James Flays "Political Priestcraft"; Would Welcome A Dies Investigation

CONCORD, MASS., FEB. 14--Edward Holton James, self-styled leader of a group branded as "anti-Catholic Red Shirts", told the United Press tonight that his organization opposed only "political priestcraft" and would welcome a Dies Committee investigation.

"I'm not mentioning any names," he said when asked if the group opposed Father Charles E. Coughlin. "I simply mean that we oppose political preiestcraft and are not in any way opposed to any religious group."

"Some of the statements are true and some are false--it's a bad mess," said James, nephew of philosopher William James and a political prisoner in Germany during the World War.

"We're a very small group of people who are not anti-Catholic nor opposed, to any religions group or religion. That's right in our platform. We do wear red shirts as a picturesque touch, but we only wear them at meetings and that is entirely optional."

The 63-year old author and retired lawyer said he had received notification of the ban from Dean Sperry and that he did not know at present where future meetings would be held.

"But you may be sure we will continue to meet", he continued. "Right now we are like people on a ship that has been torpedoed who don't know just what to do. But we will continue to spread our gospel."

Denying the organization was subversive, James, said their platform called for "a centralized government, national schools and a national police force." He said the organization hoped to spread their ideas throughout the nation and "get a movement started which will grow bigger and bigger until public opinion brings transformation of our ideals."

"It may take a revolution, peaceful or otherwise, to bring this about, but the kind of revolution will depend on what the mass of people want" he said.

"We're not bloodthirsty, but good, true Americans who believe in freedom of all races, colors and creeds, but want to see changes made in the social, political and economic life of the country. I'd be delighted to explain the entire matter to the Dies Committee or anyone else and assure them we have no intention of trying to overthrow this government by force."

James said his group was "anti-fascist, detesting it as an old world product." He said the "Red Shirts" were not opposed to Communists whom they often tried to bring to their way of thinking.

The Communist Party of Massachusetts had today denounced the Yankee-American Action group as a "screw-ball fascist outfit."

James said that his group "of about 30 persons" included prominent businessmen, educators and a newspaperman. He declined, however, to name any members.