As the House opened debate on draft legislation today. Rep. Jacob Thorkelson of Montana, lame duck “Gauleiter” of the small House pro-Nazi bloc busied himself with circulating copies of a viciously anti-Semitic paper-bound book entitled “War. War, War” among certain of his colleagues.
Congressmen receiving the book said it was an anonymously-written and printed attack on Jews, charging that Jewish interests were responsible for all wars and the current one in particular.
When asked the objective of the circulation of the book at this time, Thorkelson said he was trying to bring “important information” to the attention of House members. He refused to comment on the book’s contents other than to state “it contains a lot of good information.” A request for a copy for the press brought the reply: “I am running short and you newspapermen have a lot of information now that you don’t print.”
Rep. Pat Cannon of Florida who found one of the volumes on his desk in the House chamber said a cursory inspection gave him the impression that “it was something about Jews being behind the war.”
A Georgia Congressman who received a copy from Thorkelson said he had paid no attention to the book other than to note “it was part of the usual stuff he has been spreading around here.” After cautioning reporters “not to use my name in connection with Thorkelson” the Georgian said “he has been trying to convert me for some time now but has not had much success I am afraid.”
The Montana Congressman made several trips to his office for copies of the book and it was estimated he had distributed about 50 in the House.
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.
