parades of marchers to tunes of office-
seeking political geniuses.
When it is all over, such demonstrative competitions for leader-
ship often cause the prospective judges, the constituency that makes
up the American electorate, to wonder: what was it all about? Is there
really such a great difference between candidates? And after the
Republicans will have renominated the incumbent, will the nearly
W0,000,000 qualified voters really judge on the basis of experience.
trained leadership, objectivity, ability of a candidate properly to eval-
uate domestic as well as foreign obligations?
We have already heard a lot of talk, much money was wasted in
the primary elections in several states, George Wallace, who doesn't
have a ghost of a chance of receiving the nomination for either the
first or second place on his party ticket, probably influenced more
voters than any one of the candidates who has a good chance for the
nomination; and when it is all over—wouldn't it be ironic if Teddy
Kennedy, watching from the sidelines, not spending a dime, is laughing
up his sleeve because he may beat them all?
Pro-Israel, Nevertheless Anti-Zionist, Iranian Policy
Nixon-Shah Conference Seen as Both a Revelation
of Possible Vital Agreements as Well as Veil for
By Philip
Slomovitz
Nixon - Shah Talks May Have an Impact on U.S. - Soviet M. E. Decisions
TEHRAN, Iran—Secret diplomacy will either plague or bless mankind—depending on the degree of
honor that is imbedded in diplomatic manipulations. Events that marked the Roosevelt era and the attitudes
that are now revealed in documents made public 25 years after the Nazi period at last become unveiled
for public knowledge. The generation that will read the secret recotds now being hidden in archives in
the United States and Russia will be better informed than we are about the Nixon.Brezhnev talks and their
agreements on the Middle East and Vietnam. It will be in the 199Cr; that the true facts regarding the
Nixon approach to the Jewish problem in the USSR will become public knowledge.
A month after the summit meetings in the Kremlin, we hear speculations: the Russian leaders deny
that the American President had broached either the Middle East or the internal Jewish issue with any
pressure; they insist that the internal matters are not to be broached by "an outsider," and they declare
strict adherence to a policy of pro-Arabism.
It is possible that much of what had occurred in the Kremlin may have echoed here, in tne capital
of ancient Persia, as much as in Moscow. President Nixon conferred here with the Shah. It was a friendly
meeting and much of what had occurred may be resting in the memory of the Nixon mind and the Henry
Kissinger diplomatic archives.
Yet there is the element of the hint, the message that comes from a third party, that may be more
revealing than anything that may be given to anunsuspecting public by the chiefs of state of the U.S. and
the USSR.
Perhaps there is more in what an Iranian senator had said than in the releases that came through
the news media until now
Senator S'hokrollah Safvi was a spokesman for the group that hailed President Nixon's visit here as
a great occasion. The reception the Nixons received in Tehran was acclaimed as a source of,pride and the
tribute to Mr. Nixon by His Imperial Majesty the Shahanshah was 'described as a mark of friendship
That's how it often works—that a hundred ballots may be nec-
between the two nations. There was one very important factor in Senator Safari's statement: 'he told the
essary to nominate, and in the process one from the sidelines is dragged
Iranian Senate that President Nixon considered the counsel the Shah gave him on Middle Eastern affairs
in and is nominated—and the voters do not even wink an eye in despair
of great value.
over the utter waste at primaries, in campaigning, name-calling, proof
It is in this brief comment that there may be imbedded some very serious developments. Here is the
of hypocrisy on some scores, inability to demonstrate sincerity on situation: Iran is on friendly terms with Israel. There is an Israel mission in Tehran. Israeli experts are
others
aiding Iran in vital construction efforts. Yet. it is dangerous to utter the word "Zionism" here, and to
Is it any wonder that General George Marshall, for whom the be a Zionist is tantamount to treachery. Why the inconsistency? Because this is a Moslem country and
Marshall Plan was named, who was President Truman's secretary
while Iran is friendly with Israel, El AI travels to Iran, there is trade between the two countries. Israel
of state, should not have felt it necessary to express regret or a is an acknowledged fact here. But the Moslem fanaticism exists and persists.
sense of shame, when he admitted that never in his life he had
When Israel was acclaimed into statehood, Iranian Jews from small communities fled to Israel
voted in an election?
Their lives were endangered. To this day, Iranian Jews are to be found only in the large cities. Among the
1 here may be a few like him as a result of the show of the past Moslem fanatics in the small cities there is danger!
few months that hardly inspired the enthusiasm one would wish ;or
Yet life goes on here and Jew's keep blessing the Shah. Talk to the director of Joint Distribution
Committee activities here—Morris Rombro—and he'll tell you: the Shan is a saint :n his dealings with
a contest for the Presidency.
