Proposals for State supervision of semi-military organizations were supported today by Jewish organizations — as well as patriotic groups, A Communist spokesman and even the German-American Bund — before the military affairs committee of the Constitutional Convention.
Adoption of the Murray Gottrad and Hamilton Fish Jr. measures to prohibit the existence of military or semi-military organizations, except under the regulation of the State, or other bills with similar aims, was urged by Nathanial H. Goodrich of the American Jewish Committee, who also represented the American Jewish Congress and the Jewish War Veterans of U.S.
“The existence of any private and unregulated military or semi-military forces, no matter under whose auspices, involves elements of dual allegiance incompatible with the continued peaceful existence of democratic institutions and organized government,” Mr. Goodrich told the committee.
Others who supported the pending measures were the American Legion and the Free Sons of Israel. A committee vote probably will be taken late next week, Chairman Fish said.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
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.
