Continuing his anti-FEPC attacks, Senator The odore G. Bilbo of Mississippi, speaking on the Senate floor, denounced “Kike” Jews in New York, the CIO and Negroes for what he termed their “drive to cram this piece of legislation down the throats of the American people.
Disclaiming any prejudice against Catholics, Jews and Negroes “as a class or as races.” Bilbo said: “So far as the Jews are concerned, we have Jews in my state, and some of my best friends are Jews. I am a great admirer of the Jewish race. Jesus Christ was a Jew. Some of my associates are Jews. But there is a certain class of ‘Kike’ Jews in New York, organized with the CIO and the Negroes” who are trying to force through this fanatical legislation.”
Bilbo claimed that he is “only fighting for the American way of life,” and threatened to filibuster against the FEPC until Christmas, if necessary.
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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.
