88 Friday, October 31, 1980 THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS New Biography of Cla ► ence Darrow, Champion of Freedom I In his closing statement to the jury in the first trial for murder involving Dr. Ossian Sweet and 10 other blacks, defense attorney Clarence Darrow said: "I speak for a million blacks who have some hope and faith remaining in the in- stitutions of this land." It was before Judge Frank Murphy had declared a mis- trial in a suit that could have ended in the convic- tion for murder of the De- - trod black physician who faced the murder charge in the killing of a white man when the blacks were molested in a housing riot that was fomented in the rising prejudice against Negroes. This is one of the inci- dents recorded in a remark- able biography, "Clarence Dar-row: A Sentimental Re- bel" by Arthur and Lila Weinberg (Putnam). This is one of the many important cases re- viewed by the two authors who devoted many years to research about the life and activi- ties of one of the most prominent lawyers in American legal history. Among the very famous cases was that of Nathan Leopold and Richard Loeb, the two young geniuses who murdered a young boy as a cruel prank, who were saved from death by Dar- row's appeals to the Chicago jury. Then there was the Scopes trial and the teach- ing of evolution in the Tennessee schools. The anti-evolution reso- lution was adopted by the Legislature of Tennessee, making that state one of the first to prohibit the teaching of evolution in tax- supported schools. A school teacher was on trial for teaching evolution. Clar- ence Darrow was the de- fense lawyer and he was op- posed by former U.S. Secre- tary of State William Jen- nings Bryan. John T. Scopes, a 24- year-old substitute teacher, was the accused law-breaker who be- lieved in the evolution theory. Dayton, Tenn.,- became the center of at- tention when the famous trial was conducted there. Darrow became even more famous as a 'result of a trial in which he failed in his appeal de- fending the supporter of the evolution theory. -Scopes was convicted, fined $100 and the fine was paid by the Baltimore Eve- ning Sun. Later, in an ap- peal, the verdict was re- versed on a technicality. These are just a few of the famous cases 'which_ per- *lived through it, and per- haps have been stronger. But it is a terrible test for any people to go through! CLARENCE DARROW petuated the name of Clar- ence Darrow in legal his- tory. The authors portray him as a man of great compas- sion whose chief aim was to battle for the underdog. Darrow hated bigotry and fought against racial and religious prejudices. He participated in movements to fight anti- Semitism. It was as a member of the Illinois State Legislature that he joined in protests against the 1903 Kishinev pog- rom in Bessarabia. It was on April 18, 1903, that Clarence Darrow, Jane Addams and Peter Sissman, who was to become Dar- row's law partner, ad- dressed a meeting in the Chicago Stock Theater to condemn the officially- fostered pogrom in Russia. He condemned anti- SeMitism everywhere. He said: "The one weapon at hand is moral-suasion." The Weinbergs point to a single factor of a lack of vision by Darrow when he failed to anticipate success in Zionist efforts in a debate with Dr. Stephen S. Wise in which he opposed the Zionist ideal. Darrow's opposition to persecution of Jews despite his disapproval of Zionism is related by the Weinbergs in a description of the emi- nent lawyer's condemna- tion of Hitlerism, as follows: "Persecuted peoples were Darrow's business. Again in 1933 he would voice- his protest againSt the persecution of Jews, this time in Germany under Hitler. He was not as optimistic as he had been in 1903. 'There is one thing that seems to have been made pretty clear by this terrible move- ment against the Jews, originating in Germany and closing, I don't know where. I don't know that it will ever end. So far as I can read, and under- stand about the Jews, they have been perse- cuted by almost all people on the face of the earth! And still, they have " 'Mr. Hitler is'not the only man who has engaged in the laudable purpose of persecuting the Jews!' he sarcastically told a forum at the Washington. Boulevard Temple in Chicago. 'The thing which shocks me and the rest of the world is that at this stage of life, when many people have thought that human beings were _growing more intelligent, when we believed that men and women were broader and more understanding and more liberal, there should come a man with the power and strength to make a warfare upon a race out of the clear sky; and the most destructive warfare, as I read of it, that has ever been carried on against the Jew!' He recalled his first ex- perience with Jews, more than 60 years ago, in a little country town. 'We seldom saw one; that, I believe is why we didn't like them. I happened to be born in a family which had no reli- gious prejudices, and who believed in freedom for all wouldn't be anything left in men, but I heard the'same the way of protest meetings stories at school that all the in this country. They are other children heard. I came strong in every organiza- to look upon them the same tion that stands for human way. It was a long time be- liberty. They are strong in fore I . . . knew the debt that every movement for free- civilization owes to the dom.' Jews! "Stressing that the Jew "It was a long time before I knew the debt that liberal- has stood not only for free- ity and freedom owe to dom of the Jew but for all Jews! You don't need to men, Dan-ow told a cheer- leave your seat to find that ing audience, 'I would hate out. You can test it any- to see the Jews banished where! Let any meeting be from the country in which I announced, in any part of may ever live.' The last Chicago of New York, or people to betray freedom any big city in the United would be the Jews: 'In every States, when a body of great cause for human lib- people are called to protest erty, they have always against injustice and fought, not only in the case wrong; where they are for human liberty, but in called upon to unite for lib- the cause of equality. They erty; and you will find that have stood against wealth meeting is largely made up and power and influence, of Jews! And it makes no dif- and stood for the common ference whether they are man. That is why I am for protesting for a Jew or a