Anti-Jewish prejudice in the United States has creased considerably during the last year, it is reported in the annual nationwide survey on anti-Semitism released today by the Anti-Defamation league of the Binai B’rith.
While Americans overwhelmingly rejected association with professional anti-tea, and there was less “organized” anti-Semitic activity than in previous years, public nonetheless “exhibited a disturbing lack of insight into and an unthinking acceptance of the activities of less overt bigotry who, under cloaks of respectability, spread hatred of Jews,” the survey declared.
It noted that there was “no wide denunciation” or “expressions of resentment” the American community where “obvious acts of an anti-Semitic nature were prompted the ‘gentleman’s agreement’ type of bigotry — an unfortunate trend on the American ##cene.” Major findings which the League recognized as “disturbing” were:1. A tendency among responsible sections of society to accept public figures previously considered “unacceptable.”
2. An increase in employment discrimination.
3. Greater discrimination in housing, with increased use of racial and religious restrictive covenants in new home-building developments.
4. Widespread use of racial and religious quotas in screening applicants for admission to colleges and professional schools.
5. An increase in the practice of excluding Jews, as a group, from many hotels report areas.
6. Widespread circulation of approximately 75 anti-Semitic or suspect newspapers, in addition to other types of “hate” literature.
7. Increased anti-Semitic sentiment evident in the foreign-language groups which was reflected in its press published and circulated in the United States.
8. Anti-Jewish campaigns promoted by Arab propagandists and “their native allies and intended to becloud the Palestine issue.
The Survey reported several “favorable” findings. These included the diminution of anti-Jewish hatred in political campaigns and the “noticeable decrease” in assaults on Jews, desecration of Synagogues and similar acts of vandalism.
Also “encouraging” was the fact that “un-American veteran organizations which sprang up in 1945 and 1946 virtually collapsed in the last year. Such groups as Frederick Kister’s Christian Veterans of America Attracted in insignificant few.” The league attributed this to the Americanism educational programs put into force by existing, legitimate veteran groups.
SMALL NUMBER OF ANTI-SEMITIC ORGANIZATIONS REMAINED ACTIVE
The Ku Klux Klan, Gerald L.K. Smith’s Christian Nationalist Crusade and Merwin K. Hart’s National Economic Council were named in the survey’s findings as the out-standing anti-Jewish organizations operating in the country today. Howerver, bring 1947 only a small number of anti-Semitic organizations of any “significant affluence, resources and membership” remained active. “This represents a considerable improvement over the late 1930’s.”
Emphasizing the “failure of large sections of the public to recognize and pose anti-Semitism that comes from presumably circles,” the survey ###ited a prominent syndicated columnist who publicly supported a convicted seditionist; a Senator who introduced legislation to prevent the his anti-Jewish leanings, base utterances are still being syndicated in the nation’s press.
The rise in job discrimination was noted in almost every section of the country except the Deep South and the Northwest — and in those states, such as New York, which have fair employment practice legislation.
In its analysis of anti-Semitic propaganda the survey revealed that “little change manifested itself either in the quality of the nation’s hate press or the quantity of its production.” Besides regularly published newspapers, an average of ##ne different anti-Semitic pamphlet or leaflet was issued each week during the same period.
“German, Ukrainian and Slovak newspapers were especially guilty,” the survey declared in its study of the foreign-language press. “The problem of displaced persons and other economic and political issues in Europe were the springboards for expressed anti-Jewish animosity.”
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.
