Walter Winchell Becomes Butt of Hitlerist Organ; Lippman and Wise Are Subject of Tirade

A paragraph by Walter Winchell, the well-known columnist, is made the subject today of a tirade in the “Voelkischer Beobachter,” the organ of the Hitlerists in Germany. The “Beobachter” reproduces a paragraph by Walter Winchell, published on February 2nd, in which Winchell had written, “Too bad that a man like Hitler can rise so high in politics, who hates intensely…. His hatred of the Israelites is contemptible—and when an assassin shoots him down one day a lot of locals won’t be sorry…. The best way to fight a person like Hitler is to ridicule him, of course….”

To this the “Beobachter” replies, “It divulges his Jewish mentality.”

The same issue of the “Beobachter” takes to task Walter Lippmann, the well-known writer on political subjects, for his uncomplimentary observations on Hitlerism in his column, and deduces from them that “Jewry is appealing to the powers of the world to form an alliance against Germany,” as though it were bent on bringing as many names as possible into its imaginary counter-Nazi plan.

The real purpose of these various quotations in the “Beobachter” becomes apparent when it uses a quotation from last year’s March issue of the “B’nai B’rith Magazine,” in order to prepare the world for vigorous measures to be taken “to protect the life of the leader of German liberty—Hitler.” The passage in the “B’nai B’rith” journal ran, “The eminent success of Hitler, and the occasion of our observance of the downfall of Haman, made timely a consideration of the similarity that stamps the two demagogues as of the same mold. Like Hitler, Haman had risen to high political position…. How far will the analogy go? The destruction of the Jews was averted by Esther and the tables turned against Haman, and the gallows that Haman had made ready for Mordecai became the instrument of Haman’s own execution. Then the King said, ‘Hang him thereon.’ So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then was the King’s wrath pacified.”

The “Beobachter” also adds Rabbi Stephen S. Wise to the list of personalities it takes to task. It quotes an address delivered by Rabbi Wise at this year’s Lincoln day celebration, as evidence of such a plan.

Replying to an inquiry from a J.T.A. representative as to the subject of the address referred to by the “Beobachter,” Rabbi Wise could recall nothing more damaging than the passage “Lincoln said, ‘With malice toward none, and with charity for all’; Hitler says, ‘With malice towards Semites, and charity only for Aryans.'”