Dramatic Chapter of Truman's Role in Jewish History
(Continued from Page 1)
the days of Czarist Russia.
This historic saga of persecution is one
of the reasons why, as President. I placed a
high priority on the establishment of the
new state of Israel. I hoped that by this
action the people of the United States would
help to right a terrible wrong. For I deeply
felt that the persecution of Jews over the
centuries has left a deep and ugly scar on
the conscience of civilization.
"Anti-Semitism is not a trait anyone is
horn with. It is something akin to a com-
municable disease—passed on from com-
munity to parent, and from parent to child.
And the cycle goes on generation after gen-
- eration.
on Monday, Feb. 28, 1949. It was an import-
ant day because it was so soon after his
re-election. He had not forgotten his many
friends. Dewey Stone of Boston, Abraham
Feinberg of New York, Louis Berry and
Ben Levinson of Detroit were among his
supporters.
At that session with us of nearly an hour,
President Truman spoke about immigration.
He favored liberalization of our laws to
admit persecutees. His concern was the
Middle East and, as already told, he turned
the large globe toward the area and ex-
pressed regret that his sincerity in support-
ing Israel should ever have been ques-
tioned.
•
•
•
TM C WHITZ HOUSE
WASHINGTON
February 2, 1.949
W dear Mr. Slomovitz:
Please give Der warm greetings to all those
who are attending the contention of the American Associa-
On Jan. 20 1966, President Truman was
"The disease of anti-Semitism is so
tion of leglish-Jewish Newspapers February eighteenth to
virulent that each generation seems to be presented with the plan for the creation of
twenty-first. The 100th anniversary of the publication
the
Truman
Peace
Center
at
the
Hebrew
helplessly caught up in it. And there is no
of ■ The Agnomen• is a significant occasion, and I am
effective cure in sight, save that of an University in Jerusalem. President Johnson
delighted to have a part in it.
was the guest speaker at the Harry S. Tru-
awakened conscience of man.
man Library in Independence, Mo. Truman
"What I find even more discouraging is
The century that has passed since that date
to see that in our institutions of higher was then presented by President Johnson
has witnessed our country's rise to a commanding world
education, where one wou:d expect the intel- with the Number One Medicare Card, thus
inaugurating
the
U.
S.
Medicare
program.
lectual ferment to act as a purifier, there,
position. This has been possible because we were richly
On the following day—Jan. 21, 1966, at
too, prejudice, discrimination and exclusion
endowed by nature; but even more because we have drawn to
the
MuCebach
Hotel,
in
Kansas
City,
Pres-
exist in one guise or another.
ourselves !roman the nations of the earth those who
"And we know that in some of our large ident Truman was host at lunch to the 36
loved freedom best.
business institutions, as in our professions contributors of $100,000 each towards the
of law, medicine and other fields, discrimin- Truman Peace Center project (Emma
It is our people who have made America great,
Schaver and Abraham Borman were the
ation and exclusion are not uncommon.
and I am proud of the fact that there have always been
"I think it is about time that we face up two Detroiters among the 36 who were
many of Jewish origin among us. In t:le developeent of
, to the offensive treatment accorded the Jew- honored with the title the Lamed-Vavniks ,
ish people here and elsewhere. And it is comparing them to the connotation Lamed
our country, in its defense, and in upholding its high
about time someone said something about Vav Tzadikim—the 36 saintly in ancient
ideals, American Jewry has played a distinguished role.
the violztion of not only their civil rights Jewish tradition). My wife and I were
among the invited guests. I spoke to him
but in certain areas their very lives as well
For one hundred years, the Jewish press has
"Consider how the tiny state of Israel. briefly at that time, expressing the hope
been a potent force in building the America we love. Nay
that out of the Truman Peace Center will
only a few- years along from its precarious
it long continue to uphold the highest ideals of human
eventually emerge a worldwide fulfillment
beginning has had to live with neighboring
nations, who are fanatically resolved to de- of the hope for peace. His reply was
dignity and social justice;
stroy it by every means.
