The storm of protest from Jewish and non-sectarian organizations that has been brewing for more than a year on Friday burst upon the Miami convention of the Amateur Athletic Union, where the question of American participation in the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games is to be finally decided.
Telegrams of protest were sent to the A. A. U. by former Governor Alfred E. Smith, Samuel Untermyer, the American Jewish Congress and the Jewish War Veterans Association.
SMITH WIRES PROTEST
Mr. Smith’s telegram to Avery Brundage, president of the A. A. U., objected to the Olympics being held in a land where religious discrimination is so prevalent. His communication to Brundage reads as follows:
"Live sentiment there should be no amateur meets in any country where heads of governments tolerate racial or religious bigotry."
UNTERMYER, AJC, VETS JOIN IN PROTEST TO MIAMI
The American Jewish Congress in a lengthy communication to the convention requested that the A. A. U. uphold its resolution of last year and follow the precedent set by the Dutch Amateur Athletic Union.
REFUTES BRUNDAGE
The Congress message refuted the assertions of Avery Brundage that Germany will keep "her solemn pledges to uphold all principles upon which the Olympic Games and international sport are based." It affirmed that the conditions which led to the strong resolution of the A. A. U. last year not only continue but have been intensified.
The message further asserted that since Brundage visited Germany last Summer and since the formal vote of acceptance of Germany’s invitation by the A. O. C., Germany has contravened the spirit and text of its promises.
In this summary of the entire situation, affecting Jews in sports from July, 1933, to December, 1934, the American Jewish Congress charges that none of the discriminatory decrees have been withdrawn. The communication was submitted by Bernard S. Deutsch, president.
UNTERMYER’S MESSAGE
Samuel Untermyer, president of the non-sectarian anti-Nazi league to champion human rights, in an open telegram to Avery Brundage urged that the A. A. U. refuse to certify entries to the 1936 Olympic games if held in Germany. The telegram follows:
This is to renew protest of the Non-Sectarian League against holding Olympic games in Berlin on grounds stated in my letter to you dated September 26, copy of which being mailed you tonight with request that it and this message be read in their entirety to convention. Every promise made is being flagrantly violated by Nazi government. You are doubtless aware that Berlin Olympic Stadium has been pledged as barracks to Reichswehr after games and that everyone contributing through participation becomes supporter of Germany’s militaristic policies. I doubt whether any American sportsman will relish that situation. Answering your argument on your return from Germany that as this question is restricted to sport no political implications can be considered, may I refer you to the Bible, Proverbs, chapter 26, verses 18, 19, in which King Solomon declared as follows:
"As a madman who casteth firebrands, arrows and death; so is the man who deceiveth his neighbor and saith am I not in sport?"
Sport cannot be made the football for all iniquities of the Hitler regime. I hope convention will refuse to certify entries from our country to 1936 Olympiad if held in Berlin.
THE VETERANS’ WIRE
The Jewish War Veterans, in a telegram signed by Julius Klausner, Jr., commander of the New York State Division, said:
The Department of New York Jewish War Veterans of the United States sincerely hopes that the spirit of Americansm and fair play will uphold the opposition of the A. A. U. to participation in the Olympic Games scheduled to be held in blood-spattered Naziland where sixty-five million sportsmanlike brown shirts crushed to earth 600,000 of their fellow citizens because they were Jews.
Sport lovers who are lovers of fair play must realize that participation in Germany will be accepted by the Nazis as approval of their vicious misdeeds.
As veterans representing 225,000 Jews who bore arms for America in the World War we ask that you stand steadfast in behalf of the gentleness and mercy preached by Jesus Christ.
Richard J. Beamish of Philadelphia announced yesterday that the World Non-Sectarian Anti-Nazi Council will hold a "Festival of Freedom" in four countries to compete with the Olympic Games in Berlin. This festival will be held May 1 to Sept. 30, 1936, in England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales to offset the action taken by the British Olympic Committee in accepting the German invitation to participate in the 1936 Berlin Olympic games in Berlin.
The British A. A. U. Mr. Beamish said, is considering the invitation to withdraw from the Olympics and enter the festival games.
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.
