Avery Brundage that the action of the American Olympic Committee was binding upon all sports organizations.
The resolution adopted by the A. A. U. withdrew American participation from the games until the German government as well as the German Olympic Committee “in fact as well as in theory” encouraged Jewish athletes to prepare for the athletic events. The reason cited was that Germany violated one of the fundamentals of democracy in sport by its discrimination against Jews in sports.
A. A. U. WILL ACT
This resolution is in effect until December, 1934, when the national annual convention of the A. A. U. will be held. “At that time,” said Sheriff Haddock, “the A. A. U. will act upon the question despite the acceptance of the Reich bid by the A. O. C. Where would the A. O. C. be if the national A. A. U. decided not to participate in the 1936 Olympics?”
In the meantime, the American Jewish Congress addressed a protest to the Board of Governors of the A. A. U., requesting them to review the situation fully in view of the fact that the assurances given to the A. O. C. by Germany are not in accordance with the facts.
Representative Emanuel Celler of New York, long connected with the fight against participation in the face of discrimination against the Jews, has demanded an open hearing to decide the question of American participation. He will speak on the subject on Tuesday evening over an NBC-WEAF network from 7 to 7:15 p. m. Celler, charging that prescriptions against Jewish athletes in Germany still exist, urged an open meeting for the decision.
DUNGEON TRAINING
Westbrook Pegler, columnist for the Scripps-Howard papers, speaking of the assurances given the A. O. C. by the Nazi sport officials declared:
“Of course, captious individuals among the athletic coaches and trainers will be sure to doubt that a Jewish track man can do himself justice training in a dungeon, and it does seem barely possible that in the final competitions the German selection committee might use an extra fast watch to time the Jews and a lazy one to clock the Aryans.”
“… But there is only a limited amount of fair play in Germany at this writing, and, on the basis of the census figures, the Jews ought not to complain if the Aryans give themselves ninety-five per cent, of the available supply and the other five per cent to the Jews.”
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.
