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Los Angeles Unit Seeks to Grab Rule of Pelley ‘shirt’ ($) Racket

July 23, 1934
See Original Daily Bulletin From This Date
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That upstanding Silver Shirts may not be deprived of the privilege of contributing money to the anti-Jewish, anti-red, anti-Catholic, anti-Roosevelt cause of the Silver Legion during the time spent in jail or on bond by William Dudley Pelley, the “flawless diamond in the silver setting,” new arrangements for payment of funds have been made by the Los Angeles division of the Legion.

According to an announcement appearing in the current issue of the Silver Ranger, Silver Shirt organ, the Los Angeles division will oblige by consenting to accept dues, contributions, etc.

Some months ago the IX (Los Angeles) division of the Silver Legion mutinied with the apparent intention of going into the shirt business themselves. They learned that Pelley had title to almost all the money their hardworking campaigners solicited from those fine idealists who would have Jewish, Communist, and Catholic heads roll. They charged leaders with having allied themselves with the Nazis and set themselves up in the shirt racket. Their ad in the Silver Ranger follows:

“In view of the fact that General Headquarters at Asheville is at present unable to function effectively, we, the officers of the Pacific (Ninth) division tender you the use of our organization and offices in order that the national organization may continue to function without unnecessary hindrance.

“We pledge you to the utmost of our ability to attend to all business and organization matters with promptness and dispatch and in strictest accord with the highest standards of business practice.

“Since funds in an unusual amount will be needed to meet the present situation we urge you to use the form printed on page four of this issue of the Silver Legion Ranger and pledge your support in accordance with your ability to do so.

“Funds will be received for these specific purposes: (1) publicity, (2) organization, and (3) for carrying forward a national drive for membership.

“An immediate response is imperative. We invite you to accompany your pledge with remittance.”

The “beg” was signed by the “officers of the Pacific division of the Silver Shirt Legion of America, Inc.”

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