Gerald L. K. Smith - Spider in America's Fascist Web
GLASSMAN, MURRAY EVERETT and JEROME K.
Gerald L. K. Smith — Spider in America's Fascist Web Portrait of an Indiana Preacher From White Collar to Silver Shirt By MURRAY EVERETT and JEROME K. GLASSMAN I AST week in Detroit Congressmen...
...Tot Smith's activities ate atekj costly and such as can be borne <wryggg| large membership...
...Gerald L. K. Smith — Spider in America's Fascist Web Portrait of an Indiana Preacher From White Collar to Silver Shirt By MURRAY EVERETT and JEROME K. GLASSMAN I AST week in Detroit Congressmen Clew Hoffmen spoke st n meeting sponsored bj Gerald L. K. Smith's "America First Party/ Several months sen, Senator Gerald P. Nye shared the platform with Gerald Smith at s meeting ia Chicago...
...thank God for the little favors—for example (these are from Mr...
...Wheeler who informed Ik Smith that the demonstrators "wools bt tat to the East steps of the capital, about 2 pa, where some Senators will speak to you sail fp-tures will be taken...
...Id oar society you ¦assent to something, as a member of a greens, if you here economic power, the tow, er social opinisu on your slue...
...Coughlin had entered into en alliance with Francis Townsend of the Old-Age panacea movement to promote ex-Congressman William Lemke for the Presidency on the Social Justice Psrty ticket Smith's role at that time was to make the crude appeals to -.he lunatic fringe...
...The Hot Springs Conference—Food For All When the War Is Won By ARNE SKAUO Msrweatea Delegate at Hot Springs' Conference THE United Nations Conference on Food and Agriculture convened May 18 this year in Hot Springs, Va...
...r After the conference President Roosevelt addressed the delegates at a reception, at the White Bouse and said: "The conference could not have failed to be significant, because it was the first United Nations Conference...
...Few know the extent of Smith's membership...
...How far would Mr...
...it aha fin bull's eye with every paragraph h h straight from the shoulder: it is gettos et to e consul alive manner...
...Gerald Smith's introduction to the Detroit scene, his present stamping grounds, came vis Father Coughlin with whom he hooked up in 1936...
...who will accept nothing but complete social equality ? Who are these leaders ? Are they Walter White, W, E. B. DuBois, Lester Granger, Eugene Kinckle Jones, Dean William H. Hastie, Judge Charles E. Teney, Judge Hubert T. Delaney...
...A great number ef resolutions were offered from the Hot Springs Conference...
...Senator Reynold...
...changing the name of the American I'toetonb', to the National Record...
...the GersJS* organ...
...On May 10, lfatl...
...It is only to be hoped that the resolutions and recommendations will he as willingly adopted by the governments of the.United Nations...
...The "professional boys" of the Long machine who were using Louisiana as a huge pork barrel would have nothing to do with him...
...The results of the work of the Hot Springs Conference are so far only laid down in reports and recommendations, but there is an impressive number of them...
...His statements were violent and crass...
...StsanW Reynolds, who is chairman of the Military Affairs Committee, wrote Smith: "Let me con gra to late yea with my-hi heart upon your first edition...
...They say that the Negroes hhon^be left to the white people...
...The conference itself was fully aware that a conference of this kind could toy down only basic principles and that it would be necessary to have some kind of international organization to carry on the work of the conference in order to achieve practical results...
...There is no social equality among Negroes, not any more than among white persons...
...I dare say that Mr...
...important problems relating to food and agriculture Jn the post-war world...
...AM The loosely-lsid'strsnds of Americas stoaasp are ttghtening'into a coordinated wtk «g*f of the spiders wearing that web fo flesawnunu, K. Smith...
...I believe everybody who participated in the Hot Springs Conference was of the opinion that it succeeded beyond expectations...
...Smith soon came into his niche...
...But on July 23, 1943, Gerald L. K. Sraitsi "The Cross and the Flag" WeVJ J1STPCC VtJ tee* Washington Federal Grand Jury in the tonet-ment of S3 alleged seditionisU as being oat ef the papers actively used in the conspiracy ¦ spread sedition...
...the tapping feet of Bill Robinson...
...the "night-shirt" fssrtst, who in a letter to Mrs...
