U.S. Attorney General Expresses ‘repugnance’ for Rockwell’s Group

United States Attorney General William P. Rogers, speaking as chief legal officer for the Government, today termed George Lincoln Rock-well’s American Nazi party a group representing “the very antithesis of all American traditions and American concepts of Government” but said listing the Nazis as subversive would give them undue publicity.

Asked if the Nazis should be placed on the Attorney” General’s list, Mr. Rogers said: “I have serious questions about the wisdom of such an action. The purpose of the list is to alert Government hiring officials to the fact that stated groups have a subversive character. In this instance the group is insignificant in terms of numbers.

“The very name ‘American Nazi party’ is sufficient warning to anyone contemplating the employment of a member of the group. It goes without saying that the Justice Department views this group with repugnance; it represents the very antithesis of all American traditions and American concepts of Government. There is no doubt that this opinion is shared by other Federal officials, as well as by all sensible Americans.

“Under the present circumstances, I seriously doubt the advisability of having the United States proceed against such a group in a prolonged hearing and thus giving it considerable publicity which it cannot otherwise obtain. Such action would not be effective in terms of curtailing the activities of the group. Of course, whenever their activities involve a violation of law, proper persecutive action should be taken against the trouble-makers, as has been done on occasion in the past.”