Nikola Tesla FBI Files - Page 228

0 J The various nationality groups al elected members to the nationality committees of the Board of Directors. The National Committee of the congress held its first plenary session in Pittsburgh, May 10, to plan steps to translate the decisions of the congress into action. Anti-Hitler Measures Adopted Main decisions embodied in the resolutions of the congress were: 1. To make a direct appeal to American Slava comprising more than half the workers in the war essential industries of the nation to intensify their production efforts to outproduce Hitler and the Axis. 2. To intensify vigilance against fifth-columnists operating within the various Slavic groups in this country aiming to sow division and disunity in the war effort. 3. To chart a plan to recruit 50,000 american Slav volunteers for a house-to-house campaign among American Slav families for raising the amount of war bond subscriptions to 10 per cent of income. 4. To take all measures to strengthen the bonds of solidarity among American Slav groups and between them and the Slav peoples of Europe for a concerted effort against HITLER. 5. To increase support of all war relief agencies, particularly the Russian, Yugoslavian, Polish, Czechoslovakian, British, Greek and Chinese. 6. To take steps to counteract the appeasers. 7. To set up a permanent organization to coordine te and assist in carrying out the decisions adopted by the Congress. Response Exceeds Anticipations The response to the first American Slav Congress ever held in America exceeded all anticipations. It reveeled the depth of anti-Axis feeling that has seized hold of the Americans of Slav descent who came expressing desires to do their utmost to the end that the power of Hitlerism, arch-foe of the Slav peoples as of freedomloving peoples everywhere shall be decisively smashed. 3 228