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Legislation Against Anti-jewish Propaganda in England Will Be Asked of Churchill

May 2, 1943
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Prime Minister Churchill will be asked in Parliament to consider the introduction of legislation making the spreading of anti-Jewish propaganda in England a penal offense, it was reported in the press here today.

The report coincides with the disclosure in London newspapers that a new Fascist conspiracy to intensify anti-Semitic activities in the country has been uncovered, involving fifteen British fascists who met at a country house somewhere in the Thames Valley last week to from the English National Association for the purpose of centralizing the spreading of anti-Jewish and Fascist propaganda throughout the country. High ranking army and navy officers and several lawyers are reported to have been among the conspirators.

The appeal to Prime Minister Churchill to outlaw anti-Semitic propaganda will be made by the Laborite deputy. Edwards, as a result of the constantly growing anonymous anti-Jewish agitation which reached a high point this week when thousands of leaflets charging the Jews with provoking the war appeared in the streets of London.

RELEASE OF FASCISTS GIVES NEW IMPETUS TO ANTI-JEWISH ACTIVITIES

The anti-Jewish campaign here has been conspicuously strengthened since the recent release from internment of a number of members of the British Union of Fascist and following the formation of the new British Peoples Party and other political groups which, in their programs, strongly resemble the dissolved Union of Fascists. The membership of these organizations is largely composed of members of the British Union of Fascists.

Employing clever tactics, the fascist groups are utilizing the fact that the war has turned in favor of the United Nations and are combining their propaganda against the continuance of the war and against the Jews. Their latest “argument” is; “Hitler is cracking soon, anyhow, therefore further sacrifices are useless and are being made only to satisfy Jewish desires for revenge.” This slogan resembles very closely the original propaganda of the dissolved British Union of Fascists in which the war was denounced as “staged by Jews to take revenge on Hitler.”

Jewish leaders here are unanimous in declaring that the increased anti-Jewish propaganda is far from being a spontaneous affair. They are emphatic in their claim that every stage of the anti-Semitic agitation is artificially fomented as a result of a consistent plan laid down by the pro-German and pro-Fascist elements in the country. They point to the fact that these elements have been carrying on their anti-Jewish activities during the last ten years and regret that these activities have never been checked by the authorities.

At the same time, Jewish leaders here today declared that public opinion in the country is seriously determined to prevent the spreading of anti-Jewish propagand by pro-Fascist elements. They expressed misgivings at the fact that some extremist groups are trying to exploit the situation by organizing separate campaigns to combat anti-Semitism, but emphasized their appreciation that the leaders of the church in England have taken a deep interest in stamping out the increased propaganda again Jews.

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