t ' $e v9.1 AGENCY : RECORD NUMBER : RECORD SERIES : AGENCY FILE NUMBER : ORIGINATOR: FROM: TO: TITLE: DATE: ‘PAGES: SUBJECTS : DOCUMENT TYPE : CLASSIFICATION : RESTRICTIONS : CURRENT STATUS : DATE OF LAST REVIEW : OPENING CRITERIA : COMMENTS : JFK Assassination System Identification Form Agency Information FBI 124-90143-10365 HQ 100-370750-NR Document Information FBI LA HQ 04/08/1942 25 HERBERT BIBERMAN JOHN HOWARD LAWSON PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT Unclassified 4 Redact 10/09/1998 INDEFINITE RPT 13 1a 54460 Docld:32336947 Page 1 Date: 5/13/201 Released under the John Kennedy Wssassination Records oOllection Act of 1992 (44 U5 2107 Note). ase#: NU 54460 Date: 1O-O4-2017
-Form No. 1 THIS CASE ORIGINATED AT TOS ANGELES DATE WHEN MADE PERIOD FOR WHICH MADE “REPORT MADE AT ::, LOS ANGELES 4/8/42 2/27-3/29/42 ra : 2 CHARACTER OF CASE - HERBERT SIBBRMAN; _¢ “© JOHN HOWARDLAWSON  (_ ph AG Sys INTERNAL SECURITI - R | BIBERMAN directed strategy behind Russian War Relief rally held 3/24/42 at Los Angeles. He wrote pamphlet advertising same fand held continual conferences with DIMITRI TIOMKIN, director of the rally. He further directed MADELINE RUTHVEN to contact unknown union leader to get support of union, BIBERMAN further di- rected RUTHVEN to carry out his prearranged sight- seeing tour for the Captain of a Russian ship in port and members of the Russian Consulate in Los Angeles, BIBERMAN also directed that publicity concerning the arrival of Russian military attache be released to the People's World, Communist news organ on the West Coast. BIBERMAN procured pertinent Russian history book from Russian Consulate for LOUIS HARRIS, writer, Which is to be basis for a screen play. GALE SONDER- GAARD refused invitation by known Communist to speak c ) at IWO after conferring with husband #/relegram sent 4 4 -by SONDERGAARD to president of Mexico urging no de- “portation for anti-Fascists cited. LAWSON presently employed by CECIL B. DeMILLE as writer. Informant able to secure Communist propaganda from him. Sub- jects' bank accounts oned (2) esults: of mail cove P - set out and cover renewed. . ‘ Tee WARIO REFERENCE: Report of Special Agent J. R. VICARS, Los Angeles, 3/4/42. i “ss FORWARDED: Seer N CHARGE "BO NOT WRITE IN THESE SPACES; 2! |foo- |37075 0- Ln COPIES OF THIS REPORT — —— — ae ae a ESTE pp 9 ALIN O sno PEN co ate 2 san /~ Bureau “2 - New York 2 - Los Angeles ‘ U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 7—-2034 HW 54460 Docld:32336947 Page 2?
