CONSPIRACY CHARGE

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLVIII, Issue 21554, 17 January 1940, Page 8

CONSPIRACY CHARGE

Christian Front Leaders Remanded United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright (Received Januarj' 16, 6.30 p.m.) NEW YORK. January 15 Seventeen members of the Christian Front pleaded not guilty to a charge of conspiracy and were remanded on 50,000 dollars bail each. The Governor of New York State (Mr Herbert H. Lehman) has ordered an investigation in connection with the National Guard personnel of the Christian Front. The Mayor of New York (Mr F. H. la Guardia) laughed and declared: “The United States is not endangered by 18 such guys.” Mr J. Edgar Hoover, Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, said that the conspiracy was at least six months old. The Federal Bureau had used telescopic cameras to record armed drilling at Narrowsburg Camp, 100 miles inland from New York. John F. Cassidy, leader of the Front, always received a salute similar to the Nazi salute. Mr Hoover declined to discuss the possibility of a connection with foreign agents, but revealed that the conspirators proposed to establish a government described as similar to Hitler’s. At least one member of the Christian Front was a member of the German-American Bund. Many were connected with the United States reserve forces. The Christian Front had thousands of members. The White House secretary announced that an error had been made in the New York report on Karl Schluter’s arrest. He said that it could not be confirmed.