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}une
1971
f rom remote areas wben the streams
began to dry up. They devised many
ingenious engineering projects to keep
the land producing as it always had.
But witb the later wars, when the
Empire was in its dying throes and
when millions of sheep and goats were
being put onto the land, North Africa
went under and the Sahara began to
Wtn.
"Oh, if only the trees were back,"
said one Berber to us in Morocco. Yes,
where are the t rees? There are still sorne
to be seen in the higher mountains, but
even in the last hundred years, where
there once were forests of Argon trees,
only a patchy few can be seen. Most
have been cut clown. Though it is now
illegal to fell trees without spccial per–
mission, it will take generations to
build up the Jand to anything resem–
bling what it once was.
The Meaniog for Us
But what can the lesson of North
Africa really mean to us in America,
Europe, Australia and other parts of
the world today?
First, lct us admit that basically we,
by nature, are no different f rom the
Romans. Let us not be too harsh in our
censure of them. We have our own
clestroyers of envi ronmen t today. Did
not our "Buffalo Bilis" almost exter–
minate the herds of bison on the
plains of America and Canada? And if
governmcnt Jcgislation were not now in
force, would our fine stands of giant
redwoocl trees ( among others) be with
us today? Are not our rivers, our oceans
and even the very air we breathe being
polluted beyond redemption by our own
gcneration? Can something be done to
save our environment before it's too
late?
The old expression "All roads lead to
Rome" is a familiar one. But let us
remember, Rome fell - and fell hard.
It is a sad commentary on man's 6000
years of bistory that he does not reflect
on the past mistakes of others but,
rather, is overcome by thc same blun–
clers as his predccessors.
Should we not learn the lesson of
North Africa, once the envy of the
world, and put a stop to the ruination
of our environment before a greater
Sahara overtakes us?
o
Tbe
PLAIN TRUTH
41
''LET MV PEDPLE GO''
(Contimted from page B}
Soviet authorities and more important,
but many here (in Moscow) are skep-
will the fiow of emigrants be allowed to
tical that authorities will maintain such
continue?
arate for long" (March 17, 1971
With regard to the former, many
issue).
Jews believe it was due to the
But not everyone agrees with this
convening of the 24th Communist
rather pess1mtsttc prediction. Many
Party Congress on March 30. Numerous
today believe Soviet Jews can and will
foreign delegations were in attendance,
have a brighter future. Israelí Prime
including the Italian party, which has
Minister Mrs. Golda Meir has said: "!
come out in favor of emigration. Others
am convinced that the Soviet Govern-
believe it is an attempt to get cid of the
ment will have to come to the con-
more outspoken Jews so the Soviet
clusion that there is no solution for tbis
image will no longer be tarnished in
problem, except to let them go"
(Jem-
this way. At present both these reasons
salem Post Weekiy,
Dec. 21, 1970) .
are mereiy speculative and only time
These words bring to mind an ancient
will prove their validity.
Biblicai prophecy: "Behold, I will bring
As for the far more significant ques-
them f rom the north country, and
tion of whether the current emigration
gather them from the coasts of the
rate can continue, the
New York Times
carth ... a great compaoy shall return
stated,
"If
the rate of 15 a day of the
thither" (Jeremiah 31 :8).
Iast two weeks is maintained, a record
This is thc hope of Jewry the world
for emigration would probably
be
set,
over. O
Personal
( Contin11ed from page one)
problems. But
1
had not previously
secn them through her eyes, as she
views them. Also I had observed Mrs.
Meir in extended television interviews,
.LS
have millions of others. But seeing
her in person, chatting with her, listen–
ing to her in real Iife, gave me a much
clearer perception of her as she really is.
In ooe sense Mrs. Meir is most
certainly no ordinary woman. Yet,
paradoxically, that is because she is,
after all,
JNch
ttll
ordinary womm1.
She
is small of physical stature. From having
seen her many times on television,
1
had
expected to see a taller woman. But
in character and ability she is of unusu–
ally great stature.
Without apology to anyone, I have
to attribute to this so common, yet so
UNcommon a woman, humanly, tbe
quality of GREATNEss, such as is pos–
sessed by
so very fetv
- if any -
men
in public life today.
Emphatically, that is not Rattery. I
never flatter.
Why do
1
attnbute the almost non–
existent quality of greatoess to Mrs.
Meir?
Because she is humble. Because she
is just an ordinary, plain, down-to-earth,
unpretentious homespun woman and
mother. She puts on no airs. She makes
no cffort to impress anyone. No pre·
tenses. But to lead His people Judah,
the Eterna! God of Abraham, Isaac and
Jacob has bestowed on this daughter
and mother in Israel an exceptionally
intelligent, capable, balanced and under–
standing mind.
She has that rare quality of seeing
things prccisely
ttS
they are.
Her vision
is in sharp focus. Her mind pierces
through the extraneous and confusing
d<.:tails to the central important point.
She remains unconfused by the laby–
rinth of branches and twigs, and has
the trunk of the tree in clear view.
One man, well experienced in world–
wide political affa irs, said "the subject
of world peace is a very complicated
one." I was very happy to observe, in
our conversation, that it is not at all a
complicated subject to Mrs. Meir. To
her, peace is a very simple matter -
if