SEGP Ey ' ‘ The above referred to pamphlet also stated that recently, in a “speech of three hours at the "People's Educational Center", John Howard Lawson made such statements ass - . "American policy is the same as it was at Versailles; to destroy democracy wherever it appears.* . "The Marxist theory is the only sound basis for history teaching." . ; "The voice of Byrnes is the voice of one of the most selfish monopolies in the world today." The Daily People's World issue of September 19, 1946, carries an article that the Los Angeles Chapter of the National Negro Congress would convene on September 22, 1946; for a mass meeting called for the over all endorsement of the Fair Employment Practices Act. According to this article, John Tripp McTernan had been selected’ to lead a panel discussion on the topic ' “Police Brutality". A similar article was carried in the California Eagle, Negro newspaper published in Los Angeles’ by one Charlotta Bass, a prominent -- Commnist Party line follower, ‘reflecting that this. National Negro Congress . would meet at 4016 South Central Avenue on: Sunday, September 22, 1946, Speakers . listed at this meeting included John Howard Lawson, motion picture writer $ ‘Colonél James Roosevelt; Phillip M.. Connelly; William Bidner ,: Executive Secretary of Mobilization for Democracy, and Albert Dekker, motion picture actor. . OTHER 4 In November, 1946, Le t a former confidential informant - of the Los Angeles Office advise at-John Howard Lawson was President of ; the Lincoln Commnity Book Center and that Waldo Salt, a known Commnist, according to a highly delicate and reliable source, is Vice President. The informant also ascertained that the bank account of the Lincoln Commnity Book Center will substantiate Lawson's presidencyfand another highly con- fidential source* has described this organization as the administrative apparatus: for_the lincoln Book Shop which is operated by the Communist Party in Hollywood. ] Glu) : mee ; Informant an employee of the Security First National Bank of Los Angbles, has advised that Lawson has contributed considerable sums of money to the following organizations, sometimes in the amount of over $1,000 \ . per month; ' Hollywood Democratic Committee, j Hollywood Independent Citizens Committee of Arts, Sciences and ms Professions, . \: People's Educational Center, ee . \ [Mecnnical Surveillance on the residence of John-Howard ransom JG ‘ ~ 50 - EO BLY SEGKE! 4 7 LOR | NW 45838 DocId:32338872 Page 22 a .
SECRET - In the studio labor organization, the comrades had only mxed success. The painters’ union went over to the side of the revolution. The Screen Writers! Guild joined the Popular . Front, despite brave attempts of the Authors' League of America to wrest the Hollywood section from the Stalinist grip. In the furious fight against the 'fascists'--meaning anyone who objected to Commnist domination—Donald Ogden Stewart acted as general- issimo with such fine lieutenants as Dudley Nichols, Frances . Hackett, Humphrey Cobb, Dalton Trumbo, Irvin Shaw, Tess Slesinger, Sam Ornitz, Frmk Scully, Oliver H. P. Garrett, Lillian Hellman, - Boris Ingster, John Howard Lawson; Lester Cole, Joel Sayre, and ar Madaline Ruthven."! -_ Discontinued Technical Surveillance on the American Youth for Democracy and Confidential Informant Richard V. Servidio advised that John Howard Lawson was one of the sponsors of a "second anniversary dinner" ' given by the American Youth for Democracy, a known Communist dominated group, on December 12, 1945, ‘at the Hotel Roosevelt, New York City. The ' ‘purpose of the dinner was "to welcome home discharged veterans, ‘to pay ° a tribate to the contributions of the young men and women of our armed forces and to dramatize the post-war problems of youth", ae _ In March, 1945, the National Federation for Coristitutional Liberties, - "205 East 42nd Street, New. York City, issued a public statement in support of the- army order making Commnists and Commnist Party sympathizers eligible for Aray Commissions. It was stated that "the basic consideration is not. the . propriety of the man's opinions, but his loyalty to the United States". The ‘statement of the National Federation for Constitutional Liberties was. endorsed t by numerous people and the name of John Howard Lawson, playwright, Hollywood, appeared on this list. It is noted