While members of the House committee investigating subversive propaganda activities in this country are digesting evidence of Nazi intrigue uncovered at last week’s open hearing in Washington, Representative Samuel Dickstein announced yesterday that he would continue his private investigation in the federal building in Newark, N.J., next Saturday.
This hearing like the one conducted over the week-end in the Bar Association Building at 42 West Forty-fourth street, will be secret.
SENSATIONAL DISCLOSURES
At Saturday’s star chamber proceedings, it was learned, information of a sensational nature was disclosed by the chief subject of the inquiry, George Sylvester Viereck, author and propagandist. Whether these developments were connected with Viereck’s testimony at Washington that he received $1,750 monthly from Carl Byoir and Associates, publicity firm employed by the German Tourist Information Office, or were amplifications of the charges he made that Ivy Lee was in the employ of the Soviet government as its publicity reprehensive here, could not be authoritatively established.
Both Congressman Dickstein and Viereck refused to make any statement as to what transpired at the hearing.
Viereck will be among the first witnesses to be called to the stand when the Congressional committee resumes its open hearings in New York shortly after Congress has adjourned.
THE DEVELOPMENTS
Among the developments resulting from last week’s Washington hearing, which may lead to espionage indictments and deportation proceedings, are the following:
Revelation, through testimony of a retired Hungarian priest, the Rev. Francis Gross of Perth Amboy, N.J., that a scurrilous booklet called “Justice to Hungary, Germany, Austria,” was made possible with funds that came through the German Embassy at Washington and the consulate at New York City.
Disclosure that Carl Byoir, a publicity man, was in the employ of the German Tourist Information Office, German railroads and steamship lines, the German Board of Trade and the Leipzig Trade Fair, receiving $6,000 monthly for spreading propaganda in this country, much of which was admittedly anti-Semitic, Carl Dickey, an instructor at the Columbia School of Journalism, and Viereck, who has long been considered the chief Hitler apologist in this country, were employed for this work by Byoir.
Disclosure that consulates throughout the country were veritable nests of Nazi propaganda.
FORD BOOK CIRCULATED
Testimony that Nazi propagandists and organizations were active in distributing copies of “The International Jew.” a collection of anti-Semitic articles attributed to Henry Ford but long ago repudiated by him.
Testimony, adduced from exchanges of letters between Fritz Gissibl, alien and an organizer of the League of Friends of New Germany and other Nazi organizations in this country, and members of the German Nazi party living in Detroit and New York, that the German government was ready to supply funds to support propaganda drives in this country.
Revelation that there was cooperation between the “Friends of New Germany,” the Pelley Silver Shirts and individual propagandists, including Col. E.N. Sanctuary, in a drive against American Jews.
Disclosure, through the testimony of a former commander of the Stahlhelm, Frank Mutchinski, that members of that organization of German war veterans had joined the National Guard in large numbers and were drilling twice weekly with rifles belonging to the Guard. This startling charge has precipitated an investigation by the Seventy-first Regiment Armory officials, from which the rifles are said to have been taken. The investigation is secret but the results will be made public shortly, according to Col. Walter A. De Lamater, commanding officer of the regiment.
Charges, also made by Mutchinski, that the North German Lloyd Steamship Company was transmitting unstamped packages to and from Germany, and that every German liner had a storm troop unit, the leader of which, appointed in Hamburg, exercised a higher authority over the ship than the captain.
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
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.