with supplies for the’ Russian people. It should be noted that these were distributed not only by Russian War Relief Association but by the Communist Party as well. [Copies of these were obtained by Confidential National De- os ‘LeA. #150, a representative number being retained in this e identity of the aforementioned union leader has not been aba owever, JIM BURFORD, a known Communist whose Communist Party book number” tan be obtained from Confidential National Defense Informant L.A. #35 represented the CIO has head of the Russian. War Relief Committee of the CIO at the rally on March 245 1942. Further, : as will be shown sub- sequently in this report, BURFORD was: ‘active, with DIMITRI TIOMKIN in the. Russian War Relief office in organizing this rally. Further investigation — - is being made through Confidential National Defense Informant. L.A. we: in an attempt to identify this union leader. f x On March 10, 1942 DIMITRI TIOMKIN and BIBERMAN held a “eonference and TIOMKIN advised BIBERMAN that JANE and he had just called New York: to determine through the Russian War Relief offices there if it would be pos- sible to get Madame LITVINOV or DOROTHY THOMPSON for the rally. DIMITRI. stated that she had talked to MORRIS (general administrator of Russian War Relief in New York) and MORRIS advised sending a telegram to Madame LITVINOV \ with many prominent names on it and maybe she would come, TIOMKIN stated — that he had also talked with EDWARD CARTER, whom, he stated, had pneumonia and was dangerously ill. CARTER had told JANE, TIOMKIN stated, that. TIOMKIN was the person who could induce Madame LITVINOV to. cone if anyone could. DIMITRI then told BIBERMAN that he and JANE had tried to call .someone, ‘ap=- parently SCY, LITVINOV, "But that she would not be in until tomorrow. morning" DY) “DIMITRI also stated that DAVID FARIES, president of the Russian _War Relief Association of Southern. California, had promised to ‘take the responsibility to get the big names and to send Madame LITVINOV a Sexe te BIBERMAN then asked DIMITRI what he was doing about the letters, . apparently referring to letters written to prominent people encouraging . them to donate to this campaign. DIMITRI told him that everything was go- _ ing fine and that HARRY BENNETT, Russian War Relief publicity director, was attempting to get in the studio and also planning a radio program. BIBER- yO . MAN told TIOMKIN that-the fact: that CARTER and MORRIS were so enthusiastic | ' ' ghould give DIMITRI a great deal of encouragement. DIMITRI further. advised _ HERBERT that JANE was attempting to plan a reception for a certain lady, —_ poo who apparently is rather well respected, and after some lengthy conversa- ; tion with Mrs. RATHBORNE to have her as hostess or to act in some capacity for this event; however, this informant was unable. to obtain sufficient information concerning ‘this proposed reception. / Wu , ae eT : - - On the- same date DIMITRI was again in contact with BIBERMAN' and ae advised that BORIS INGSTER; JANE MEADE, MR. ARNOLD and FARIES had held a 19 (ee) [1 ‘HW 54460 Docld:32338947 Page 3
, AW 54460 ~ = — = BIBERMAN, in further consultations with HARRIS, | stated that "they" think ‘that PARLE'S book is ‘the best. ‘ "They" u doubtedly refers to. the Russian - ‘Consulate at Los Angeles, with whom it is evident BIBERMAN discussed the matter prior to referring HARRIS to the proper book. _ Hence ' it would ap- pear that at least in this particular instance BIBERMAN was the go-between in procuring Russian propaganda for a script, which will probably. be. pro=" duced as a movie. Should BIBERMAN be further affiliated: in either procur=. ing other background for this proposed seript or should he in any way: be- come concerned with it further, it will be developed in subsequent reports(ey(U During the period of this report GALE SONDERGAARD had béen con+ tacted by members of two Communist front organizations and ‘invited to lec= ture to them. On March 1, 1942 FREDA FONTIVITZ. (phonetic), telephone CHArleston 6-6594, contacted HERBERT BIBERMAN and advised him that she re- presented the Hollywood Womens _ Council and wanted GALE to give a lecture entitled ‘Women in Defense" in:one of the series. of chain luncheons which was to be heid the following Saturday-at 2: :00 P. uM. At this méeting, FONTI- VITZ stated, one hundred’ and fifty ladies would be present, including four of the Russian medical aides. GALE later. recontacted FONTIVITZ and advised she could not make a personal appearance at thi meeting, stating she’ had a first aid class at the same hour on satanaay (2: (1) “} Again on March 25° 19425 HANWA SCHWARTZ 10 GALE and asked her if she would speak at a women's mass meeting on Brooklyn Avenue‘on " March 8. HANNA advised GALE that there would be a number of IWO ‘clubs present. and several other organizations. , She asked GALE to speak on the. . subject of ‘Women's place in the World". GALE advised HANNA that she would check her schedule to see if she could make this appearance and requested HANNA to’ contact her later on