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Community Currents
Southwestern Jewish Press, March 21, 1952,  page 2

By Albert Hutler, Executive Director, United Jewish Fund

Hate Mongers—The mental sewers were opened again last week as Gerald K. Smith spent the Christian Sabbath of Sunday spewing his hatred at minority groups in San Diego. Some 300 faithful followers of the "lunatic fringe" applauded and cried with Smith's ravings and rantings when he talked the party line of Jews and Communists. In his tirade he included such people as Anna Rosenberg and Felix Frankfurter. He picked out one Jew for credit and that was Rabbi Schultz, the director of the Jewish Anti Communist League. Smith followers in San Diego are led by Bertrand Comperat, a frustrated attorney, who acted as chairman of this meeting. On the invitation Comperat was listed as the "Honorable." I read an article a short time ago in which the title of "Honorable" was being discussed. It was pointed out how many "Honorables" in Congress have been sent to jail in recent years. The audience consisted primarily of elderly women and actually the same ones who follow Wesely Swift and his organization. Incidentally tell your friends that the American League against Communism is an organization sponsored by Wesely Swift and Gerald K. Smith. Under the guise of fighting communism they are able to come before reputable audiences not interested in developing hate groups, but wanting to fight communism.

Jewish Education—The Adult Institute for Jewish Education Committee received favorable comment in a Newsletter of the American Association for Jewish Education. It was pointed to as one of the fine things that could be done by smaller communities in Jewish Education. The Institute with its eight courses will continue through April 2nd and then will close for the spring and summer. During this semester, there were about 80 registrants, most of whom faithfully attended. More people ought to be interested and find the time to attend the courses.

Immigration Laws—There are several bills on immigration before the Senate and the House that ought to be carefully watched by all individuals and groups interested in liberal immigration. The McCarren Bill in the Senate and its companion bill, the Walters Bill in the House, are very dangerous Bills in that they would take away the security of a Naturalized Citizen and keep him fearful of deportation without a right of appeal from the decision of the immigration authorities. There are many other bad features that are being protested. It is hoped that both of these Bills will be defeated and that the Lehman Bill which is a much more liberal bill will be brought out of committee and introduced in both the House and the Senate. Talking of immigration, the Emigree Committee of the Fund is expecting additional families within the next few months.  Already this year 5 families have arrived and are settled in San Diego. We want to welcome to the list of employers in San Diego who have hired newcomers, Bohemian Rye Bakery, Goodman-Newman who have hired two, and the 7 Seas Locker Club, who have put on three newcomers. This type of cooperation in the community is badly needed. The emigree Committee would certainly appreciate hearing form employers as to their needs and will make every attempt to find qualified people among the newcomers who can fill the job. We intend making a survey of the last five years of emigree work in San Diego and the adjustments of the families. One family which has been here for five years and is now ready for citizenship has just succeeded in purchasing a chicken ranch and has now gone in the egg business. Another family is now purchasing its own home and doing very well. It's interesting to note that most of the families we have had in San Diego have successfully adjusted.

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I just can't say enough about the work of the Jewish Welfare Society in the past six or eight months that Henrietta Rubenstein has been its executive. I've noticed a complete change of attitude in the executives of other agencies and a mounting prestige in the community for the Welfare Society. Last Wednesday the Society had a regular board meeting at which two of the people most responsible for this change and for the expansion of the Society, Carl Esenoff and Morrie Douglas, its past presidents, were honored. Both played a large part in making the Society an agency which is today highly respected for its work in the community. One suggestion I have to its Board of Directors. Please change the name, make it conotate the job of the agency. It's no longer a welfare society but is a family service.