...The authority he could cite is the Negro-baiting Governor of South Carolina, the Honorable Olin D. Johnston, who, on July 15th, told his State Guard that "if any outsiders come into our State ard agitate social equality among races, I shall deem it my duty to call upon you men to help expel them...
...Without the law, the Negro stands naked and undefended...
...The argument is transparent: the Negro wants social equality— the Negro wants the moon...
...improvements will be made as the white folk become more and more benevolent...
...it shock as re fat appeal for it speaks the truth...
...The problem of how to attain a higher production was considered in detail by the Conference...
...From rabble-rousing activities with a hoodlum gang he hai moved up into the social circles of Congressmen and Senators, society women and corporation executives...
...They aid'not.have any authority to bind their respective governments...
...When this is the situation in the United States it is easy to understand that in most of the other countries of the world there will also be deficits if everybody is to have enough to oat, and the Hot Springs Conference brought out very clearly this important lesson: That vastly increased production facilities sre needed if everyone shall get enough to eat...
...Smith's financial aonsaug are a secret...
...Only through' work of that kind will it be possible to secure s just and lasting peace...
...It wss decided to set up such an international organisation, ft is called the United Nations Interim Commission on Food and Agriculture and has already started its work ha Washington as athsd uled...
...Thurgood Marshall, Professor Leon A: Ransom...
...It preached race hatred and stirred rest prejudice...
...ries on the masthead of i his paper the stH "America for Americans...
...he sets his teeth...
...One thing was...
...the head of a Negro insurance company does not go vacationing with one of the company's agents...
...they know how to be fair to them...
...Itsjiajg, ments were scurrillous and filled with a^ang ._ against "aliens and foreigners...
...Smith on April 14, VHi...
...of the poeuutaen of the...
...Later he was to learn the value of insinuation and its more subtle and pointed uses...
...JB The crucial importance of Gerald L. K.g*"" • is that he articulates or expresses to"^,, conclusions of what msng "resnectoasb^J**^ tors and Congressmen are thinking or VPRPJ privately...
...It cannot be very large, for that type of organizational structure does not permit ^ ex tensive gspwth...
...The real question is: What's the matter with Robert Moses...
...for the innocent "Times" reader inevitably associates this demand with the possibility of his daughter or sister marrying a Negro: whereupon hie shudders...
...This conference has been a living demonstration of the methods by which the conversations of nations of like mind contemplated by Article VII of the Mutual Aid Agreement can and will give practical application' to the Principles of the Atlantic Charter...
...Smith too ss intense admiration for Reynolds and hat set* posed Reynolds for President of the UsJjg States...
...The Conference's recommendations furnish line* for future action...
...The president of Fisk University does not invite the scrubwomen to his table...
...That may be true...
...As they now stand the recommendations deal with many controversial subjects, but it was nevertheless possible after discussions a nd^cftor'necessary exchange of points of view to agree upon all the basic principles involved...
...Moses is of the settled opinion that little or nothing can be accomplished by the Negro through the law...
...Membership in the groups is secret and the "cell principle" is followed...
...But what they could do and what they did do, was to discuss the important problems ahead of us and to lay down such principles for action as were in their expert opinion the right ones in order to achieve improvement of the world's living standards...
...As a delegate he objected, because..he argued, "you cannot isgwlsts tolerance...
...The magazine was cruel and virapsrao...
...Without financial support and a readily availsble platform, Smith's efforts collapsed...
...Certainly a theatre fa as "priyate aa institution as is the proposed Project, yog universally such a provision in civil rights team (there are- sack lams aa eighteen states) has been uphold as constitutional The emphasis on "private" interests comes hardly with good grace from a public planner, who baa...
...est radio station in Detroit...
...Meandering down from Indiana, Smith was attracted by the wild shenanigans of the late Huey Long and he soon added his bellowing voice to the tumult being raised by the Louisiana Kingfish...
...Moses have gotten as a planner without the aid of the law...
...There is little question taet usl portent wealthy interests are backing the SM preacher...
...Writing of civil rights and.tolerance in New York City, he said: ''There are stories of unrest among our colored citizens...
...MR...
...But it has succeeded ' even beyond our hopes...
...They came together as united in the greatest war in the history of mankind and with the hope of starting to build the pence...
...In the next tut years he had enlarged his contacts to unjust some of the leading isolationists and apposons in the country...
...Civil Bights Lair, exclusion from, or segregation in, theatres, is illegal...