0
We should he grateful for the fun and the bite of humor that
conies our way from the political experiences. The New Yorker. when
it revunaed the campaign that was conducted in New York by Senator
George McGovern. told of a rally for the candidate in the garment
center and in "The Talk of the Town" section commented:
"The rally . was part of a larger and continuing political ritual
—that of the candidate's proclaiming himself a staunch friend of Israel.
All Presidential candidates needless to say. are staunch friends of
Israel Needless to say, but they all say it. -
In this report there also is the story of McGovern winding up a
political appearance in New York, after a reiteration of his position
on the Middle East and Vietnam. with a bite of lunch at Dubrow's Cafe-
teria, and after a description of what he had eaten (chopped liver,
on rye, with pickle), we are treated to this:
"As the candidate was finishing his sandwich, someone called out,
Hey, McGovern. you're a mensch
"The candidate turned to one of his table companions. 'Abrams,'
he said 'what's a mensch?'
" It's good, Senator," Mr. Abrams said. "It means you're a sub-
stantial humaat being."
It'll be long after both party conventions, perhaps even after the
November election, that the complete story of the vote-searching among
ethnic groups and the competitive spirit will be fully evaluated. There
is still Richard Nli!haus Nixon to be reckoned with—and he already
figures prominently in some of the aspects of a campaign among re-
ligious groups. Much was made, by columnists Evans and Novak, of
an invitation to Vice President Spiro Agnew' to address the Religious
Zionists of America. The text of the Agnew speech appeared in full
in the ultra-Orthodox weekly Jewish Press of Brooklyn. That issue
sensationalized two red-lettered headlines: "Vice President Agnew
Speaks Out for Israel" and "Results of Summit Conference: Nixon
Backed Israel Totally."
Rabbi Bernard A Poupko, president of Religious Zionists of
America (Mizrachi) repudiated the claim that the religious faction
was taking a political stand and was repudiating the Democrats. It
was because the dinner at which Mr. Agnew spoke was honoring Sam-
uel P. Mandell, a friend of the vice president, that Mr. Agnew was
invited as speaker Meanwhile, the politically motivated religious debate
ensued. The experience on that score never changes.
The politicians have lots to concern thm about many elements in
our electorate—as long as those who are being patronized have the
vote. And the comedy has many good actors. It has its audience on
many fronts. It intrigues the people who watch the media: one said
"Nixon Backed Israel Totally:' while a release from the McGovern
headquarters is entitled: "Senator McGovern Hits Nixon on Middle
East "
Don't overlook the promises: Senator McGovern concluded a speech
in a Reform temple in Manhattan New York with an assurance that he
will he the "first American President ever to visit Israel while in of-
fice." Perhaps Mr. Nixon takes this. too, with a smile, he has been
to Israel. (So has Hubert Humphrey—so have other candidates—and
we would not need such a pledge from Humphrea or Senator Henry
Jackson for a reassurance that either one would deviate from friend-
ship for Israel if put to the test ali hywhere, also in the White House
if either ever landed there).
The speculators meanwhile are having a heyday A Free Pres,
writer, and a few others. are already wondering whether Senator Mc-
Govern would take Senator Abraham Ribicoff as running mate. Sena-
tor Rihicoff. who mare than any other man had encouraged and guided
the campaign of ]'resident John Kennedy, now is a leader in the Mc-
Govern ranks. That does not necessarily assure a position for a Jew
on a ticket for the Presidency.
But the Free Press writer was cspecia Ily wrong when he wrote
"Jews, now gathered in the suburbs and affected like most non-Jewish
whites by fears of busing, problems of law and order and neighborhood
integration, have lost much of their traditional liberalism. More im-
portant. a growing and obsessive concern for the life of Israel and the
increasing anti-Zionism of black and white radical groups have nar-
rowed the views of many Jews toward the presidential race - . Be-
Jews.
That's the situation: as long as there is the present Shah. Jews are secure hero and there will be
Iranian-Israel friendship. Heaven knows, say the 9(1,000 Jews in Iran, if something s:,auid happen to tha
protector.