that the National Federation of Constitu- tional Liberties was declared subversive by the Attorney General. in July, ._ According to the Jamary 30, 1946, issue of the Daily Worker, Lawson was quoted as saying: , "I want very mch to demonstrate withparticular emphasis the role of the Negro in American life. Since our history has been written by white historians and since no influential ones have been from the South, the contribution of the Negro people and their leaders has been completely suppressed", In this arti¢le, Lawson was described as "one of America's outstanding’ historians, author of the authoritative theater and technique of playwriting, : and a successful screen writer. - ‘ ot | - sp SECREI NW 45838 DocId: 32338872 Page: 23
_ SECRET On February 7, 1947, according to a highly confidential source* Lou Harris, 4215 Troost Aveme, North Hollywood, California,. a free lance writer and producer as well as a known Communist, contacted John Howard - Lawson and told Lawson that he was leaving for England at the end of the month. The source advised that Lawson and Harris are close friends. In - . zhis same regardfon February 14, 1947,{ another highly confidential sourée, Es | (5 (microphone \su elilance on the Soviet Vorisulate Los Angeles }}.reported ~) at Lou Harris called at the Russian Vice Consulate in Log-“hgeles and there met Eugene Pavlovich Tumantsev, Soviet Consulx Harris and{Tumantsev u) + talked for approximately one hour during which timé Harris pointed out that’ ~ the writers in the motion picture industry had a very difficult time pre- senting "progressive ideas" in their stories inasmch as the producers were qui ck to delete them. Harris comnented that he was leaving on February 26, — 947, for London from New York City on a business tripzfind asked Tumantsev C U_) whether he should 'wgit and see what happens" or apply Immedi y for a é according to the informant, Harris jand}#fumantsev appeared quite congenial the latter evinced considerable interest in the motion picture: industry}! sy ENO) 4 [ecuntcat Surveillance on the residence of John Howard’ Lamson. J QL) ‘+ . = 65 - , “SECRET NW 45838 DocId:32338872 Page 24 =
SECRET 9 Harvey Gilbert Wolf, a confidential informant of the Los Angeles re) Office, stated that at a lecture in June, 1942, before a school of the League: of American Writers, Lawson stated that on the day that Sacco and Vanzetti were executed in Massachusetts, August 27, 1927, he, Lawson had been arrested in Boston for picketing the State Capitol. With regard to this self-admitted © arrest of Lawson, the informant stated that Lawson became a labor agitator an many years ago and went to Birmingham, Alabama, to participate in a strike _ 7 '4in the steel mills in that city in 1934, According to confidential informant. Harvey Gilbert Wolf, Lawson was arrested on May 17, 1934, on a charge of criminal libel growing out of an article which was written by Lawson in the "Daily Worker", New York City Communist newspaper, defending a Communi st organizer, Harold Rolston. It is observed that Lawson's FBI number is 3021790 and that his record in this regard reflects that he was arrested in~ Birmingham on May 17, 1934, by the Birmingham Police Department — on‘the charge of being a Communist. He was released on the same day. 6 Officer Harless of the Birmingham Police Department related the - following information with regard.to the arrest of Lawson in Birmingham, . . Alabama, May 17, 1934. Harless said that he recalled that the police broke | _ up a Communist meeting at which Lawson was present and that Lawson was’ then turned over to Officer J. T. Moser and Officer P, C. Cole who were handling Communist matters at the time for the Birmingham Police Department. In this, connection Captain C, L. Mullens of the Birmingham Police Department stated that Lawson was defended by a lawyer named Harold Ralston from New York. He also recalled that a woman named Jane Speed, a well=-kmow Communist organizer, was also present at the meeting at which Lawson was arrested, The records of the Birmingham Police Department further revealed the following information regarding Alexander E, Rascolin, reportedly also arrested with Lawson: "This man is an International Labor Defense Attorney’ from New York City. He was very active in 1934 and 1935 in Birmingham and was arrested by . the Birmingham