...It is not enough to enable agriculture to increase its production unless other people are in a position to buy and consume the increased production...
...and after this ii does not matter what your opponent says, foi all his statements, emanating from an unreasonable source, are tainted with insanity...
...Hew many times has he had dealings with obstinate landowners who refused to negotiate with him, and how far would be have gotten without the right to condemn property...
...The nutritional section of the Hot Springs Conference discussed these needs very carefully...
...The conference, however, fully realized that the food problem and the agricultural problem cannot be solved in any way as isolated problems...
...BBven in the United States, which has vast productive facilities in sgricultural and other food producing industries, the situa-¦ t i. i . , a—jiiui ii tien Is that there would be a deficit of feed , • stuffs if all the people of the country could have the minimum diet which the mitri-tionsl experts ssy is seeded...
...In order, tor,: sever this deficit it would he accessary to ¦ increase the acreage of the United States by almost 13 per cent and even then there would be no production surplus left over for export...
...What most impressed those who were present was, I believe, the sincerity with which the delegates went to work and their ardent attempts to...
...the hag...
...It is oaf yos did it ia black and white...
...Smith and fh...
...and the law ia important as attracting either er both of the ethers...
...As I mentioned above, we did not deal with these immediate relief problems at the conference, bat we did discuss the immediate post-war problems which are likewise of great importance to our country...
...The masses have bean educates ' to understand what is meant," " "The Cross and the Flag" soon won tat approved of leading isolationist leaders...
...This group's first project est to launch a magazine called "The Cross sad fie Flag...
...And "thereby, says atri Moses, the whole provision was rendered meaningless...
...This - contribution hardly servos to keep the Project entirely "private...
...Yet when it came te the question of the Board of Estimate of New York approving or disapproving plana of the Stuyresant Town Project of the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, which would bar Negroes as tenants, Mr...
...Under the...
...Luiu Wbsbut, Mrs...
...The Metropolitan Project will not be built . unless the city undertakes to exercise its right to condemn property on behalf of the builder, donate the public streets aad great partial tax immunity for a quarter of a century...
...witness their opposition to the passage of any anti-poll tax legislation or the enfl-Jjrnching tow...
...There are no constitutions* sanctions to enforce the Ten Commandments...
...Channing H. /Tobias...
...As a nation which traditionally depends to a large extend on foreign relations and foreign trade, we are also anxious to see the general principles of international economic relations which are laid down in the recommendations from Hot Springs, brought into practice...
...Many were supported bi h. Austria...
...regarding her "Women's" sctivities said: "Your literature does not need to state the word Jew...
...the plan for the memorial to Jamas WwSia.Johnson...
...The reason why Gerald Sntttn^JJi welcome Robert Reynolds as President fa understandable...
...Moses a meaningless gesture...
...Gerald Smith was an unknown preacher then howling to the empty pews and empty winds of small Indiana churches...
...Here is one mast* anP an article in the Record: * _ jjf "The people are being made rofsffto- J minded through the usual higb-paesonw ^ propaganda sponsored by the Jews...
...Thus, this heavy-set smooth-faced ex-preacher —once Silver-Shirt member 3223—"has come i long way in the right circles,'' as his old associate William Dudley Peiley must remark to himself in the solitude of his'Federal prison Gerald Smith is successful...
...It was a long and arduous climb, beginning in the murky and fearfilled days of 1930 when native fascism was first sinking in its roots...
...In Norway we have a serious food problem at the present time...
...One man in the cell will be the liaison man with other cells...
...iufc- • „' On Robert Moses and Discrimination ••¦1...
...The impression this makes is that Mr...
...The detogntes in Hot- Springs < represented-about three-fourth...
...reach the beet possible and simultaneously unanimous decisions...
...This is all to the good...
...Bui this has not stopped sad-out Congressmen and Senators from euflshs™ ing with Smith and speaking at the same Buntings with him...
...HowShpuldNegroesFight forTheirRights...
...Gerald Smith supervised a "pilgrimage" to wssahto ton to protest lend-lease...
...Reynold's viewpoints and stotesutns are such that Gerald L. K. Smith could song* quite easily without moving much from hfcegh, Senator Reynolds formerly published e pspsi called the American Vindicator...
...They say you cannot legislate tolerance...
...Approximately 200 delegates and advisors representing 44 nations sat together for more than two weeks attempting to draw up'the main outlines for the solution of the...
