Citing recent actions by the American Nazi Party and the John Birch Society to exploit domestic unrest in bids for power, Sen. Jacob K. Javits, New York Republican, told the 71st annual convention of the Jewish War Veterans here this weekend that both the Democratic and Republican parties should do more against increasing right-wing extremism.
He told the 2, 000 delegates and guests: “Condemnation of bigots and racists by responsible political leaders can no longer be enough. It is the duty of both political parties to take the offensive in combating the radical right’s poisonous propaganda that, building on resentments engendered by the protests of Negroes and unhappiness with the Vietnam war, can pull this nation apart. Both the Democratic and Republican parties must not only condemn radical right doctrines and organizations; both parties must educate their members to the truth that this brand of political thinking can cost us our freedoms, just as quickly and as finally as Communism.”
Malcolm A. Tarlov, of Norwalk, Conn., who served as a World War II infantry sergeant, was elected new national commander of the JWV. Mr. Tarlov pledged a vigorous drive the JWV against “a new wave of bigotry that is sweeping the country. ” At the conclusion of its session, the convention adopted a resolution seeking firmer Government action against the American Nazi Party, including its listing as a subversive group by the United States Attorney General, denial of postal privileges, prohibition of Nazi symbols, and measures to restrain federal and state employes from affiliation with the neo-Nazi group.
At an earlier session, strong opposition emerged at the convention to a resolution “that the Jewish War Veterans endorses the action of President Johnson in increasing our military commitment in Vietnam” while simultaneously seeking peace.
Past National Commander Morton London, of West New York, N.J., termed the resolution an example of “sophistry” and unsuccessfully sought a substitute that would have called for the limiting of escalation. The controversy was the first public eruption of discontent within JWV ranks over the JWV’s complete identification with the Administration’s Vietnam policy. The resolution was finally adopted but with a number of dissenting votes and demands that the official record be made to read that adoption was “not unanimous.”
Other resolutions supported the separation of church and state as now defined by federal law; called for increased activity to relieve the plight of Soviet Jewry; and covered a wide range of other issues, including American support of Israel.
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.
