Dickstein Joins Drive Against Dawa Conference in Chicago

A letter from Representative Samuel Dickstein of New York, in which he describes the activities of the DAWA, has been turned over by the Chicago Committee for the Defense of Human Rights Against Nazism to Otto K. Eitel, manager of the Stevens Hotel here, where the Nazi organization is scheduled to hold a convention October 21 to 23.

This action follows a city-wide protest led by the Chicago committee, asking that the Stevens Hotel cancel the plans to house the convention. Last week, Eitel, speaking for the hotel proprietors, definitely refused the request. However, he did ask the committee to send him information concerning the DAWA.

The Dickstein letter sent to Eitel follows:

“Gentlemen:

“In answer to your letter of August 10, I wish to state the following:

“Although the DAWA is a separate organization the evidence clearly shows that they are interwoven with the members of the Friends of New Germany and vice versa. That this DAWA organization has collected thousands of dollars by demanding from storekeepers that they subscribe to their membership by paying $5, for which the DAWA gives them a card showing that it is a German place to be patronized by them. At the same time the Friends of New Germany dispose of their propaganda at the DAWA meetings and affairs, also books and other subversive documents, and in every instance we find it is the same group under another name.”

The letter bears the signature of Representative Dickstein, who is a member of the Congressional committee investigating Nazi activities. His reference to “evidence” in the letter relates to testimony concerning the DAWA which was introduced at the investigation sessions recently held in New York City.

The Chicago committee is hoping that Dickstein’s letter will influence the Stevens Hotel management to reverse its decision.