a ; : So pr - con AL time a junior partner of MORGAN & COMPANY had been seen at a "red" meeting. It is interesting to note the reference by BIBERMAN to the LAMONT spon~ sorship of Russian war relief in juxtaposition to. his statements regarding the AMERICAN COUNCIL ON SOVIET RELATIONS. It is reasonably obvious that there is a motivating force controlling the resurgence of the two types of pro- paganda favorable to the Soviet cause. and collatérally the education of ' the American public to the abandonment of prejudice against the Soviet and its form of government, In view of this, the Bureau was advised by . reference teletyne of[Betcber 15, 1941,) in “compliance with ee reetonsC SD contained in Bureau létter of August 7, 1941, concerning the activities of the A.C.S. tioned below, s additionally disclos ed by documentary evidence men~ Mu) (YO With reference to the conference arranged by CULLEN for’ HARRIS, BIBERM d LAWSON as above cited, it may be stated that due to the secrecy maintained by the parti cipants, no information could be secured by Confidential National Defense Informant Los Angeles 11007] However, it was ascertained that Rev. THOMAS L. HARRIS was registered at the Mayflower Hotel, 527 South Grand Avenue, Los Angeles, California. His registration card as: furnished by Mr. McMEANS, manager, and photostatic copies. of which » . are being placed in the Los Angeles file inthis case, reflects that HARRIS, accompanied by his wife, checked into the Hotel on October 3; ‘1941, and occupied Room 925 until October 11, 1941. While at the hotel, HARRIS made three telephone calls and sent two telegrams. On October 3, “1941, he tele- phoned Crestview 68340 twice, and it has been ascertained that the subscriber to this number is the Huropean Film Fund, 9172 Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles, California. Collateral. information. is being secured concerning this organi- ‘ - gation to ascertain, if possible, what business relations HARRIS had with the . organization. ! 4 - On October 10, 1941, HARRIS. telephoned Sunset 23387, which is “an unpublished number subscribed to by JOHN GARFIELD, 4031 Longridge Ave., Van Nuys, California. The status of GARFIELD will be described hereinafter. The telegrams sent by HARRIS were both directed to New York City to addressees whose 3 identities have not yet been ascertained. The Peoples World, Communist Party newspaper, in its issue of October 10, 1941 carried. an article entitled "ANGELENOS URGE MORE SOVIET, AID" which reflected that HARRIS spoke at a rally under the: auspices of the American Council on Soviet Relations on October 9, 1941. / AW 54460 DBocld:32336711 Page 4
» AW 354460) BDocld:32336711 Page 5 he naia not think they were the right people |" It will be noted here that both VIOLA BROTHERS SHORE and SAMUEL ORNITZ have’ been prominent in the past in connection with Communist front organizations, and further, it is re-' called that the pattern of BIBERMAN'S activities as cited in the writer's reference report and the report dated October 4, 1941, calls for the use of - persons o=( RYU) been prominent in the past in Communist-dominated or- ganizations WX) The meeting at LESTER COLE'S house, above de scribed, was dis- cussed by MADELINE RUTHVEN. with BIBERMAN along lines which indicated that it was called because she had received a telegram from New ‘York asking for. haste and presumably. sent by HARRIS" headquarters. Confidential National Defense Informant Los. Angeles No. .1100 advised that in the discussion RUTHVEN stated that they must have the names in by the 24th, and the informant suggests the possibility that the names in question are those of local sponsors and workers on the A.C.S.R. project. She stated that "they", obviously meaning the New York headquarters, had "sent some names from. - \ New York -- some very good namese" According to the cited informant, RUTH ‘VEN. further commented on the fact that it would be difficult to get’ JOLIE « to attend the meeting because of his present. motion picture SEER) (L) Informant 1100 has in idicated that JULIE is identical with JOHN GARFIELD Reference is made te the fact that HARRIS? letter was addressed , to ERNEST DAWSON and further. reference is made ta the mention, therein of: VIOLA BROTHERS SHORE and JOHN GARFIELD. It is considered advisable to set out the available information in.the ‘files of the Los Angeles Field . Division Office reflecting the status of these individuals with relation to the Communist Party. It: will be noted that HARRIS himself says that he met DAWSON in the Soviet Union. The fact of DAWSON'S visit to Russia has been of record in the Los Angeles Field Division, which has a case entitled "ERNEST DAWSON; MRS. SADIE ROBERTS DAWSON, with aliases; ESPIONAGE - R," vo Los Angeles File No. 65-1574. In this ‘case custodial detention memorandums a have been submitted on both DAWSON and his wife. The DAWSON'S live at - 3003 Vineyard Street, Los Angeles, California, and DAWSON operates a high- class book shop known as DAWSON'S. BOOK STORE, located at 627 South Grand Avenue, Los Angeles, California. DAWSON was a sponsor of the SCHNEIDERMAN-DARCY DEFENSE COMMITTEE, - and his wife was treasurer of that committee. DAWSON was also a captain of the 61st Assembly District of the AMERICAN PEACE CRUSADE and-has been re- ported by ‘Confidential National Defense’ Informant Los Angeles No. 3 as a member of the Communist Party as of January 31, 1939. This informant in- dicates the present possession and ability to produce documentary evidence of DAWSON'S membership in the Communist Party. In view of the fact that ‘ DAWSON appears cf: interest tc this investigation in the light of Rev. HARRIS! letter, it: is considered advisable to establish a-mail cover on this individual, and same has been requested as of the date cf this report.
