1937, and was sent by Orgell from his home at Great Kills, S.I.:
Dear Mr. Gissibl:
Many thanks for your prompt reply. My complaint that one cannot
get an answer from Chicago refers to the time prior to May,
1937.
I assume from your writing that it is not opportune any more to
deliver further books to the _Arbeitsgemeinschaft_, etc.
The material which Mr. Balderman received came from the
V.D.A.[21] It has been sent to our Central Book distributing
place (Mirbt). If he wishes he can get more any time; that is,
if you recommend it.
The thirty books for your Theodore Koerner School, which arrived
this summer (via the German Consulate General in Chicago), also
came from the V.D.A. If you need more first readers or study
books, please write directly to me. Your request then goes
immediately--without the official way via the Consulate and
Foreign Office--to our Central Book distributing place. Please
say how many you need and what else beside the first readers and
primers[22] you need. I will take care that it will be promptly
attended to. Fritz Kuhn, of course, has to be informed of your
request and has to give his okay....
With German greetings,
CARL G. ORGELL.
Five days earlier Orgell had written to Gissibl: "You may perhaps
remember that I am in charge of the work for the _Volkbund fuer das
Deutschtum im Ausland_[23] for the U.S.A."
[Illustration: A letter the Dies Committee shelved--Carl G.
Orgell identifying himself to Peter Gissibl as a representative
of the People's Bund for Germans Living Abroad.]
On March 18, 1938, Gissibl, who had been taking instructions from
Orgell, received the following letter from Stuttgart:
Dear Peter:
From your office manager. Comrade Moeller, I received a letter
dated February 15. He informed me among other things that an
exchange of youth is out of the question for this year. I regret
this very much. I would like to see, in the interests of our
common efforts, if we would have had youth all ready this year,
especially also from your district. Perhaps it is still
possible with your support. The time, of course, which is still
at our disposal, is very limited. This I can see clearly.
I will write to you again in greater detail soon. In the
meantime you can perhaps send me more detailed information about
the development of your school during the past weeks; I
recommend again the fulfillment of your justified wishes
wholeheartedly. Let us hope that the result might be achieved
very soon towards which we in common strive.
Hearty greetings from house to house.
In loyal comradeship,
Yours,
G. MOSHACK.
On May 20, 1938, E.A. Vennekohl, of the People's Bund for Germans
Living Abroad, wrote to Gissibl as follows:
Dear Comrade Gissibl:
We wrote you yesterday that the 3,000 badges for the singing
festival would be sent to you via Orgell; for various reasons we
have now divided the badges in ten single packages of which two
each went to the following addresses: Friedrich Schlenz, Karl
Moeller, Karl Kraenzle, Orgell and two to you.
Please inform your co-workers respectively and take care that in
case duties have to be paid they should be laid out; please see
to it that Orgell refunds the money to you later; this was the
simplest and the only way by which the badges could be sent in
order to arrive on time.
With the German people's greetings,
E.A. VENNEKOHL.
These documents in the hands of the Dies Committee show definite
tie-ups between German propaganda divisions and agents in the United
States (some of them came through the Nazi diplomatic corps), yet
these documents were put aside. The letters from True, Allen, and
others quoted in the previous chapter were also placed before the
Congressional Committee. It refused to call the men involved.
[Illustration: Another letter connecting Gissibl with a German
propaganda agency. This letter, translated in the text, was
hardly noticed by the Dies Committee.]
[Illustration: Further evidence of Gissibl's tie-up with the
People's Bund for Germans Living Abroad. This letter, a
translation of which appears in the text, was also long withheld
by the Dies Committee.]
FOOTNOTES:
[20] Formerly known as J. Parnell Feeney. He changed his name because he
thought he could get along better in the business world with a name like
Thomas than with a name as potently Irish as Feeney.
[21] Nazi propaganda center for foreign countries with headquarters in
Germany.
[22] The notorious Nazi Primer teaching children songs of hate against
Jews and Catholics.
[23] People's Bund for Germans Living Abroad.
_Conclusion_
The activities of the few agents and propagandists described in the
foregoing chapters do not, as I said in the preface, even scratch the
surface of what seem to be widespread efforts to interfere in the
internal affairs of the American people and their Government; but a
few basic conclusions can reasonably be drawn from what little is
known of the Fifth Column's operations.
