New and absurd twists of technique in anti-Semitic propaganda in the confusion caused by the Nazi-Soviet pact and the outbreak of war are described by Nathanial H. Goodrich in the latest issue of the Contemporary Jewish Record, to be published tomorrow by the American Jewish committee. The author analyzes publications of American agitators linked to official Nazi sources by the testimony of Mrs. Anna Sloane, Nazi agent, before the Dies Committee.
“Confronted with the collapse of their propaganda structure, which was based upon an assumed enmity between Germany and Russia and upon an alleged identity of Jews with communism” Mr. Goodrich writes, “anti-Jewish agitators have combed through the debris and constructed a new and equally fantastic version of anti-Semitism.”
“Their theme of Jewish communism directed from Russia was ridiculous in view of Russia’s pact with the foremost enemy of Jews in the world,” he states, so they have now adopted the new technique of depicting totalitarian states as “Christian” and democracies as “Jewish.”
It is therefore not unlikely, Mr. Goodrich thinks, that the future course of anti-Jewish propaganda, as well as the totalitarian attack on democracy, will be camouflaged in the guise of a religious crusade.
“If anything is clear, “he states, “it is that while anti-Semites disagree in their rationalizations about the Nazi-Soviet pact there is no change in their attitude towards Jews.” Most anti-Semitic writers, he concludes, are now abandoning their efforts to find any reasons for their anti-Semitism. “The most recent attitude of Father Coughlin’s weekly (Social Justice) indicates that Jews will be attacked solely because they are Jews. The technique would be to emphasize the faith of individual Jews whatever their position and activity in life may be.”
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.