It is out of such an atmosphere that ore must anticipate ,onieth'ng very unusual frail -, 2
Shah-Nixon series of conferences. Such meetings most diaeass Israel's position from the point of vi?es
of an established nation under threat from the Shah's caaaelationa. Yei Israel protected and Jawa
anathema. But reject:an of Zionism is an appeasement
are safe under him, even is Zionism is considered
United States
of the Moslem haters. Therefore a Nixon-Shah talk is more valuable for Israel, Jewry. the
and posterity than was the damaging FDR-Saud talk in 1945.
for Israel and the
Perhaps Tehran offered greater assurance of an eventual good Will motiV itton
Middle East than the Kremlin Perhaps the Shah is more orlia,rtant 'tan Breahnev. When the fasts ,re
made known we may learn about a positive chapter in current 'nistor,.
(('opt right 1972. JTA Inc.)
cause many Jewish voters have given Israel such top priordy they
have all but ignored the views of the candidates on civil rights, lax
reform, the defense budget and the Vietnam war. McGoaern's best
support during the primary campaigns came from the educated. rather
affluent white suburbs. But Jews have been an important exception."
High Court liailed
for Rule on Chapel
NEW YORE (JTA i—The Arn:eri-
can Jewish Congress has expressed
gratification over the U.S. Supreme
Court's ruling that compulsory at-
tendance at chapel by cadets al
U.S service academies was un-
consbititional.
The court's decision upheld a
brief filed as friend-of-the-court by
AJ Congress special counsel Leo
Pfeffer on behalf of 13 Jewish or-
ganizations, secular and religious.
The organizations included affil
ates of the Orthodox, Conservative
and Reform branches cf American
Judaism.
They were joined in similar
briefs filed by 42 P rot es tant
groups. Pfeffer's brief argued that
compulsory chapel attendance was
"archaic" and "inconsistent with
American traditions of religious
freedom."
Earlier, the American Jewish
Synagogue
and the
Congress
New Israeli Stamp Marking International Book Year
Council of America hailed the
More than 100 countries are conducting some sort of activities to
Supreme Court's decision barring
mark International Book Year currently being observed under spon-
capital punishment as "consistent
sorship of UNESCO (United Nations Educational. Scientific and Cul-
with Jewish tradition" and "a
tural Organization). When the year's observance first was inaugurated
clear triumph for the standards
in January. we indicated the response to the UNESCO call of "Books
of civilization and humaneness"
for All" which served as the slogan for Book
inherent in the U.S. Constitution
Year. We called attention to the role played in
In a mint statement, the Con.
cultural activities, in hook publishing, by the
gress and the Synagogue Council—
Jewish Publication Society of America and
-- araana aa'n'
which repreesnts the major Ortho-
—
numerous other creative forces in this country,
dox. Consery alive and nen:iv:a rat ,
and to the record for the largest amount of
hinical and congregational bud",
hocks per capita held as a publishing record
in the U.S —declared:
in Israel.
"We have long and consistently
To mark International Book Year, Israel's
believed, as American:, and as
Post Office has just issued a special stamp. It
Jews, that capital punishment
is multicolored. M Faraj was its designer. Its
represented a violation of the
motif is symbolical, and, it is interesting to
Eighth Amendments prohibition
j
.
note , it is bilingual in the text that utilizes the
against 'cruel and unusual punish-
International Book Year reference in English
ment.'
amid a torrent of Hebrew words.
"Today the Supreme Court has
This UNESCO task is another admonition
expressed its agreement with that
to those seeking discord that if cooperation is
view."
possible through a UN agency culturally, why
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
can't it be expanded on all fronts to assure
international amity?
2—Friday, July 7, 1972
Free Press writer Saul Friedman who made these assertions is
so far from the truth in these assertions that his piece from New Ycrk,
as his paper's Washington staff member, is most deplorable. He is
wrong on most counts. If he had studied the report on the Michigan
primaries submitted to the Jewish Community Council by Harold
Dubin, he would have found Jews still to be in liberal ranks. There
are exceptions to this—but they must be judged as exceptions. He
would have learned that in heavily populated Jewish districts, Wallace,
unlike the rest of the state. ran last and McGovern predominated.
Sure—there'll be many errors in judgment, there will be lots of
talk about a Jewish vote. There will - he cause for resent:neat of the
manner in which our communities' attitudes are judged and evaluated.
That's how it has always been in political campaigns—especially in
Presidential elections.
Meanwhile, we'll watch the fun. The curtain goes up on the drama
in Miami which, we hope, will not develop into tragi-comedy. We
await the party conventions, and the privilege of voting in No-
vember, with the prayer that the sincere American spirit will emerge
to assure us that the American ideal will predominate, that a desire
for highest standards in politics will submerge opportunism and that
principle will dominate over selfish aspirations.
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