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Page Four
Friday. September 26, 1M7
THE SOUTHERN ISRAELITE
The Southern Israelite
PubllhDM weekly uj ooutlieru Newnpuuei tiuerpr.eee, inc Suit*
201-205 Glenn Hulldlnc. Atlunt* 3, Georgia WAlmu 0791-0792 M
btepben Schiller, publisher; Adolph Bnsenberg editor Willy Pels,
business manager Entered as second cia» matter a' the poet office,
Atlanta Georgia, under the Act of March 3 1879 Y-arlr tubscrlplon.
tnree dollars rhe Southern Israelite invites Itterari .loiitrlbutlons and
oorreapondence but Is not to be considered s» ihnrlrm the views ex
pressed b» writers All material should be received by Wednesday noon
to insure publication In Issue of that week.
That Word "State"
(Facing the Hard, Cold Facts)
GUEST EDITORIAL
The United Nations Special Committee on Palestine—
the nineteenth to investigate conditions in the Holy Land—
has reported its findings. The majority recommends parti
tion of the country into separate Jewish and Arab states,
which shall become independent after a t>yo-year transi
tional period. A minority proposes a bi-national federated
state, comprising an Arab “state” and a Jewish “state.”
This plan vests the major powers of sovereignty, such as
control over immigration and taxation, in a federal govern
ment, while the “states” may legislate on purely local
matters.
Whether the Jewish Agency and the World Zionist
Congress will accept the majority report either as is or with
modifications, it is too early to tell. Much will depend on
what the scheme will look like after the X-rays will have
been made. Most certainly, however, it represents a sincere
and objective attempt to find a solution to what has be
come—because of British duplicity and bungling—a “Pales
tine Problem.” In fact, it is so statesmanlike in recognizing
the needs of both Arabs and Jews that it surpasses, what
ever its shortcomings, anything that has yet been submitted
us a compromise measure.
The recommendations of the minority, offered, signifi
cantly enough, by countries with large Moslem popula
tions—India, Iran and Yugoslavia—are totally unaccept
able to the vast majority of the Jews of Palestine and to
the Zionist movement. Under this scheme the Arabs will
be vested with the balance of power and obviously no plan
which gives them control over immigration will get Jew
ish approval.
One thing both proposals have in common: they speak
of Arab and Jewish STATES.
That little word—"State”—has long been the target
of bitter attacks on Zionism by those who are annoyed by
it. Serious charges have been made, quite unsubstantiated
by a single shred of evidence. The public has been solemnly
assured, for instance, that the British government would
permit a steady stream of Jewish immigration into Pales
tine, if only the meddlesome Zionists would cease to inject
themselves into international politics with inexcusable de
mands for a Jewish state. Some of the more imaginative
among the accusers see visions of a totalitarian Jewish gov
ernment in Palestine should Zionists have their way. Even
the loss of Jewish lives is attributed to the followers of
Herzl by a grotesque process of mental tight-rope walking.
Let us get a few things straight.
Zionism demands a Jewish state, because statehood
means sovereignty; and only sovereignty confers the right
to control immigration. As long as there is no legally con
stituted Jewish Commonwealth in Palestine, Jews must
depend upon the sufferance of others for entry into the
country. The tragic story of the maladministration of Pal
estine by the British Mandatory has demonstrated in shock
ing nakedness how this works out.
Critics who contend that “Jewish Nationalism” is of
the Nazi-Fascist variety are using tactics which are both
dangerous and irresponsible. In every age and situation
the Jew has proved himself the champion of freedom and
the rights of man. To charge those who are now seeking to
restore the suffering remnant of our people to its ancient
and sacred soil, with the poisonous brand of "Herrenvolk”
chauvinism, is a flagrant distortion of Zionist aims. There
is, indeed, a totalitarian government in Palestine today—
but it is not Jewish. And the best way to stamp out “ter
rorism” is for Britain to observe the mandate and establish
the kind of democracy in Palestine which it practices at
home.
Those who say that Jewish lives vere lost by Zionist
political tactics should ask themselves these questions:
Who spearheaded the movement for a Jewish Palestine and
where would some 600,000 Jew’s be today but for the poli
tical efforts of the Zionists? And who, today, is carrying
the brunt of the fight for the admission to Palestine of over
one million Jew’s of Europe whom no one else wants and
who have no other hope?
