2 Friday, March 11, 1977
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THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
Purely Commentary
Edgar Ansel Mowrer: A Name
Inerasable From the Most
Courageous in Ranks of Journalism
Edgar Ansel Mowrer had a price on his head. The
clubfooted Nazi propaganda minister, Josef Goebbels,
was so enraged by the American correspondent for the
Chicago Daily News that he said he would expend an
entire battalion of Hitler's soldiers for Mowrer's cap-
ture.
This was only one aspect in the life of the noted
foreign correspondent who was among the very first to
warn of the impending Nazi menace, whose book
"Germany Puts the Clock Back" must be ranked
among the imperishable documents about the years of
horror which were foreseen by the courageous man
who died on March 2 on the Portuguese Island of
Madeira, He would have been 85 on March 8.
Mowrer was named
president of the Foreign
Press Association in
Berlin by his associates
who numbered some of
the most prominent cor-
respondents of that era,
including Frederick
Birchall of the • New
York Times, Dorothy
Thompson and others.
The Nazis— Goebbels
was their spokesman —
demanded that he re-
sign, because he already
had a record of exposing
the Nazi terror. He re-
fused. But when one of
the founders of the
Foreign Press Associa-
tion, the 69-year-old Au-
EDGAR MOWRER
strian Jewish journalist
Paul Goldmann was arrested, and his life endangered,
Mowrer quit the important post in exchange for the
Jewish newsman's release.
So, Mowrer was the first American correspon-
dent to be expelled from Germany. He went to Italy,
experienced the same revulsion for Fascism as he did
for Nazism, aroused the anger of Benito Mussolini and
was expelled from Italy in 1936. A year later he also
was expelled from Russia because he had written ex-
plosively about the terror of that regime as well.
Such is the record of a great journalist whose
name must not be forgotten, who had earned the es-
teem of mankind for fearlessness seldom matched in
world affairs.
Shortly after his return to the U.S., Mowrer was
guest speaker at a Detroit General Zionist-Jewish Na-
tional Fund Council meeting in the social hall of the
Chicago-Lawton Shaarey Zedek. Attorney Daniel Cul-
, len, who sat in the front row, was, like the entire audi-
ence, so deeply moved that he walked up to the plat-
form, handed this commentator, who presided, a check
for $100 and said he wanted to express his appreciation
by inscribing the name of Edgar Ansel Mowrer in the
JNF Golden Book in Jerusalem. Thus, in at least one
world center, the Mowrer name is inscribed for gener-
ations to remember the courage of a great newsman.
An impressive lesson in fearlessness is recorded in
the role of the eminent correspondent. It would be well
for the new generation of reporters, editors and corn-
mentators to take the cue from so courageous a jour-
nalist in the battle for justice and fair play for all
peoples everywhere.
Osias Zwerdling, Nonagenarian
Who Befriended Two Generations
of U-M Students and Faculty
Osias Zwerdling left an indelible mark on the Ann
Arbor community. Non-Jews as well as Jews benefited
from his advice, from the hospitality of the Zwerdling
home, from his generosity.
More than two generations of Jewish students at
the University of Michigan, and faculty members who
had an interest in Jewish communal life, counted him
as a friend who inspired every aspect of Jewish con- .
cern.
Long before there was a Hillel Foundation he en-
couraged membership in the Intercollegiate Menorah
Association, and as a devout Jew he assisted in the
formation of congregational activities on the campus.
Jewish students could come to him for advice and
help. The entire academic community soon became
aware of his devotions and concerns for the welfare of
students, and.when he was honored several years ago
on his 90th birthday the participants represented an
interfaith character.
A Zionist for many years, the emergence of Is-
rael's statehood gave him added inspiration to work
for the cause of Jewish national redemption. He la-
bored for the United Jewish Appeal, was a Jewish Na-
tional Fund devotee and among.the honors accorded
him is a JNF Forest planted on the hills of Judea.
