Search JTA's historical archive dating back to 1923

Coughlin Rejects Nazism and Communism; Offers ‘non-anti-semitic’ Program

February 27, 1939
See Original Daily Bulletin From This Date
Advertisement

A 14-point program of “American Christian” action designed as a “defense mechanism” against both Nazism and Communism and described as “neither anti-German, anti-Italian nor anti-Semitic was outlined by Father Charles E. Coughlin today in his weekly radio discourse over an independent national network.

Assailing the motives that inspired the German-American Bund’s Madison Square Garden rally, Father Coughlin declared that “no sane American rejoices in such meetings, “but asserted that the rally represented a defense mechanism against innumerable similar meetings held by Communists in this country. “It is time,” he said, “for true Americans and true Christians to organize and to act against both, not by negative action but by a positive program.”

Calling upon his listeners to join him in effecting the aims of his 14-point program which generally follows that laid down by his Social Justice Party in the last national election — the “radio priest” warned that “nothing can be gained by associating ourselves with organizations preaching racialism and racial antagonism.”

Recommended from JTA

Advertisement