UNSCOP has recommended a Jewdsh state in Pales
tine. One of the more pertinent reasons for the proposal is
that this state already exists. All it needs is the cloak of
public recognition. Let us all unite in facing the facts. It
is time to quit shadow-boxing on one of the most vital issues
that confronts the Jewish people today.
—AL FREEDMAN.
Capitol Spotlight
BV BEATRICE IIEIMAN
(Copyright, 1947, Jewish Tete-
garphic Agency, Inc.)
WASHINGTON — Sometimes
a vacation away from it all will
produce a though which leads to
a column. Vermont was respon
sible for this one. Wordage, in
Vermont, is not wasted.
Would road X lead to city Y?
"It will if you keep on it fur
enough."
To those impatient souls who
would consign the United Na
tions to the waste heap two years
after birth, the Vermonters's
terse remark is full of common-
sense. Detours bring grumbles
and annoyance, but the driver,
or passengers, do not junk the
car because of detours, or wash
board roads. People who want
to get some place, keep on the
road "fur enough.”
Because the U N. has hit some
rough spots is no reason to be
little it.
Given time and patience, in
large quantity, tt may even get
somewhere on Palestine.
On the opening day of the
General Assembly in New York,
Palestine and the other scorch
ers on the agenda, received no
public mention. Humor and
speculation were available, how
ever. down every corridor. Old
hands at the international con
ference game sifted them, re
trieved a few useful straws and
prepared for the serious busi
ness to foiled initial formalities.
That the United States was
determined to play an import
ant part in tills session of the
General Assembly was shown by
Its large delegation, headed by
Secretary of State Marshall.
Significant as Indicating the im
portance attached to Palestine
is the inclusion in the Ameri
can delegation of a special ad
viser on Palestine. Instead of
Loy Henderson, chief of the
State Department's Near East
ern Division, "he is Major Gen
eral (ret.) John H. HilUlring,
until recently Assistant Secre
tary of State for Occupied Areas.
Hilldring Is forthright, bluff,
outspoken and realistic. He re
sisted taking on the U.N. assign
ment because he felt, after his
many years in the Army, that his
personal affairs needed taking
care of. The persuasion brought
to bear on him. topped off with
President Truman’s earnest re
quest, finaly succeeded.
How’ successful the U.N. will
be in reaching a solution remains
a wide open question. It is al
most certain that the report of
the United Nations Special Com
mittee on Palestine will be con
siderably modified. The issue of
enforcement is sure to raise con
troversy. Suggestions have al
ready been made that the United
States and Great Britain will
come to some agreement, im-
BORIS SMOLAR
Views on Palestine
United States
The real attitude of official
Washington towards the Palestine
issue now before the U.N. General
Assembly is indicated in a special
report prepared for guidance of
members of the U. S. delegation
at the Assembly and other offi- East is the Soviet Union
cials.
Soviet Russia
Of particular interest is the an
alysis of Soviet interests in the
Near East presented in the Wash
ington document on Palestine . . .
It says that one of the greatest
sources of pressure in the Near
It quotes unnamed sources as hav^
"The problem of Palestine." the j ing said that Great Britain might
report emphasizes, “must be con- : pull out of Palestine if it were not
sidered in the light of American | for the shadow of the USSR fall-
and other interests in the Near
East." ... It terms this problem
the largest thorn in the flesh of
Arab nationalism" .
points out that "the Arab-Jewish
question in Palestine cannot be
! considered in a vacuum" . . . This
!ques'ion, the report says, is sur-
1 rounded by many political forces
that must be taken into account
in attempting any solution of the
i problem ... It names these forces I How Hebrew was the only lang-
! as imperialism, world politics and 1 uage officially outlawed in the
I nationalism ... It then draw’s j counter-revolutionary in itself. .. .
| special attention to the fact that ! How Zionism was looked upon by
j in the Near Eastern area. British, Moscow as tlie ally and the spear-
* Russian. American and Arab-Mos- head of British imperialism . . ,
i lem interests meet. . . . "As the i How Jewish colonization was fos-
| most troublesome spot of the area. [ tered in Biro-Bodjan as counter-
Palestine is inevitably involved in j action against Zionism . . And
1 ing over the Near Eastern lands . . .