Police on May 17, 1934. While in Birmingham, he contacted several lawyers in an effort to secure their services in reading parts of the International Labor Defense. This man is very wnigh in the Communist Party. His Birmingham police number is WM-26589", XIII, CRI RECORD The New York Times morgue contained two articles regarding. the arrest of Lawson at Birmingham, Alabama, The first article dated July 6, 1934, reflected that Lawson was arrested on that date and released under bond of $300 to appear in Recorder's Court the following day. The arrest followed a conference between Mr. Lawson and five other New Yorkers and W. 0. Downs, Commissioner of Public Safety at City Hall. The article further revealed that on May 17, 1934, Lawson was taken into custody by police, fingerprinted, -. photographed and released. This article, referred to above, dated May 16, 1934, is also in the New York Times files. The charges, in connection with a publication that appeared in the Daily Worker in which a misdemeanor court - 66 = ¥ 45838 DocId:32338872 Page 25 -* fy
De Me Ladd y) JOHN HOAARD LAWSON Purmuant to your request, there ie attached herete a memorandum Guimariging the pertinent information contained in the -Baresu's files re@ative to the. subject, a leading playwright. in. Hollywood, California, and for the past several years the leader Bien brand activities: of: the Communists in the intellectual and cultural fields EJP tmae Attachnat ' DocId:32338872 Page 26
- EE. BY TDERCE. OF. LAWSOM'S COMMUNIST PARTY MEMBERSHIP. = 0 °¢ ae SECRET an Me Direct Bvidence of Membership 80 oo click: esti tying: béfore the Joint. Fact-Pinaing Committee, California. ~~. ” Legislature, in the fall of 1944,’ Laveon, under ‘oathy denied that he was "°°. “9 member of the Commnist.Party. ' Houever,:a highly reliable and delicate. .. os “confidential source, whose reliability. has been well established, but... | Whose admissibility in. Court. may be somewhat ‘doubtful ,” has definitely — + identified. Lawson. as” a’ member: of the Communist. Party. for the last ‘tuelve . °° years. According’to this. source,’ Lawson ‘was first. a member,'of’ Branch K .. - of the ‘North West Section of thé’ Los Angeles. County: Communist Party until . that branch was reorganized in June, 1943, at which time he was transferred: -. to Branch A=-3 (writers - branch) of. the: North West. Section’ and' held 1943 :  Commnist Party Book #301985 REE Seri BTS tg ee ceotc, . 8 This very."reliable .source also: stated thatLatison’ enrolled in _ ie * the Comminist® Political. ‘Association and was assigned 1944 CPA: Card: 41850, and on December 10; 1944, according: to the source,. was again registered ~" .- . .for’ the CPA:and was issued 1945 CPA‘Card 47275:. Tn the\Commnist Political «-. . Association, Lawson reportedly was assigned.to the special group which .. - , Was also knowh as Group: $9: and ‘was,a.member of the. comission which was °°: er the governing body of the Commnist movement “inthe .moti n picture. industry .. bo" which replaced the North West Gection's. Executive Committee. ‘Lawson, .. ° * +, 4 according’ to the source,: servid on the* commission.forthree years... = . i. vs" 1. Dttwas: further’ stated by: this -source. thah when the..Commnist ~ ‘ “... Party;'USA;:‘was reorganized. to“replace the Commnist’ Political Association, - “Lawson was assigned to the Davis Club. and was issued 1946 Commnist.:Party - -: Book #35392... This source made available Lawson's: 1946 registration card .. . Which reflects: that he was 50 years of age, a writer-in the motion picture’ ‘| dndustry, of ‘American=Jewish descent, and that he had been:in the Communist '. Party for-twelve years. This source hag also identified ‘Lavson''s: wife, i's Ste Davgon;"as.a, member ‘of the Comuinist Party’ and is ins position’ to '. *. * . document ‘the: branches to which she ‘has belonged. 9 an _. William Hynes (LA-3), @ discontinued'paid confidential informant ©: ° '. of the Los Angeles. Officé,has identified Lawson as.a member of ‘the Commnist -: Party in 191 ‘and has stated. tha. Lawson is a‘®CP ‘menbers a Playwright; and — | She Leader, Of the CP fraction among the artists ofall Varieties.in ‘Holly- - ae : Ina: sworn. statement which Rena Vale gave to the Joint Fact=, Minding Committee,. California Legislature, more commonly: Jmoun as the’ Teangy rw 45838 DocId:32338872 Page 27... pote -
