A bill to outlaw anti-Semitic propaganda in the United States has been introduced in the House of Representatives by Cong. Charles A. Buckley, New York Democrat, it was announced today by the American Jewish Labor Council.
Entitled “A Bill to Suppress the Evil of Anti-Semitism and the Hatred of Members of any Race Because of Race, Creed or Color,” the proposed legislation includes a declaration of policy stating that, “Congress hereby finds that anti-Semitism and bigotry are potent weapons in the hands of the enemies of this country and or its institutions.” The spread of anti-Somitism, the bill continues, is “tending to destroy the unity of this nation, creating discord among our people, disrupting the normal channels of trade and commerce, and intering with and dislocating the economic life of the country.”
The proposed act declares it to be its policy “to prevent the spread of anti-Semitism, religious and racial hatred because of race, creed or color through the use of the mails and the channels of interstate and foreign commerce.” Punishment of violation of the provisions of the bill include a fine of “not more than $5,000, or imprisonment (at hard labor) for not more than five years, or both, at the diseretion of the Court.” The American Jewish Labor Council has begun a nation wide petition campaign to secure 1,000,000 signatures in support of the bill.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
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.