"It's Happening in New York!"
Item
IT IS
HAPPENING
in New York
ces?
ivy * m
sere
qaaet at dge
rose ewith gr"
ay¥ > nor of anyor
Aoi :
_noe) hs wild accusall
e
dont
eo ple are fT
ail on trum yed-up char, e! per. jury
i a dl harges of a)
i tb. A teacher is thrown in J
(hat os 5
ry way , Union membership lists and records are seized
Lith WAY - Union members 5
{ are being shadowed by plainclothes men
A youn
—While mae nt is IS qi
ler fa ‘athe, ine ned el
ehind &
ed to Wait 6 close¢
ecrey I
he, Td
arin es an outs; side, 00rs
eing helg
MUNICH
Where is all this taking place? BERLIN
VICHY e
NO!
RIGHT HERE!
RIGHT NOW! IN YOUR CITY!
AND THE COUDERT COMMITTEE IS DOING IT.
Riding the wave of war hysteria, the Coudert Committee is
spending ¥3 of a million dollars of YOUR money to hound and
persecute teachers and trample the Bill of Rights.
TRUTH IS y erbaten
Coudert’s witnesses are given hour after hour at hearings, and
headline after headline in the press to hurl false charges . . .
but HOW ABOUT THE ACCUSED?
Their right to face and question the accusers? Verbaten
Their right to counsel? Transcript of charges? Verbsten
Their right to prove the falsity of the charges? Verbaten
Every right to defend themselves? Verbcten
YOU’RE INNOCENT — UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY
That’s what you think—But not the Board of Higher Education.
Teachers are being suspended by the Board of Higher Educa-
tion before receiving a Board hearing just because they were
called Communists before the Coudert Committee.
WHAT’S NEXT? WHERE ARE WE HEADING?
In Nazi Germany—a man is denounced by his neighbor . . .
Result—Concentration camp.
In New York City—a teacher is “labeled” by his colleague . . .
Result—Suspension and dismissal charges.
In Nazi Schools — it’s politics — not scholarship and teaching
ability—that counts.
We agree on that—says the Board of Higher Education, setting
up political qualifications for teachers.
WILL RACIAL AND RELIGIOUS QUALIFICATIONS
BE THE NEXT STEP?
WHERE HAVE YOU HEARD IT BEFORE?
Reds! Communists! Subversive! What’s behind it?
Listen to Congressman Sabath:
“Anyone who defends the right of the masses
of the people will be called a communist.”
“Red!” Shouts Merwin K. Hart when the people demand
slum clearance, unemployment insurance, child labor laws.
“Communist!” Yelled the Dies Committee when the Vultee
strikers demanded a living wage.
“Subversive!’’ Shrieked the press when the Transport
Workers went on strike for decent conditions.
Red! Communist! Subversive! Cries Coudert at the Teachers
Union.
Why? Because the Teachers Union leads the fight for more
schools, smaller classes, better teaching conditions.
Why? Because Coudert wants overcrowded classes, censored
textbooks, goose-stepping teachers and regimented pupils.
And The Teachers Union Says NO!
NEWS FLASH _ The Mayor has just cut the school budget by $5,200,000
As long as the Teachers Union fights against this cut and for
better schools, the budget slashers will call the Union red.
Do you want the Teachers Union to keep up the fight in behalf
f of your children? Then help defeat the red-baiters.
WRITE NOW!
e Write the Coudert Committee, 165 Broadway, N.Y.C., de
to their undemocratic attacks on our schools and colle;
e Write the Board of Higher Education, 695 Park Ave., N.Y. urging rein-
statement of teachers suspended on basis of unjust charges before Rapp-
Coudert Committee.
e-Write District Attorney Thomas Dewey, demanding dropping of indictment
of City College teacher Morris U. Schappes.
e Write to the Board of Education, 110 Livingston St., Brooklyn, urging it to
continue to judge teachers solely on the basis of their scholarship and
teaching ability.
anding an end
COMMITTEE FOR DEFENSE OF PUBLIC EDUCATION
Locals 5 and 537, A.F.T.
114 East 16 Street <p New York
HAPPENING
in New York
ces?
ivy * m
sere
qaaet at dge
rose ewith gr"
ay¥ > nor of anyor
Aoi :
_noe) hs wild accusall
e
dont
eo ple are fT
ail on trum yed-up char, e! per. jury
i a dl harges of a)
i tb. A teacher is thrown in J
(hat os 5
ry way , Union membership lists and records are seized
Lith WAY - Union members 5
{ are being shadowed by plainclothes men
A youn
—While mae nt is IS qi
ler fa ‘athe, ine ned el
ehind &
ed to Wait 6 close¢
ecrey I
he, Td
arin es an outs; side, 00rs
eing helg
MUNICH
Where is all this taking place? BERLIN
VICHY e
NO!
RIGHT HERE!
RIGHT NOW! IN YOUR CITY!
AND THE COUDERT COMMITTEE IS DOING IT.
