Fear of fifth column activities has made some sections of our population “hysterical,”and one form of this hysteria is wholesale denunciation of all aliens living in America, Solicitor General Francis Biddle, now in charge of the Bureau of Immigration, said tonight in an address over a National Broadcasting Company network.
Asserting that the Justice Department will not abandon “the fundamental principles of American democracy, which includes a generous and just treatment to innocent sufferers from any country who have sought refuge with us,” Biddle added:
“The footprints of the Trojan Horse are first found in the treacherous propaganda which leads to the ruthless persecution of minorities, and thereafter their purpose is to make us break down our American democratic insistence on freedom of speech, religious worship, and freedom of assembly by stirring up racial and religious hatred within the United States.”
Biddle warned that “a house divided against itself cannot stand” and then said: “Do not let the subtle propaganda of race hatred turn you against any group in this country as a group.”
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
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.
