The New York Daily News, which was severely criticized by Jewish organizations for an anti-Jewish article by its Washington columnist, John O’Donnell, who alleged that Jews conspired to secure the disnissal of Gen. Patton, yesterday published an editorial stating its own position on the subject of anti-Semitism. The editorial, however, failed to repudiate O’Dennell’s allegations.
Emphasizing that “columnists are given wide leeway in expressing their own views” and that only the editorial column expresses the views of the paper, the News says: “The News is neither anti-Semitic nor pro-Semitic; neither anti-Catholic nor pro-Catholic; neither anti-Protestant nor pro-Protestant. One of the foundation stones of this country is freedom of religion – that each American should be allowed to worship God in the way he believes best.”
The paper emphasizes that it is “still pre-American, still for America first, as we have always beens” It says it supported the America First Committee “because we thought they had the best answer to the question of how best to protect the United States.”
“The argument was ended, though not decided, at Pearl Harbor, Dec. 7, 1941,” the editorial continues.” The America First Committee disbanded, and the name was taken over by Gerald L. K. Smith, sines which time it has taken on a sinister connotation. For backing the original America First outfit, we never apologized and don’t expect to.”
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.
