The executive committee of the national Young Republican Federation voted here yesterday to cleanse itself of the Rat Finks, a faction of the New Jersey Young Republicans. The Rat Finks had been accused of being anti-Semitic and anti-Negro.
In a resolution adopted by the committee, it was decided that seven county units in the New Jersey organization, allegedly controlled by the Rat Finks, must dissociate themselves from the Rat Finks, the John Birch Society, the Exterminators and all other factional groups. The Exterminators is a faction formed in the New Jersey group last year for the purpose of ridding the organization of Rat Finks.
The executive committee also absolved Richard F. Plechner, leader of the Rat Finks, of charges of racism and bigotry. But, as part of a compromise, Mr. Plechner resigned his vice-chairmanship of the National Young Republicans.
The controversy over the Rat Finks arose last year when the group inside the New Jersey Young Republican organization issued a song book containing lyrics which were anti-Semitic and anti-Negro. Members of the group had sung these lyrics set to well known melodies, at conventions of the New Jersey Young Republicans.
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.
