Supreme Court Justice Murphy Calls on Christians to Combat Anti-semitism in U.S.

A call to Christians to unite their efforts to commit anti-Semitism because anti-Semitism “is not only contrary to the teachings of mobocracy but contrary to the teachings of Christ,” was sounded today by Supreme court Justice Frank Murphy, outstanding Catholic layman, in an address before the sterfaith unity session of the national war service convention of B’nai B’rith at Arnegic Hall here.

Speaking as chairman of the National Committee Against Persecution of the Jews, Murphy said the committee “was organized solely by Christians. It is maintained and its activities are conducted solely by Christians, who also finance it completely.” Asserting that the committee “will be militantly opposed to anti-Semitism because of the dangers that it presents to American ideals and to Christian principles, Murphy declared.

“We shall do so in the American way. We shall not try to deprive those who may differ with us of their right to free speech and press. But we shall energetically and relentlessly oppose by every means at our command their vicious and insidious propaganda through a campaign of enlightenment and education in which we shall expose the tragic error of their teachings. We shall be on guard from ocean to ocean — by day and by night; we shall carry on the campaign in the market place and in the forum in order that the freedom for which our fathers fought and for which our children are fighting shall not perish from the new world.”

MONSKY OUTLINES FIVE-POINT PROGRAM OF ACTION

Henry Monsky, national president of B’nai B’rith, who introduced Justice Murphy, proposed the following five-point program of action to bring home to the American people the “viciousness and the dangers of subversive propaganda by hate mongers.”

1. “Let us arm them with the weapon of understanding; 2. “Let us tell them the truth about this menace; 3. “Let us teach them how to recognize the symptoms of this dread social malady; 4. “Let us tear aside the veil of deception, usually in the form of a super-patriotic slogan or a high-sounding statement of purpose so frequently used to cover up this nefarious purpose; 5. “Let us show the contributions of each of the diversified cultural, religious and racial groups to the composite culture and welfare of America.”

Justice Murphy, whose address was broadcast over 132 stations in 46 states and the District of Columbia, pointed out that “anti-Semitism as well as other racial hatreds have never contributed in the slightest to the solution of any problem — economic, social or political. On the contrary, racism hinders the solution of such matters by diverting our efforts from finding a solution to finding a scapegoat.”

“An American citizen, true to the heritage of his country,” Justice Murphy continued, “cannot be anti-Semitic. He cannot persecute, or support the unequal or discriminatory enforcement of law against any person whose ideas, practices or beliefs he dislikes or loathes. He cannot deny to any such person the right to speak freely and fully, the right to pursue unmolested his profession and calling and the right to practice his religion in an orderly manner.”

Calling anti-Semitism “not only un-American” but “anti-Christian,” Justice Murphy asserted that it is impossible to understand how a man can hate or persecute the Jews and at the same time pretend to keep allegiance with the principles of christianity, which teaches that all human beings are neighbors — whatever their race, color or beliefs. “To love one neighbor and not another, to hate and persecute for Jewish neighbors, is simply un-Christian,” he said.

MRS. ROOSEVELT ADDRESSES GATHERING; RECEIVES PLAQUE

Other speakers at the inter-faith session were Mrs. Franklin D. Roosevelt, who had a message from President Roosevelt; and Senator Alfred M. Cohen, honorary president of B’nai B’rith, who dedicated on behalf of B’nai B’rith a service flag in honor of over 22,000 members of B’nai B’rith and its youth affiliates who are in the armed forces and in memory of 177 members who have been killed in the war or are missing in action.

Mrs. Roosevelt received from a delegation of B’nai B’rith Women a plaque to being in the recreation room furnished by the B’nai B’rith Women of Washington, D.C. and the B’nai B’rith National War Service Committee as part of B’nai B’rith’s national or service program. This recreation room, the 825th of its kind equipped by B’nai B’rith for the army and navy in 42 states, is for the men attached to the white House arracks.

Addressing the convention, last nights, Sigmund Livingston, founder and chairman of the Anti-Defamation League of B’nai B’rith, declared that the attitude concerning the Jews of a considerable segment of the American public, “is the direct result of the German per-war propaganda which, in the expenditure of money and in volume, exceeds any effort along these lines in all of history.” He charged that Nazi propaganda constituted in effect an invasion of America, and emphasized that while the American organizations which adopted the Nazi propaganda line had disbanded “at least outwardly after Pearl Harbor, the propaganda was continued underground by native converts.”