C. LEAGUE OF AMERICAN WRITERS | _ SECRET The League of American Writers, according to Hawey Gilbert Wolf, a confidential informant of the Los Angeles Office, was originated in Kharkov, Russia, in November, 1930, and in-the United States in 1935. This informant indicated that the Hollywood Chapter of the League of American Writers was formed in the fall of 1935, the purpose being to bring the writers employed in the motion picture industry under the in- fluence of the League of American Writers and the Commnist Party, USA, it. being pointed out that this League was the foremost front organization operating in the so-called cultural and intellectual fields. . The source stated that the Congress of American Revolutionary Writers formed the League of American. Writers, it being pointed out that the latter organization was. declared subversive by the Attorney General on May 5, 1942. Additional information relative to the Communist daracter of . the League of American Writers was set forth heretofore in connection with the Section entitled "Joint Fact Finding Committee, California Legislature". . There is set forth’ ‘hereinafter ‘Lawson's connection with the League as well as data demonstrating the control and direction whi ch | he. exerted - over this organization. The most pertinent information in 3 is regard was obtained from a highly. confidential and réliable’ source* U) On March 25, 1939, an article appeared in the Peoples World - entitled "Hollywood Writers ask Entry for German Exile". ‘The article stated that the recently organized Hollywood Branch of the League of American Writers was taking the lead in demanding that the State Depart- ment permit the entry of Frederich Wolff, famous exiled German dramatist and film script writer. The wire sent to the State Department was signed by: John Howard Lawson » among others. In June, 1941, an article appeared in the Daily Worker entitled. "Writers Open Congress with Peace Rally". It was stated that some of - America's best known novelists, poets, artists and literary critics raised. | NW 45838 their voice against war and colonial oppression at the rally of the Fourth American Writers' Congress. John Howard Lawson was listed as being one of the speakers. . ‘ On ‘December 28, 1941, Walter Teter, 4524 Cold Water Canyon Avenue North Hollywood, California, a confidential informant of the Los Angeles yw _[tecimtcal Surveillance on the residence of Jolm Howard Lawson. (%)( Docld:32338872 Page.i8 . . : -
De Connections with Other Organizations The Jamary, 1937, issue of the "Labor Defender" published monthly by the International Labor Defense, 80 East llth Street, New York City, with William L. Patterson and Sasha Small as editors, listed John Howard Lawson as being on the Editorial Board. A highly confidential and delicate source in 1945 identified Sasha Small as a member of the then Communist Political Association. oo mo - In February, 1937, the formation of the American Society for Technical Aid to Spahish Democracy with temporary quarters at 31 East 27th Street, New York City, office of the New Masses, was announced by Waldo Frank, novelist and lecturer. The officers: were listed as John Howard Lawson, Secretary, and William Browder, Treasurer. oo . Ina letter dated December 3, 1938, issued by the National Com- ‘mittee for People's Rights, formerly the National Committee for the Defense » of Political Prisoners, 216 Clark Building, Birmingham, Alabama, John cg Howard Lawson was listed. as treasurer of the organization. : . Confidential Informant W. H. Leathers, formerly an informant of. ' the Atlanta Field Division, informed in July, 1941, that the National ' Committee for the Defense of Political Prisoners and the International Labor _ Defense are both Commnist front organizations and are closely associated and were created by the Party to handle and protect comrades who became involved with the law and also to seize upon those cases where the Party ~~. ' can secure publicity. According to the informant, the International Labor Defense has close contact with the workers and is usually operated by the _ Middle class of people, , On the back of a pamphlet published in 1940 by the Jewish People's Committee, 100 Fifth Avaue, New York City, entitled "For United Action in the Struggle Against anti-Semitism and Fascism", appears a list of the sponsors of this organization. The name of John Howard Lawson is included. a a confidential source of the New York Office has stated that the OTHER 4. ewL eople's Committee is a Commnist-inspired group. ; In the Peoples Daily World for June 17, 1941, an article appears attacking the Federal Bureau of Investigation in the form of statements of various members of the Citizens Committee for Harry Bridges released by the Committee headquarters at 1265 Broadway, New York City. Included among . \. _ individuals commenting on the conduct of the Bridges hearing and the activities DG of the FBI was John Howard Lawson, "playwright and screen writer'! . NW 45838 Doold:32338872 Page 19
