Evening star., 1942-07-07
Bund
Continued From First Page0

COQtulUcQ 70 1OSUeT NAIL OeuelS.
He said these would be the subject
Of further investigation. b.
Sought to Further Reich Aims.
Mr.. Correa said that under the
cloak of the name "A Militant Or
ganization of Free Americans" the
Bund organizations sought to fur
ther the political and propaganda
aims OF the German Reich. ..
The indictments strike at leaders
in New York, New Jersey, Penn
sylvania, Illinois, Minnesota, In
diana, Washington State and Cali
fornia.
One indictment alleged that on
October /, 1910, a command was is
sued over the name Of Kunze to all
bundists which technically urged
compliance with the Selective Serv-
ice Act, but added:
I'VE represent the standpoint,
however, that an induction In the
military service Is not justified as
far as it concerns Bund members
and American Germans, for in the
selective service law the citizenship
rights Of Bund members and the de-
tenders Of Germandom are uncon-
stitutionally severed.
Every man, If he can. will refuse
to do military duty until this law
and all other laws OF the country
and of the States which conflne
the citizenship rights Of bund men,
bers are revoked"
Two Witnesses Kill Selves.
Mr.. Correa declined to say how
many bundists inducted into the
Army had followed the command,
but did say that Army officials had
arrested number Of men who said
they would not fight against the
German fatherland.
Another command. also issued In
Kunze's name, advised members not
to mention their connection with the
bund when complying with alien reg
istration requirements.
For the last several months inves.
legations into the bund have been ir
progress, and at least two witnesses
committed suicide rather than tes.
tify before the grand jury. George
Froebese of Milwaukee jumped under
a railroad train in Indiana, while
George Schwindl, a prospective wit.
ness, took his life in New York BY
gas.
Others Indicted.
Among those named in both in.
dictments were: Wilbur v. Keegan
counsel for the Amerika Deutschel
volkesbund until last January, Will
of1lces at Teaneck, N. j.; Angus
Klapprott, leader Of the bund's East
ern department.; William Luedtke o
Saddle River Township, N. j., secre
tary Of the bund Gustav Elmer
national treasurer Of New York.
Attorney General Biddle said IL
Washington that the Justice De
pArtment would carry on vigorou
and unrelenting attack against tn
enemies of the United States
whether they attempt to land upol
our shores from Nazi submarines o
whether they attempt to destroy u
from within"
This is war" Mr. Biddle declared
in a statement, land we will f1gh
with every weapon at our com
mand."
He described the indictment o
% national and sectional off1cer
OF the German American Bund a
simply another phase OF the de
partment's intensified campaig
against actual or potential saboteur
of Americas war effort"
Indicted on Two Counts.
Others indicted on both count
were: DR.. Otto Willumeit, head G
the Chicago division OF the Bune
now awaiting sentence in Hartfor
on his plea of guilty to espionag
conspiracy, and Herman Schwinl
interned leader of the Bund's West
ern district.
Another national leader, Hug
Richard Steimle, interned nations
youth leader, was indicted only o
the selective service charge.
Others described as unit leader
and indicted on both counts, exceI
where noted, were: Otto Fentske, Al
Max Rapp, Hugo Weiss, Brur
Clemens Knupfer, William c. Kunz
John August Grill. Walter Borcher
Carl Bregler, all Of New York Cit.
Karl A. Bachmann and Karl Ricf
ard Wendlandt. both OF Buf1al'
Louis Schatz. Troy, N. Y; Ern
Martin Christoph, Summit, N. j..
Also John c. Fitting, Union Cit
n. j.: Ferdinand Callsen, Sout