FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION

Form Xo. 1
Fonscaseoniamatsn aT BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS rurwo. 1-106 MEM
monroe nf omewrormace | CREP
BOSTON, MASS. sips — |w/12,16,23/05
inn 7m
| HENRY MILLER SEDITION

Bureau advised that Subject is alleged to have told a group

of V~-12 students at Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire,
-that the Nazis were just. the same sort of people as Ameri- * *
cans and were fighting-for the same thing. It was further
alleged that the Subject believes that ‘the Nazis are decent:
people and that he Likes collaborationists. “Inquiry at')°.* "
Dartmouth reflected that in November, 19lik, the Subject ®
“gppeared before two classes in Comparative Literature, con- "©
isting of both yel2 and civilian students but that no 4 :
tements were made by nim. _Indications-are that

is source of original
considerable note and ©
this’ country and abroad.

complaint. writer. 0:
Shas had several books © -shed in

Tee

Bureeu letter dated March 10, 19h5-

Reference Bureau letter reflected that informtion
peen received to the effect thet HENRY MILLER, who is
described as 3 phony writer, recently spoke at Dartmouth j
College before & group of members of the Navy V-12 programe
It was alleged that MILLER told the group that the Nazis
were just the same sort of people es the Americans and a
that they were fighting for the same thing. According to-
the Bureau's source of information, the Subject has a /
following among pseudo-intellectusls in this c

the Nazis are very decent people and likes collab

From the meager descriptive data obtained from the original

4

te

FORWARDED: YA.

at

COPIES OF THIS REFORT | Peewee Eas
Bureau «:- 5 |
Boston COPIES DESTROYED fe © moa 4 gee
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Bos File 11-106

In view of the fact that the allegation furnished to the Bureau con~
cerning the Subject appears to be without basis, no further investi-

gation is being conducted and this case is being closed on the authority
of the Special Agent in Charge.

-CLOSED-



Several weeks after this incident, received a letter

enclosing an article which ared in a Jewish pubdlica-

= was later reprinted in the. Y WORKER. According to
- this was a vicious attack made lon the
. ec The article stated that the Subject had
* attempted to spread vicious propaganda. among the Navy -V-12 students at

ith and: because of this, should be.-the subje an investigation
alligence. It er stated that becayse biect

as. able to locate ‘the.above-mentioned-article nor:-..
was he able to.recall the Jewisn publication in which, it. had originally:
appeared. . Doeyet . .

ptated that the Subject at no time. 2 je any .s tatements
concerning the fact that the Nazis were very decent.people and thet he
liked collaborationists. ‘In fact, there was :nothing which —<

nsidered subversive or un-American mentioned by the Subje
He state apparently
felt that the Subject in some of his previous.wr: icated

an anti-Semitic attitude, and for this reason, had deliberately gone out
of his way to attempt to get the Subject to make statements which would
indicate this anti-Semitism.

It is to be noted that’ According t CL
WM the discussions had between Subject!
concerned primarily with creative writing re definitely non-

political. Most of the questions asked by the students were concerned
with the source material of the books and articles written by the
Subject.

The Subject was described Gea. . being an ultra-modern

3 type of writer who went to such an extreme in the use of certain words
thet many of his books were not allowed to be published in this country.
He stated, however, that the Subject has a substantial following among
military groups in this country dnd is considered by many critics to be _
one of the foremost American writers at this time.

-3-


suns ib Blin natn we eseahtne ben SAPP? ateaseabieenerenratnets tanbseneniieeneemnanbsL Nant: aeheeah i tR AE det ace oo nee tae mutate ne become ta neeemin eRe ener

source of information in this case, the Bureau was unable to identify
the Subject with any information in the Bureau's files. - .

AT HANOVER, N&W HAMPSHIRE

‘Comparative Literature, at whi _
befere covers): <i a0 95 a
. the Subject. is: iter of considerable note.andjhas had several books. ha

. published in this country and abroad. | He stated thatimany -of.the Subje
books were not ‘permitted to be published in this country: because .of.
‘fact that the writer seemed to have sbsolutely no-morals governing. t!

f the words that he.used. ze wy RE

tlege | Subject had appeared as
_ & guest writer fin Comparative Literature.

