American anti-Nazi, anti-Fascist, and labor bodies have united in forming a Committee for the Status Quo in the Saar Territory which will fight particularly the Nazi propaganda, it was announced yesterday by John Ysewyn, representative of German speaking, anti-Hitler organizations and temporary chairman of the committee. The following declaration has been adopted by the group:
“We call the attention of the American public to the efforts in this country, sponsored and financed by the German Government, to transport free of charge to the plebiscite on January 16, Saarlanders living in America, on condition that they cast their vote for Hitlerization.”
The document further charges that, “according to a recently published statement of the German Consul General, Herr Freytag this ‘get-out-the-vote’ movement will supply money and round trip tickets.” This organized corruption in America, it states, comes at the same time as renewed ruthless efforts by the Nazi “Deutsche Front” to terrorize and intimidate all Saar inhabitants in order to force the handing over of the territory.
Ysewyn pointed out that according to the terms of the Versailles Treaty, all persons residing in the Saar Territory in 1919 and 1920 are eligible to vote in the coming plebiscite. This includes many Saarlanders who have since come to America and have, in some cases, become citizens. Nazi agents in this country are reported sparing no effort or expense to bring them back to cast their votes for Hitler.
Early in October the committee plans a conference to which representatives of organizations and individuals desiring to cooperate will meet to discuss a course of action.
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