[104-10174-10071.pdf — page 330]
SECRET## -2-On continuing the discussion, it was clear that in working alone Professor Hook had as yet been unable to take any considerable progress on behalf of the Congress, and that there was urgent need for (a) a minimum staff to handle the progres in this country and (b) a szall allocation of funds to pay for telephone, stationery, publicity, etc. Until the present time, Professz Eock has been carrying the entire expense and verk hitself, and apparently has had to be extremely careful about such items as long distance telephone calls. For example, he felt he could afford to telephone Faciessar. John Dewey in Florida and ask his to sponsor the Congress (which invitation Professor Dewey accepted,) but he hesitated to put out the larger funds to telephone Upton Sinclair in California. Es would also like to call the Congress headquarters in Berlin, but felt that the transatlantic toil charge isas quite beyond his zeans.In reply to by query as to what sort of budget would be necessary, Professor Hook suggested that he could need a secretary-typist for two months and a public relations on a part-time basis for the same period. He thought the cecretary could be obteined for $250 a month and the pub 1icity man for less than $500, La actition, $500 would be sufficient for such itens as rertal of typewriters, stationery, telephone calls, postage, etc. This would take a total budget of $2,000. The rental expense could be reduced, he thought, by using the offices of *The New Leader*, a Socialist publication of which he is one of the editors. He did not think it advis- able to have a pretentious office, since obvious affluence would incite suspicion. The activity could be organised by Americans for Intellectual Freedom, of which he is the founder. This group staged the anti-Commmist program in Hew Icrk in March 1949 for 1988 than $25.00As to the expenses of American representatives going to Berlin, Professor. Fook hoped that it would not be necessary to use military trans- portation, since that would create the impression of Government sponsor- ship. He thought commercial transportation would definitely be preferable, and added that he would like to be in a position to give cash grants to the delegates of about $700, that is, the round-trip fare plus a few dollars over for incidentals. He felt it would be undesirable for too large an American representation to be sezt. Frobably six or seven people sould bo enough. This would mean a tressportation budget of less than $5000.Several times during the conversation, Professor Lacky étressed that it was not necessary to have a large sus of money. For what was needed, he said, the right people could hardly be paids it was essential, he said, to have *dedicated personnel* who were willing if necessary to make per- soml sacrifices.On the other hand, he thought it vital to have the right sort of publicity. The press arrangements should to carefully made. He hoped thet someone in washington could ask Mr. Forry Luce of *fire* and *Life* and Mr. A. E. Salsberger of the *Ess York Hess* to arrange the right sort of coverage, that is, the right people, such as Anne O'Hare licCormich of theSECRET