Henry Ford was today congratulated by the Friends of Democracy for his recent statement to the effect that “there can be no lasting peace where hatreds exists” and that “we must root out the philosophies that create these hatreds.”
At the same time he was called upon by the same organization to take positive action – court action if necessary – to make it impossible to anti-Semitic propagandists to use his name “to create these hatreds you have denounced.”
“Your name and prestige have been used in the perpetration of a fraud against an entire religious group, even after the fraud has been exposed and admitted,” the message said. “You may not be aware of the extent to which your name and publications have been and are being exploited by pro-Nazis everywhere. We respectfully call upon you to act now, once and for all, to clear your name. We urge the following actions:
1. Stop the publication of your book, “The International Jew,” everywhere in the world.
2. Stop the further publication and circulation of pamphlets and books containing anti-Semitic extracts from the Dearborn Independent.
3. Stop the further publication and circulation of pamphlets and books quoting your endorsement of “The Protocols of the Elders of Zion” or quoting other anti-Semitic statements attributed to you which presumably no longer represent your true beliefs.
4. Proceed immediately to disassociate yourself from all of those groups and individuals which seek to exploit your name and prestige in behalf of racial hatred and religious bigotry.
“Since your name more than that of any other prominent American has been and is being used to create these hatreds you have denounced, we call upon you to take drastic action now, court action if necessary, and to make an absolutely forthright statement ending once and for all my misunderstanding about your position. We offer our full cooperation,” the message concluded.
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