oe - | SECRET A confidential source (trash coverage on office of Labor Research Association, 80 East llth Street, New York City) advised that John Howard Lawson was a sponsor of the Schappes. Defense Committee which was founded in New York City in July, 1941, to raise funds for and help prosecute the defense of Morris U. Schappes former City College instructor who was sentenced to a prison term in the State Penitentiary for perjury arising out \ _of a 1941 inquiry into Communism in educational institutions. The express purpose of the Committee as set forth in one of its pamphlets was "to help prosecute the legal defense, to acquaint the labor movement, the educational world and the general public with the issues involved.in this case, to raise funds for the defense and to help Schappes support those dependent upon-him." ; On December 19, 1941, according to a highly. confidential source* an unknown, person contacted Lawson's wife to tell her of a very "pathetic _ ' telegram" received from Edward Barsky, head of the Joint Anti-Fascist ~ Refugee Committee, it being noted that Barsky was recently given a jail - sentence for refusing to produce the records of the JAFRC for the House ~ Un-American Activities Committee. According to the informant, this -tele- gram read as follows: . . mo 5 "TRYING TO GET. FIFTY ANTI-FASCIST PEOPLE ON THE LAST BOAT OUT _OF LISBON, SEND MONEY AT GREATEST POSSIBLE SACRIFICE." On January 16, 1943, a highly confidential source (technical «. surveillance on residence of Herbert Biberman) reported that Biberman was’ consulted concerning-a letter issued by Mr. Kemitz, National Secretary, National Federation for Constitutional Liberties, advising that this Committee was starting a campaign against the Dies Cominittee and wanted the Hollywood people to do something about it. Although the informant was unable to - ‘ascertain the name of the man with whom Biberman consulted on this date, it was determined by another highly confidential source* on January 18, 193, that John Howard Lawson had directéd Elizabeth Leach to pick up this letter from Biberman. It is noted that Elizabeth Leach was the Organizer of the Northwest Section, Los Angeles County Communist. Party at the time. It should be noted that the National Federation for Constitutional Liberties was declared subversive by the Attorney General on July 31, 1941, in that it came: | within the purview of the Hatch Act. CaN ; . On March 12, 1943, it was reported by. Harvey Gilbert Wolf, a confidential informant of the Los Angeles Office, that Herbert Biberman, - .. ‘Gale Sondergaard, Edward Biberman and his wife. Sonja Dahl, lirs. Eva Biberman, Anthony Ellis and Hellen Ellis, his wife, would all attend the Joint Anti-~Fascist Refugee Committee rally held at the Philharmonic Auditorium. It-was pointed out that Sonja Biberman was the former Hollywood Chairman.  : ] technical ‘Surveitiance on the residence of John Howard tawson, |& Uy : - 45 - “eecRET | NW 45838 DocId:32338872 Page 20
SECRET i i j j i to the to bear in this regard. During the conversation, according informant, it was pointed out that the Los Angeles Section of the Free World Assocjation had not as yet revoked Point #1 of its Aims and Pur- poses. (4 Wu The name of John Howard Lawson appeared as a sponsor on a circular distributed by the American Youth for Democracy, 1567 Broadway, Detroit, iiichigan,. dated December 20, 1945. . . In November, 1945, according to a highly confidential source%, Lawson conferred several times with Mildred Raskin, Executive Secretary of the People's Educational Center, described as the organization created and dominated by the Communists to spread Communist philosophy, and these conversations mde it clear that Lawson was becoming concerned over the $3,000 or $4,000 which he Personally had guaranteed for this organization in the way of printing bills and incidental expenses. The. same source / indicated that Lawson felt that the organization was not going to be dble to repay this money to him. During the same period, the same source was .. Present when Lawson conferred with Waldo Salt, Commnist screen writer, regarding ways and means of raising $5,000 for the benefit of the People's Educational Center. Lawson also advised this informant that he was planning to take a hand in the reorganization of the staff of the People's Educa- ~ ‘tional Center, commenting that he did not think that the personnel was Organized in the most effective a7-@) eS According to a.pamphlet issued by the Los Angeles Workers School, John Howard Lawson, together with Albert Maltz and other invited lecturers, were to be the instructors at the course entitled "The American Democratic Tradition", an eight-week course, tuition $3. The course was to be given at the Unitarian Church, 2936 West Sth-Street, Los Angeles. Of all the courses taught at: the Workers School, according to this pamphlet, this was the only one not being taught at the Workers School proper, located at 212 West 3rd Street, Los Angeles. This course, according to the booklet, "will be a lecture course dealing with decisive periods in the history of our nation; the democratic conditions throughout the development of our people, ‘Beginning with the colonial period, the course will trace the growth, problems and developments of the American tradition during the period of the Civil War and reconstruction; it will deal also with the agrarian populist movement , the First World War and the present war for national survival" - Itis to be noted that this is not the same Course that was given by Lawson at the school for the League of American Writers entitled "Our Democratic Heritage. The Los Angeles Workers-School, founded in 1939,. according to the Pamphlet, bases its studies on the various teachings "in social science...Marxism...the theory and practice of the working class and the people's movement throughout history", The entire Board of Directors of the Workers School are Communists, ac cording to a confidential informant » Harvey Gilbert Wolf, who also indicated that . _ this school is the educational plant for the Communists in Los Angeles County. , [technica Surveillance on the residence of John Howard Lawson.] Af uy. - | ; . an P [a i 2 ° -47-- OLURE NW 45838 Docid:32338872 Page 21