ANGER AND ALARM

Wairarapa Times-Age, 24 February 1939, Page 5

ANGER AND ALARM

MORE RIOTING AGAINST NAZIS IN UNITED STATES Disturbance in Los Angeles CONGRESSMAN ASSAILS GERMAN-AMERICAN BUND AND HITLER APPLAUDED BY MEMBERS OF BOTH PARTIES ‘ By Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright. NEW’ YORK, February 23. Washington’s birthday offered an opportunity for more skirmishing along the so-called “dictator front” today and a variety of occurrences, both in Congress and out, emphasised America’s great concern or interest in the matter. Among the most important of these occurrences were:— (1) The injury of several persons when an anti-Nazi mob stormed the Deutschesaus in Los Angeles where members of the GermanAmerica Bund were giving a Washington’s birthday party. Herman Schwinn, West Coast director of the Bund, threatened to clear, the streets with his own Storm Troopers if the police were unable to do so. (2) Representative Martin made a strong attack in the House on the New York Bund meeting last Monday, denouncing it as traitorous. , , . ■ . . (3) A member of-the Civil Aeronautics Authority-informed the Senate that Germany could raid the United States from South (4) Representative Maas closed the debate in the House on the Naval Bases Bill with the declaration: “I am personally convinced that Japan’s fortified islands in the Caroline or Marshall groups are nearer Hawaii than Guam.” This statement was made in answer to charges that the fortification of Guam was for the purpose of defending British interests in the Far East.

(5) The Senate Military Affairs Committee recommended a minimum limit of 6000 serviceable aeroplanes instead of the 5500 authorised by the Bill passed by the House last week. (6) Reports of the Italo-Frcnch brush in Tunisia, which, though categorically denied from Paris and Rome, gave point to President Roosevelt’s expressions of apprehension regarding the European situation last Saturday. The “New York Times” states that President Roosevelt apparently knew of the Tunisia conflict when he made the observation that the European situation might require his early return to Washington. A BITTER ATTACK. Representative Martin’s speech in the House took the form of a bitter attack on the German-American Bund and on Monday’s meeting in New York. He also attacked Hitler, whom he called a “pagan dictator.” Referring to the salutation given by the leader of the Bund, Fritz Kuhn, to the audience, as “my fellow Christian Americans,” Mr Martin said: “Among other delusions growing out of the World War was the delusion that it rid us of the hyphenated American only to find that in its place we have the hundred-per-cent Hun, on whose lips the words, ‘my fellow Christian Americans,’ is nothing less than a barefaced mockery. “These are words taken from a pagan dictatorship which has denied God, suppressed the Bible, persecuted Christianity and refers to the Founder of the Christian religion as ‘a dirty Jew pig.’ Every man who attended the meeting and sympathised with such sentiments is a traitor to the American Governments.”

Mr Martin asked: “Must such things be tolerated in the name of liberty on the free soil of America? God save America from Nazi Christian Americanism.” Members of both parties rose and applauded Mr Martin vociferously. A cable received on Tuesday stated: A crowd of 25,000 jammed every street leading to Madison Square Garden tonight when the German-American Bund held an “Americanisation rally” beneath mingled Swastika and American flags and placards reading “Stop Jewish domination of Christian Americans.” Protesting anti-Nazis, many of whom were trampled in the crush, were held back by 1600 police. Two hundred Socialists staged a ten-minute riot with 100 patrolment and drove the police back till mounted reinforcements were rushed up. Fists, banners and batons swung freely. Grey-shirted Storm Troopers paraded within the building, answering orders in German. NOT YIELDING TO FORCE BUT EFFORT FOR PEACE DESIRED. FRENCH PREMIER’S TRIBUTE TO ROOSEVELT. , PARIS, February 22. Speaking at a Washington birthday dinner tonight, the Premier, M Daladier, paid a tribute to President Roosevelt’s work for world peace. He repeated that France would never yield to a threat of force or to blackmailing tactics. Nevertheless she was ready to participate in a sincere effort for a limitation or reduction of armaments.