ANTI-NAZISM

Waikato Times, Volume 124, Issue 20739, 24 February 1939, Page 7

ANTI-NAZISM

RIOTS IN AMERICA SEVERAL PEOPLE INJURED ANGRY SCENE IN HOUSE (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) NEW YORK, Feb. 23 George Washington’s birthday offered an opportunity for much skirmishing along the so-called “ dictatorship front." and a variety of occurrences both in Congress and out ’emphasised America’s great concern or interest in t.he entire question. Among the most important of these occurrences were:

First, several persons were Injured when an anti-Nazi mob stormed the Deutches Haus at Los Angeles, where members of the German-American Bund were giving a party to celebrate Washington's birthday. Herr Herman Schwinn, the West Coast director of the Bund, threatened to clear the streets .with his own Storm Troopers if the police were unable to do so. Second, in the House of Representatives, Mr Martin strongly attacked the New York Bund meeting of last Monday as traitorous. Danger of German Raid Thirdly, a member of the Civil Aeronautics Authority informed the Senate that Germany could raid the United States from South America. Fourthly, the Senate Military Affairs Committee recommended an upward limit of 0000 service aeroplanes instead of the 5500 authorised by the Bill passed by the House last week. Fifthly, Mr Melvin .T. Maas (Republican closed the debate in the House on the Naval Bases Bill with the declaration: “I personally am convinced that Japan has fortified islands of the Caroline or Marshall groups, which are nearer to 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. Alleged Conflict In Tunisia Sixthly, reports have been received of an ltalo-French brush in Tunisia which, although categorically denied from Paris and Rome, gave point to Mr Roosevelt’s expressions of apprehension regarding the European situation, the New York Times stating that apparently he knew about the Tunisian conflict when he made his observations that the European situation might require his early return from the Caribbean. Mr Martin, addressing the House, bitterly attacked the Ger-man-American meeting held in New Yor.k on Monday, and also assailed Herr Hitler, whom he called a “ pagan dictator."

Referring to the salutation of Herr Fritz Kuhn, the Bund leader, to his audience as “my fellow Christian Americans,” Mr Martin said: “Among other delusions growing from the world war was the delusion that it rid us of the hyphenated American—only to find that we have in his place a 100 per cent. Hun, on whose lips the words ‘ my fellow Christian Americans ’ are nothing less than barefaced mockery. A Fagan Dictatorship “ These are words taken from a pagan dictatorship which has denied God, suppressed the Bible, and persecuted Christianity. “ Every man who attended the Bund meeting and sympathised with It is a traitor to the American Government. 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.