The French Government acted today to suppress anti-Semitic propaganda, submitting two decree-laws to President Albert Lebrun for his signature.
The decrees, drawn up by Justice Minister Paul Marchandeau, (1) make punishable “all acts tending to provoke hatred and discord within France for racial and religious motives,” and (2) make illegal and punishable any collaboration with foreign propaganda, or receipt of funds from abroad for international propaganda. The texts of the decrees are not yet available. They will be published after they have been approved by the President.
Meanwhile, the Government dissolved three anti-Semitic organizations in Alsace on the ground that they were preaching disunity. The Popular Democratic Party adopted a resolution denouncing Nazi propaganda and demanding severe punishment for all participating in pro-Nazi anti-Jewish publications, including dailies, weeklies and pamphlets. The action is necessary for national defense, the resolution said.
Large posters were displayed throughout the city, bearing the names of various non-Jewish organizations, including the League to Combat Anti-Semitism, which ridicauled propaganda attributing France’s difficulties to Jews and aliens and branded such statements as “Nazi lies aiming to spread disunity in France.” The poster pointed out that Jews and other aliens were among the first to apply for front-line military service last week.
Although the War Ministry announced yesterday that registration of alien volunteers was premature and ordered its cessation, the Federation of Jewish societies, which embraces all organizations of Jewish immigrants, issued a proclamation today declaring that immigrant Jews considered France their second home and held it their duty to serve in the Republic’s defense. “All immigrant Jews affiliated with the federation have decided to serve France with all the material and moral forces they possess,” the statement said.
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.
