Type-written sheets passed out to crews of German ships calling upon them to cease buying American goods when their ships are in United States ports were made public yesterday by M. Herbert Syme, an attorney and member of the Lord Marley arrangements committee.
The committee is sponsoring the visit to Philadelphia of Lord Marley, deputy speaker of the British House of Lords. Lord Marley will come to Philadelphia Friday when he will be the guest of honor at a luncheon and reception at the Bellevue-Stratford Hotel. On Friday evening he will address an anti-Nazi rally at the Locust Street theatre.
The document is part of much evidence that the Nazi Government is releasing propaganda in this country, Mr. Syme said. The appeal, typewritten on a piece of paper bearing a seal with the Nazi swastika, is released apparently by the German Workers Association of Public Institutions, the Expert Council of Navigation and the Overseas Shipping Association, Bremerhaven-Unterweser.
FOREIGN TRADE REICH LOSS
“We repeatedly notice that members of crews of German boats buy goods abroad which can be obtained equally as well and equally as cheap in Germany,” a translation reads. “Every mark expended abroad is lost to the national wealth.”
“There are seven businesses in New York and Brooklyn existing solely from the profits on sales to German boats. That such trade really is considered profitable is assured by the proprietors of these businesses, who are undoubtedly Jewish.
“How many difficult hours at sea, how much German working power are necessary for the upkeep of those businesses:
“And in Germany:
“The merchant fights hard for his existence. There are factories still closed. There are millions of our fellowmen still unemployed. The German seaman is guilty of a crime against his people when he fills his needs abroad.
“We therefore commission our secret agents on boats to make propaganda in the National Socialist sense and to ascertain and report here every one who buys abroad.
“German seamen cooperate in economic recovery and in strengthening of the people’s fortune.”
RABBI FINDS PAPERS
The existence of the documents was revealed recently by Rabbi William H. Fineshriber, of Temple Keneseth Israel here.
“The Nazis have denied they sent party agents to this country abroad German ships,” Mr. Syme said yesterday. “This document proves conclusively that they did not tell the truth. Not only have they secret agents aboard their ships, but these agents are definitely instructed to make propaganda in the National Socialist sense. Any one who has followed events in Germany since the ascent of Hitler to power knows what this means.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