Berlin-directed agents in foreign countries sometimes combine
propaganda and espionage, frequently using the propaganda
organizations as the bases for espionage. In the United States, so far
as I have been able to ascertain, agents of the Rome-Berlin-Tokyo axis
are just beginning to cooperate. In the Central and South American
countries, however, the axis has apparently agreed to a division of
labor, each of the fascist powers assuming a specific field of
activity.
Germany, Italy and Japan have already shown the extent to which they
will go in their drive for raw materials vital to their industries and
war machines. In Spain, the German and Italian Fifth Column organized
and fomented a bloody civil war in order to establish a wide fascist
area to the south of France, for Germany and Italy, of course,
consider France a potential enemy in the next war. In France itself,
German and Italian agents, aided by their Governments, built an
amazing network of steel and concrete fortifications manned by at
least 100,000 heavily armed men--all this before France awoke to the
treason within her own borders.
The strategy pursued by the Fifth Column in different countries falls
into like patterns. In Austria, before it was swallowed, Nazi agents
first established propaganda organizations as the bases from which to
work. When, after the abortive attempt to seize the Austrian
Government, the Nazis were made illegal, they went underground but
continued to get aid from Germany. Eventually Berlin ordered
_Standarte II_ organized as a specific body prepared to provoke
disturbances. When the Austrian police quelled them, the provocations
enabled Germany to protest that German citizens were being attacked
and mistreated. The activities of _Standarte II_, directed by the
Gestapo, continued with increasing intensity until the unfortunate
country was absorbed.
In Czechoslovakia the same strategy was followed: first the
establishment of propaganda centers to which Nazis and Nazi
sympathizers could gravitate--under the cloak of bodies seeking to
improve relations between the Sudeten Germans and the Czech
Government; then the utilization of propaganda headquarters and
branches as centers for espionage. Shortly before the Munich Pact,
_Standarte II_ again came into being, creating disorders which, when
Czech police tried to suppress them, enabled Germany to raise the cry
that Czech subjects of German blood were being cruelly mistreated.
Invariably the aggressor nation raises a moral issue to cover up
proposed acts of aggression. Italy wanted to "civilize the Ethiopians"
by dropping bombs on defenseless women and children. Germany and Italy
openly sent aid to Franco "to keep Spain from being Bolshevized." And
so on. The broad "moral issue" on the international field to cover up
aggressions by the Rome-Berlin-Tokyo axis is "Communism." The axis,
announced as having been formed "to exchange information about
Communism," is really a military alliance now generally recognized.
With the same issue, the axis is now boring into the Western
Hemisphere. Actually the reasons seem to be military and not
missionary.
Germany, especially, has sent and is sending agents not only to carry
on espionage but to organize groups for political pressure upon the
American republics. I very much doubt, from all I have been able to
learn, if the motive is primarily to win the Americas over to the joys
of totalitarian government or to the theory of Aryan supremacy. The
money and the effort seem to be expended for more practical reasons.
The Bunds can exert not only political pressure, but can develop
natives with fascist leanings into the spies and _saboteurs_ so badly
needed in war time; for this reason it is worth the enormous effort
and money it is costing the aggressor nations.
When the long expected war breaks, neither Europe nor the Far East
will be in a condition to supply war materials and foodstuffs to the
warring countries. The chief sources of raw materials will be the
Western Hemisphere. A strong foothold in the Americas means a
tremendous advantage in the coming struggle, since materials are as
important to an army as is man power. And, should the fascist powers
be unable to get these raw materials for themselves, secret agents can
at least sabotage shipments to enemy countries--as did German agents
in the United States during the first years of the World War, while we
were still neutral.
Mexico, because of its enormous oil supplies, plays an important part
in fascist military strategy. Consequently, we find intensive efforts
by the axis, and especially Germany, to overthrow the Cardenas
Government because it is avowedly anti-fascist. A fascist government,
helped into power by the Rome-Berlin-Tokyo axis, could be depended
upon to supply much needed oil in war time.
The United States, as one of the world's greatest sources of raw
materials and foodstuffs, is an even more important factor. Germany
has not forgotten that its armies had the Allies on their knees when
American supplies and American man power turned their imminent victory
into defeat; should America be on the side of the democracies as
against the fascist powers, sabotaging shipments of supplies and men
will be as important as crushing an enemy line.
