Roosevelt Rebukes Argentina for Banning Yiddish Press; U.S. Ambassador Ill Intervene

President Roosevelt today branded Argentina’s suppression of all Jewish newspapers as “closely identified with the most repugnant features of Nazi doctrine,” while the State Department announced that the American Ambassador in Argentina, Norman Armour, has been notified concerning the attitude of the United States on the ban of the Jewish press and has been authorized to convey that information to the Argentine authorities. In a Specially prepared statement, the President said.

“I have been informed that the Argentine Government has suspended the publication of Jewish newspapers, some of which have been in existence for many years. While this matter is, of course, one which concerns primarily the Argentine Government and people, I cannot forbear to give expression to my own feeling of apprehension at the taking in this hemisphere of action obviously anti-Semitic in nature and of a character so closely identified with the most repugnant features of Nazi doctrine. I believe that this feeling is shared by the people of the United States and by the people of the other American republics. In this connection I recall that one of the resolutions adopted at the eighth international conference of American states at Lima in 1938 set forth that ‘any persecution on account of racial or religious motives which makes it impossible for a group of human beings to live decently is contrary to the political and juridical systems of America.'”

Asked whether this statement would be officially transmitted to the Argentine Government, he suggested that his questioner put that query to the State Department. Later the State Department announced that the U.S. Ambassador in Buenos Aires will make representations to the Argentine Government. The State Department added that attention will be particularly drawn to the fact that anti-Semitic action has been closely associated in the minds of the United Nations with Nazi doctrine and propaganda.