Label A. Katz, chairman of the B’nai B’rith Anti-Defamation League Committee of New Orleans, categorically denied the statement made by Dr. Emmitt Irwin, chairman of the Citizen’s Council of New Orleans, that the “Anti-Defamation League of B’nai B’rith has been under very serious criticism as a possible Communist front organization.” Mr. Katz stated that Dr. Irwin’s statement is an absolute falsehood and untruth.
Dr. Irwin, in a letter to the Orleans parish school board, claimed that the Anti-Defamation League was distributing a booklet entitled “The Rabbit Brothers” in “certain, if not all public schools of the city.” Dr. Irwin claimed the booklet “is very obviously intended for the purpose of brainwashing the children along the lines of racial integration” In his letter, Dr. Irwin further stated that “the Anti-Defamation League of B’nai B’rith has been under very serious criticism as a possible Communist front organization.”
Mr. Katz said that Dr. Irwin reportedly used as his source of information for his statement the “Red Dictatorship.” The publication and its author is listed in the United States House of Representatives Un-American Activities report on Neo-Fascists and hate organizations in the United States, Mr. Katz said.
“It is regrettable, but perhaps significant that Dr. Irwin in effect has joined hands with these disreputable outfits in his almost identical attack upon our agency, “Mr. Katz continued.” This same type of irresponsibility has been evident in his statements concerning the programs of such fine local groups as the United Fund, Community Chest, Urban League, Young Women’s Christian Association, Girl Scouts, and the Catholic Church, just to name a few.
“By contrast to the un-American sources cited by Dr. Irwin as the authority for his opinion of our agency, in November of 1953, on the occasion of ADL’s 40th anniversary, President Eisenhower was the proud recipient of ADL’s American Democratic Legacy Award. Further, J. Edgar Hoover has complimented the ADL on several occasions for its fight against Communism, In 1952 the local community saw eloquent testimony of ADL’s anti-Communist program when the New Orleans States, local newspaper, serialized a nationally recognized authoritative pamphlet. ‘Primer on Communism–A Fact–By Fact Expose.’ As recently as May of this year, Secretary of State John Foster Dulles was the principal speaker at the national B’nai B’rith convention. Certainly a fine tribute and recognition of our activities,” Mr. Katz declared.
A search of the schools in Orleans parish revealed that only two copies of the pamphlet could be found in one school. They were placed there by the Parents-Teachers Association, and not by the Anti-Defamation League, in connection with Brotherhood Week activities, two years ago. Dr. James F. Redmond, Orleans parish school superintendent, ordered the pamphlet removed from public schools. The superintendent reminded principals in a directive Tuesday that publications not authorized by him are “strictly prohibited.”
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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.
