Henry D. Allen, California anti-Semitic agitator told the Dies Committee this afternoon he had received advice from the Italian a German Embassies in Washington on how to combat the Jews. Allen said that in January, 1838, he saw Signor Cosmelli, Counsellor of the Italian Embassy, who told him how to work against “Jewish Communists” here. Cosmelli said “he hoped we’d succeed,” Allen declared.
The former Silver Shirt leader at first denied going to the German Embassy. He finally admitted, under questioning by Committee Counsel Rhea Whitley, that in January, 1938, he had a long conversation with an “unknown” official at the Reich Embassy, who told him how the Germans were getting rid of the Jews.
Allen said he told the official that Hermann Schwinn and Arno Rosse, West Coast leaders of the German-American Bund, were doing “fine work” and also expressed gratitude for received of the German World-Service, anti-Semitic propaganda service. Asked if the official was Hans Thomsen, Counsellor of the German Embassy, Allen said he could not remember.
The witness also testified that he called on James True, Washington anti-Semitic propagandist, George Deatherage, head of the Knights of the White Camelia, in West Virginia, and the Rev. General Winrod, anti-Jewish preacher, in Kansas.
Allen said it was he who arranged for the picketing of the Mayflower Hotel in Washington during the National Conference for Palestine. He paid the pickets $2 “as a friendly gesture toward the Arabs against occupation of Palestine by the Jews.” The money, he said, came from Conrad Chapman, formerly located in California, with a Mrs. Fry, who has now returned to England.
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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.
