- Headline
-
Lindbergh Following Line Of Nazi Propaganda Agent In America, Berle Asserts
- Publication Date
- Tuesday, October 7, 1941
- Historical Event
-
Charles Lindbergh Makes ‘Un-American’ Speech
This database includes 1,447 articles about this event - Article Type
- Newspaper
- Location
- Page Section and Number
- 2
- Author/Byline
- AP
- Article Text
- New York, October 6—(AP)—Adolf A. Berle, Jr., Assistant Secretary of State, tonight accused Charles A. Lindbergh of "following the exact line which has been laid down in Berlin for the use of Nazi propagandists in the United States."
In an address prepared for delivery before the Harvard Graduate School of Business at the Harvard Club here, Berle said the State Department not long ago learned of some of the instructions sent out from Berlin to Nazi agents abroad.
These included, he said, instructions that "a howl was to be raised that President Roosevelt was attempting to become a dictator; that he would impose on America the kind of dictatorship that Hitler had imposed on Germany."
"There was the usual suggestion," Berle added, "that this dictatorship would be a dictatorship of Jews."
Berle continued:
"It is a matter of coincidence that somewhat later we were favored by two speeches from Mr. Lindbergh. One of them asserted that Mr. Roosevelt, assisted by a Jewish clique, was plunging us into war—although any sane person could see that the war was, in fact, plunging toward us. The second speech insinuated that the President would call off the congressional elections of 1942 and thereby make himself dictator. Naturally, no evidence was offered of this amazing yarn.
"However sincere the motives of Mr. Lindbergh may have been, I think you will agree with me that he is following the exact line which has been laid down in Berlin for the use of Nazi propagandists in the United States. This illustrates the danger of betraying one of the most precious heritages of a free people—freedom of speech—by irresponsible statements."
Berle said that every fragment of information reaching him "shows the growing stream of corruption which has entered into the Nazi-controlled life in Germany."
"The little politicians have minor licenses to loot—the loot of Jewish victims, or other refugees," he continued. "The great politicians have their cut in practically every business within the conquered area; these, as well as a part of these so-called guaranteed profits of German businessmen, roll in to swell the huge fortunes of Nazi leaders. Nothing is too small to escape attention. Shops in conquered Paris have been asked to accept a German partner and later to hand over their names, their reputations, and their future into the hands of a military conqueror.
"Eventually, of course, this crookedness will destroy the German machine and everything in it. But, it behooves us to use every effort lest it does not destroy the world—and ourselves with it—before it finally crashes." - History Unfolded Contributor
- Amy P.
- Location of Research
- Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com)
Learn More about this Historical Event: Charles Lindbergh Makes ‘Un-American’ Speech
- The United States and the Holocaust (Encyclopedia article)
- Transcript of Lindbergh’s September 11, 1941, speech in Des Moines, Iowa (PBS, American Experience)
- Fallen Hero: Charles Lindbergh in the 1940s (PBS, American Experience)
- Charles Lindbergh's - September 11, 1941 Speech in Des Moines, Iowa (partial audio; Spirit of St. Louis 2 Project)
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