Professionals in all walks of life brought with them
Edgar Ansel Mowrer's Notable Record as Courageous
Journalist Who Exposed Hitler . . . Amin as Pogromist
and Etymology of Ugly Word . . . Evil of Prejudice
from Ann Arbor, to conimunities throughout the
world, recollections about the warm-hearted furrier
who became the inspirer of youth during their college
years and carried on that role until his late nineties.
His memory will be cherished by these thousands.
The Agents of Evil:
Propagators of Boycott
Get Lessons in Fair Play
By Phi lip
Slomovitz
writer who knew how to make truth stick. Hopefully it
not only will stick but it also will eliminate further
spread of the nonsense that caused the concern of a
group of American citizens.
The second episodal experience is much more dis-
turbing. It is an evidence of prejudice introduced in an
editorialized newspaper article and therefore repre-
sents a danger to American decency. A Northeast De-
troit neighborhood paper carried an article under the
heading "Frank Kelley Fights Prayer While Crime
Grows." What the writer of that article did was to
condemn Michigan's Attorney General Kelly for up-
holding the basic principle of Separation of Church
and State by accusing him of being a tool of the Jewish
people. The accusation is contained in this quotation
from that article:
Diplomatic ranks, especially those that are af-
fected by the pressures from the oil interests are filled
with anti-Israelism. Often it develops into anti-
Semitism that grows out of the Arab-Semitic ranks.
They are not newcomers. Many have been schooled in
the Consular corps that was stigmatized in the Hitle-
rian days.
Attorney General Frank Kelley has maintained
The test for fair play is the current debate over the
a close relationship with Jewish lawyers. Hi
anti-Israel - boycott introduced by the Arabs. The
chief deputies covering his entire tenure of
American principles of fairness do not justify it and
have been of that faith. Other staff members sh s a
Congressional action is expected to put an end to the
disproportionate number ofJews. There is no quota
anti-Israel machinations.
there..
It looked bad for the American ideal of fair play
That public school prayer in Michigan would be
when White House and State Department opposed
considered the State's principle legal target in view
Congressional action aimed at stemming the Com-
of the overwhelming incidence of crime, particu-
merce Department's vacillations on the subject of the
larly in Detroit, strikes one as a very strange choice
boycott. But Secretary of State Cyrus Vance, acting on
of priorities.
his own and President Carter's behalf has taken a
It makes this columnist wonder what happened
stand in support of pending legislation that would
to the ancient tenet of American Law — rule by the
make it a crime to support the anti-Israel boycott.
majority?
Perhaps it is not surprising that a former. U.S.
It is difficult to believe that such views can be
ambassador to Egypt, Richard Nolte, should suddenly
heard in a civilized society and in an American news-
have emerged as the spokesman for the Arab boycott
manipulators. Nolte was known in his ambassadorial , sheet no matter how insignificant its circulation or
days as anti-Israel, as antagonistic to the fulfillment how untrained its editorial staff. It could not be pro-
of Jewish hopes for national redemption. But he has fessional journalistic expression because even the
least-informed newsperson should know that the basic
met his match, as have others who undermine fair
ideal for Church-State Separation is . . traced to the
play. The American principles will persist.
Prejudiced Minds and the Difficulty
for Truth to Predominate
founding fathers of this Republic, that the creators of
this principle were James Madison, Thomas Jefferson
and the geniuses who were responsible for the roots of
American idealism, democracy and freedom. Now,
nearly two centuries later, it is one of the blessings of
the Bicentennial Year that the battle for continuation
of the Separation obligation is conducted by churches
and churchmen who adhere to the basic ideals of
Americanism.
America's free press and the history books provide
the facts that are vital for an elementary understand-
ing of the basics of this political principle. Neverthe-
less, prejudices often emanate as puzzles on how a
wish to adhere to bias and to stimulate bigotry can
Frank Kelley has nothing to fear from a handful of
introduce•a lack of toleration and understanding of the
common denominator of good will among all elements bigots who are trying, perhaps out of hatred for him as
a political opponent, to make him the scapegoat in a
in the population.
