Search JTA's historical archive dating back to 1923

Darlan’s Radio Station Spreads Anti-jewish Propaganda in North Africa

December 17, 1942
See Original Daily Bulletin From This Date
Advertisement

A North African radio station controlled by Admiral Jean Darlan today quoted an anti-Semitic publication, the Federal Communications Commission reported this afternoon.

Elmer Davis, head of the Office of War Information, today stated that Milton Eisenhower, associate director of the OWI, is now in Algiers charged with fostering cooperation between the Office of War Information and the radio stations controlled by Darlan. Mr. Eisenhower will also report on the refugee problem in North Africa. All interned Frenchmen have been released, but nothing is known regarding internees of other nationalities, Mr. Davis said.

The radio station which broadcast, the anti-Jewish article was identified by the Federal Communications Commission as Radio Marco, at Rabat, Morocco. The article, written by a Frenchman named Pierre Bouttang, appealed to “comrades in arms” not to believe that their fight is “that of the Jews and the liberals.” It also stated that the Jews have “invaded” Paris and Marseilles. The article was published last Sunday in a periodical called “Vaincre Jeunesse” which appears in North Africa.

Mr. Davis, commenting at his press conference today, said that the publication represented only a single fanatical leader of a small reactionary youth movement. He reported that of twenty-one news items used by Radio Marco today, thirteen were supplied by the Office of War Information. “Cooperation is improving,” he said, “but occasionally they put over something like this on us.” Analysts of the Office of War Information stated that this was the first anti-Semitic broadcast they had noted from radio stations in North Africa since the American troops landed there.

Recommended from JTA

Advertisement