TILE JEWISH :NEWS
Inrorporati7ig 7he Delmer Jerriyle Chronicle ronollevoTrg
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CARMI M. SLOMOVITZ
PHILIP SLOMOVITZ
Editor
and
CHARLOTTE DUBIN
City Editor
Business Manager
Publisher
2() . 1951
r 17:
Assotts-
Mich
48075
Sit a scar Foreign SI
P-.•—
Nor si re. ,,,,■•
Oft.c■-,
DREW LIEBERWITZ
Advertising Manager
Sabbath Scriptural Selections
"Th, Sa'ow■ath. the 26th day of Tarrotz, 5732. the fulinvn<q St - 7,14:4r:
redd tr,
(INT
s/eVtgorpieS
l'cr,taterichal porno,. .Al(, 30 236 13. Prophetical portion. .14
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Rosh Hodesh Av Torah reading, Wednesday, Num. 28:1-13
candle lightme, Ersdas, July 7 7 51 p.m .
Page Four
I.X1. No. 17.
July 7, I972
Pragmatism: Urgent Need for Politicians
All the Money that has been wasted in the
Primaries in several states, the plethora of
words. the opportunism that distinguishes
andidates for the Presidency--these. appar-
ently- have not vet aw akened a thinking con-
stituency to organize for self-guidance event-
milk to influence those seeking pubh eftt dfi cis
to think in terms of public welfare-
The rash of ideas that nearly confused
platform committees planning party programs
only indicate that much is yet to he done to
evaluato the thinking of a people affected by
many i roblerns.
The busing issue might have been solved
long ago if it had not converted into political-
ly-motivated, tongue-in-cheek distortions that
have created a great deal of bitterness. In
spite of court rulings. It will amaze us if
the busing of children meets with even
marked success. If it had L i en planned on
the basis of teacher-parent-community coop-
eration, a way could be found for it. But now
there are threats to defy courts, many par-
ents say they will send their children to pri-
vate schools, our public school system has
been injured and the community is divided.
Meanwhile the entire educational system
suffers. Emphasis must be placed on improve-
ments. on encouraging enrollment of the most
dedicated teaching staffs and on availability
of funds for better schools, modern textbooks.
well-paid teaching staffs. Busing may have
to be delayed until there is total conviction
of the form it is to take, if it is to be really
to be adhered to.
If busing becomes a major issue in the
campaign. as it apparently will, it is a safe
bet that the most conservative factions will
be the victors. How else is it to be explained
that George Wallace carried Michigan, in the
Democratic Prinahries, by receiving 51 per
cent of the total vote?
There has to be a measure of pragmatism
in the introduction of campaign issues, or in
the recognition of problems that have already
arisen. Busing is one of them.
Foreign affairs should be treated on a
nonpartisan basis. That's how we feel about
the Middle East and the Russian situations.
Without unity and bipartisanship, our posi-
tion as a nation on the international front
will be seriously endangered. Neither party
should seek to benefit from ethnic appeals
or to capitalize on the situations that exist
in the Middle East. The American position
must be made secure by assuring the safety
of a democratic force like Israel. In Russia,
it is essential as a human policy that Jews,
Baptists and others who suffer from religious
discrimination should be provided with the
comfort that can come from American inter-
est in their welfare. But the existing needs
must not be turned into political footballs.
These are among the major domestic and
foreign issues to be taken into consideration
as the two major parties are preparing for
their nominating conventions in the battle
for the presidency. There are other needs
that must not be overlooked. One of them is
our postal system With apparent indiffer-
ence. both parties seem to have overlooked a
horrible situation that exists in this country
There was a time when the postal services.
the electric and telephone systems were as-
sured of must efficient fun( tmning, rain or
shine. no matter what the , hsta•les. The
latter two services may be Its,; affected than
the first because they are is private hands
The postal system .std;
tun ter Influence of
the ;.s.vc rnment. and :L must he protected
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There is .r.nother matter involving the
Post Offices its services. its fees. that must
compel serious concern. It is the proposed
increase in postal rata.s. affecting especially
newspapers and magazines. If this continues,
the danger to our communications systems
i51;1 he very great and more newspapers and
magazines w ill face extinction. Some of the
best have already perished, others are en-
dangered. There must be an assurance that
these threats will be halted.
In behalf of the Authors Guild and Au-
thors League of America, Herman •ouk, the
eminent novelist, appeared before the House
Subcommittee on Postal Service and made a
plea for continued assistance in retention of
roles that will provide security for newspa-
pers and magazines. In his appeal, he stated:
"The threat is too serious for the Congress to
ignore; so serious that the Congress should take
action to assure that the rates for magazines, and
especially the small, independent publications, are
not increased. Unless that action is taken promptly,
many periodicals will be forced to follow Look mag-
azine down the road to oblivion. And all of us will
suffer an irrepar:ble loss.
"The sm - II periodicals are the primary, often
the only, means of publishing a vast quantity of
writing by authors, scholars, scientists, historians,
economists, engineers, agronomists, social scientists
and others. The periodical is the only means of bring-
ing this material to the public. Much of the hest
contemporary literature—poetry, fiction, criticism,
and scholarly work—is published in the very maga•
UNESCO — Sponsored Book
Jewish Social Trends Through
the Ages Viewed by Scholars
Commencing with the Patriarchs, continuing through the ages.
down to the present time, Jewish life is reviewed in an impressive book
published by Schocken.
