by lessening pressure and intervention by official or unofficial spokesmen of public groups in other countries, and to protest and deny the right to carry on a high pressure propaganda and boycott in the United States; and to condemn the suspension of German Day by Mayor O’Brien on October 29, when it was to have been held under the auspices of the United German Societies.
FREE SPEECH
While leaders of the celebration called for the suppression of anti-German free speech, at both ends of the Garden were hung large signs admonishing: “Americans—The inalienable right of free speech—The inalienable right of free assemblage—Hold them sacred—Never surrender them.” The Hitler banner, the swastika, decorated the platform perhaps to further signify individual rights enjoyed by residents of Germany.
The celebration, originally called “German Day celebration” had been changed by its sponsors to “German Day and Free Speech celebration.”
Commenting on his ejection after the celebration, Dr. Fritz Schlesinger said, “Our ousting from the German Day celebration was a deliberate frame-up. We were there as representatives of the German Jewish federations as a gesture of good will toward the German organizations, which, it had repeatedly been asserted, were celebrating as Americans and without discrimination as to race or creed.
NO HECKLING AT TIME
“Six of us were given seats not far from the rostrum. At first we were told the seats had been reserved, but Carl Nicolay, the president of the United German Societies and a member of the celebration committee, later gave us these places. We took no part in the heckling, and at the time of our being dragged from our seats there was no heckling.
“Someone led the police over to us and demanded that we be thrown out. We asked Robert Leyendecker, chairman of the reception committee, to identify us and give us protection.
“Mr. Leyendecker knew both Mr. Rosenbaum and myself wery well. We have frequently met with him in the conduct of the affairs of our German Jewish groups. He stared coldly at us on this occasion and offered no word to help us as the police dragged us away.
“In the investigating room of the Garden the police recognized us and promptly released us with apologies. Unable to protect ourselves against the hostile audience and officials of the Steuben Society, however, we dared not go back into the hall.
“The Steuben Society has not heard the end of this insult not only to ourselves but to the groups we represent,” Dr. Schlesinger concluded.
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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.