The tactics utilized in the Western Hemisphere by the Fifth Column are
similar to those used in Europe. Propaganda machines, masquerading as
organizations designed to promote better relationships between a
fascist and an American nation, are set up. Fascist movements are
organized, usually from across national boundaries. In Mexico, Nazi
agents operating out of the United States organized the Gold Shirts;
subsequently, as in Austria, a Putsch was attempted (in 1935 and again
in 1938). The storing of arms in Sonora by General Yocupicio, who is
working with Nazi agents, promises another rebellion when the time
seems ripe.
In Central America, the axis is presenting small republics with gifts
of arms in efforts to win their friendship. Agents sent from Germany
are establishing Nazi centers and the home Government is supplying
them with propaganda. In Panama the situation is somewhat more sharp.
There Japan has always had an intense interest in the Canal. In the
axis, Germany has become a co-worker since she has large colonies in
Brazil and Colombia, next door to the Panama Canal. These colonies are
now being organized at a feverish pace while the countries themselves
are deluged with propaganda over special short-wave beams. In Brazil,
a Nazi-directed abortive Putsch took place in 1938.
These activities point to an objective which certainly is not
calculated to be in the interest of the United States and our Monroe
Doctrine. From all indications the efforts appear directed toward
ringing the United States with fascist countries, or at least
countries with fascist bodies capable of giving the United States a
headache should she ever be involved in a war with one or all of the
axis powers.
In the United States itself we find that the strategy is the same as
that followed in Austria, Czechoslovakia and in countries of the
Western World. The German-American Bund functions "to promote better
relations between the United States and Germany," but the efforts
consist of persistent anti-American and anti-democratic propaganda
and, within the past year or two, of serving as a base for military
and naval spies.
With Germany directing the strategy, her agents in all countries raise
the issue of the "menace of the Jew and the Catholic," with especial
emphasis upon the Jew; the Catholics are still too strong for the
Nazis to come to grips with at this time.
The Federal Government, of course, has ample legal machinery for
prosecuting spies, but espionage is only part of the broad Nazi
campaign against this democratic Government. So far as the Western
World is concerned, the Federal Government has already taken steps to
try to counteract the short-wave broadcasts by German and Italian
government-controlled stations. Counter broadcasts are being employed
as a defensive measure, and though of value, will probably not
completely counteract fascist "news" agencies supplying propaganda in
the guise of news, free of charge, to the Central and South American
newspapers as well as printed propaganda sent from Germany and
distributed by the bunds. Outside of military action, economic
pressure seems to be the only language the fascist governments
understand, and a little of that pressure by the American Government
would probably make them understand our resentment at their invasion
far more than broadcasts and general talk about a family of nations in
the Western Hemisphere.
Our laws and courts provide a machinery which can be used to prevent
any infringement upon the democratically constituted rights of the
people. It is of vital importance, however, that preparations for
fascist lawlessness be vigilantly uprooted. The Italian and German
people made just this fatal mistake of tolerating the activities of
Mussolini's and Hitler's gangs until they grew strong enough to seize
power and crush every sign of democracy.
There is no reason why a great people, attacked by a pernicious
ideology, cannot counteract such propaganda with greater and more
intelligent propaganda to educate our people to the advantages of
democracy--to what fascism really means to everyone, including the big
industrialists and financiers, some of whom have been flirting with
fascism. The Government, however, can and should be instructed by the
representatives of the people, to take proper steps to stop the
infiltration of Nazi agents and propagandists into this country.
There are various other and perhaps more practical and useful steps
which can be taken, but those can be worked out once the people awake
to the danger of permitting fascist propaganda to go on, and sentiment
becomes strong enough to put an end to foreign-directed activities
here.
--THE END--
_This book has been produced wholly
under union conditions. The paper was
made, the type set, the plates
electrotyped, and the printing and
binding done in union shops affiliated
with the American Federation of Labor.
All employees of Modern Age Books,
Inc., are members of the Book and
Magazine Guild, Local No. 18 of the
United Office and Professional Workers
of America, affiliated with the
Congress of Industrial Organizations._
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