"Jewish Society Through the Ages," edited by two Hebrew Uni-
versity history professors, H. H. Ben-Sasson and S. Ettinger, contains
the essays that link ancient with modern Israel and review Jewish ex-
periences in the interim centuries.
Originally published under UNESCO auspices as a special number
of Journal of World History, this book has been prepared with the
UNESCO imprimatur and with the support of the Memorial Founda-
vines that will be the earliest victims of the sched- tion for Jewish Culture.
uled second-class rate increases. These journals -re
Prof. Ben-Zion Dinur's opening essay emphasizes the continuity
meagerly financed and are sustained only by the of Jewish history. Messianism is discussed by Prof. R. J. Zwi Wer-
generosity of staffs and contributors who work with. blowsky. Ancient Israel kingship is the topic of Dr. Hayim Tadmor.
out compensation.
Then there are the additional essays dealing with olden times:
"The rate increases will have equally devastat- Second Commonwealth social ideals outlined by Prof. Yitzhak F. Baer,
ing effects on the dissemination of information and the Hasmonean Revolt by Dr. Menahem Stern, the Qumran message
knowledge in every area of public interest; and in by Prof. David G. Fluzzer, the character and authority of the sages
every section of the country.
of the Talmud by Dr. E. E. Urbach and education in the period of the
"The issue really is whether Congress and the Talmud by Dr. S. Safrai.
federal government should provide the Postal Serv-
ice with the funds necessary to maintain the rates
at their present levels, and thus prevent the certain
destruction of these magazines.
"The handy pejor7tive is "subsidy." It is argued
by some that Congress should not "subsidize" maga-
zine publishers. But subsidy is frequently used to
denote any expenditure for a purpose with which
one does not agree. It would not be appropriate for
me to suggest which of the many other "subsidies,"
for which billions are spent annually, should be
modestly reduced to provide the funds required to
preserve the second-el-ss rates at their present level.
"But it is important to remember that many of
the periodicals whose lives are at stake have them-
selves been "subsidizing" public discussion, litera-
ture, science, education and technology by continu•
ing to publish at substanti:I losses over a period of
time.
"An annual appropriation to maintain the present
second-class rates would not be using public funds
to help large, profitable corporations increase their
profits. Certainly the periodicals with circulation of
less than 500,000 and advertising content ranging
from ground zero to 50 per cent, operating for years
at little or no profit, have demonstrated that they
do not use the second-class mails to reap heavy
profits at the public's expense. Rather, their record
reflects a dedication to the public interest which
deserves more than condolences on their impending
demise.
"The second - class mails offer that rare oppor-
tunity for Congress to take positive action to imple-
ment the First Amendment."
The Jewish press is in as great danger as
the general, and its position roust not be
overlooked. The weekly press. which is essen-
tial for community services, is threatened by
rising costs, primarily postal increases.
\\ 511 politicians disi.lay a measure of real-
ism, hl dealing is ith urgent matrers?
they 1.1 ,:e the postal situation into account as
j•irtv plat:on:is •' Perhaps the public will get
iker aret dl compel pragmatism is here it
pre ∎ cr:t
ct
Effects of Islamic rule on Jewry are outlined by Prof. S. D.
Goitein and provide timely views on Israel's relationships with
the Moslem peoples.
Of equal importance is Dr. I. Twersky's discussion of the "Cultural
History of Provencal Jewry."
Dr. Ben-Sasson turns to a later period in his outline of "The
'Northern' Jewish Community and Its Ideals." He also has provided
timely discussion of major up-to-date issues in the concluding essay
in the book, "Dynamic Trends in Modern Jewish Thought and Society,"
Dr. Ettinger's resume of the reality and ideals of the hasidic
movement is an additional timely outline of a subject currently
under wide discussion.
Then there are the matters relating to more recent history and
current experiences in world Jewish society, covered by the following:
the late Dr. Cecil Roth, who wrote on the "Renaissance Environment";
Dr. Haim Beinart, "Hispano-Jewish Society"; Prof. Jacob Katz's an-
alysis of the Jewish national movement and Zionist experience; the
labor movement, outlined by Prof. Moshe Mishkinsky; American Jew-
ry's experience relating to immigration tides 1840 - 1925, by Prof. Lloyd
P. Gartner and Dr. S. N. EisenstScit's "Israeli Society."
A vast field of Jewish experiences is covered in this volume. It
will serve well as a textbook for the study of Jewish social trends.
Kafka Among the Subjects
Modern Fiction Writers Studied
Pr-al William R. Mueller of Goucher College. Baltimore, offers
thorough studies in fiction, dealing with the world's most notable
authors, in "Celebration of Life," published by Sheed and Ward.
There is an interesting analysis of the works cf Franz Ksfka. with
emphasis on "The Castic. -
Appearing in the section 'Mn
a and God. - this comment i; of in-
terest: In Kafka's case it is the biblical dimension that is to , : LIT!
there is nothing to suggest that there is anything reseruhlim; the hams
of God liv:ne oeyond the villa:2.e. -
The author, vc hose works are st mil,
James .7 ore. Jean "aul
- 1Minias Mann. I:
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