Evening star., 1921-01-17
SEMITIC
PROPAGANDA IN US.
John Spargo Prints Protest
Indosed by President
Wilson and Others.

BENNINGTON, VT, January IA
protest against antI-Semitic propa-
;-ganda in the United States, bearing
, the names of President Milson. Will
!, liam II. Taft. Cardinal OConnell and
116 other widely known men and
women of Christian faith, was made
public here last night by John Spargo,
socialist writer. Ii eXhorts particu-
larly those who are "molders of pub
, lie opInion-the clergy and ministers
of all Christian churches, publicists.
teachers, editors and stateSmen-to
strike at this un-American and un-
Christian agitation"
I'VE regret exceedingly" the pro-
test said. the publication of num-
Der of books. pamphlets and news
paper articles designed to foster dis
| trust and suspicion of our fellow citi-
Zens of Jewish ancestry and faith
distrust and suspicion of their 10y
atty and their patriotism"
"New and Dangerous Spirit
. A new and dangerous spirit, it as
serted, is being introduced into the
national political life by these publi
cations challenging and menacing
American citizenship and American de-
mocracy. Men and women of Jewish
faith. it declared should not be re-
quired alone to fight this evil, but
that it is in a very special sense the
duty of citizens who are not Jews by
ancestry and faith"
To Mr.. SpargoS request for his ap
proval of the protest. President Will
son wrote:
Il have your letter of December %
and l am heartily in sympathy with
the protest against the anti-Semitic
movement. l beg that you will add
my name to the signatures"
Note by Senator Harding.
President-elect Harding. in letter
made public by Mr.. Spargo. declared
his disapproval of anti-Semitism, but
expressed a desire to avoid creating
a precedent by signing the protest.
He wrote:
Il am sure you can understand
! why, at the present time. l am seek
ing the avoidance of undue publicity
and reluctant to make public state
ments relating to any of our pending
problems. | am no less sure that
saNou already know, and that the Amer
Jean people already believe, that 1
am giving no sanction to anything
so narrow. SO intolerant or so un-
American as the anti-Semitic move
. ment. / have been preaching the
. gospel of understanding and good
will and no one who believes in these
things and hopes for the concord of
Americas can be interested in. an
other movement aimed against any
. portion of our American citizenship
Reasons for Protest.
we protest against TINS organized
campaign of prejudice and hatred"
the signers declared, mot only be-
cause of it's manifest injustice to
: those against whom it is directed,
but also and especially because we
are convinced that it is wholly in
compatible with loyal and intelligent
American citizenship.
1.-The loyalty and patriotism Of our
fellow citizens of the Jewish faith"
it added, "is equal to that of any
part of our people and requires no
defense at our hands,"
Secretary of State Colby sent his
approval by cable from South America.
Others who signed were Secretary
of War Baker; Secretary of Agri-
culture Meredith: former Secretaries
of State Bryan and. Lansing; former
Secretary of War Lindley NJ. Gar
rison; former Secretary of the Inter-
for Franklin x. Lane and former At
torney General George w. Wicker
sham.
Several college presidents. includ-
. ing Nicholas Murray Butler Of Column
!. bia University. and Thomas J: sha-
: han, rector OF the Catholic Univer-
: sity Of America. besides a number of
!. churchmen. aFe in the list of signers.