OPPOSITION TO MR ROOSEVELT

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21457, 26 April 1935, Page 13

OPPOSITION TO MR ROOSEVELT

| FATHER COUGHLIN'S i | BIG CAMPAIGN | CONCENTRATION ON I FINANCE i ; SI RSTANTIAI. RACKING j . I.IKFI.Y i ! VMl'l-D 1-i-: £-; .-i tSSOil.nili!! ■ -11 V Kl.seip.ic li- i.Er.uAru-i-Oi'Vßimi r.) (Received April 25, 8.20 p.m.) DETROIT. April 24. In the first move towards mobilisii i> the vast following; he has gained by his broadcast addresses into an active political agency. Father Coughlin addressed a rally of his "National Union for Social Justice" I here to-night. According to speakers similar gatherings will be held throughout the nation until an organisation along the lines of a regular political party is built up, although Father Cougiilin insists thai his only aim is to "lobby" for his Hi-point, legislative campaign. He declares that he has no aspirations towards political leadership himself. To-night 17.000 members of the league crowded the Olympia Stadium and thousands i sore outside heard the speeches through amplifiers. Representatives of the National Farmers' Union and the American Federation of Labour took part, as did a number of members of Congress, including Senators Nye and Thomas. The chairman made the startling claim that 8.500.000 voters had signed petitions supporting Father Ooughlin's programme, the princip: feature of which is t! abolition of the Federal Reserve system, substituting a central bank under Government control. The presence d" several prominent New York cotton brokers is regarded as a significant indication that, opponents of the administration's crop curtailment policy may gather under Father Coughlin's banner in a determined attack on the Agricultural Adjustment Administration. I Father Coughlin is a Roman Catholic priest who began seme years ago to broadcast sermons, and became so popular that he decided 1o concentrate on radio. In the early days of the present administration he was an cnthu.-iastk: supporter ' f the I'residr nl, but in the bed year or so he has frequently attacked los policies, particularly the destruction ot crops when many people are hungry. Recently it was reported that he had agreed' to moderate his critici ;m. I