American Jewish Congress Discusses Rise of Anti-semitism; Jews Urged to Be on Guard

The rise of “ne c-fascism” in many parts of the world threatens the victory which has just been won, Dr. Stephen S. Wise, president of the American Jewish Congress, warned yesterday, addressing the 21st annual conference of the organization here.

As evidence of the resurgence of fascism, Dr. Wise cited the situation in Argentina and recent anti-democratic manifestations in the United States, including the anti-Semitic column of John O’Donnell, the revival of the Christian Front and the barring of Hazel Scott from the D.A.R. hall in Washington. O’Donnell’s retraction of his anti- Jewish charges is in itself not sufficient evidence that the “Daily News” is not purring an anti-democratic policy, Dr. Wise said. He revealed that many of the newspaper to whom the column is syndicated refused to publish it.

David Petegorsky, executive director of the Congress, told the conference that “there is developing in this country what might become a Nuremberg of America.” He emphasized that examples of anti-Semitism and racial intolerance within recent-weeks had shown that the Jews and other minority groups must be on guard against undermocratic attacks. Rabbi Irving Miller, chairman of the executive committee, also warned of the rise of prejudice in the United States.

The “Daily News” was also attacked yesterday by Mayor Fiorello La Guardia on his weekly broadcast. The Mayor, referring to the O’Donnell column, said that “honesty, of course, would have suggested that the facts be ascertained first.” Pointing out that if the facts were untrue when the retraction was published, they were untrue when they were originally published, LeGuardia said: “Shame on such men who will indulge in proveking racial antagonism based on deliberate lies. Sheme upon men who would foment trouble within our own country.”