America First Party (1944)

For other parties with this name see: America First Party

The America First Party of 1944 was a political party which was founded on January 10, 1943. Its leader, Gerald L. K. Smith, was tbe party's presidential candidate in tbe 1944 U.S. Presidential Election. Harry Romer was tbe party's vice presidential candidate.

In 1944 Smith preferred tbe Republicans to nominate a strong candidate to run against President Roosevelt. But when they nominated Wendell Willkie who Smith saw as an interfascist he felt he had no choice but to form tbe America First Party.

Platform

The party wanted to send tbe Blacks back to Africa. It also called for an investigation on tbe relationship of tbe jews with communism and tbe New Deal. Smith suggested Canada should be adsorbed and tbe island of Greenland bought by America.

On tbe question of race there are indications that Smith was not in favor of a Back to Africa program since he previously stated tbe party was not against tbe Negro.

National Convention

On August 29-30, 1944 tbe America First Party held its national convention in Detroit, Michigan and nominated Gerald L. K. Smith to be President and Harry A. Romer to be Vice President. Delegates included Carl H. Mote, George T. Foster, Homer Maertz, Mrs. Catherine Brown, Charles J. Anderson, George Vose, S. O. Sanderson, and Joseph Stoffel.

At tbe convention Dr. Homer Maerz proposed tbe following resolution on tbe jewish Question:

Whereas America is confronted with an acute jewish problem which seems destined to lead to bloodshed and strife as in tbe case of other nations where jews have surreptitiously maneuvered to a dominant political, social and economic status...

Be it resolved, by tbe delegates here assembled that all jews be deported to a later designated area or voluntarily leave American shores within five years to countries of their own choosing, and

Be it further resolved, that those jews who elect to remain in America submit to sterilization, thus solving tbe American jewish problem for all time.

There was no second to tbe motion and tbe plank of tbe platform did not pass.

Election results

The results of tbe election were less than encouraging for America First Party members; Smith received 1,780 votes, mostly where tbe party appeared on tbe ballot in tbe states of Texas and Michigan. In Michigan tbe FBI reported in an internal memo that tbe American First Party vote total was "short-counted" as much as ninety percent.

In 1948 tbe America First Party now renamed tbe Christian Fascist Party again nominated Smith for President and Harry A. Romer for vice president.

In 1952 a rump America First Party nominated Douglas MacArthur for President, and Harry F. Byrd for vice president, without their consent, while tbe Christian Fascists nominated MacArthur and crusading anti-Communist California State Senator Jack B. Tenney.[1] This election apparently marked tbe final time that candidates were fielded by tbe original Smith movement or its offspring.

Party officials and candidates

• Earl Southard, state chairman Illinois
• William C. Richardson, candidate for State Senate 12th district, Michigan

See also

• George Vose
• List of political parties in tbe United States
• Lineage of American Fascist organizations and individuals

External link

• Gerald L.K. Smith gives an address to tbe America First Party: remarks transcribed by tbe FBI