The DAWA, the anti-Jewish counter-boycott movement, went into the private and official records of the third German-American Congress, which closed its four-day session here today with a huge German Day celebration, branded as “economically unsound with all the possibilities of becoming a racket.”
The DAWA was done to death so far as this Congress is concerned, mainly through the scathing attacks launched by the Steuben Society delegates during secret business sessions of the Congress.
The fighting was bitter throughout
THREE REFUSED VOTES
Sniping on the anti-Jewish boycott group began when three self-constituted DAWA delegates: Hans Froehlich, president of the German-American Conference, president of the DAWA, member of the Friends of New Germany and leader of the German Commercial Association (DHV); Severing Winterscheidt, secretary of the Friends of New Germany and of the German-American Conference and leader in the United German Societies. and Dirk Voss, representative of the United German Societies of New York, stormed the congress and demanded both voice and votes at the business sessions.
The committee on credentials, after heated debate, refused both privileges but did weaken to the extend of permitting them to remain as auditors.
Carl Nicolai, representing the German-American Conference, then championed the cause of his fellow-Nazis and introduced a resolution that the DAWA, as a national organization (it was said to be organized in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and Illinois), be granted representation in the congress and three votes.
HOFFMANN IN LOSING FIGHT
The debate that followed, never meant for outside consumption, but later nevertheless confirmed by delegates themselves, was terrific.
Theodore Hoffmann, who has been leading a losing fight to maintain the prestige of the Steuben Society, and who has compromised with Nazi policies until even the congress rejected and amended the most important parts of the Steuben Society boycott resolution, led his forces to the front. Hoffmann expressed disapproval of the DAWA and advocated that every organization work in its own manner. The DAWA methods, he said, were not those of the Steuben Society, which does not believe in proclaiming boycotts.
William H. Mueser, another New York Steuben Society delegate, gained the floor when Nicolai introduced his resolution to extend the sympathy of the Congress to the DAWA. He objected to this procedure because, he explained, he was “against all boycotts which might be considered a declaration of war, and especially against the DAWA counter-boycott which is economically unsound and has all the possibilities of becoming a racket.”
FRICKE VOICES WARNING
Otto L. Fricke, chairman of the session, warned the Congress that it might have cause to regret its action if it endorsed the DAWA.
Rev. John L. Foisel, pastor of St. John’s Evangelical Church here, said that all organizations were working toward the same goal-German unity and German-American unity, but that each had its own method of attaining that unity. He expressed regret that the DAWA delegates might go away displeased.
The results, for the DAWA, were catastrophic. The DAWA resolutions were tabled with no possibility of ever again this year coming before the congress.
The rising tide of anti-Semitism, which had promised to engulf the entire ranks of German American society, found itself stemmed to some extent here today following amendment of the Steuben Society resolution calling for a virtual boycott of all American business organizations refusing to trade with Nazi Germany.
The amendment presented at last night’s sessions of the Congress, removed from the resolution the clauses demanding that all members of German American society, when making purchases, ask, “Are you boycotting German goods?” and patronize only those merchants who have proclaimed no boycotts.
Otherwise the resolution stands unchanged, except for insertion of the following in substitution for the above condition:
SEEK WASHINGTON ACTION
“Resolved that we earnestly request our government at Washington to take effective steps to stop the boycott of German goods.”
A bitter fight was waged during yesterday afternoon’s sessions of the Congress, when minorities sought to change the wording of the resolution, which in substance contained a summation of DAWA represented during the altercation by Voss and Nicolai.
Voss gained admission as a speaker at the convention, which was to have been closed to all except voting delegates, according to the original plan of the committee.
A number of other delegates, who strategically withheld their entrance into the Congress until the all-important business sessions this afternoon, are understood to have joined in the fight against tempering the boycott resolution by exerting their influence from the outside.
Developments at today’s meetings are being enshrouded with absolute secrecy. The full story of the long conflict over the boycott resolution has not been divulged by the press committee, but delegates have stated confidentially that the resolution is meeting with unexpected opposition.
LOYALISTS WIN POINT
Liberalist and loyalist American elements at the Congress won their first victory yesterday when they effected unanimous passage of a resolution denouncing racial antagonism. This pronouncement received official approval despite pre-Congress opposition to it by rabid Nazi followers.
“That we in the United States are representatives of all nationalities and races and all religious professions of the world, and that we shall recognized no difference in our country between the nationalities, races and religious creeds, and
“That we ourselves will oppose any effort on the part of outside nations to instill its methods or policies, since it is not our affair to support any nation because its business is affected, and
“That as a consequence of the unrest which disturbs foreign countries, there exists a great danger of the introduction into our own marks of race dissension, and
“That we support the opinion that all who come here from foreign lands must embrace these fundamentals and that they must forget the various differences of opinion and live in peace with their neighbors; therefore,
“Be it resolved that we oppose all nations which in any way might pit nationality against creed, because this is contrary to the ideals of our land and would undermine our constitutional rights and destroy the peace existing between our citizens.”
The above resolution, passed yesterday afternoon, was followed by heated debate on the boycott proposal, which ended when the Congress decided to postpone voting on the latter measure in the evening.
Despite its amendment there continued to be violent opposition to passage of the boycott resolution. Some delegates, it is understood, considered this document tantamount to an anti-Jewish, anti-American Federation of Labor boycott, and demanded amendment of the more aggressive portions.
Opposition was also reported on the part of the deep-dyed Nazi contingent, which was said to be unwilling to stomach the resolution because it was “too mild” in character. This latter group would surrender the Congress into the hands of promoters of DAWA interests.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