...To say that Negro leaders, or even that some of them, want social equality, and will accept nothing else, is to lay the groundwork for the most vicious of prejudices...
...For us of Norway tills conference was of course of very great importance and in tradition with our positive attitude towards all types of international collaboration, we, as all the others, were very anxious to help to make the Hot Springs Conference a success...
...Our people have been on insufficient rations for a long period of time and the food situation in the country is growing worse and worse .all the time...
...The auto city hao long tots* a flourishing^ center for various fascist eas...
...MOSES does not stop there...
...In "The New York Times Magazine t*uijr31) Robert Moses made use of this mischievous type of argument...
...One of the leading speakers for this organup-tion was Laura In gal Is who waa indicts* jsr failing to register as an agent of the Cants government...
...By MILTON R. fXOffVfT2 TTHERE is no easier trick in an argument thai * to accuse your opponent of wanting th« moon...
...The importance of the conference in that respect can hardly be overestimated...
...Meoes's article), Harry Burleigh singing the requiem at the funeral of John Pierpont Morgan...
...MOSES, apparently, stands, as he puts it, with the Negro leaders who fellow in the footsteps ot Booker T. Washington, and concentrate on improvements in housing, health, physical conditions, and on wider opportunity in employment...
...If a business man were to 1 make a contribution to the venture, of equal worth, h o would certainly have the right to claim a partnership interest to a substantial extent...
...It has been said that there has never been any other international conference like the Hot Springs Conference...
...At one time in the campaign Smith told an audience: "Let's put all of Rosenfeld's [Roosevelt's] Jews on a boat to Russia, and let's hope it sinks te the bottom of the ocean...
...With the law—the legislatures and courts—on his stun, he is on the high road with hope in his heart...
...A bullet cut short Huey Long's career and Smith sought to gather the threads of the organization into his own hands...
...they were more "practical...
...gross and the courts have put lesh and bones on these phrases, so that they do have significance...
...In two nmmhj he was broadcasting on Station WJR...
...The public will not be a partner, but it certainly has a very obvious legitimate interest in the proposed undertaking...
...A few days later the Governor was answered by the Negro Citizens' Committee of his State, who wrote him: "Cool, level-headed leaders of our racial groups have never advocated, nor desire, the much talked-of 'social equality', which has been used to breed unrest, and even hate, among races...
...It was dear at the conference that all those who met there were anxious to reach positive results and to reach agreements which would point out the way of the future...
...Negroes, like white persons, move in their own professions, classes, castes...
...In reaching unanimity upon complex and difficult problems, you have demonstrated beyond question that the United Nations really are united—not only for the prosecution of the war, but for the solution of the many and difficult problems of peace...
...he says with determination: "They shall not pass...
...y Who, I should like Mr...
...V e e e FROht a Snore long-term point of view the Problem will be slightly different...
...When the war is over, we shall need great import of agricultural products and also import of agricultural equipment in order to reconstruct our agricultural production...
...The Sou thorn gentry do not believe in the efficacy of the law When it comes to doing something for the Negro...
...The Conference itself did not deal with ibe-pMsUem of relief—a topic which will be treated at a special United Nations conference some time this fall...
...All you have.to de hi enter to place the blame where the people* eat understand it is to accuse the toternattenal bankers...
...His recent activities show that he hay entree into those circles...
...interests who used them to divide ant attempt te destroy the United Auto Uorketa...
...Moses cannot name ode Negro leader...
...What the Hot Springs Conference did was to try to analyse she situation the world will face when the war is over...
...LESS than one month after Pearl Rarest, Smith formed his "Inner Circle" to "snow* the war effort...
...Gerald Smith's wife travels in similar 'tonal circles...
...Thus, one cell will consist of ton members who will know each other, but not know the members of any other cells...
...You cannot legislate tolerance by constitutional amendment or statute...
...lMsgatss from one country after another gave information concerning their country...
...Gerald P. Nye, Mrs...
...For that reconstruction work the Hot Springs Conference will give impulse of great importance...
...That's the only place for Jews...
...That makes him out as a totally unreasonable or irresponsible man...
...With the help of Mrs...
...He points out that at the tost New York State Constitutional Convention nn amendment was offered which provided that no person shall, because of race, color, creed or religion, b« subject to any discrtotwntion by any other person* firm, corporation, ,<jr institution...