League, the school started as a "school for writers on ‘Monasy, October 13, 1941, and from the circumstance cf the grcup meeting at LAWSON'S, it is ~ concluded that the meeting had reference to the launching of this school. . ' From Coufidential National Defense Infcrmant Los Angeles Ne. 3, there was ebtained data ‘indicating that CEDRIC BELFRAGE, PAUL JARRICO, VIOLA BROTHERS SHORE, and JOHN HOWARD LAWSON will be among the instructors in - the school for writers. Informant No. 3 advised that he had cbtained a | orechure announcing the school and its courses, which indicated that VIOLA BROTHERS SHORE would lecture on the composition of short stories, o and that JOHN HOWARD LAWSON would conduct a course entitled "History of Oo Ok American Liberty From the Colonial Period to The Present" on Monday even- ings throughout the winter. : ate In view of the character of the lectures to be delivered by LAWSON as indicated by the title of his course, consideration is being given to the registration of a Bureau employee or Confidential Informant in - the courses being offered at the Writers&* School. It is noted that the ‘LEAGUE OF AMBRICAN WRITERS has received attention as a Communist frent crganization in the Los Angeles Field Divisicn and full information concerning it is reflected in the case ; entitled "LEAGUE OF AMERICAN ‘WRITERS; INTERNAL SECURITY - Bt Los Angeles File No. 100-5377. . ; . | As of the date cf the dictation cf this report, Ccenfidential National Defense Infcrmant.Los Angeles No. 1100 advised that informaticn had been developed concerning General YAKHONTOFF, whe, it is ncted, is men- ‘tioned in the letter written by THOMAS L. HARRIS tc ERNEST DAWSON. The cited infcrmant advised that cone PHILIP GARDNER contacted subject BIBER~ MAN and advised him that the I.W.O. was bringing General YAKHONTOFF tc Los Angeles cn the seventeenth of November, and that YAKHONTOFF would re- | - main until the twenty-third cf Nevember. GARDNER stated that YAKHONTOFF istbooked every night," but that he, GARDNER, got in tcuch with BIBERMAN te cffer the services cf YAKHONTOFF tc BIBERMAN fcr propaganda ‘use by sub- ject "amcng the Hollywcecd crowd." BIBERMAN, in rejoinder, advised GARDNER . that possibly the AMERICAN COUNCIL ON SOVIET RELATIONS "might be able te : _ use him," but he stated that YAKHONTOFF would have to be made available in : ‘the evening. GARDNER stated that possibly that could be arranged, and it . was suggested that some time prior to YAKHONTOFF'S arrival,- BIBERMAN. get in touch with GARDNER, whose office is Room 336, 257 South Spring Street, ; Los Angeles, telephone MUtual 5468. Informant 1100 further stated that fol- lowing the discussion’ concerning YAKHONTOFF'S availability to BIBERMAN if the latter wanted him, GARDNER asked BIBERMAN if the latter would like to be on a program with YAKHONTOFF at a mass meeting to’ be held at the Embassy Auditorium, Los Angeles, during YAKHONTOFF'S visit. BIBERMAN immediately stated to GARDNER that he expected to be out of town in about three weeks yo and would remain away from Los Angeles for at least six weeks,.and there- fore, could not be publicly booked. It will be obvious from knowledge of BIBERMAN'S intention to assume employment in a motion picture studio i ) : i A eal 2 | AW 54460 Docld:32336711 Page 6