Riding the wave of war hysteria, the Coudert Committee is
spending ¥3 of a million dollars of YOUR money to hound and
persecute teachers and trample the Bill of Rights.
TRUTH IS y erbaten
Coudert’s witnesses are given hour after hour at hearings, and
headline after headline in the press to hurl false charges . . .
but HOW ABOUT THE ACCUSED?
Their right to face and question the accusers? Verbaten
Their right to counsel? Transcript of charges? Verbsten
Their right to prove the falsity of the charges? Verbaten
Every right to defend themselves? Verbcten
YOU’RE INNOCENT — UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY
That’s what you think—But not the Board of Higher Education.
Teachers are being suspended by the Board of Higher Educa-
tion before receiving a Board hearing just because they were
called Communists before the Coudert Committee.
WHAT’S NEXT? WHERE ARE WE HEADING?
In Nazi Germany—a man is denounced by his neighbor . . .
Result—Concentration camp.
In New York City—a teacher is “labeled” by his colleague . . .
Result—Suspension and dismissal charges.
In Nazi Schools — it’s politics — not scholarship and teaching
ability—that counts.
We agree on that—says the Board of Higher Education, setting
up political qualifications for teachers.
WILL RACIAL AND RELIGIOUS QUALIFICATIONS
BE THE NEXT STEP?
WHERE HAVE YOU HEARD IT BEFORE?
Reds! Communists! Subversive! What’s behind it?
Listen to Congressman Sabath:
“Anyone who defends the right of the masses
of the people will be called a communist.”
“Red!” Shouts Merwin K. Hart when the people demand
slum clearance, unemployment insurance, child labor laws.
“Communist!” Yelled the Dies Committee when the Vultee
strikers demanded a living wage.
“Subversive!’’ Shrieked the press when the Transport
Workers went on strike for decent conditions.
Red! Communist! Subversive! Cries Coudert at the Teachers
Union.
Why? Because the Teachers Union leads the fight for more
schools, smaller classes, better teaching conditions.
Why? Because Coudert wants overcrowded classes, censored
textbooks, goose-stepping teachers and regimented pupils.
And The Teachers Union Says NO!
NEWS FLASH _ The Mayor has just cut the school budget by $5,200,000
As long as the Teachers Union fights against this cut and for
better schools, the budget slashers will call the Union red.
Do you want the Teachers Union to keep up the fight in behalf
f of your children? Then help defeat the red-baiters.
WRITE NOW!
e Write the Coudert Committee, 165 Broadway, N.Y.C., de
to their undemocratic attacks on our schools and colle;
e Write the Board of Higher Education, 695 Park Ave., N.Y. urging rein-
statement of teachers suspended on basis of unjust charges before Rapp-
Coudert Committee.
e-Write District Attorney Thomas Dewey, demanding dropping of indictment
of City College teacher Morris U. Schappes.
e Write to the Board of Education, 110 Livingston St., Brooklyn, urging it to
continue to judge teachers solely on the basis of their scholarship and
teaching ability.
anding an end
COMMITTEE FOR DEFENSE OF PUBLIC EDUCATION
Locals 5 and 537, A.F.T.
114 East 16 Street <p New York
Title
"It's Happening in New York!"
Description
Published in 1941, this pamphlet was created by the Committee for the Defense of Public Education, a joint committee between the Teachers Union and the College Teachers Union, amidst the turmoil of the Rapp-Coudert hearings. Citing a variety of injustices taking place in New York City, not least of which were the dozens of suspensions and dismissals of City College teachers suspected of having communist ties, the document likens the atmosphere in New York to that of Nazi Germany, including even a reference to Hitler's concentration camps.
Such comparisons aside, the committee's aim was to increase awareness of the plight of many of their union's members who were fired by the Board of Higher Education because of their political affiliations. Morris Schappes, a CCNY instructor, was imprisoned for perjury as a result of the hearings. Throughout its existence, the committee organized letter-writing campaigns (as seen on the final page) and petition drives in an unsuccessful effort to overturn the effects of New York State's communist witch-hunt.
Such comparisons aside, the committee's aim was to increase awareness of the plight of many of their union's members who were fired by the Board of Higher Education because of their political affiliations. Morris Schappes, a CCNY instructor, was imprisoned for perjury as a result of the hearings. Throughout its existence, the committee organized letter-writing campaigns (as seen on the final page) and petition drives in an unsuccessful effort to overturn the effects of New York State's communist witch-hunt.
Creator
Committee for Defense of Public Education
Date
1941 (Circa)
Language
English
Publisher
Committee for Defense of Public Education
Relation
4962
Rights
Copyrighted
Source
CCNY Archives & Special Collections
Original Format
Pamphlet / Petition
Committee for Defense of Public Education. Letter. 1941. “‘It’s Happening in New York!’”. 4962, 1941, CUNY DIGITAL HISTORY ARCHIVE, accessed March 10, 2026, https://stephenz.tailc22a4b.ts.net/s/cdha/item/542