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Community Currents
Southwestern Jewish Press, May 2, 1952,
page 2
By Albert Hutler, Executive Director, United Jewish Fund
Community Relations Council—Most experts in the field of prejudice have
issued warnings in recent months that Anti-Semitism will be on the increase
during the political campaign. This statement should serve as a warning of what
to expect in the next year. There is no need for hysteria in our community, even
though we are bound to feel it to a greater extent than other Pacific Coast
communities. One of the main reasons that we will hear a little more about
Anti-Semitism in the coming political campaign is the fact that a good dead of
hate materials will pour out of Santa Ana, home grounds of hate monger Robert
Williams, who besides publishing the Williams' Intelligence Service, issues a
good many pamphlets such as "Know Your Enemy." This hate
peddler's material is already circulating in many places throughout the country
and his most recent piece has been the recent issue of a card showing a
photostat of General Eisenhower's picture and statement in the West Point Annual
of his graduating class. To hate-mongers, General Eisenhower is "Ike the
Kike." To Williams he is not only this but is listed as the Jew's
Candidate." Many of our friends in San Diego have been receiving this
material and have called our attention to it. Williams is probably finding
that this kind of material is paying off pretty well in dollars in a campaign
period and is making hay while the sun shines. Not too long ago Williams'
Reserve Commission in the United States Army was revoked "for the best
interest of the service." Another one of the lunatic fringe leaders,
Gerald K. Smith, is setting up his headquarters in Los Angeles and will make
capital out of the political campaign. He has been down in San Diego twice and
we can expect some revisits from him in the near future. You often wonder what
kind of people go to hear Gerald K. Smith and others like him, and how
intelligent they are. Sometimes you find a frustrated lawyer like Bert Comperet
leading the group; and sometimes a school teacher or two attends; sometimes even
a Naval officer can be seen in attendance. However, in the main, the people are
elderly, not too well dressed, and seem to be looking for a panacea to all their
ills. Wonder what they think when they see Gerald K. Smith draw up in a
Cadillac, accompanied by his beautiful and well dressed wife, protected by a few
body guards, then after the meeting find them in the Grant Hotel Grill eating a
luscious steak. don't they know that their contributions pay for all of
this, and that these men are in the work only for what they can get out of it,
either in money or in a feeling of power. Anyway the main point is
this—you're going to hear a lot of Anti-Semitic remarks about candidates and
others in the coming political campaign. You are going to see a lot of things we
don't like in print. Don't get hysterical about it. You can cooperate by sending
any material that you may see or receive3 to the Community Relations Council.
Call Morey Levenson or call me and let one of us know. We assure you that the
Community Relations Council has its fingertips on what's going on in San
Diego. On the positive side of the Community Relation Council's work is
the fact that in cooperation with the Civic Unity Council of San Diego and the
B'nai B'rith ADL Committee, the latest anti-prejudice picture, "The High
Wall" will be reviewed by a small group before its San Diego premiere at
Hoover High on April 17th at the Y.M.C.A. The Community Relations Council
and the B'nai B'rith ADL jointly are going to present some film to the City
Schools System to take the place of the Brotherhood Films which were lost in the
recent fire. Plans have already been made to present to the City and County
Schools, 1,000 Religious Calendars which are published by the American Jewish
Committee and which have met with tremendous favor in the School System. The ADL
has also furnished for the Community Relations Council 150 copies of "What
The Jews Believe" by Rabbi Phillip Bernstein. These will be sent with our
compliments to the school libraries and to friends in San Diego.
Investment Money—UJA Money—San Diego may have found the solution in the conflict between the Bonds for Israel Government and the United Jewish Appeal, which is raging in many communities throughout the country. The Campaign which is now in full force will be the answer as to whether the combining of Bonds and Free Money, as we are doing in town under or Combine Jewish Appeal, is a successful procedure. The whole setup is being watched by both the United Jewish Appeal and the Bonds Group to see the result. So far we are running only 10 percent ahead of last year and in order to really be successful we will have to hit at least 20 percent increase over last year. Those who really know the danger caused by the cleavage which has taken place in other communities are hoping that everyone will do their part to make san Diego a pattern for the rest of the country.