German Group Boos Plea for American Tolerance, Quietly Hears Nazi Leader

After repeatedly interrupting by boos and catcalls a strong plea by Bernard F. Ridder, newspaper publisher, for the elimination of the spirit of intolerance from its actions, a meeting of the United German Societies at Turn Halle Monday night came to order and listened quietly to a rhetorical declaration by the spokesman of the Steel Helmets and the Friends of New Germany, Heinz Spanknoebel, who denied that these organizations forced the withdrawal of the Jewish groups from the United German Societies.

The meeting was called by the Rev. William Popcke of Zion Lutheran Church, honorary president of the United German Societies and the only official who did not resign as a result of the split which developed last week when a meeting of the United German Societies, called to decide wheher or not Ambassador Hans Luther should be invited to attend the German Day exercises on October 29, refused to pass a resolution condemning anti-Semitism.

Spanknoebel’s declaration came at the close of Mr. Ridder’s speech, in which he warned those present at the meeting that “the new spirit of intolerance” could only end in the robbing of Germany of American friendship.

“All my life,” Mr. Ridder said, “I have fought for Germany’s cause. But today I must tell you, whether you would hear it or no: You are on the wrong road, and do not realize where it will take you. Apparently you do not know conditions in America well enough to know that everyone who offends the fundamental principles of the constitution of our country, its principles of religious and theoretical freedom, has public opinion against him. German organizations which for sixty years have co-operated in the service of the German people have been forced out of the United German Societies. They went, but the public sympathy is on their side. With your method of procedure you are hurting Germany proper more than anything else, for you are robbing Germany of her newly-won friendship of the American people, a friendship which she needs today more than ever.”

Mr. Ridder’s speech was constantly interrupted by boos and catcalls, and in the attempt to restore order the chairman called upon Spanknoebel, as spokesman of the pro-Nazi groups represented at the meeting.

Spanknoebel, maintaining that discussions about racial and religious questions were not on the calendar and that the German Jewish groups had withdrawn of their own accord having been forced by no one, and that their protest over the failure of the organization to condemn anti-Semitism coincident with the decision to raise the Swastika, asserted that their withdrawal was dictated by the boycott which Samuel Untermyer had organized. He denied intentions of spreading National Socialism here.