them! That is why I know Gentile; whether they are we need them! That is why I protesting for a Socialist or know the world needs for a Communist, you will them.' find them there and "Again, as in his everywhere raising their Kishinev speech, he looked voice for freedom. upon anti-Semitism as part " 'And if we took them out of a worldwide illness. As of our community there :long as injustice prevails against a people or any reli- gion, .no one is safe, he in- sisted. It was this world theme that governed Dar- row's lack of interest in Palestine as a homeland for the Jews and his conviction that Zionism was not the answer." Currently, because a question relating to the evolution theory was ad- dressed to Republican Presidential Candidate Ronald Reagan, the resolu- tion adopted by the Tennes- see Legislature on March 21,1925, once again invited special interest. That 5' year-old resolution stated: / - "Be it enacted — that it shall be unlawful for any teacher in any of the uni- versities, normals, and all other public schools of the state which are sup- ported in whole or in part by the public school funds of the state, to teach any theory that de- nies the story of the Di- vine Creation of man as taught in the Bible, and to teach instead that man has described (sic) from a lower order of animals." Black Hebrews Seen Causing Problems in Israel; Citizens Seek Their Expulsion By MOSHE RON The Jewish News Special Israel Correspondent TEL AVIV — A few years ago "Black Hebrews" ar- rived in Israel from the U.S. and African countries. They came as tourists, - but de- cided afterward to stay in Israel. Later on they ally brought their peers. Some of them came with forged documents, others came as converted Jews. It was proven later, that their conversion was fake. They settled in Dimona and Arad and other places. Shortly afterward the trou- bles began. It is a well organized sect with specific mystic laws, their leader has to be strictly obeyed and sup- ported by the community. Some of them who have tried to leave the sect were severely punished. The inhabitants of Di- mona and Arad are bothered by the Black Hebrews. They protest against their dirty living conditions and their noise. They even claim that the sect educated their children "to take the land from the white Jews." They are demand- ing the government to expel them from Israel. For many months this af- fair has concerned the gov- ernment and the Knesset, absorpotion against the blacks were especially the Minister of Israeli Interior Dr. Joseph Burg. A ministry ordered the used against the Jews in few months ago, Burg is- ulpan to accept theta. anti-Semitic countries. sued an order not to admit Meanwhile, the blacks liv- They received nice four- ing in Dimona have de- any more Black Hebrews as tourists to Israel. A Knesset room apartments - in Arad. clared that if they are expel- Although they declared led from Israel they would commission has decided to allot to the Black Hebrews a that they had converted to collectively commit suicide. special area in the Negev, Judaism, their conversion The majority of the Arad certificates proved to be and Dimona population but the inhabitants of Di- mona and Arad are not fake. They converted their warned that, if the blacks apartments into a commu- are not expelled, they would satisfied with this decision. nity center and a kindergar- start demonstrations which They insist on their demand ten for their children. Mrs. would lead to bloodshed: to send them back to the Nizan fails to understand countries from which they Recently, there were how these people obtained came. their apartments so clashes between the Amit Karmi, member of quickly, whereas other new blacks and the inhabi- the commission of the in- immigrants have to wait for tants of the Nitzachon habitants, told us that the a long time for flats. The suburb in Dimona. A few sect is a danger to the coun-. committee declared that persons were hurt and try. They try to settle in their fight against the some were arrested. It different parts of the coun- blacks bears no racial over- began with clashes be- try by stages and teach their tones. They come illegally, tween children from both children that they are the have mystical intentions sides. The parents were real and true owners of the drawn into the fight and and, therefore, have to leave country. the country. Nevertheless, the police had to inter- They have no school some of the Arad residents vene. buildings and the children maintain that deporting the A few days agao, the Di- are taught in the street. The , blacks from Israel would mona blacks invited a TV neighbors can hear how make a bad impression in team to cover a football they are told that there the world. match between their chil- would be a war between dren and Jewish children Josef Avitan, the man- white and black people. The ager of the phosphate works from their neighborhood. war will start in Israel. The in Arad, who has lived in They wanted to prove that black people will win and Arad for the last eight years they do live in peace and take over the land. Informa- states that: "The blacks do there is no reason to expel tion has also been collected them. However, when t 1 from blacks who have left not disturb me. One must Jewish parents noticed t not send them away; they the sect. behave well in general, event, they started a scan- born sometimes better than some dal. Blows were exchanged Argentinian Esther Nizan is a member Israelis. They are polite and and the television team dis- of the residents' commit- cultured. It is not true that appeared. tee and manager of the they are dirty, they live in The Mayor of Dimona, academicians' ulpan in their own community and Arad. She told us that a observe their own special Jaques Amir, who is also a Knesset member, declared year ago some blacks customs." that if the government came to the ulpan with- Mrs. Gabi Arad, who doesn't order the blacks out out any recom- mendations. They de- works in the office dealing of Dimona, it will have to clared that they were with new immigrant aca- bear the responsibility for new immigrants. It demicians told us, that the the developments of events turned out that they were demand to expel the blacks between the blacks and the not, since they did not from Israel has racial over- Jewish population of Di- convert to Judaism. The tones. The arguments used mona and Arad.