I edited and supplemented the information supplied by leolaia
about Rutherford's antisemitism.
Why does Penton add the phrase "before the end of the year"
to p.18 of "The Crisis"? Did Rutherford make a prediction in
his speech that was edited out of the book version?
http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/watchtower/scandals/115448/9/Golden-Age-Goodies
Here's what I have so far:
****
Antisemitism--the Rutherford-McFadden connection
This clarifies what kind of antisemitism Rutherford taught.
Thanks to leolaia at jehovahswitness.net for pointing it out
and supplying some of the research material.
http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/watchtower/scandals/237993/1/Rutherfords-love-letter-to-Hitler
Louis Thomas McFadden (1876-1936) was a Republican U.S. Representative from
Pennsylvania in Congress from 1915 to 1935.
http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=M000434
On June 10, 1932, McFadden made a 25-minute speech--a Federal Reserve conspir-
acy theory rant--before the House of Representatives.
http://www.publiceye.org/conspire/flaherty/flaherty10.html
http://modernhistoryproject.org/mhp?Article=McFadden1932&E=FedResBoard
http://www.scribd.com/doc/16502353/Congressional-Record-June-10-1932-Louis-T-McFadden
"The Crisis," released in early 1933, was a booklet containing three radio
talks that Rutherford had given in the United States. ("Watchtower," Nov.1, 1991,
pp.26-27)
"The campaign with the Crisis booklet led to a ban in Bavaria on April 13.
This was followed by bans in Saxony on April 18, in Thüringen on April 26, and in
Baden on May 15. Other German states followed." (Watchtower "1974 Yearbook," p.
109)
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Crisis-Booklet-1933-Watchtower-Jehvoah-NICE-/390421183706
Joseph Rutherford propagandized against mainstream clergy and Jews as notable
figures behind the corrupt "Big Business" of the world. In his 1933 booklet "The
Crisis," he described "Big Business" using the word "octopus" in the way common-
ly used at the time as an anti-semitic canard--that Jews were trying to control
the world like an octopus covering the Earth.
http://i696.photobucket.com/albums/vv329/Leolaia/mcfad2.jpg
http://wtarchive.svhelden.info/english/books-and-tracts/
dciscorp.com/qwotes/reexamine/1933%20The%20Crisis.pdf
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antisemitic_canard#Accusations_of_plotting_to_control_the_world
(Since there were a number of African Americans among the jws, I also wonder if
Rutherford partly meant to direct any of their resentment for social inequities
away from European Americans such as himself and most jws and toward the Jews.)
(p.6: "Can the American Government Endure?," is a printed version of a lecture
Rutherford gave to veterans in Washington, DC, and over the radio, on June 26,
1932, and which was preceded the day before by 300 jws giving jws brochures and
books to members of the Bonus Army.)
http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/watchtower/scandals/115448/9/Golden-Age-Goodies
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bonus_Army
Segments of "The Crisis":
p.5
"For more than a hundred years America has stood in the very foremost rank
of the governments of the earth. In natural resources America is today the
richest country under the sun. The United States and Britain constitute the
two pillars of the great seventh world power, which power is described in di-
vine prophecy as the double or twofold government. Both nations claim to be
Christian, and they form the chief part of the realm called 'Christendom',
but, in fact, Satan is their invisible ruler and god.
"The founders of the American nation desired greater freedom than they pos-
sessed. That they might be free and independent of cruel and oppressive
rulers they fled from Europe and established the American republic, to which
nation men have long pointed with pride. When the nation was young many of
her statesmen were patriots, because they loved their fellow man and honest-
ly and valiantly contended for a just government. Today there is no true
patriotism among the rulers of the nation. It is now impossible for the
people to elect men to public office and to expect them to enact just laws
and to administer the affairs of the government for the general welfare.
p.6
"The three visible elements of men that rule the nation are, to wit, the
the commercial, the political, and the religious, and of those three the
commercial is the most powerful. Among the earlier statesmen of America
there were some God-fearing men who foresaw the advance of a mighty and
selfish power and gave warning that the greedy would some day destroy the
liberties of the people. That warning was unheeded, and the selfish commer-
cial element, which is otherwise called 'Big Business', has stealthily and
constantly moved forward to its goal. With grasping arms like the tentacles
of a mighty octopus it has laid hold upon practically all of the visible
wealth of the Nation. At the same time the men who by laborious efforts
have developed the country and produced the wealth of the land have been un-
justly treated and robbed, and today they are crying for bread, and that in
a land of boundless plenty. Many Americans in sorrowful tones are now ask-
ing the question: Can the nation of America long endure while such unjust
conditions exist?
