Catholic-bashing

[Barnhart]

The use of -bashing and the less frequent [?] -basher in the sense of
unrestrained verbal or "nonphysical" attack are interesting.  The
earliest example I've found so far for this sense of bashing (not in a
compound) is from 1959 (OEDs).  Any evidence of earlier use would be
appreciated.  I wonder, too, if the form _union-bashing_ (BDNE3, 1977)
was influenced by _union-busting_ (OEDs: 1913).