7

`Eban by St. John': Major Work About Foreign Minister, Israel, World human
Jewry
values, in

quent," which soon became has incurred the opposition the deeper
Repartee, quick-on-the-trig-
Robert St. John became the facts and to incorporate
of those who shirk this spe- a manner that makes the
his bete noir.-
ger
comments,
interpretive
in
a
biography
every
detail
popular with his earliest as-
little les
lie is not an ordinary cial burden and want Israel rest of us a
signments as a war corres- of significance in a world skill—these are Eban's, and
to be just a "normal" coun- ashamed to be human be
maxi-
pondent, in the 1940s, when historical setting in a single St. John has recognized
ings."
There is this very interest- try, without any particular
them.
he covered the Balkan scene, biography.
There have been debates ing one of the Eban puns conviction or sense of mis- THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
and as a radio commentator.
There is no doubt about it:
sion. He has had to contend
related
by his biographer:
He gained fame as a lec- as history, of great value on about the "shfokh hamoth-
Mew, Sept. 15, 1972-21
One of the questions be with rival leeaders who put
turer. He covered many a world scale, indispensable kho" — "Pour out Thy
was asked by reporters all their stress on military
events of world importance for Jewry and Israel, "Eban wrath . . ." in the Hagada.
valor,
unmindful
that
many
he
landed
in
New
when
and has been, literally, in by St. John" is a major ac- It will be recalled that Chaim
successful military societies
York was:
Israel's front ranks as a cor- complishment by an eminent Weizmann insisted upon its
"Is it true there's been have been short-lived in their
being
recited.
On
this
score,
respondent of world-shatter- Christian writer. The corn-
a serious split in Israel be- influence and not particularly
HUNDREDS
ing events in 1948, 1956 and 'ilation of epigrams, public St. John tells this story:
tween the hawks and the creative outside the military
His sense of humor is
OF NEW
1967—on many occasions in statements by the Israel for-
message to his
domain_
His
doves?"
not contrived or manufac-
developments that were sand- eign minister, his debates
CHEVROLETS
'Israel Is not an aviary!' own people has been that
tured just to liven up his
wiched in between these in the United Nations—these
was his good-humored re- while Israel may have a des-
TO CHOOSE
public addresses; it bursts
years—and after the Six-Day are inerasable, and St. John
ply. It was a comment he tiny of smallness in geog-
FROM
forth on even the most sol-
has
selected
the
most
strik-
War.
would use frequently in the raphy, it has been, can be
emn occasions. At a se-
On all occasions, and in Mg for his work.
months to come, whenever and should be great in his-
der in the ambassador's
St. John loves good puns
all his experiences, it has
be felt reporters or poli- tory.
home in Washington one
been the eminent author's and wise repartee. He was
ticians were exaggerating
"Ills theme is constant:
Passover, when the goblet
charm that has distinguished struck by the epigrams of
his conflict with the Da-
was
filled
with
wine
for
" 'A small nation can achieve
him in his speeches and in Eban and he quoted these
yap-Peres
camp.
the fourth and last time,
The Eban family history stature only in those domains
his writings. This has been which Eban uttered before
Eban was supposed to read
is most fascinating. Mrs. where matter and quantity
the case when he wrote about a black-tie-and-evening-gown
this
passage:
Abba Eban (nee Shoshana are transcended by spirit and
David Ben-Gurion and when audience in Washington:
"Pour forth thy wrath "Suiy" Ambache), mother, quality.'
he described how Hebrew be-
"It is not forbidden for
upon the nations that know Alidp Sacks Solomon Eban,
"No matter what the title
came the living tongue of noliticians to repeat their
thee not and upon the other members of the fam- before his name, for many
Israel and the revived spoken errors, but it is not man-
kingdoms
that
called
not
ily, play important roles in years it is cerain his pres-
language of the Jewish peo- datory."
upon thy name: for they this story of the life of one ence will be felt across a
ple—the latter in his biog-
"National suicide is not
have
devoured
Jacob
of the great men of our time. wide spectrum, putting cur-
raphy of Eliezer Ben-Ye- an international obliga-
(called Israel) and laid Chaim Weizmann, David rent developments into his-
huda which he titled "Tongue tion."
waste
his
habitation..."
28111 Telegraph Rd
Ben•Gurion, Moshe Sharett; toric perspective, pricking
of the Prophets." He wrote
"We have peace plans.
At,' "
•
When he came to this Moshe Dayan and many oth- the conscience of a calloused
about the Jews in Hungary We only need someone to
355-1000 *
passage the ambassador ers relate to this interesting world, reminding it that man
and their tragedy under whom to tell them and a
cannot live by guns alone.
turned to David Gotlin, account.
Nazism. table on which to lay
former Israeli minister to
Most appropriate as a con- focusing the clear light of
The charm of St. John now (h em
South Africa, and said:
clusion to an appreciation of his classical intelligence on
"There are political lead-
is incorporated in an en-
."Will you please read It? St. 'John's book is his own
cyclopedic biography of ers who never lose a
As a delegate to the UN I conclusion to his biography:
Abba Eban. It has just been chance to miss an oppor-
"There is no doubt that
dare not make such proc-
The Newest Convalescent Center
published by Doubleday, and tunity."
many millions across the
lamations."
"Every time the for-
the title page is a sim-
to be opened in Southfield
world
have
a
loftier
and
more
As the master linguist,
ple one: "EBAN BY ST. eign minister of Egypt,