"There'll be no peace," and he repeated it,
"the - e'll be no peace."
"And what about our churches — what
Very sincerely yours
have they done? Here, too, our spiritual
Much has been said about Truman's hab-
leaders have proved ineffectual—and the erdashery partner, Eddie Jacobson. But
persecution of this mere handful of people
President Truman had many Jewish asso-
scattered throughout the four corners of the ciates. His secretary, David Noyes, read his
world, goes on unabated. Even at the -Vati- speech for him at the Truman Peace Center
can. where historic reforms are under con- ceremony In Independence, ju'l prior to the
siderat:on, the problrm of anti•St mitism had address by President John on. Prof. Mar-
to he tabled (or lack of agreement.
shall 11. Shuman, now head of the Russian
• rile "And, no 1
say, the Issue of civil rights Is department at Columbia University, was
with us In many manifestations. The plight one of Truman's speech writers. Dr. Shut-
of the Negroes Is but one of these. Anti man. son of Mrs. Harry M. Shulman of
Mr. Philip Slomovits,
Semitism is as grave • challenge
Detroit, was a member of the staff of Sec-
to
President,
sense of fairne us and morality. It Is to our
he retary of Ftate Dean Acheson. Judge Sam-
American Association of Maglish-Jewish newspaper.,
everlasting credit of the Jewish people th; t uel I. Rosenman was one of Truman's
2124 Penobscot Building,
they have managed to live with all their Cos est associates.
troubles and to survive them.
Detroit 26, Michigan.
During the years of pressures to prevent
"When I think of the question of civil t he row of Jewish immigrants into Pales-
rights in fu ,
President Truman's message to the annual convention of the Ameri-
1 perspective, I am moved to t ine, President Truman was firm in his
say as the Lord said in 'Green Pa: tures'—
humanitarian position. Unlike his predeees- can Association of English-Jewish Newspapers, held at the Willard Hotel,
'Let us have a compete rain.' "
Washington,
D.C., Feb. 18-21.
or, he rejected the demands of Ibn Saud
•
•
•
a wed informed him how concerned he was
than
any
other
State Department official in of Israel, remains one of the most dramatic
EaCier, f referred to the delegation t hat Jews should have a right to settle in
encouraging President Truman to recognize
of Jewish editors I headed, at President t
he then Jewish National Home soon to Israel. That chapter, involving President in both American and Jewish histories. And
Truman's invitation. A select group of us I Weenie
President Truman was among the chief
Israel the Jewish state.
Truman, the State Department and some
rch to^ s of a p r icy that gave firmness to
met with the President at the White House
Clark Clifford was more instrumental of the obstructionists in it, and the Heed'
the -ebirth of the Jewish state.
r.
On Feb. 28, 1949, President Harry Truman welcomed a delegation from
the American Association of English-Jewish Newspapers, under the chairman-
ship of Philip Slomovitz, editor and publisher of The Detroit Jewish News
and president of th? association, in his office at the White House. The
occasion was the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the English-Jewish
weekly press in America. Mr. Slomovitz presented the President with a
resolution eommending the Chief Executive for his aid to Israel and nom-
Mating him for an honorary degree by the , Hebrew University in Jerusalem,
36-Friday, Deco.29, 1972
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
and with a reproduction of the first issue of the Asmonean, the first English-
Jewish weekly published in America. In the photo are the attendees at that
White House meeting (from left) Willy Pels, Southern Israelite, Atlanta, Ga.;
Albert Golomb, Jewish Outlook, Pittsburgh; Leo H. Frisch, American Jewish
World, Minneapolis; Philip Slomovitz; J. M. Feldman, the
Sentinel, Chicago;
President Truman; Dr. Alexander Brin, Jewish Advocate, Boston; Samuel
Neusner, Jewish Ledger, Hartford, Conn.; Philip Klein, Jewish Times, Phila-
delphia; and Eli Jacobs, Jewish Review, Buffalo.