The Subject had been at Dartmouth some time between November 12,and. -.
November 17, 1944. The Subject appeared for fifty mimites before each
of these two classes in a question=-
answer group discussion. Both 0: se classes consisted of members
of the Navy V-12 program as well as civilian students.

stated that he was quite certe the
original complaint in this particular case was

parently hated
the Subject for some reason y,
Dartmouth on this occasion.
iscussion to "bait"


construed as being subversive or un-American.
1

advised
on is before which the Subject

appeared. He stated that had announced at ‘the beginning
of the discussion period that the questions were to,be. absolutely
non=political and.ware to concern themselves :with creative, writing .-
and also concerning the writings of the Subject, Kost of the questions
_ Which were put to the Subject were concerning source material for.
©) his books and.also’ concerning the ethics and morals of countries.in - H

- which the Subject had travelled, in comparison with those: in this aod toy

stated that there. was a guest preset by the name rs] :
who at one point ottonr iiiieiimeae entire seion

* and’ that it was'necessary f. to_ advise thatthe

Subject was the guest speaker to refrain from asking

so many questions. According apparently. became angered
at some statement which the Subject had made, which he thought’ had -

been directe lly and from then on until he was
repulsed by had attempted to “heckle" the Subject.

WR oo: that there was absolutely nothing said by the Subject which
co be construed as being un-American or subversive and that no

mention was made of the Nasis being decent people at that time such as
the Americans.

advised that he ent

t the time the Subject appeared before Me
ce much of the same information previously

furnished ela He alsos tated that there was no mention

during the Subject's discussion with the class of current international

litical problems and that there was nothing said by the Subject wich

could be construed as being un-American or subversive,

>

-5-


FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION/PRIVACY ACTS SECTION

COVER SHEET

SUBJECT: MILLER, HENRY

FILE # 14-HQ-2578



Nein tenn ee aaa te ena bane

BOS File 1h-106

a stated that he has known the Subject for many years
i SO) actually met him on two different occasions. He stated
= that the Subject is strictly the artist type and could very easily
be called "screwball" by people who didn't understand or appreciate
his writing. The Subject apparently has -no substantial source of
income, his chief income being obtained through from several
‘of his followers who have considerable: wealth.
‘that’ one of these individuals is

i C.. who is listed in “Who's Who" as
ra : residing at

= stated t! ar anteraatron concerning the Subject's: °*
background was desired, nid :be: a logical source for i
this information. He further stated that most of: the writings: of es
the Subject aré non-political and that:noné of them at-all reflect soe
‘sthat.the Sibject isin any'way subversive+or un-American: He*stated -
that the Subject is considered somewhat of a:pacifist.as is the case

\ with practically 211 of the true artists, -At.the present time, the: °
\,* 2 *Sabject' makes his home at Big Sur, California. ~ :

eee the
: classes before which the Subject appeared an 6 writer was

* '., able to obtain the names of students who had listened to the Subject
p talk.

/ AT DARTMOUTH COLLEGE, NE® HAMPSHIRE

es oe: 2:
the Subject had given a talk before a Comparative Literature class of

| which he was a member and that at no time during this talk or the

i resulting discussion was any mention made of the Nazis or other
problems involving current international politics. He stated that

\ the discussion was principally a question-answer affair, in which the

students questioned the Subject principally concerning the source of
the subject matter and material which the Subject had employed in many
\ of his books and writings. Another Subject which was discussed was
\ a comparison of the ethics and morals of the United States with those
\ many of the countries in which the Subject had travelled.

econding there was no one present during the discussion
By the name nothing was said by the Subject that could be

-h-


: eae oe
EPBwuJ .
SAC, Boston ‘ Yarch 10, 19h5
John Edgar Hoover - Director, Federal Burean of Investigation ssf

8
&

Infomation has been received at the Bure

the ef! effect that pipet Ape who was described as

tly spoke College. before

tetere of the Navy ¥ Programe It was alleged

Wier told the group that the Maxis wore the

sort of people as the Americans and that were ft; ng

a for the sane thing. According to our solrce of information, -

Miller has a following among pseudo intellectuals.in this

. country, believas the Rasis are very decent. peopit, sn Hikes
collaborationt sts.

Fron the meager descriptive data set forth above.
on Hiller, we have not been able to identify him with any.
4nformation in the Bureau's files. However, it ‘Ss desired thet
preliminary inquiries be instituted at Dartnouth-for. the: purpose.
of identifying Miller and datermining the exact nature; of his- wn
renarks made at a recent. speech at that. school. Your inquiries. 0 = 5
in this matter should generally follow the line. of @ sedition me.
investigation and the Burcag should te ‘appropriately | advined of
the results of your inquiries in an investigative report. It
4s not the Bureau's desire that an extensive investigation be
conducted in this matter umless your preliminary inquiries indicate . -
the desirability of such 2 course of action.

ae

ALL INFOPMATION CONTAINED

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I FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION . Clegg.

= UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE Me, Cottey.

; February 23, 1945 A eins 7 va

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£ - Mr. Rosen, —

* yalterRiinchell sent attached = Mr. Tracy,

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p tn turn sends to us. Mr. Egan.

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& Mr. Mumford,

Ea A Mr. Jones.

a. ‘ Mr. Pennington_
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£ Mr. Nease.

5 Miss Beahm.

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ALL INFORMATION CONTAIN ce at
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