The American Concentration Inc., Fascist anti-Semitic organization, which was organized more than a year ago emerged into the open yesterday with a program calling for a fight against the “Jewish Communists.”
Major John T. Prout, confidential clerk to Comptroller Joseph P. McGoldrick, is commander-in-chief, or “Consul” of the new Fascist organization. He was busy yesterday explaining that he was acting entirely on his own responsibility and that his connection with the revived Fascist outfit had nothing to do with the Comptroller.
In an interview with the Jewish Daily Bulletin Major Prout explained that the group he now heads was “purely devoted to fighting Communism in the United States, but it is my impression that Jews predominate in the Communist movement.” He denied that he personally was biased toward any race adding “some of my best friends are Jewish.” of his organization held Sunday at.
He admitted that at a meeting 611 Broadway, headquarters of the group, he had spoken on the same program with Louis Zahne, bitter anti-Semite, and leader of Nazified Friends of New Germany.
“I did not know who Zahne was,” Prout declared, “or what organization he represented. Zahne spoke at length about ‘Asiatics’ and only towards the end of his speech did it dawn on me that he was speaking about the Jews.”
TOO MANY JEWS IN PARADE
“I am against Communists no matter what their nationality and I intend to use the organization to prevent the rise and progress of Communism in the United States. Ever since the last May Day parade of the Communists I determined to do something about the matter. It was my impression that Jews predominated in the parade.”
Major Prout stated that he had been invited to the meeting on Sunday by another Irishman, and that when he heard of the program of the organization, he immediately accepted the leadership and became “Consul” with “a life-time tenure since the spirit of the A. C. is that the Consul can do no wrong.”
The Major is a veteran of the United States army, having served overseas during the World War. During the Irish rebellion and later in the Free State army, he held the rank of Major General.
He disclaimed all knowledge of the ambitious Fascist program of the American Concentration, declaring that he was interested only “in fighting Communists, no matter what their nationality.”
OTHER LEADERS ITALIAN
At the office of the American Concentration Inc., Raphael Mucilli, a naturalized Italian with a heavy accent, who described himself as the originator of the movement, “but now second in command,” did the talking.
When the Bulletin reporter walked into the bare office Mucilli was dictating in Italian to a secretary. He halted his dictation to explain the program of the organization.
At a table working away busily was a man who was introduced merely as “Citizen Racchoni, former Brigadier General in the Khaki Shirts.” The General, however, spoke no English and Mucilli acted as interpreter.
Mucilli admitted readily that his organization had taken over most of the defunct Khaki Shirt outfit.
“You see,” he said, “they came over to us after, shall we say, the ‘demise’ of commander-in-chief Art J. Smith.” Smith is now serving a seven year sentence for perjury in connection with the murder of Athos Terzani at a Fascist meeting in Queens.
“I started this movement about three years ago,” Mucilli declared. On June 12, 1933, I obtained a state charter for the organization. you can see it on the wall.
‘GENUINE ITALIAN AMERICANS’
“True, most of our members are Italians and Fascists, but I kept the movement quiet until we could get genuine native Americans into our organizations. Now we have Major General Prout as our commander and we are ready to come into the open.
“We have several thousand members. I can’t tell you exactly how many, that is secret. But I can tell you that we are making tremendous inroads among the Italian Fusion clubs here in New York City. Only a few days ago 500 members of those clubs came over as a group to our organization. So far all our contacts and members come from the Italians, but we hope to have the American elements with us soon.
“I am a great patriot for America,” Mucilli assented. “Like all immigrants, I am perhaps too patriotic, but I can’t help that.”
Asked about a statement against the anti-Nazi boycott credited to Major Prout, Mucilli quickly declared that he was responsible for the statement. “We are against all boycotts because of our intense nationalism,” he said. Mucilli declared that he and Major Prout were the speakers, omitting the name of Zahne and the fact that many German Nazis, most of whom could not speak English had also been at the meeting on Sunday.
“The program of our organization,” Mucilli stated, “calls for the most intense nationalism. We demand a conscript army in which all American youth must serve. We also call for intense imperialistic expansion until the entire Western Hemisphere is under the American flag and speaks only one language. We also demand the abolition, of the states and the division of the country into thirteen prefectural divisions which shall be ruled by prefects appointed by the leader.
“Those who join our ranks now and become ‘regimented citizens who place themselves at the disposal of the organization’ will enjoy special privileges later.”
BLUE UNIFORMS
The outfit’s uniform is a blue shirt, blue trousers, blue beret and Sam Browne belt.
Membership charges are two dollars a year, plus a one dollar initiation, plus fifty cents dues monthly. To this must be added the cost of the uniform. Mucilli refused to say how the uniforms are procured and whether like Smith’s Khaki Shirts, the shirt selling business was the chief feature of the organization.
The motto of the organization according to Mucilli is “For God, Country and Home.” The salute is “Hail America” and the response is “All for all.”
Asked whether the part of the program calling for “regimented citizens” did not mean the creation of storm troops in New York, Mucilli refused to comment. He admitted that the entire program was based on a military concept and called for a military organization with rigid military discipline to all commands by superior officers.”
He asked for the reporter’s name, asking his secretary to note it “in case any dirty work is done by your paper.” As the reporter left the room, the “fuehrers” rose and gave him the Fascist salute with outstretched arms.
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.