"Big Business has no regard for the rights of the common people. The
Civil War of 1863 was fomented and carried forward for the purpose of creat-
ing a condition by which Big Business could obtain a strangle hold upon the
nation. To free the land from the traffic of human flesh and blood was the
ostensible reason for that war, but the real reason was to enable a selfish
company to control the finances and all the business interests of the nation.
In 1917 Big Business, for ultraselfish reasons, needless-
p.7
ly and wantonly forced the American nation into the World War, which resulted
in the greatly increased wealth and power of a few men and made serfs and
paupers of many millions of people.
"Today Big Business owns practically everything visible. By the manipula-
tion of the finances of the nation Big Business has acquired title to almost
all of the real estate, while hundreds of thousands of honest toilers are
losing their homes and their land. A few ultrarich men fix the prices of
the food produced by the farmers, and which food products are reaped down by
laborers; and by reason thereof the farmers are robbed and the laborers are
caused to starve, and that within the borders of the richest nation of the
world.
"Big Business owns the ships that ply the seas, and that fly through the
air. It owns and controls the railways and other ways and means of trans-
portation. Big Business has acquired the preferred securities of the public
carrier corporations, while some of the common people hold the less desir-
able stocks and securities. When the railways were recently pressed for
money to pay the interest on their preferred securities Big business caused
the American government to advance a hundred million dollars to the banks
upon the pretext of helping the banks to thaw out their frozen assets and
to stimulate business immediately, but instead of so using that money Big
Business immediately absorbed the entire hundred million and ap-
p.8
plied it to the payment of interest on the preferred securities which it
held.
"Big Business, which is composed of a very few men, owns and controls
the telegraph lines, the radio, the electric and power lines, and it owns
and controls the mines that produce the fuel and the building material
which all the people are compelled to use. It owns and controls the banks
and most of the money in them. It is in possession of the greater portion
of the gold that rightfully belongs to the government. The factories and
the great mercantile establishments are owned and controlled by the same
selfish interest.
"Big Business has in its employ the most astute lawyers of the nation,
who write the contracts always in the interest of their clients, and the
common people must take the ragged end. Every branch of government is con-
taminated and improperly influenced by Big Business. It controls the two
major political parties of America and names and elects at will the public
men to office who will best serve its selfish interests. Big Business con-
trols the army and the navy, the guns and the ammunition, and the police
power of the nation.
"Practically all of the business corporations of America are owned or
controlled by Big Business. Thre employees of these mighty corporations
have a hook in their nose, so to speak, and they dare not call themselves
their own. They must obey the selfish men who are the mighty lords of fi-
nance or else lose their jobs. They need their salaries to feed and clothe
themselves
p.9
and their families; hence they are at the mercy of Big Business and are
therefore serfs.
"Big Business either directly or indirectly owns or controls almost all of
the newspapers and magazines of America, and which agencies serve as propa-
gandists for Big Business and for their immediate political and religious
allies. The same selfish interests own and control the professional clergy-
men, and these men make merchandise of the World of God in order to keep the
people in ignorance and in subjection to the ruling powers. Thus it is
plainly seen that the power of the government is centralized in the hands
of a very few.
p.18
"I venture the opinion that"
(before the end of the year)
"the American government will be ruled by a dictator, aided by a company of
advisors that are selected and directed by the chiefs of Big Business.
Such will be a military rule and one which the people will be compelled to
submit to.
p.21
"Hence Satan and his entire organization must fall, and that includes the
American government.
p.28
"The American government has been weighed in the balance and found wanting.
Together with all other nations, it soon shall fall.
(Compare to McFadden's testimony during the hearings for H.R. 7986 in March
1934, which uses a lot of the same ideas nearly word for word, given below.
Thanks to leolaia at jehovahswitness.net)
Rutherford's "Declaration of Facts," released at a convention in Berlin on June
25, 1933, made clear he led a group that distanced itself from Jewish money,
which he described in terms of contempt. Rutherford made clear he held the Jews
as the main backers of deplorable "Big Business" (economic antisemitism).
