New York City officials opened an inquiry today in what appeared to be a disguised attempt to give George Lincoln Rockwell, head of the American Nazi party, a platform for a May Day address in Washington Square in New York City.
The “United Religions for a Better World” announced through its head, Sidney Lansing of Franklin, N. J., that it had been granted a Park Department permit last month for a rally and speeches on May 1 from 10 a. m. to noon. In a mimeographed announcement, Lansing said the permit had been obtained to provide a platform for Rockwell.
New York City officials, confirming issuance of the permit to Lansing, said that when he applied for the permit he said that he was opposed to Rockwell’s Nazi movement and intended to speak against it at the rally. The officials noted that fraudulent or deceptive applications for permits to speak in public are subject to revocation.
Rockwell, informed of the permit and the Lansing announcement at his “headquarters” in Arlington, Va., said he had never heard of Lansing or his organization “but if I am invited to speak in Washington Square on May Day and the permit is legal, I’ll be there.” Lansing was identified as a chemist at a New Jersey plant until about a year ago. He said he now commutes daily to a job in New York.
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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.
