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Pare Two THE SOrfllFRN ISKA ELITE Friday, September 9, 1966 As We Were Saying By Robert E. Segal (A Seven Arts Feature) Liberty, long enchained in Spain, still weeps; but there is new hope in this 28th year of Generalissimo Franco’s dictator ship for breaking some of the shackles. Even the 7,000 Jews of Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, and Malaga share the promise of a modicum of recognition, a token of free dom. In recent weeks, the world’s liberal press has spread word of the scandal of the alleged brutal beating of more than 100 Roman Catholic priests in Barcelona. This seems, at first glance, to negate any immediate expecta tion of a’ weakening of tyranny. But, excesses against t r a de unionists, rebelling students, and bold newspaper editors are one thing; the use of physical viol ence against Spanish men of the cloth is something else. Indeed, the determination of the priests to protest, added to their cour age in carrying their cause to Archbishop Modrego of Barce lona, may augur the beginning of a better day. It is now a year and a half since Franco received two Jewish leaders, Marx Mazin and Alberto Levi, seeking legal recognition of the small Spanish Jewish com munities. At that time, a spokes man for Franco said: “There is no anti-Semitism and no Jewish problem in Spain. We respect and like the Jews.” It was not dif ficult tp say this considering that Spanish Jews had obtained no formal audience with Spanish rulers in 473 years. And Spain might well think highly of Jews who had enriched the pages of Spanish history with the litera ture of Judah Halevi, Moses Maimonides, Hasdai ibn Shaprut and dozens of other brilliant scholars. Spain long in love with the spoken and written word and philosophic search, could easily acknowledge her debt to such in tellectual giants. She might also be contrite now about the expul sion of her Jews in 1492, about the forced conversions, about the inquisition serving as a prototype for Jewish persecution in many parts of Europe during the past five centuries. This observation is one with the hope expressed above that the revolt of young priests in Barcelona cannot now be sup pressed and dismissed. For these clerics are of a new age. They come from the Spanish semin aries bearing the encyclicals of Pope John XXIII and determin All Fulton County Is Voting EOR CECIL TURNER STATE REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT 123 - POST 2 (FULTON COUNTY WIDE) v 7 EXPERIENCED v 7 PROGRESSIVE v 7 RELIABLE If you are a Voter Living Anywhere In Fulton County... You Can Vote For CECIL TURNER *>********* **4>4>***>***>t>*44*’t>**>’*>***’t>4******* Paid Political Ad ed to advance the new ecumen ical spirit proclaimed by Pope Paul VI. They have no stomach for a government - controlled press; they abhor a begrudging political system permitting only one political party, the hated Falange; they insist on sharing freedom of association with writ ers, students, scientists in a new era; they are openly critical of a lop-sided economy in which poverty deepens while the favor ed few grow ever richer. But if Franco thinks he can satisfy the young rebels with slight concessions, he may be in for a grave disappointment. The handling of the Spanish press of fers a pertinent example: Fran co’s new law of April 9 was sup posed to have ended government censorship of the daily press. Scarcely a month later, the priests were manhandled by the Barcelona police. The press, eith er unused to its new freedom or waiting for a word from its old master, did not report this club bing. Such a default, such prom ise unfulfilled, are certain to add edge to the determination of restless Spaniards to achieve tangible gains. The young priests of Spain are not alone in the cry for liberty. In March, more than 1,000 Span iards, including lawyers and members of university faculties, boldly signed a petition to Fran co, seeking freedom of associa tion, the right to strike, and ac cess to information. Demonstra tions by students have been in creasing in recent months. The old forces of reaction are on the defensive. In all of this, Franco, of course, still has his admirers and champ ions on the Continent and in the United States. After all, he has stood up to Communist might. But in doing so, he sold his soul to his staunch ally, Adolf Hitler; and there are many who remem ber the dispatch by Franco of such telegrams as this (to Hitler on the fourth anniversary of the German madman’s acquisition of man’s madman’s acquisition of power: “Fervent wishes that the great German people advance under the glorious emblem of the swastika. Heil Hitler!”) Three decades later, Franco has to be thinking of stepping down. He could do that proudly and stubbornly and find himself a horrid niche in history along side Hitler and Mussolini—a dic tator with greater tenacity and a longer life. Or he could do it graciously by acknowledging his sin of casting his lot with violent men. He could bow like a man in the direction of liberty. Alfred’s Junior Shoes “EXCLUSIVE JUVENILE FOOTWEAR” Correct Fitting TOCO HILL CENTER 636-9656 Some dress-up shoes fit so well they can even go to school. You don’t have to save Jumping Jacks dress shoes for special occasions. They’re so com fortable and long-wearing, they can be worn at any time. Dance Shoes, Leotards and Accessories TOCO HILL SHOPPING CENTER 636 9656 .951 N. Druid Hills Rd., N.E. Open Friday ’till 9 P.M. Do you want your college student to remain in the Jewish Community? Do you have a college student or pro spective college student in your family? Or in your circle of friends? Would you like to keep in touch with this college student regularly, even though you do not always have time to write, to phone or to visit? More important still, do you want this college student to keep in touch with you, with his friends and with the Jewish com munity and Jewishness generally? If you are interested, it is easy to ac complish your purpose. The Southern Israelite has arranged to offer special college subscriptions to embrace the two semesters of 1966 and 1967. For $3.50 The Southern Israelite will be mailed to a college student, no matter where in the United States he is enrolled, beginning with the opening of the fall semester in September and concluding with the last week of the spring semester in May of 1967. If you want to help your college student and contribute to the strengthening of the Jewish community, just fill in the accom panying coupon and mail with your check for $3.50. College gift subscription I Please send your paper for the | college year of 1966-67 to: Name . I I College I I date to begin date to end i I am enclosing my check for $3.50 I I in payment | Name | i Address | “For Art that Frames your Home ami Office and f raming that is an Art SEPTEMBER GROUP SHOW - TRIBUTE TO TENNESSEE 1 Mile past Lenox Square GAYANE GALLERY Cherokee Plaza 31189 Peachtree Rd., N. E. 233-3938