whether the issues of European politics should be taken up in this country at all. But the proponents of Hitlerism have founded, dissolved and reorganized clubs and societies in this country upon order from, and with aims specified by, Hitler. Therefore, because a large number of Germans in this country are engaged in activities subversive to our new country, we, more than anybody else, consider it our duty to oppose them. We have not lightly decided to do so. It is our duty, but a very distasteful one.
NOT SECRET GROUP
“We are no secret society at all, except that bitter experience has taught us to guard the larger part of our membership list from Nazi spies in order to prevent repetition of retaliation against our relatives in Germany. Our membership, though all of German extraction, are primarily American, not just by virtue of a few printed slips of paper with seals duly affixed but much more so through their belief in freedom and democracy. Quite naturally, however, we have many connections with the old country, most important of which are our relatives living over there, and it is almost needless to say that we are anxious about their fate and that we wish the German people to emerge from the calamitous state into which they have been brought by the so-called Third Reich.
“Besides, the consequences of the events in Germany are increasingly felt here. The fact that the United States Government has found it necessary to investigate officially the secret activities of Nazi agitators in this country has disgraced the German Government and its official representatives, ambassadors and consuls, who, as has been proved, are spreading propaganda in violation of international law and usage.
FEEL DISGRACE
“It has disgraced more deeply those who are outwardly American citizens while in reality they are so alien to the true spirit of Americanism that they are transplanting to American soil the religious, racial and class hatred upon which Nazi rule in Germany is based. To them we have nothing to say; they will be judged by their deeds.
“We are concerned, however, with that part of the German element that is indirectly supporting Hitlerism. They should know that no American of German extraction can be permitted any longer to pretend that he is indifferent to the happenings in Germany and to their detrimental consequences to the American people.”
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
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.