"It is falsely charged by our enemies that we have received financial sup-
port for our work from the Jews. Nothing is farther from the truth. Up to
this hour there never has been the slightest bit of money contributed to our
work by Jews. We are the faithful followers of Christ Jesus and believe
upon Him as the Savior of the world, whereas the Jews entirely reject Jesus
Christ and emphatically deny that he is the Savior of the world sent of God
for man's good. This of itself should be sufficient proof to show that we
receive no support from Jews and that therefore the charges against us are
maliciously false and could proceed only from Satan, our great enemy. The
greatest and the most oppressive empire on earth is the Anglo-American em-
pire. By that is meant the British Empire, of which the United States of
America forms a part. It has been the commercial Jews of the British-Ameri-
can empire that have built up and carried on Big Business as a means of ex-
ploiting and oppressing the peoples of many nations. This fact particularly
applies to the cities of London and New York, the stronghold of Big Business.
This fact is so manifest in America that there is a proverb concerning the
city of New York which says: The Jews own it, the Irish Catholics rule it,
and the Americans pay the bills.
"The present government of Germany has declared emphatically against Big
Business oppressors and in opposition to the wrongful religious influence in
the political affairs of the nations. Such is exactly our position.
"Instead of being against the principles advocated by the government of
Germany, we stand squarely for such principles, and point out that Jehovah
God through Christ Jesus will bring about the full realization of these prin-
ciples and will give to the people peace and prosperity and the greatest de-
sire of every honest heart.
"A careful examination of our books and literature will disclose the fact
that the very high ideals held and promulgated by the present national gov-
ernment are set forth in and endorsed and strongly emphasized in our publi-
cations and show that Jehovah God will see to it that these high ideals in
due time will be attained by all persons who love righteousness.
"Let us remind the government and the people of Germany, that it was the
League of Nations compact that laid upon the shoulders of the German people
the great unjust and unbearable burdens. That the League of Nations compact
was not brought forth by the friends of Germany." ("Yearbook 1934," pp.134-
138, English Edition)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/League_of_Nations#Resolving_territorial_disputes
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/League_of_Nations#Failure_of_disarmament
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/League_of_Nations#Global_representation
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Declaration_of_Facts
In the letter Rutherford included with the copy of the "Declaration of Facts"
sent to Hitler, Rutherford made clear his stance approved of Hitler's "positive
Christianity"--notably in that it "opposes the Jewish materialist spirit domes-
tically and abroad":
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Positive_Christianity
"We demand the freedom of all religious confessions in the state so long
they do not endanger its existence or conflict with the ethical and moral
beliefs of the German race. The Party, as such, represents the viewpoint
of positive Christianity without associating itself with a specific confes-
sion. It opposes the Jewish-materialist spirit domestically and abroad and
is convinced that a lasting recuperation our people can only happen from the
inside out...."
http://www.docbob.org/wordpress/tag/hitler
As leolaia at jehovahswitness.net pointed out, Rutherford wanted Hitler to know
Rutherford opposed the 1933 American Anti-Nazi boycott of German businesses in
favoring the German Nazi policy against Jewish businesses.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-Nazi_boycott_of_1933
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nazi_boycott_of_Jewish_businesses
Rep. McFadden used the same sort of ideas as Rutherford's "The Crisis" in his
propaganda against Jews regarding government and business. McFadden's testimony
during the hearings for H.R. 7986 in March 1934 not only used many of the same
ideas as Rutherford's "The Crisis" but did so nearly word for word to the point
of plagiarism. (Thanks to leolaia at jehovahswitness.net)
http://i696.photobucket.com/albums/vv329/Leolaia/mcfad1.jpg
http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/watchtower/scandals/237993/2/Rutherfords-love-letter-to-Hitler
Segments of McFadden's speech:
"I would like to say that for more than a hundred years America has stood
in the very foremost rank of the governments of the earth. In natural re-
sources America is today the richest country under the sun.
"The three visible elements of men that rule the Nation are the commercial,
the political, and the religious, and of these three, the commercial is the
most powerful. Among the earlier statesmen of America, there were some God-
fearing men who foresaw the advance of a mighty and selfish power and gave
warning that the greedy would some day destroy the liberties of the people.
That warning was unheeded, and the selfish commercial element, which is oth-
erwise called 'Big Business', has stealthily and constantly moved forward to
its goal. With grasping arms like the tentacles of a mighty octapus it has
laid hold upon practically all of the visible wealth of the Nation....
"'Big Business' has no regard for the rights of the common people. In
1917, 'Big Business', for ultra selfish reasons, needlessly and wantonly
forced the American Nation into the World War, which resulted in the great-
ly increased wealth and power of a few men and made serfs and paupers of
many millions of people. Today, 'Big Business' owns practically everything
visible. By the manipulation of the finances of the Nation, 'Big Business'
has acquired title to almost all of the real estate, while hundreds of
thousands of honest toilers are losing their homes and their land. A few
ultra rich men fix the prices of the food products that are reaped by labor-
ers; and, by reason thereof, the farmers are robbed and the laborers are be-
ing starved; and that within the borders of the richest Nation of the world.
