EDITORIAL
Judging Ginsburg
"At least he's Jewish." That response, more than any other, is
what we've heard this week from members of the Jewish communi-
ty to the news of President Reagan's nomination of Judge Douglas
Ginsburg to fill the vacant Supreme Court seat.
The implication, of course, is that, like it or not, the Administra-
tion is going to put a conservative partisan on the highest court and
it may as well be a Jewish conservative.
But as our Washington Correspondent James Besser points out
this week (see Page 20), the situation is a delicate one for Jewish
organizations, many of whom went public in their criticism of
Reagan's unsuccessful first choice, Judge Robert Bork. The Ad-
ministration apparently felt that by choosing the first Jew for the
Supreme Court since 1969, it may be able to head off any criticism
from Jewish groups.
Too little is known of Judge Ginsburg's record now for anyone to
make a final verdict. There are few judicial opinions or scholarly
writings by which to measure his qualifications, so the role of the
Senate Judiciary Committee in studying his views is crucial.
We believe that Judge Ginsburg should be reviewed and judged
on his merits, not as a Jew, but as a prospective member of the
Supreme Court. And that Jewish organizations should neither sup-
port him because of his religion, nor mute their criticism of him for
that reason.
It is "one of Japan's best kept secrets," according to economics
expert William Stern, writing in the New York Times. In a recent
Op-Ed piece entitled "Japan's Free-Trade Charade," Stern says that
"most Japanese trading companies adhere to the Arab boycott, which
states that any company that trades with Israel cannot sell to an
Arab company." Though the U.S. and most European countries have
passed laws making it illegal to comply with the boycott, the
Japanese government has no such law and unofficially discourages
firms from trading with Israel. "In so doing;' notes Stern, "it subverts
the system of free trade that benefits all nations and puts other coun-
tries that refuse to abet the Arab boycott, like the United States,
at a competitive disadvantage."
The issue here is both practical and moral. Japan should officially
condemn the Arab boycott and actively encourage companies to trade
with Israel before lobbying Washington for free trade legislation.
Japan's Ugly Secret
Japan has launched a major lobbying effort in the U.S. against
protectionist legislation, portraying herself as a champion of free
trade. But the fact is that both the government of Japan and its ma-
jor commercial firms and trading houses will not do business open-
ly with Israel. Among the major Japanese firms that openly
discriminate against Israel are Toshiba, Nissan, Toyota, Mazda, Mit-
sui, Mochida, C. Itoh, Nippon Steel, Hitachi and Sumitomo.
LETTERS
Soviet Vote
Was Disturbing
The recent vote in the UN
General Assembly by the
Soviet Union to bar Israel's
admission casts a long
shadow on the Kremlin's
credibility. The Gorbachev
regime, which speaks of
"openness," has demonstrated
by this hypocritical gesture
that its foreign policy remains
motivated by the same
cynical power politics that
characterized the pre-
"glasnost" era.
This disturbing action corn-
pounds a long and sorry
record of Soviet anti-Jewish
and anti-Zionist activity at
the United Nations. It
reminds us that it was the
Soviet Union that lobbied for
the notorious General
Assembly resolution attack-
ing Zionism, one of the most
infamous declarations ever
adopted by the international
community.
Soviet spokesmen keep in-
sisting that their country is
easing the restrictions of life
at home in the Soviet Union.
The world has yet to see such
systematic change regarding
the rights of Soviet Jews. This
latest Soviet vote in the UN
underscores the extent to
which the new "openness" in
international affairs also ap-
pears to be a snare and a
delusion.
By illuminating the darker
side of Soviet reality,
Moscow's anti-Israel vote at
the UN undermines the trust
that alone can guarantee a
successful summit meeting.
Morris R Abram
Chairman, Conference of
Presidents of Major American
Jewish Organizations
Special Shabbat
In Jerusalem
Perhaps another angle
might add perspective to a
sad affair. When I last visited
the Holy City, I met with a
well-known Detroiter who
had made aliyak Although
always Orthodox in his per-
sonal life, he has many
friends in the broader com-
munity of Detroit Jewry. He
is the epitome of old-
worldliness, courtly, perhaps
to extreme. Yet as we walked
to shul on the Sabbath for
minchah (afternoon prayer),
he cursed out loud .. .
"Why?" I asked. "The city
bus that just passed is star-
ting its schedule before Shab-
bat is out."
And I suddenly had insight
into what can happen to the
psyche of a person after 15
years of living in that holy at-
mosphere. I, a Detroiter, did
not even notice the bus on its
rounds. For my friend, it
disturbed his essence, his life
patterns were being eroded,
desecrated .. .
Jerusalem is unique. It is
the only city in the world
where Sabbath sanctity is
palpable . . . Quietude and
peacefulness reign as people
stroll, relaxed and enjoying.
And this atmosphere is not
only for the Orthodox. All
who live in Jerusalem imbibe
its wonderful aura.
How wondrous is this
precious city of peace. Perhaps
we should all strive to
preserve its uniqueness.
Udie Goldberg
Oak Park
ourselves that representation
would not be on any other
communication from General
Mills.
We sincerely apologize for
any irritation or concern this
packaging oversight might
have caused.
William M. Shaffer
General Mills
Apologizes
As part of a current promo-
tion, Count Chocula cereal
employed a new electronic
processing technique which
has produced an unfortunate
communication issue ("Star
of David" Oct. 16) .. .
While our intent was mere-
ly to use Dracula's likeness in
a fresh and entertaining way,
the fact is the star-like
medallion was present.
We learned of the oversight
after four million packages
had been distributed. We im-
mediately changed the
package design for the re-
maining four million
packages, edited our TV com-
mercials and assured
Manager, Public Relations
General Mills, Inc.
Empty-Headed
Decision
The Allied Jewish Cam-
paign and Jewish Welfare
Federation have given
millions of dollars to the
Jewish Center, and for what?
They now stand by silently
while one of the most clever
pro-PLO spokesmen has been
invited to speak at the 1987
Jewish Book Fair to spread
the Arab viewpoint among
the Jews themselves.
Former Senator James
Abourezek has been given an
opportunity to convince Jews
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