JOHN." The text is fasci- opens his mouth he sub- Eban emerges in this biog- positive vision of Israel and
tracts from the sum total raphy in a great role. He the Jewish people through
nating, thorough, replete
knows and uses Arabic as having heard Abba Eban de-
with descriptions of historic of human wisdom.'
"Border clashes, cholera easily as Hebrew. He is a scribe his people's experi-
developments in which the
Israel foreign minister played and hijackings appear to master speaker in several ence and ambition.
'Starting with no advan-
and continues to play a ma- be tourist attractions."
languages.
is centrally located of " -
"Israel's difficulties are
St. John states that Eban tage beyond his own capacity
jor role on the Israel and
25300 lahser Rd.
and
character, he has become
challenges fuzzy thinking.
Jewish scenes and on the her only possessions no-
a unique figure on the world
800 ft. N. of 10 Maw ltd.
body has tried to take
To ouote again:
international arena.
He encourages his sub- stage. One of his distinctive
There are scores upon from her."
"When an ostrich buries
ordinates to have ideas, as contributions has been to re-
We privide. 24 hours a day professional nursing care
scores of incidents in the
occupational and physical therapy deportment. Kosher
long as they present them mied the Israelis of their
life of Abba Eban and in its head in the sand to
lineage
and
of
the
special
avoid
facing
unpleasant
to him clearly and with-
delightful meals planned by a dietitian. Rates moderate,
the history of Israel that
burden they bear—that they
out excess verbiage.
have not been told before. facts it not only presents
care excellent.
He is impatient with must live within their his-
Their implementation in a an undignified spectacle, it
fuzzy thinking, with peo- tory, not their geography—
for
applications and information call immedi-
noteworthy and massive biog- also constitutes an irresist-
ple who can't express their that they must not lose their
ible target."
raphy is understandable:
6-9626 or EIL. 4-3222.
romanticism, their human-
ately
Eban
is
forgetful
on
occa-
thoughts
succinctly
and
Robert St. John always goes
with those who sprinkle ism, their utopian vision. He
to the root of every issue sions—a secretary always
their conversation with —
^ t every pert protects his hotel room keys
he outlines .4.—
him—but he trhmtos how
f:Liehes. He invented the I
sonatity he portrays. He does
word "stammers' to cie-
himself
on
not omit a source. He inter- to poke fun
scribe what he considers
views every member of his that score.
He smokes, and on that
th e ep i;z:::!. of verbal stu-
hero's family and goes
Nominees to the Board - of Governors
pidity:
through all available rec- score St. John, not a smoker
'It is unnecessary to
ords. He delves into diplo- himself, relates:
11) \
El .1;11{F. FF:14:1i
It%-f,aw, of the JI-:%\
His love of gourmet food is
add ...' When that phrase
matic manuscripts. and he
Pursuant 14, ;or. —
farm
comes across my desk I
"1"1-
I
he
gathers every available an- exceeded only by his craving
"“unnvv''
( W 1/FFIWIT. the following
send it back to the author
(:he
ecdote. That's the secret of for sweets of any sort, good,
11. R''"m
marked: 'Then why add it?'
her- tip of the Federation, eligible for electio::
St. John's literary success bad or mediocre.
In his early days in the
" 'It goes without say-
of the Federation for a three-sear term endin g
as evidenced again in "Eban
ing . . . ' When someone
than thirty
by St. John." He has a sense United States he still smoked
1,1• - Prvident riot
herewith to t h e FAcciiti‘f•
a
pipe.
as
he
had
done
at
uses
that
expression
I
ask:
of humor and incorporates
\tumid Mo•(.ting which will take place on Wednesdas. (ti -
Cambridge.
Today
he
has
prior
to
the
'Then
why
say
it?'
the anecdotes in his biogra-
"'It is worth noting ...'
toher I I. 19712. at CongregatiOn Shaares
phical sketches. He analyzes several pipes in his office
The list is almost without
and probes and evaluates, and at home. As his wife
FOR RE-ELECTION:
puts
it,
"He
plays
around
end.
Some
people
don't
with the result that history
'David Handleman
seem to be able to just
Martin E. Citrin
is enriched by a work such with them occasionally — for
start a sentence. They like
as he has composed of the many reasons. A friend told
Stanley J. Winkelman
Irwin Green
to say: 'Let it be pointed
him soon after he came to
Israeli leader.
out at this stage that...'
Perhaps it is a natural New York that a pipe is anti-
FOR ELECTION:
All those words can be
social because you can't offer
Beniamin H Fronk
Brandwine
phenomenon thatin the life to share it with someone else.
J
Mrs.
Morris
crossed out without losing
Robert A. Steinberg
of a man like Abba Eban
William M Davidson
"Look, Aubrey," he said,
anything. Or. 'Another con-
there inevitably entered re
sideration worth bearing in
Robert M Zell
lationships with the leading "if You're going to puff that
mind .. .' The reAt of the
statesmen of ail major na- smoke into the
face
colleague
Ls,
sentence, whatever it
III .1
'1 l'
I io 1 1' , 1 111 11.1 th d h , , f•to ■ oo
tions in the world; that Pres- at a rePartor or a
can always stand on its
Truman, at least smoke a cigar and
ents Harry S.
own."
offer him one, too."
Dw ight D. Eisenhower. John of Eban's own explanation:
He likes to mimic. eith-
Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson
a certain amount of deri -
"I found that I could never
and Richard M. Nixon should
his von '. the
sion
in
have had roles in the drama bring alt the sarimis elements
-(Inv
who
That is Israel's and the h:1 op pipe smolsinz together at
erer‘e Siimte•ion. Sir.
Inc same thugpipe, the
(;,!11!....••
,
man fiii'lors of the
the
ssitz.
I! ,
riee; , 1e; that me - 1,e
n ct
t.
! 7.•1-!!wrz,

Lohser Hill
Nursing Center

ANNUAL MEETING OF THE
JEWISH WELFARE FEDERATION

04

,

'

