Texas Jewish Paper Cites Anti-semitism of Husband in Opposing “ma” Ferguson

In opposing the candidacy of Mrs. J. E. (Ma) Ferguson in the run-off primary Saturday for the Democratic nomination for governor, the Texas “Jewish Herald,” published in Houston, explains its objection to Ma Ferguson by quoting some startling anti-Semitic utterances credited to James E. Ferguson, Mrs. Ferguson’s husband and a former governor, who, it is generally conceded, will be the real governor should Mrs. Ferguson win.

Extracts from the “Ferguson Forum” of 1924 at the height of the Ku Klux Klan agitation which James Ferguson fought, quote Mr. Ferguson as saying: “Recent disclosures show that there is now hatched in Dallas an unholy alliance between the Big Jews and the Big Ku Klux, whereby the Ku Klux are to get the big offices and the Big Jews the big business. In other words, the Jews of Dallas now think the Ku Klux are on a paying basis and they have taken over the business end of it.”

Mr. Ferguson is then quoted as saying that “as between the Dallas Jews and the Dallas Ku Klux, I want to say that the Ku Klux is the better of the two. I want it understood, though, that I am not bragging of either one. If, by word or deed or silent approval, the Jews wink or flirt or nod to the Ku Klux crowd, then let them take the consequences. They are then worse than the Ku Klux said they are.”

Continuing in similar vein, Mr. Ferguson said: “Don’t let my friends worry and think I am making a political mistake. It is immaterial what happens to me. I am going to bust this Ku-Jew combination if it is the last thing I ever do. I am not going to let the Jews put it over. Nineteen hundred years ago the Jews formed themselves into a mob and lynched the Saviour of men on the Cross of Calvary. By the Eternal that reigns above they shall not again be allowed to hook up with another mob and lynch religious and political liberty on the Cross of Greed and Gain.”