"'Big Business' owns the ships that ply the seas, and that fly through the
air. It owns and controls the railways and other ways and means of transpor-
tation....
"'Big Business' has in its employ the most astute lawyers of the Nation,
who write the contracts always in the interest of their clients, and the com-
mon people must take the ragged end. Every branch of government is contamin-
ated and improperly influenced by 'Big Business'. It controls the two major
political parties of America and names and elects at will the public men to
office who will best serve its selfish interests. 'Big Business' controls
the Army and the Navy, the guns and the ammunition, and the police power of
the Nation...
"Practically all of the business corporations of America are owned or con-
trolled by "Big Business". The employees of these mighty corporations have a
hook in their nose, so to speak, and they dare not call themselves their own.
They must obey the selfish men who are the mighty lords of finance or else
lose their jobs...
"'Big Business' either directly or indirectly owns or controls almost all
of the newspapers and magazines of America, and which agencies serve as prop-
agandists for 'Big Business' and their immediate political and religious al-
lies. The same selfish interests own and control the professional clergymen,
and these men make merchandise of the Word of God in order to keep the people
in ignorance and in subjection to the ruling powers. Thus it is plainly seen
that the power of the Government is centralized in the hands of a very
few....
"'Big Business' and their mouthpieces, namely, the commercialized clergy
referred to are reprehensible before God for hindering the truth concerning
the present conditions in America and the means which might provide a remedy
for the people, by God's help. There should be some action taken to further
stop such intolerance in the use of radio (and that during this session of
Congress) to prevent the further entrenchment of such powers. That is the
reason why I have introduced this bill and am asking for consideration of it
at this time."
(Compare to the June 26, 1932 Rutherford speech printed in the 1933 book "The
Crisis," some of which is reprinted above, which McFadden used a lot of the same
ideas from nearly word for word. For instance, there's that "Jews contol the
world" economic antisemitic "octopus" again. Strange they'd let the Nazis flour-
ish if they controlled the world, isn't it? Thanks to leolaia at jehovahswit-
ness.net)
"In 1934, he made several anti-semitic comments from the floor of the
house and in newsletters to his constituents wherein he cited the Protocols
of the Elders of Zion, claimed the Roosevelt administration was controlled
by Jews, and objected to Henry Morgenthau Jr., a Jew, becoming Secretary of
the Treasury. Drew Pearson claimed in his "Washington Merry-Go-Round" col-
umn that, in a publication by the American fascist Silver Shirts, McFadden
had been 'extensively' quoted 'in support of Adolf Hitler.' In September
the Nazi tabloid Der Stuermer praised McFadden. He was also lauded by the
publications of William Dudley Pelley, leader of the Silver Shirts, on sev-
eral occasions. On election day that year he lost to Charles E. Dietrich by
'about 2,000 votes.' This was the only election between 1912 and 1950 when
the district elected a Democrat.
"According to McFadden's Jewish Telegraphic Agency [[obituary]: ‘In Janu-
ary 1935, he announced his candidacy for president with the backing of an
organization called "the Independent Republican National Christian-Gentile
Committee" on a platform to "keep the Jew out of control of the Republican
Party!"’ Not garnering much support for his presidential bid, he tried to
win back his congressional seat. He lost the nomination by a wide-margin
to Col. Albert G. Rutherford who went on to win the general election." (Wiki-
pedia)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Protocols_of_the_Elders_of_Zion
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silver_Legion_of_America
http://en.metapedia.org/wiki/Louis_Thomas_McFadden
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Thomas_McFadden
McFadden submitted H. R. 7986 to Congress on Feb.14, 1934, to protect the
freedom of speech on the airwaves.
"There should be some action taken to further stop such intolerance in the use
of radio (and that during this session of Congress) to prevent the further en-
trenchment of such powers. That is the reason why I have introduced this bill and
am asking for consideration of it at this time."
http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/watchtower/scandals/142454/2/WTBTS-Official-Testified-in-the-US-Congress-that-Rutherford-is-Inspired
http://books.google.com/books?id=TxudLzYPpAEC&pg=PA330&lpg=PA330&dq=McFadden+H.R.+7986&source=bl&ots=5o98jAZ0oj&sig=-6eH4_wBiVdCNO5_kCf9EFxaA14&hl=en&sa=X&ei=CshhUIbmMYeV0QGP0IGgAw&ved=0CDMQ6AEwAw#v=onepage&q=H.R.%207986&f=false
Rutherford, who broadcast a notably controversial and propagandistic religious
radio program, prepared a "Petition and Protest" for JWs to distribute throughout
the country to support the proposed bill. They obtained 2,416,000 signatures.
