Commenting upon the Massena incident. the “Louisville (Ky.) Times” wrote editorially:
“The allegation Mr. Hawes appears to have swallowed was propaganda of the Middle Ages. employed to beat up sufficiont sentiment to cause wholesale murders of Jews, for robbery and other purposes. Such propaganda has been employed in modern times in parts of Eastern Europe. Its definite purpose in its beginning was promotion of murder. Its effect at all times has been to breed crimes of violence.
‘A Mayor irresponsible enough. orignorant enough to lend himself to the propagation of a charge which is provocative of lynching should get out of office. Failing to get out, he should be put out.
“Massena will suffer grievous and lasting ill advertisement if, assuming that its Mayor cannot combat successfully the charge that he acted on the assumption that Jews require the blood of Christian children for holy day rituals. the Mayor is not removed. The town will become famous as a seat of abysmal ignorance, where the population upholds the Mayor in an exhibition of ignorance which surpassed that of provincial towns in the remoter corners of Russia.”
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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.
