U.S. Marines Permitted to Serve in Anti-semitic Groups After Duty

The United States Marine Corps ruled today that it was permissible for a Marine to serve, after duty hours, in neo-Nazi Lincoln Rock well’s anti-Semitic “storm-troop” force.

The Marine Corps revealed its decision in the case of a Marine arrested by military police on Memorial Day on charges of aiding Rockwell in the staging of an anti-Jewish rally here. Hundreds of tourists participated in rioting, sparked by verbal assaults and threatening gestures by the neo-Nazi “storm-troopers,” as they were being lashed into fury by Rockwell’s address over a powerful public address system.

Military police acted after Rockwell boasted, over the loud speaker, that one of his estimated 25 “storm-troopers” was a Marine stationed at Quantico, Va. But Marine authorities said today that an investigation showed “no violation of either Corps regulations or the universal code of military justice.” The Marine was freed of ill charges. He was told that, while the Corps did not officially condone his neo-Nazi affiliation. he had a right to belong to the Rockwell group.

The Marine was cautioned by his superiors against wearing his Marine Corps uniform while serving as a neo-Nazi “trooper.” The Corps explained that, had this enlisted man joined any organization on the Attorney General’s list of subversive groups, he would have been court-martialed. The United States Department of Justice advised the Marine Corps that Rockwell’s “American Nazi Party” has not been officially listed as a subversive organization.

Senator Leverett Saltonstall, of Massachusetts, ranking Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, has made it known that he has asked the commandant of the Marine Corps for a full report on this incident.

WASHINGTON POLICE SIDE WITH ANTI-SEMITES; PROVOKE PROTESTS

Many complaints have been lodged with the U.S. Park Police as a result of a new-Nazi disturbance that occurred on Sunday. Like the Memorial Day fracas, this also involved a throng of hundreds. When individuals protested against Rockwell’s anti-Semitic tirade, the Park Police–by threats and force–removed a number of anti-Nazis from the scene.

Police upheld the Rockwell group’s “right to freedom of expression” but denied the same right to all who sought to voice anti-Nazi sentiments. Guarded by police, neo-Nazis circulated through the crowd, who were mainly tourists, surrounding some of the anti-Nazis, threatening them and taunting them. The police did nothing to restrain the neo-Nazis but dragged and shoved a number of persons who took exception to bring called such names as “filthy kike traitor.”

In one instance, Rockwell called through the loud speaker for police to remove a young man who was trying to object to Nazism. Mounted Policeman No. 40 galloped up, seized the anti-Nazi by the scruff of his neck and dragged him about 30 yards. Rockwell commended the police. The neo-Nazis applauded.

A woman whose mother and sister had been cremated in the Nazi concentration camp of Birkenau burst into tears. She was shoved and roughly treated by the police. The police threatened a number of such anti-Nazis with arrest, requiring them to leave the area.

Anti-Jewish incitement reached such a frenzy, under seeming police protection, that a number of persons wept with rage. A police lieutenant was heard to urge a policeman to unhand a Jew he had seized. Members of the crowd became enraged when they noticed that the police had permitted the neo-Nazis the privilege of special parking in an area marked with a sign reading “no parking at any time.”

Three police officers said they had been ordered to protect the “free speech” of the neo-Nazis and to silence all heckling. They said it was not allowed to boo or hiss but it was permitted to applaud or to shout “Sieg, Heil” One officer conceded that his “free speech” orders were “very confusing.” He advised offended persons to write to Park Police authorities.