Christian America

Failing to physically beat labor into submission the fascist turned to legal tactics such as the anti-union right to work law. The law is still highly regarded in right wing circles today, but few know that it was first sponsored by the fascist group, Christian America in the early 1940s.69 The forces behind the Christian American group were wealthy Texans tied to the Kirby family. Christian America was formed by Vance Muse after the death of Kirby. Both Kirby and Muse had a long history of opposing the New Deal and supporting racism, Muse was an associate of Gerald Smith. Another member of the Christian America was Lewis Ulrey who took over the distribution of Gerald Winrod's propaganda, he openly advocated a 12 hour work day. Ulrey penned the following quotation for Gerald Winrod's Defender.

"Into this bedlam and chaos in germany adolf hitler injected himself as a new messiah to lead ordely german from political confusion to systematic unity. Hitler put it up to the germans to decide between the Jewish ownership and domination of the country or domination and ownership by the ninety nine percent of the German population. Human nature being what it is, it is not strange that the Germans decided against the Jews and in favor of Hitler. Our president has sent two insulting messages to Hitler and a number of his pink cabineteers have most blantantly and violently broadcast silly insults to the German government."

The Christian America was the leading lobbyists for the right to work laws throughout the south in the early 1940s. Their organization was well funded and prone to use heavy handed lobbying tactics on members of the various state houses. Perhaps the best summery of their tactics comes from a remark by Arkansas Representative Chambers from Columbia Ark. On the day of voting for the right to work law in that state he turned to Val Sherman, the Associate Director of Christian America and pointed to him remarking.

"I'm not branding Mr. Sherman as a disciple of Hitler, but he's a graduate of his school. Hitler would be glad to charter a submarine to Texas and solicit his services."

The quotes above clearly provide a direct link between fascist and the anti-union right to work laws in this country. Others associated with the Christian America were Alfred Sloan, CEO of GM, the du Ponts, bankers George and Joseph Widener, and Wall Street lawyer Odgen Mills.

Source: The Roots of Corporate Fascism in America, "The 1930s: Nazis Parading on Main Street"
http://www.spiritone.com/gdy52150/1930s.htm

In 1934 Muse and Kirby organized the Southern Committee to Uphold the Constitution, financed mostly by the DuPonts and other northern industrial interests, in an effort to prevent Franklin D. Roosevelt's reelection. Two years later Muse was the leading organizer of Christian Americans, a group he formed to combat what he perceived as radicalism and subversive influences throughout the country. He believed that organized labor in the United States was the source of much communistic influence, and thus he led Christian Americans to support the antiunion movement. During and shortly after World War II,qv when laws to regulate and curb unions were passed in Texas and other southern states, Muse was a leading lobbyist in this effort. The Christian Americans worked for passage of right-to-work laws in sixteen states

Muse, Vance
http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/view/MM/fmu22.html