...world...
...The stoga*^ once carried en the masthead of the DeafisJ Wockruf und Beobackter...
...intimate taseartedgi of the ways in which private interests have crested and contributed to the most crucial problems of our day...
...Today Gerald Smith is a "friend" of Senator Robert Rice Reynolds, Senator Gerald P. Nye, Congressman Roy Woodruff of Michigan, Congressman Clare Hoffman et al...
...With this primary education Smith packed his suitcase and started off for more fertile pastures...
...The war has changed Senator Reynokte* e> tivittos in this direction only to the exttot ff...
...As a'result the delegates inserted the words "in his civil righto", after the word, "discrimination...
...The delegates to the Conference were all experts in different fields—in nutrition, in agriculture, in economics...
...The women wen h-ceived by Mrs...
...What, then, is left for the Negro ? The answer is: he must he- satisfied with slow progress...
...The term "civil rights" is no looser than the term "due profess of tow" and "cental protection of the law," as those phrases are need ia the Federal Constitution...
...I had the great pleasure of taking part in the Hot Springs Conference as a member of thy Norwegian delegation...
...It is also to be hoped, that the conference in Hot Springs on Food-and Agriculture was just a beginning, and that it wilt be followed by similar conferences in other fields...
...Smith picked up a terminology, brushed up his crowd-rousing, and learned some rough-house organisational tactics...
...Moses to say, are the Negro leaders who want social equality...
...Gerald Smith set up headquarters in Dshnjg in January 1939...
...Of greatest interest is Gerald Smith's frssnV ship with Robert Rice Reynolds...
...namely, that there it hardly any coun-tryiin the world today which is in the position of AOtaMp a real overproduction of food products...
...crackpot groups...
...and many of them, certainly the Negro leaders, would cunshtoi millions of white persons their social inferiors...
...Moses came out in favor of the Project...
...clear from the material submitted to this section...
...it is truly epoch-making because...
...QMITH'S organisational vehicles have had different names, variously the Committee of Ten Thousand, the Committee of One Million and currently the America First Party...
...Ordinsrfijr * was unobtainable in New York, except srimtl, was peddled outside America First, CnruTtllS Front and German Bund meetings...
...The qnes-tion .of food and agriculture in a normal world and from a long-time point of view can be stated thusly: First to determine what the needs sre among the various peoples of the world, and secondly to organize production in such a way-that it will be possible to meet these needs...
...Geraldine Parker created and directed "Wasps United, Inc.," which organized isolationist shd anti-British propaganda among women's f^esto...
...Moses entitled his article, "What's the Matter With New York...
...Teeth in the provision are provided by the Civil Rights Act of New York, which defines the scope of "civil rights" as the phrase is used in the Constitution...
...To solve this problem it will be necessary already now to start to increase production in those parts of the world where this is possible today...
...His talents in mobilising tat lunatic fringe, organizing personnel, and psneus ing to the crude prejudices of mobs, was useful to the "respectable" leaders of Americas heu> tionism...
...He combined a leather-lunged voice and rabble-rousing temperament with a "know-nothing" philosophy end warped • prejudices, j These talents soon led him into • union with WdMiam Dudley Peiley and the fascist "Silver-Shirt" movement...
...he bars the doors and windows of his mind...
...Different aspects of agricultural production were discussed—questions like soil conservation, agricultural credit, research and education, agricultural cooperatives, fertilisers, etc As a result of these discussions a series of recommendations on the technical aspects of agriculture were offered...
...aay>¦ %e systematically building a Jewish ssnoj^^gj in this country instead of in Pstos*is*-~*>JCB Following the nationalistic and ultas-pffsmu line that the fascist-minded groups ntj* country have adopted...
...Nor is the constitutional provision referred to by Mr...
...It followed the precepts laid town by George Deatherage...
...It will be the task <4 this organization to carry on the work started in Hot' Springs, and to lay the groundwork for the establishment of a penaaxntit organization in this field, which we hone ene day shall be the successor of the Interim Commission...
...At that time there will be a treat need for agricultural products and stagy food stuffs in many countries of the werld and the first task before us will be to oimultaneously restore sgricultural production in countries which have been occupied and devastated end secure extra imports for these countries until they can themselves carry on normal production...
...There are Negro leaders who will accept nothing but complete social equality...
Vol. 26 • August 1943 • No. 33
