Anti-semitic Journals Resume Their Attacks on Jews in Quebec

The suspicion that Hitlerite agents are inspiring anti-Semitic propaganda in the province of Quebec is indicated in an editorial of the local “L’Authorité”, a liberal weekly, in the current issue.

The editorial which appears under the heading, “Why Are the Young Canadians Against Jews?” refers to the activities of the newly-organized society of “Les Jeunes Canadiens”, and its call to a meeting of protest against Canadian government heads for their participation in the Jewish anti-Hitler demonstration.

“L’Authorité” wants to know whether the Young Canadians intend to continue the anti-Semitic agitation of the notorious “Goglus”; it also wishes to know whether it is true that Hitlerites have found a fertile soil for their agitation in Quebec.

The call to the protest meeting which is to take place in a local church Friday was published by the Young Canadians in all the French papers. “Le Devoir”, which evidently replaces the anti-Semitic Goglu weeklies and encourages the newly-organized society, publishes the appeal of the Young Canadians with the following comments, in effect:

The population of Montreal and that of the entire country was put to shame by the action of some of our government heads who addressed the Jewish protest meeting against Hitler in the Mount Royal arena. As for the Jews they may well be excited. It is their affair. But our own people have no right to stake the reputation and the interests of the entire nation by defending a group of immigrants.

The Young Canadians wish to protest publicly against such action and want to state clearly what should be the attitude of the Canadians towards the Jews. They are not anti-Semites. They do not agitate for attacks against Jews. They, however, wish to make the Jews know their place and make our rulers cease to flatter an electorate that votes 110 percent.

The French paper “Le Canada” publishes the appeal of the Young Canadians in the form of a letter to the editor with the following remark: “We have already expressed our opinion about Hitler very loudly and we are glad to be in the same boat with the government heads, who are censured for protesting against Hitler’s actions.”

“Le Devoir” is not alone in its indignation against the anti-Hitlerite protest meeting of the Jews. “L’Action Catholique” complains that nobody cares for the “Christians that are suffering and starving in the Russian prisons”, whereas protest meetings are being arranged against the “steps taken by Hitler against the Jews in Germany!” Nobody is perturbed over the suffering Christians, the paper says. “But when a German Fascist agitates that Jews be prohibited to transact business the world is in a commotion and we go whirling with it. Could we not be slightly less absurd?”