Leading Jewish organizations throughout the state were urged today by the New York City Civil Liberties Committee to take a strong stand against the so-called anti-Nazi bill introduced at Albany on Jan. 9 by Senator Schwartzwald.
The bill was condemned by Florina Lasker, chairman of the Committee as “contrary to American tradition and as dangerous as it is unnecessary. It is possible under our existing criminal libel laws to control the dissemination of such vicious propaganda as Senator Schwartzwald seeks to curb.
“No organization detests religious or race prejudice more than the New York City Civil Liberties Committee. But the way to cope with this ugly problem is not through gag legislation. Here is another case where the suggested cure is worse than the disease itself.”
Among the Jewish organizations whose help was sought were the National Council of Jewish Women, B’nai B’rith, American Jewish Committee, Hadassah, Hebrew Sheltering and Immigrant Aid Society, Jewish Welfare Board, American Jewish Council, the various local Councils for Jewish Women throughout the state, and the Temple Neighborhood School.
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.