COINS el oi Tage ban ek © ECRET Comittee, she identified John Howard: Lawson’ as’ a-menber of, the. Communist. Party. She stated that.he was active in Commmist circles in Hollywood =.” when she was in the Commnist Party and that in Communist meetings, Lawson. . had stated that Commmist propaganda mst be integrated into all screen’ |. Plays. ’ a wg AE De On fugust 8, 1944, Walter Wanger,, 4 Hovie ‘Producer; stated that he definitely knew that John. Howard Lawson was a’ Comunist.: This source stated that. a few days. before he had contacted Lawson to see ifthe was. available to write a screen play to which Lauson. replied he was hesitant ', to work for Vanger for fear it might. cast some reflection on him. This | Source quoted Lauson as stating, "I ama Comminist", oe RL. oo. ° =? 7, “ee ge ye RS eS, CorHER 4 oo, eh Constcentch Informant of ‘the Los Angeles. Office, advised that he talked to John Roward Lawson on July 25, 1945, at . LR which time Lawson stated that if he were called as a witnéss before the = ~* - State Un-American Activities Comittes, ‘he believed he would admit to them: | ', that he was a member of* the Conmmnist Political Association. /} ver ee rr “On March’ 1, 1947,. Ben Kadi sh, a confidential source of the Los Angeles Office, and a former member of the Comminist Party, advised that - he recallad John Howard Lawson's attending Communist: meetings: This — source was in the Commnist Party from, September, 1943, through. December , 1945, and for a time was in Branch A-3, which was the same branch to : Be. Aétendance at Commnist “Farty Ueetings -. = Te ys fe a ' -. > ‘During the time that Lawson has been in ‘Los Angeles, he has been - identified as having attended. mumerous Meetings at which all of those . identified as. being present were. mow Commnists; according toa highly ~) wl . Feliable and delicate confidential Source. In those cases where the highly. '. ¥eliable and delicate confidential source was notin a-position to ideo. - ae tify the particular person as 4 Comminist; the source that can. so identify * the person is mentioned.: There are set forth. hereinafter several: examples - _ Of this character of meetings which Lavison attended. ca, wos / |’. On February 7; 1943, Agents’ of the Bureau observed Alexander ' Trachtenberg, head of: International *Pablishers and a member of the National Committee, Communi st Party, USA, met.vith John ‘Howard Lawson, Albert Maltz — . and Jane Wallace, Educational Director of the Los Angeles County Communist _- Party, at the Melody Lane Restairant, Wilshire Boulevard and Detroit Aveme, - at 12245 p.m. Trachtenberg-is know .to be ‘a member of the Commnist Party - - through official. publications of that. organization, 9° - ~ ‘ . oS SECRETS bw deze. DocId:32338872 Page 28
ae ee) . : “0 ss © Qa" apra2 22; 1943 “Agents of the Bureau observed Jolin Howord 7 ET |. bawsong Philip 4. Connelley, Ci: Official and Carl Winter, Chairman of ae the Los Angeles County Communist Party, enter the home. of Max Silver, ; organizational secretary. of the Los Peet es county. Commnist: Party, a "| -. $138 Maplewood Avemie; ‘Los Angeles; Lsie: Monjar;'.a, member of the. Com= \ | ee miaiet Party and ‘a. paid confidential: informant of the los Angeles orice y YL a . has identified ConnelNey, Winter. and Silver as ‘being’ members'of'the +” <<a “Los Angeles County Communist Party. Nhe REE aspen et AD een! an On October 4, 1943,. Special Agents of the Bureav observed Max Silver, Orgm izational Secretary. of. the Los’ Angeles County Commmnist Party, .— pick up John Howard Layson at ‘Sunset and Cahuenga in:Los Angeles, and °°: Proceed to the. home.of David Grant; 827 East 21st: Street. -Carl Winter, head of the Communist Party in Los Angeles, was. observed in. attendance at ome this meeting. As indicated above, Silver. and Winter have. been identified §.’ 7 “as Commnist a] by confidential informant Elsié Monjar David Grant .is'a [ a] Pe . known Communist. by virtue of information furnished i ormer confidential ~  . paid informant Al Katz, a former member of the Commnist Party.:. . No, 7 ____. On March 14, °1944,, Special Agents of’ the Bureau. observed Lawson, << -}-~ _ accompanied by ax Silver, then Aduinistrative. Secretary. of the CP, enter... -» “the home of David: Grant, 827. Bast: 21st Street, Los-Angeles, California,  _—-- watt .. \Phese Agents also noted .that. Car? Winter, Executive Secretary of the’Partys oo. - . Jane Wallace, County. Educational: Director of the Party; Pettis: Perry, 9° -! | ‘ Gounty Chairman .and Helen Allison,” County. Homber'ship. Director of thoy ' Party, were also in attendance... Silver; Grant.and Winter have previously. ..