The Phoenix Jewish news., 1958-04-11

ment.
THERE'S A WHOLE chapter. for
instance, about last seasons local
cause celebre-the Camelback Inn
vosburgh incident. That was the
episode in which a non-JewiSh
Ohian named Louis S. Vosburgh
encountered the peculiarly virulent
brand of bigotry practiced by Jack
Stewart, manager of Comeback
Inn.
Not only did Vosburgh encounter
it, but he did something about it
to the extent, at least, of letting the
world know about it. Anyway, the
whole story (firSt recounted in de-
tail in the Phoenix Jewish NewS)
appears in Barriers" under the
title of Experience with Camel
back"
THE BOOK ALSO contains
lengthy recitation of the 1854 epi-
sode involving Comeback Inn and
the National Association of Attor-
neys General. The latter group, as
you may recall, cancelled its con-
vention at Camelback after pro-
tests were voiced by number of
state attorneys general and finally
by the US. attorney general, Her
bert Brownell.
Finally there's a sum-up of the
whole resort-discrimination picture
in Barriers" It'll jar you. Says
ADJ:
1.-TWO states, Arizona and Flori-
da. have acquired regulations for
attracting thousands of American
tourists and yacationers to their
hotels and motels. It is, therefore.
significant to note that of the 214
American hotels which we found
to be discriminatory. SO (38.7s6).
are situated within these two
states.
"THE SITUATION in Arizona is
far worse than in Florida. In Ari-
zona we found that 44.6 per cent
of the hotels we could evaluate bar
Jews. BY marked contrast, in Flor
ida we found that only 24.8 per
cent Gust slightly higher than the
national average) discriminate
Many Jews ask: why all the
fuss about social discrimination?
If I can't afford to belong to
country club Or stay at fancy re-
sorts, I'm not affected, am II"
Barriers" answers that one in
an especially cogent chapter titled
Social Discrimination and the
Power Structure. It shows how
social discrimination affects you
whether you live on the country
club-and-fancy-resort stratum or
not.
FOR, SAYS THE author of this
chapter, basic decisions affecting
the community are reached at Gin
formal social gatherings, private
clubs, and NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. as
sociations. To the degree that these
meeting places are exclusionary,
Jews fail to participate In commun-
| ity affairs until these matters have
reached a fairly broad level"
Moreover, as the book goes ahead
to point out, the whole community
tends to take its cue from these
seats of power. The induStrialiSt
is disinclined to hire a Jewish plant
manager; the plant manager SHES
from hiring Jewish Subordinates.
And, generally speaking, Jews find
higher-echelon jobs barred to them
because such jobs require them to
mingle on a basis of equality in
the clubs and social centers where
deals are discussed and made. If
they can't mingle, they can't deal.
OR AS CARRIERS" quotes one
industrialist: "n we promote jew
iSh personnel into key, sensitive
positions, we run risk OF social
non-acceptability. We avoid this
by picking someone else"
Although social discrimination is
/ pei maps Va 6ACoICoI AAAbCAC W 10
in Arizona, there's a good deal
more in Barriers" than that. The
book also provides an up-to-date
picture of Anti-Semitism as it oc-
ours in employment, education,
housing, and recreation.
NO ATTEMPT is made to exag-
crate or alarm. ADJ acknowledges,
with pleasure, the Improvement in
Jewish status over the years. Still,
as Benjamin r. Epstein concludes
in the epilogue, "The phenomenon
of anti-Semitism is deep-rooted; it
will not die in our time. And be-
fore it does it will claim many
more victims"
Barriers" is published in two
editions-the hard-cover by Friend
ly House, at $2.95, and the soft
cover by ADJ itself, at $3.50. You
can get either one by writing to
ADJ at $50 N. Vermont, Los An
geles, or contracting any local B'nai
Birth member.