Woodcock Reaffirms UAW's Support for Israel
With Non-Prejudice Toward Arabs in Peace Tasks
Addressing an audience of
more than 1,000 at Cobo Hall,
upon receiving the annual
National Bnai Brith Humani-
tarian Award "for distin-
guished service and enduring
contributions" to all com-
munal cause s, Leonard
Woodcock, president of UAW,
reaffirmed the labor move-
ment's strong stand in sup-
port of Israel.
His declaration was an an-
swer to a demonstration by
Arabs and blacks, at the en-
trance of Cobo Hall, in an
organized condemnation of
Israel.
The demonstrators' num•
bered as many, if not more,
than the 1,000 who came to
honor Woodcock. They in-
cluded many blacks whose
placards called for justice
for the Africans, with impli-
cations that Jews were guilty
of supporting apartheid.
(When the question arose at
the United Nations, Israel's
delegation twice voted
against the South African
position).
People entering the hall
were accosted with cries
"There goes the Jew," and
affronts of a varying nature.
A policeman who stood
guard at the hall commented
that the 1,000 outside were
"not picketers but demon-
strators . . . they were well
organized." From Cobo Hall
they went to Kennedy Square
to continue their demonstra-
tion and they listened to sev-
eral speeches. There was no
violence.
Woodcock, responding to
the presentation of a gold
medal by Dr. William A.
Wexler, honorary interna-
tional president of Bnai
Brith, punned by opening his
speech with the comment,
"The pickets must have
thought I'd be lonesome with-
out them, - in view of his
having been subjected to
picketing recently. He en-
dorsed Dr. Wexler's plea for
freedom of expression for all
and then declared:
"Yes, the UAW supports
Israel, but we are not the
enemies of the Arab people."
He recalled that when Jim
Abourezk, the Lebanese, was
elected Democratic senator
from South Dakota, and a
dinner was given in his
honor by the Detroit Arab
community, he, Woodcock,
was invited to share the plat-
form as a speaker with
Ahourezk.
"I spoke then for the need
for peace because a confla-
gration can put the entire
world in flames," he stated.
"We of the UAW have taken
a stand with Histadrut, the
Israel Federation of Labor,
as well as the Arab labor
leaders who seek to elevate
the standards of their people.
We would like to bring both
together, Israeli and Arab
labor leaders, to this coun-
try, so they could talk to one
another as they do not now
— because there is no solu.
tion through force . . ."
Woodcock added: "We are
determined to help Israel to
live as a people while help-
ing the Arabs as well. We
want them to stand togeth-
er."
Accepting the honor ac-
corded him, he said that
"while it is trite to say it, I
accept it with humility and
I deeply appreciate the
honor, because what is trite
also is true."
Wexler, while regretting
the inconvenience that was
created for those attending
the dinner by the picketers.
said he thanked God for
America, because "only in
this country, as in Israel,
people can participate in a
great movement while others
have a right to protest."
He expressed appreciation
to the labor movement for
the support to Israel. "UAW's
sympathy is for a country
that has the finest labor
union movement in the
world," he added.
"Israel," he declared, "is
good for this country. If not
for Israel the Soviet Union
would take over the entire
Middle East." Referring to
the energy crisis he sn'l
"We have only just begun
to tackle the issue, and labor
and Israel working together
can certainly help solve, it."
In appreciation of labor's
role, Wexler read the JTA
report about the Oil, Chemi-
cal and Atomic Workers
Union convention in Denver
at which Arab oil blackmail
was condemned. (Story on
Page 6). He quoted it as an
example of justice in dealing
with the energy crisis.
Irwin I. Cohn presided at
the dinner, proceeds of which
will go to Bnai Brith youth
activities. Joe Weaver of
Station WJBK introduced the
guests on the dais, who in-
cluded many of the country's
most distinguished labor
leaders and educators.
Participating in the pro-
'ram were: Louis Weber,
^hairman of the Bnai Brith
Foundation Committee, who
llso presented for brief talks
Barry Hurwitz, president of
Great Lakes AZA Council,
and Debbi Manela of Wind-
sor, president of Bnai Brith
Girls' Council, who presented
a Bible to Woodcock as a
gift from the youth; Glenn
Allen, who spoke for Gover-
nor Milliken; Mandell L.
Berman, president of the
Jewish Welfare Federation;
Mayor Roman S. Gribbs,
Richard C. Gerstenberg,
Hotel Freeze Due?
JERUSALEM (JTA)—The
ministry of tourism is con-
sidering freezing new hotel
construction, Tourism Minis-
ter Moshe Kol told a meeting
of the advisory council on
tourism. Kol said the freeze
would stay in effect until
the present slowdown on
tourism ended.
12—Friday, Nov. 30, 1973
B-G Still in Serious Condition
TEL AVIV (JTA) — The paralyzing stroke. Ben-Gur-
condition of former Premier ion's son and two daughters
David Ben-Gurion was still spent last Friday and Satur-
day at his bedside. Premier
listed as serious this week.
General Motors chairman;
Ben-Gurion, 87, was hospi- Golda Meir visited him sev-
Emil Mazey, secretary-treas- talized after suffering a eral times.
urer of UAW; Rev. Malcolm
Carron, president of Univer-
sity of Detroit; and Morris
Direnfeld, who introduced
, t Drive in Circ les
Dr. Wexler.
— 0
Cantor Harold Orbach led
in the singing of the national
anthems. The opening and
closing prayers were by
For the Best
Rabbi Milton Arm and Epis-
copal Bishop Coleman H.
Mcghee.
v
SEE
GEORGE BRANT
"Akta G," a documentary
on Nazi crimes published by
"Novinar" in Brno, Czecho-
slovakia, gives little evidence
that Jews were in the front
line of those affected by the
atrocities.
o
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