Rosenbergs' Younger Son Speaking Here, Pledges to Exonerate His Parents

By HEIDI PRESS
Robert and Michael Meer-
opol are living in the past for
a special reason.
The sons of Julius and
Ethel Rosenberg, who were
executed in 1953 on charges
of conspiring to commit
espionage, Robert and
Michael have begun a drive
to exonerate their parents.
Speaking .to more than 300
persons Sunday at the Jew-
ish Center, Robert, the
younger brother, talked about
his parents' case and the
lawsuit he and his brothel-
have pending against author
Louis Nizer for his "The Im-
plosion Conspiracy," a best
seller on the Rosenberg trial.
"My personal reason for
opening up the case is that I
would like to see my parents
vindicated," he said. "We

want to get their files open
to the public. We want to get
the facts and get the evi-
dence out, and we're not
afraid of what's in there."
However, the Department
of Justice has refused to open
the files. Meeropol cited the
case of Morton Sobell, con-
victed as a co-conspirator in
the Rosenberg case. Having
served an 18-year sentence,
Sobell has filed a motion to
see the evidence that con-
victed him. The Justice De-
partment told him that due
to the passage of time, these
exhibits have been lost. -
"My contention is t h a t
there is no . . . evidence, it
just doesn't exist and that's
why they can't release it
because it will show that the
emperor has no clothes,"
Meeropol said. He added that
"we have a great deal of
fear that the files will be
34—Friday, May 24, 1974
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS destroyed."
(The Justice Department
has a 25,000-page file of evi-
dence on the Rosenberg case,
he said.)
During his talk, envelopes
for contributions to the Ro-
senberg Sons Legal Fund —
Upper photo: Michael (left) and Robert Meeropol
Detroit were distributed, and
copies of "Invitation to an (Rosenberg). Lower photo: Michael, 10, left, and Robert,
Inquest" by Walter and Mir- 6, in 1953, at the time if their adoption.
iam Schneir were on sale.
The Schneirs are donating (him) publicly apologize."
However, the cost of the
proceeds from the sale of Because of Nizer's stature Nizer suit alone will be astro-
their book to the fund. Meer- as a best-selling author, it nomical. Meeropol said that
opol autographed them after was necessary ao take him the fee for obtaining a deposi-
the talk, sponsored by the to court, Meeropol said.
tion, especially from Nizer,
Jewish Parents Institute. •
He was hosted in Detroit by
Martin Wellin, a participant
in the Rosenberg Sons Legal
Martin Wellin, chairman of the hysteria against Com-
What should aJewish mother
Fund—Detroit. Meeropol also
do whose kids love to nosh
spoke at the University of the Detroit committee formed munism.
to assist the Meeropol (Ros-
Italian? Simple. Just whip
"It was another Dreyfus
Detroit Sunday night. •
up a glorious pizza pie. So
He said the suit against enberg) brothers said that the Case; it was like the Sacco-
easy, with the help of Chef
Nizer is not for monetary number of local sympathizers Vanzetti Case," Robert said.
"It was fabricated through-
Boy-Ar-Dee. Chef has put
gain but for apology. Meer- is growing and that the three
it all together in one box:
opol added that Nizer incor- meetings held here during out and if we secure the FBI
pizza flour mix, special
rated some of the copyrighted Robert's visit in Detroit gave files, now hidden from us,
sauce, zesty cheese, easy
we can prove our parents'
prison letters of his, parents assurance of financial aid.
directions. So in 20 minutes
He spoke with equal de- innocence."
without permission and there-
out of the oven will pop a
"We don't even know if our
fore, violated the copyright termination to assist Morton
sizzling bubbly hot pizza to
parents were . Communists,"
Sobell
in
clearing
his
name.
law.
(The
brothers
are
work-
the chef's taste—and your
Robert said, "but it is im-
ing on a book which will in-
family's. (Better make two if
The Meeropols, Sobell and material. .The fact is that
clude
the
letters.)
you want a taste.)
some of their associates in they were not guilty of the
Meeropol also said Nizer the task to clear the names charges against •them. Our
"misuses the letters." "He of the accused will partici- campaign is of importance
attempts to portray our par- pate in a memorial meeting not to us alone but to the
ents as guilty fanatics who for the Rosenberg's, at Car-
entire nation — in the inter-
neglected their children for negie Hall, New , York, June est of justice and American
politics."
17. The memorial is spon- fair play."
"My parents were wrongly sored by the National Com-
Robert does believe there
convicted of conspiring to mittee to Reopen the Rosen- was a Jewish angle, that
commit espionage; they were berg Case.
Jews were kept off the jury,
never convicted of child neg-
Robert declared that "even that frightened Jews who
lect. That was not the case." those who confessed" were were anxious to prove Jews
Attacking Nizer's summa- not guilty, that the entire were not Communists were
tion, Meeropol said, "He im- case was drummed up during determined to convict their
plies that the reason we are
successful is that we denied
all of our parents' work and
that is why we are silent. If
The -Jewish Community Orbach of the Community
we had not come forward, it
would show by our silence Council will convene its Council staff. Exhibits and
second annu a-1 Program kits will provide resource
that we . . . agree."
"The only way to clear the Planners Institute 9 a.m.-1 suggestions for program
p.m. June 2 at the United chairmen.
Hebrew Schools building.
Mrs. Carl Schiller and
Under the leadership of Mrs. J. Stewart Linden, co-
SERVING ONLY
Mrs. J. Stewart Linden and chairmen, are assisted by
PRIME AND
Mrs. Carl Schiller, the insti- Albert Karbal and Mes-
tute will focus on the theme dames Henry Berris, Morris
CHOICE MEATS
of "Involvement: a Practi- Friedman, Joseph Maltzer,
cum on Participation."
Harry Oberstein, Irving Po-
Emphasis will be on tech- kempner, Louis Redstone,
niques for stimulating in- Seymour R o w e, Matilda
Member Detroit Retail
terest of members in the Rubin, Mark Saidman, Jules
Kosher Meat Dealers Assoc.
program activities of their Sanders, Dan Shapiro and
organizations, and of secur- Aaron Shifman.
ing their involvement. The
For reservations, call the
how-to sessions will be led Jewish Community Council,
by Albert Karbal, director 962 - 1880. The registration fee
13721 W. 9 MILE at RIDGEDALE
of the Learning Resource will cover resource materials
Center at Cong. Shaarey and continental breakfast.
WE DELIVER
Zedek; Gertrude Oberstein,
book reviewer; and Evelyn Classifieds Get Quick Results