Referring to the historic drive of
Russia towards warm water ports.
It also |the document enumerates facts in
dicating the resurgence of this
ancient Russian urge. ... It then
emphasizes that there has been
a decided change in the Soviet at
titude towards Palestine" . . And
it reviews how Zionism in Russia
was "presented more than any oth
er national movement" after the
Bolshevik revolution in 1917 . . .
any settlement affecting the Near
East.” it stresses . . . Attention is
then called to the fact that dur
ing and since the recent war, air
bases in the Near East have be
come of increasing importance
how this attitude changed after
Russia was attacked by the Nazis.
The Washington document at
taches importance to the visit paid
to Palestine in October, 1943 by
Ivan Maisky. Soviet Vice-Commis-
both Great Britain and the United ! sar for Foreign Affairs
States . . . Also that the Near East
is rich in natural resources—Egyp
tian cotton. Palestine minerals
from the Dead Sea. and petroleum.
Also that “this area may become in
the future an important market."
And that, geographically, Palestine
is the heart, of the Near East,
which is strategically located on
other comunlcations systems be
sides the Suez Canal route . . .
Dry land routes conectlng Europe,
Asia and Africa traverse this area,
the report points out ... It an
alyzes Britain's special interest fn
endeavoring to protect the vital
Near East zone from the forces
that are challenging her predomi
nant position there . . . And it
points out that Russia has histor
ically tried to open windows to the
Indian Ocean on the Mediterran
ean through the Near Eastern w-all.
Whe’her she will be successful in
the future remains to be seen, the
’•eport observes. . . .
Also to the fact that in Jan
uary. 1944 an exhibition showing
the progress of Jew’s in Palestine
was allowed to be exhibited in
Moscow. . . . Then in February,
1945 at a trade union conference
in London, the Soviet delegate
voted for a resolution supporting
Palestine as a homeland for the
Jews. . . . The report says that
Soviet wooing of the Jews in Pal
estine can be seen from many oth
er recent developments. ... It then
brings out the thought that “there
may be ground for cooperation" on
the Jewish side. . . . Such bases for
cooperation arc seen in the partly
socialized character of the Jewish
agricultural economy in Palestine
and in the fact that many of the
Jews in Palestine are from Russia
or other lands at present under
Russian influence. . . . The report
also dwells at great length on Sov
iet efforts to woo the Palestine
Arabs. . . .
pelled by desire to exclude the
Soviet Union from penetrating
the Near East.
France, it is thought, would
like to participate in any Super
visory plan that might be evolv
ed. in view of her long-standing
interest and possessions in that
part of the world. The French
attribute the end of their foot
hold in Syria and Lebanon to the
British. They would relish the
opporunity to step into Pales
tine during a transition period
from mandate to whatever fol
lows.
SUCCOTH-1947
Tighter Deportation
Proceedings Asked
By Jewish War Vets
NEW YORK.— (JTAt— A tight-
enning of government processes in
the conduct of citizenship pro
ceedings and the prompt deporta
tion of persons whose naturaliza
tion has been revoked because of
proven disloyalty was urged by the
Jew ish War Veterans of the United
States following a meeting here
of its policy committee.
Milton R. Richman, of Hart-
tord, Conn., national commander,
indicated that the JWV would
seek new federal legislation on
citizenship requirements when
Congress reconvenes and said that
today’s action by his policy com
mittee was intended to “stimu
late immediate government meas
ures against bundists and their
like who have not yet been put to
the embarrassment of answering
the question of a federal attor
ney.”
JEWISH CALENDAR
EREV SL'CCOTH
Sunday. Sept. 28
FIRST DAY SUCCOTH
Monday, Sept. 29
HOSHANAH RABBAH
Sunday, Oct. 5
SHEMINIAZERET
Monday, Oct. 6
SIMIIAT TORAH
Tuesday, Oct. 7
EREV HANUKKA1I
Sunday, Dec. 7
FIRST DAY HANUKKAH
Monday, Dec. 8
EIGHTH DAY HANUKKAH
Monday, Dec. 15