the same day; however, when HANNA recontacted ‘GALE, GALE stated she had talked to her husband and seems we are. occu~ pied that evening so I can't accept the sewetatasnn(2 (4 y The file entitled "COMMUNIST PARTY, LOS ANGELES at, number® 100-1763, reflects that one HANNA SCHWARTZ is the wife of ‘LOUIS SCHWARTZ, .. president’ of. the Newsboys Union - CIO,: “who is prominently connected with the Comnuni’st Party: in-Los Angeles. Confidential Naticnal Defense Informant L.A. #150, whose identity, has been made known to the Bureau, has advised: this office that HANNA SCHWARTZ is also an active member of: the Los. Angeles Communist Party and a close friend of PET TIS PERRY, chairman of the Los. Angeles County Communist Party. She is also a member of the Executive Committee of the Los Angeles Auxiliary: Council. of | the CIO and -is’a member of the committee of th Consumers" “Union and als6: very active in the American Peace Mobilization, yu). . pee . Attention is Me) to the’ fact that this HANNA SCHWARTZ may be the one who consulted with GALE‘ SONDERGAARD ‘and it is further noted that » BIBERMAN consulted with GALE before she gave a final decision in the mat- ‘ter, lending credence to the belief that BIBERMAN wishes not only himself but his wife to remain in the background of known Communist contacts and “ organizations. GALE SONDERGAARD is still active in the Tenens ET a sh e “sy see AMAIA Doclda: 323368947 Page 4
Defense Corps, and a full page of’ picts res’ of GALE, ‘including one in her WADC uniform, appeared. in the hos Angeles Evening Herald and Express March 5, 1942. : Two of these full length pictures are being retained in the file for identification purposes. (UY) ' Also during the’ period of this report it has ‘come to the attention of the Los Angeles Office that GALE SONDERGAARD was one of many: people from the movie industry who sent telegrams to the president of Mexico objecting to his proposed deportation of several Spanish chil- dren between the ages of fifteen and twenty-one. The People's World. described these Spaniards as being anti<Fascist and conducted a cam- paign urging American citizens to. wire the ‘president of Mexico in their behalf. e Further, Confidential National Defense Informant L.A. #1357 advised the writer that ED ROBBIN, known Communist member and sponsor of the World Forum, on March 29, 1942, publicly urged the audience ‘at the World Forum to direct "such terms of intertession to the president of Mexico on behalf of these anti-Fascist people". The fact that GALE : -SONDERGAARD also sent one reflects that in this one instance, at least, — | she has followed the so-called Communist Party Lnes(@V/) - | It is further interesting ‘to note in this connection that the | People's World of April 5,. 1942 reflects that the president of Mexico . granted these Spanish deportees one year of grace for their final - depor- tation, , , 7 During the past month JOHN HOWARD LAWSON has secured a posi- tion as writer for CECIL B. DeMILLE at a Hollywood studio. Temporary Confidential National Defense Informant L.A. #3 stated that LAWSON leaves his home every morning at approximately 9:30 A.M. and reappears at ap= , proximately 4:30 or 5:00 P.M. During this pertinent period, also, this informant has procured a copy of the "Soviet Power" written by the Dean of Conterbury and a pamphlet entitled Information Bulletin", published by the Embassy of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics celebrating the twenty-fourth. anniversary of the "Great October Socialist Revolution", In this pamphlet are various messages sent to STALIN by American people, ' congratulating him on the. twenty-fourth anniversary of the Revolutions oy Included in this booklet are messages from THEODORE DREISER, WALTER DURANTY, JOSEPH CURRAN, FRANZ BOAS, UPTON SINCLAIR, and also PETTIS PERRY, who is described therein as "Chairman Soviet Anniversary meeting in Los . { Angeles", but who is know to the Los ingeles Office and the Bureau as - , chairman of the Los Angeles County Communist: Party. Concerning the magazine "Soviet Power", attention is invited _ to the fact that the Communist Party in Los éngeles distributed over seventy thousand copies in this area alone and has stated at their meet- ings that "Comrades should~see to it. that the public receives this publi- cation." Both of these publications are being « retained in the file of this CaSCo. ; : AW 54460 Docld:32336947 Page 5
; latironad tense Informant L. A. #3. is WALTER TETER, whose identity has pre Wao) REALS de. known to the Bureaus Temporary Confidential National Defense Informant L.A. #5 is WALTER N. BOLMAN, Treasurer, Russian War Relief Association of Southern California and vice-president of the Union Bank and Trust Companys Los — Angeles. _-- Gonfidential National Defense Informant L. i, #1357 is Mrs. GENE KATZENBERGER, on whom a Separate memorandum.is being transmitted to . the Bureau (7) (Ur) . . All other sources referred to in this report are identical with Confidential National Defense sutormant L.A. #100 iN” \ Docld: 323368947 Page 6