efui

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CHEESE
PIZZA

would amount to about $10.-
000. This would cover the
cost of making two copies
of an estimated 1,500-page
deposition.
Meeropol was asked if he
wisred to find his aunt and
uncle, David and Ruth Green-
glass, who testified against
the Rosenbergs and have
since changed their names.
He replied that he did not
want to look for them and
accused them of being "liars
and murderers." He said,
however, he "could find them
if I wanted to."
Commenting on the sen-
tence passed on his parents
by Federal Judge Irving R.
Kaufman, Meeropol noted
that the judge "wanted to
show that all Jews were not
communists or traitors, so he
came down harder" on his
parents.
He noted that Judge Kauf-
man and U.S. Attorney Irv-
ing H. Saypol had been
"rewarded" following h i s
parents' trial. Judge Kauf-
man was appointed a court
of appeals judge, and Saypol
became a Supreme Court
justice in New York.
Against Saybol, Meeropol
made some harsh charges.
"I said publicly that Say-
pol participated in criminal
conspiracy, supported per-
jury and participated in fab-
rication of evidence. If these
charges are untrue, then they
are libelous, and the Supreme

National Committee to Aid in Rosenberg Case

Program Planners Institute Due

SINGER'S

parents as an emphasis on
their — Jews' — a c t i n g
against Communism.
The Meeropol brothers are
conducting a nationwide cam-
paign to clear their parents.
Robert has already spoken
in Toronto, Boston, Washing-
ton, Ann Arbor and Buffalo.
Michael has spoken in Phil-
adelphia, Toronto a n d at
Tufts College.
Robert said he was pleased
that his adopted mother, Mrs.
Abel Meeropol, who died
last September, lived to know
of the battle to clear his par-
ents' names. He said Mr.
Meeropol is very active in
the defense movement.

Court has a reputation to
maintain. I would welcome
a suit." He added that Judge
Saypol has not commented
on the charges, and he re-
fused to make a statement.

Now that their private lives
have been exposed, will the
Meeropol brothers change,
their name back to Rosen-
berg? •(They took the name
of their adoptive parents.)

"We don't plan to go back
to Rosenberg. We feel we
were as much a product of
our second parents as our
first. My mother (Mrs. Abel
Meeropol) died in September,
and as a tribute to her
are keeping the name."

To contribute to the legal
fund, write Rosenberg Sons
Legal Fund — Detroit, 10150
Burton, Oak Park, 48237.

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