Californians Rebuff ‘friends of Germany’

Although the various organizations recently formed in Southern California, fostered for the purpose of spreading Nazi propaganda, under the guise of being merely “Friends of Germany”, are said to reach to the number of one hundred, it is evident that these forces are not making much headway with their propaganda among the members of the American Legion, the Veterans of Foreign Wars and similar groups.

Last week a meeting of the one hundredth group of the Friends of Germany was scheduled to take place in Pasadena, and to be attended by the German consul stationed at Los Angeles. The Pasadena Post carried a first page story telling of this meeting and predicting a tremendous attendance, inasmuch as plans were being made for a torchlight procession August 13. At the meeting there were less than twelve persons present, six of whom at least, were representatives of the Anti-Defamation Committee of the B’nai B’rith, and other members of the Pasadena B’nai B’rith lodge. The German consul did not appear. An overture was made by the organizer of this group to march in conjunction with a parade to be given August 13 by the American Legion. This was turned down, and the Chief of Police of Pasadena also refused the organization a permit for their torchlight parade.

In addition to the rebuff received by the Nazi sympathizers at the hands of the American Legion, comes a set of resolutions passed by the Los Angeles Council, Veterans of Foreign Wars, adopted unanimously this week. The Council represents ninety-one posts of veterans, and the opinion of the delegates present concerning the Nazi movement is well set out in the resolution adopted.

“We find no place in our government for a Nazi movement copied after the German program,” it stated.

The resolution also said:

“We question the sincerity of purpose of this proposed Nazi group and believe that the dissemination of such propaganda would cause the growth of untold hatred, religious and racial prejudice, and

“At this time when President Rosevelt has initiated a national program, which to be successful, requires the unanimous cooperation of the American people, it particularly is unfortunate that a propaganda which is calculated to divide the people by appeals to race hatred and bigotry should be promulgated.

“Therefore, we, the Veterans of Foreign Wars of Los Angeles County, most sincerely demand that the Germans do not organize any Nazi groups, in these democratic United States, feeling as we do that any philosophy that is builded upon racial hatred or prejudice will be destructive to the perpetuation of our national ideal, and that we take this definite stand against the teaching of any Nazi philosophy or principles in this country.”