Anti-Semites running in primary elections in various parts of the country have, for the most part, been defeated.
Latest to be snowed under is Joseph E. McWilliams, organizer of the Christian Mobilizers–who this morning was committed to Bellevue Hospital for psychopathic observation–defeated by a vote of 674 to 2,537 in yesterday’s race against James Blaine Walker Jr. for the Republican Congressional nomination in the 18th District, New York’s Yorkville section.
McWilliams said he planned to run as an independent candidate on his own “American Destiny Party” ticket in the November elections. Walker and Republican Leader Kenneth Simpson hailed McWilliams defeat as a victory over bigotry, particularly since Yorkville has a large German population.
As a sequel to his primary defeat, McWilliams, in the presence of 150 of his followers in Harlem Court this morning, was committed by Magistrate Edgar Bromberger to Bellevue for 10 days observation, if found sane, he will be returned to court for sentence on his second disorderly conduct conviction and so on afterward will face another charge of suing abusive and offensive language against the Jews.
In yesterday’s primaries, interest also centered on the situation in Wisconsin, where Representatives John C. Sonafer, Louis D. Thill and Frank B. Keefe, all Republicans, of the 4th, 5th and 6th Districts respectively, were running for renomination, with results not yet available this afternoon. Keefe has indicated possible anti-Semitic tendencies, while Schafer has taken a definite anti-Jewish stand and Thill has entered releases of the German Library of Information into the Congressional Record.
In primaries earlier this year, anti-Semitic candidates were signally unsuccessful. A summary follows:
CALIFORNIA–Primaries held in August.
T.W. Hughes, radio lecturer and member of the German-American National Alliance, seeking Democratic Congressional nomination in the 13th District, defeated 818 to 11, 834 by the incumbent Charles Kramer.
Harold A. Sparling, candidate for Republican Congressional nomination in 17th District, who issued an anti-Semitic campaign booklet, defeated 4,295 to 9,864
James I. Butterfield, candidate for Democratic nomination for Assemblyman, 71st A.D., defeated.
MICHIGAN–Primaries held Sept. 10.
Bowen R. Gover, seeking Republican Senatorial nomination on a “Gentile” ticket, defeated by incumbent Senator Arthur Vandenbergh 51 673 to 455 084
Louis B. Ward, former editorial director of Social Justice, seeking Democratic Senatorial nomination, ran third among five candidates, with 36,599 votes.
Dr. George H. Derry, a Coughlinite, running for Republican Congressional nomination in 15th District, defeated.
George Walby, member of the Christian Front, seeking Republican Congressional nomination in 14th District, ran fifth with 4,981 votes.
Thomas E. Wilcox a sympathizer with the German American Bund, seeking Democratic Congressional nomination in 13th District ran third among ten candidates with 3,095 votes.
MONTANA Jacob Thorkelson, incumbent Republican Representative from 1st District, defeated for renomination on July 16 by Miss Jeanette R. Rankin 5,868 to 6,870.
INDIANA Court Asher, publisher of an anti Semitic weekly in Muncie, defeated for Republican nomination for County Committeeman in last May’s primaries.
OREGON Kenneth A. Brown, running on an anti-Semitic platform for the Republican nomination for Representative in the 1st District on May 17, defeated by a vote of approximately 10,000 to 50,000.
FLORIDA Same D. Melson, running for Democratic nomination for the Legislature in Jacksonville on May 28, defeated by a vote of 19,600 to 20,400 after a run off election.
Among those who have succeeded in gaining renomination are Rep. Clare E. Hoffman, Michigan Republican, 4th C.D., who has supported such anti-Semites as Thorkelson in the House; Rep. Louis C. Rabaut, Michigan Democrat, 14th C.D., who has endorsed the anti-Semitic National Workers’ League and has spoken as Bund meetings, and Rep. Martin L. Sweeney, Ohio Democrat, 20th C.D., who is reputed to have stated in a Washington restaurant that “damned Harvard Jews have taken over” the capital.
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