Political prejudices,' religious antagonisms and religious dispute. It is so easy to resort to anti-
social dislikes frequently arise as evidences of a failure Semitism in the process of spreading such bigotries.
No, it is not Frank Kelley who needs to be concerned
to accept the realities of true Americanism.
Two current experiences stimulate discussion over such bigotry, but the average American citizen
about these issues and the shortcomings in some who must despise bigotries that besmirch facts and
ranks when the need for acceptance of facts and truths truth, especially as they relate to the idealism of true
democratic practices.
becomes necessary.
Perhaps the question relating to the composition
Both quoted experiences emphasize the constant
of the current U.S. Congress addressed to Ann Land- need to assure that truth about America should not be
ers was motivated more by curiosity than by an inher- negated.
ent fear which inevitably results in prejudice. The
question addressed to Landers was:
Etymology's Role in Amin's
Someone expressed the notion that while some Attainment of Russian
people were concerned about the effect of a Fun- Hooligan Pogrom Image
damentalist Baptist in the White House, the Jews
Idi Amin Dada is much more than a showman who
and Catholics were quietly taking over Congress.
As usual, the individual who made this allega- seeks notoriety by way of barbarism and as an en-
tion had no facts or figures to support his theory. Is gineer of mass murders. He has also attained a role as
an etymologist. All because the media have applied to
there any truth in it?
his cruelties the term pogrom.
Headlining her column "Jews and Catholics —
It is a word that hasn't been heard in a long time.
Taking Over Congress?", the able columnist provided
Through the decades of Russian Czarist barbarism,
the facts in a logical reply:
pogrom was used only in relation to massacres ofJews.
Although the new United ,States Congress
The horrors now expose the Uganda pogrom.
(House and Senate) has more Roman Catholics and
Commentators speak of pogroms when they describe
Jews than the preceding lineup, there is no chance of Amin outrages.
a "takeover." Here is the present count: 371 Protes-
The American College Dictionary thus defines
tants in the present Congress — down nine, 129
pogrom: ,
Roman Catholics — up six; 27 Jews — up three.
Although the Jewish and Roman Catholic totals
are record highs for both groups, Protestants hold
about 70 percent of the seats in both Houses, which
is their share of the population. Roman Catholics
hold about 25 percent and Jews about three percent
— which represents their approximate proportion
of the general population in this country.
I was not the least bit concerned when a Catholic
, was elected president, although some said there
would surely be a.hotline from the White House to
the Vatican. I am equally. unconcerned about Presi-
dent Carter's Baptist Fundamentalism.
One would imagine that the available facts would
refute -the fears expressed by those who addressed the
challenging question to Miss Landers, that the panic
expressed was both foolish and illogical, that what the
question implied was a lack of confidence in the loyal-
ties of a Congress predominantly Protestant. But
fears often have an accessible road to bias and ill logic
succumbs to acceptance of rumors that lead to bigotry
and hatred. Fortunately the puzzled. about truth re-
lating to Congress sought an answer from a sensible
pogrom (po gr m, po grom ), n. an organized mas-
sacre, esp. of Jews. [t. Russ.: devastation, destruc-
tion]
This etymological description is given in the I
dom House Dictionary of the English Language as
follows:
po•grom (p grum-grom po-) n. an organized
massacre, esp. of Jews
. [ Russ: devastation, de-
struction, equiv. to po- perfective prefix + -grom, cf.
gromit to — Syn. slaughter, butchery.]
Perhaps there is a lesson to be learned from this
search for the etymological as a result of the popular
application of a word originally used to describe mas-
sacres of Jews as an inheritance from Czardom by
modern barbarians. It is a lesson that was learned in
the. days of Adolph I;litler. First the mass murderer
attacked Jews, then he turnedon the Catholics, then
his own coreligionists, then upon liberals, then upon
all humanity. The moral: beware of terrorists and
mass murderers; their first victims may be the Jews
but then the pogrom becomes a menace for all human-
ity.