—-.—© been identified as lmow :Commnists.. Wallace, Perryand Allison-have _. been identified as being members of “the Communist Party by: former : " confidential informant. Al Katz, a former. member of the Communist Party. Houard Lawson, Elizabeth Leach and Marjorie Fiske, Organizer and Executive | Secretary respectively, enter ahe home of Sam Moore,..314 South Harfield . Hoad, to attend a reception given for James Ford, Begro, of the Mational Committee of the Communist, Party, U.S.A. Pettis Perry, ‘Hegro, Chairman of the Los Angeles County” Commni st Party Was also observed in attendance at _ this reception. Leach, Fiske and Perry have been identified as boing _) fanetionaries of’ the Commnist Party by forner confidential informant Al _ | Hata. Literature publicly disseminated by the Commnist Party has identifieg .-' . , damés. Ford with. that.organization,. °. ee ra ane ee an Special. Agents ‘of. the Bureau on May_2, 1944, observed John. “os -) On September 245.1944, Agents of the Bureau observed Lawson . enter, the home of Carl Winter and also observed ‘Eligabeth Leach and Jane Wallace, both of whom are Commnist functionaries, in. attendance at this surprise birthday party for Carl Winter. Testifying before the California oo. Un-American ‘Activities Comnittes » Lawson admitted attending this affair _. ... “given in honor of Carl. Winter, tho was ‘then the head of the los. Angeles _ i". County: Communist Party... Winter, Leach and Wallace have previously been identified as functionaries of the Commnist Party. .— Nw base , ‘DocId: 32338872 Page 29
+ ve _ os Qn danuary. 8 . 1945 8 Special agent of the Bureai observed gi = | Elizabeth Leach, Communist’ finctionary, accompanied ‘by Carl’ Winter who. | was then head of the Commnist Party in Los Angeles, enter: a meeting at. the home-of John Howard Lawson y. 4245 _ Goldwater Ganyon;, Los. Angelese, 2 On April 11, 1945, Special“Agents of the Bureau observed Carl. ss | Winter, William Schneldermm,. Califommia State Commnist Political | . Association President;: John Howard Lawson 3:Mirian Brooks,. Communist .Party _ .fanetionary 3: Jane Wallace;, Communist Party functionary 3: Pettis Perry y.. °° -, Commnist Party: functiorary’ and Wyndham’ Mortimer.in attendance.at:a. ' County Board meeting of the Commnist Party which wag held at the home of County Labor Chairman,. P,. Kadish,, 938 South Kingsley Drive, Los Angeles... E200ks,, Mortimer and Kadish have been identified as Commnist Party | . functionaries. by. former confidential informant: Al Katz., On May 30,.1945,.. _ Special Agents of the Bureau ¢ondu ected a. surveillance atthe home of — e ' . John Howard: Lawson; 4245 Coldwater Canyon,’ and observed Elizabeth Leach, ~. Comminist Party. ‘functi onary ,. Ned Sparks,.head of the Communist Party in + Los Angeles and Max Silver, formerly the Adnénistrative Seeretary of the _ . Party in Los. Angeles, enter Lawson's’ tome... [ sie Monjar,.a confidential’ — re ‘informant of the Los Angeles Office, has identified Ned Sparks as a Com=--! — munist functionary., .°. °. oa at eal . - So ‘ a . OTHER 4 1 / On March 30,.1946,. ,an active -pai@ confidential informant of the = 8 Angeles. Office, advised that a meeting’ - _ of the financial directors of ‘the: various clubs-in the ‘Hollywood Section ,of the Los Angeles County Communist ‘Party was to.be held at the home of Hannah Schuartg, '2076 Paramount Avenue in Los Angeles on: the evening of. | the same dates; Special agents of the Bureau conducted a surveillance at | | ‘this address and observed. John Howard’ Lawson in attendance at this meeting, ___ On September 9, 1946, Special Agents of the Bureau identified . . don Howard Lawson, Hax Weiss, National Educational Director of the Communist Party, Frank Carlson, State Educational Director of the Commnist Party, _ dohn Stapp, Communist Party functionary and Charles’ Glenn, Commnist Party — . functionary as having entered the home of Abe Polonsky at 8071 Selma,. -, Tos Angeles, on’ this date, © 0: (100-24499=394) ae a -NW 45838 " DecId: 32338872 Page 30