"The Golden Age," March 28, 1934, p.397 had the following remarks on the petition
and bill H.R. 7986:
"Free Radio Essential to People's Liberties
"The petition circulated by Jehovah's witnesses and others, calling upon
Congress to safeguard the right of the people to hear over the radio whatso-
ever they wish to hear, received a wide response. It manifested that the
people want to have the truth told. The clergy, to shield themselves in
their inconsistent position before the people, not only have sought to mis-
represent and oppose Judge Rutherford, but have also misrepresented the peti-
tion which was signed by nearly two and a half million persons.... Petition
or no petition, this is the issue, and it is up to Congress to take appropri-
ate action. Bill H.R. 7986, now before the Congress for consideration, meets
the needs of the case exactly, and if passed, will prevent further interfer-
ence with the free use of the radio or unjust discrimination against some and
in favor of other broadcasters." (Thanks to leolaia at jehovahswitness.net)
http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/watchtower/scandals/142454/2/WTBTS-Official-Testified-in-the-US-Congress-that-Rutherford-is-Inspired
Rutherford had thousands of Jehovah's Witnesses petition and lobby for public
support for passage of this Congressional bill into law ("The Golden Age," March
28, 1934, p.397), and Arthur R. Goux, the Secretary of the Watchtower Bible &
Tract Society, testified in the Congressional hearings in support of the bill.
Rutherford's views on "Big Business" and Jews were strikingly similar to those
of McFadden, so when McFadden failed in his bid for re-election, "The Golden Age"
published an article that praised him as "courageous and honest and capable" and
asserted that McFadden was used by God and his loss at the election was the work
of Satan:
"Naturally the Devil and his ally, the Roman Catholic Church, would do
everything possible to prevent the return to Congress of any man who would
dare to stand for liberty and righteousness in this evil time. We are as-
sured that God, who gave him such great privileges of usefulness last winter
[when McFadden submitted H. R. 7986 to Congress], is not forgetful or indif-
ferent and the time will come when Louis T. McFadden will look back and re-
joice that he was permitted to be absent when scenes about to be enacted
shall occur." ("The Golden Age," Jan.16, 1935, p.237) (Thanks to leolaia at
jehovahswitness.net)
http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/watchtower/bible/230379/1/Judge-Rutherford-Was-Extremely-Politically-Neutral
In the next quote from a 1935 "The Golden Age," "The Gentile Front" refers to
the Nazis:
"The Gentile Front seems to be bad propaganda. It maintains the so-called
'Protocols of Zion' are of Jewish origin, despite the fact that this has
been proved false wher-ever the courts have looked into it. Nothing could be
more devilishly narrow-minded, more fiendish, more contemptible, than the so-
called 'New Germany' to which The Gentile Front looks up and upon which The
Golden Age looks down with loathing inexpressible. The Jews are money lov-
ers, granted; but they are not pig-headed wild beasts." ("The Golden Age,"
Oct.9, 1935, p.25)
http://archive.org/stream/1935TheGoldenAgeMagazine/1935_goldenAge_djvu.txt
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Protocols_of_the_Elders_of_Zion
Rutherford used his politicised religious sermons to teach the economic anti-
semitism of greedy Jews and tried to bond with Hitler on the point to curry fa-
vor, but he drew the line at Hitler's accusations of them being animals to elim-
inate.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antisemitism#Economic_antisemitism
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Holocaust
Maybe this says it: if the issue were LGBT people in 2012, it's like Rutherford
would be a more outspoken president of Chick-fil-A, McFadden would be an anti-
LGBT people activist he supports, and Hitler would be the president of Iran that
the Chick-fil-A president asked to consider what they had in common.
(The first two are activists and propagandists to have the world consider LGBT
people sinners and the latter calls them criminals punishable by imprisonment,
corporal punishment, or execution, so the first one wrote a declaration to appeal
to the latter on the LGBT people aspect.)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chick-fil-A_same-sex_marriage_controversy
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT_rights_in_Iran
"The Golden Age," various issues 1930-1934
(I put
Full text of "1934 The Golden Age magazine"
in the Google search engine to get this result.)
http://archive.org/details/1930-1934TheGoldenAgeMagazine