Between the Lines

The Nazi movement in America has during recent months suffered a tremendous setback. Split into three divergent groups, it has lost considerable ground.

But it seems that the Nazi government in Berlin is interested in seeing the Nazi movement in America strengthened. Nazi emissaries from Berlin have arrived in the United States for the express purpose of restoring the Nazi movement here.

ORGANIZERS AND FUNDS

With the arrival of organizers in the United States, it may be expected that the Nazi activities here will increase. There is no doubt that these organizers have not come empty-handed. They have undoubtedly brought with them not only plans but also funds to carry out the plans.

In view of all this, it would be well for our central Jewish organizations in America, which are engaged in combating Nazism, to be on their guard. The central point of the Nazi propaganda in America is anti-Semitism. An increase of anti-Jewish propaganda may therefore be expected, if no preventive measures are taken in time.

THE STUERMER AS “BAGGAGE”

One of the preventive measures desirable, is to see to it that the anti-Semitic literature which is being shipped from Germany to the United States on a large scale by way of German steamers is not permitted into this country. The authorities are very ready to cooperate in this respect, if proper action is taken by the interested Jewish organizations.

The good will of the authorities in this respect, was displayed in recent weeks when thousands of copies of the notorious Stuermer, published by the Jew-baiter, Julius Streicher, were not permitted to be unloaded from the German steamers on which they were shipped. Checked by the federal officials, this “baggage” had to be taken back to Germany by the same steamers which had brought them to the United States.

THE ORDER FROM BERLIN

The watchful eye of the authorities however, is not always in a position to prevent the smuggling of anti-Semitic literature from Germany into this country. With the order from Berlin to strengthen the Nazi movement in America, this filtering in of the Stuermer and other anti-Semitic publications may be expected to increase.

The anti-Jewish propaganda upon which the Nazis now intend to concentrate will not be limited to the spreading of leaflets and notorious periodicals. As the trial in New Brunswick disclosed, the Nazis have a definite plan for injecting anti-Semitic propaganda in colleges. This system of propaganda among the American youth is much more dangerous than the spreading of the Stuermer or any other obscene Nazi publication.

CORRECT ESTIMATES NECESSARY

It is certainly undesirable to overestimate the Nazi forces in America, when they are on the decline. But it is equally undesirable to underestimate the efforts which are now being made from Berlin to unity the Nazi groups in America and to cement them into one solid united organization. Backed by finances from the Ministry of Propaganda in Germany, these efforts may lead to a revival of the Nazi activities here, even though this revival, too, may be short-lived.