Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-07-27
FORD A|DEFAvORS
| SECRET US.P POLICE
Could Check Communistic Ac.
tivity, Sorenson Tells
Fish Committee.
by the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
DETROIT, July 26.--Charles e. So
renson, personal representative o
Henry Ford, told the Congressional
Committee investigating Communism IL
the United States today that he wa!
''very much in favor" of secret police
force to check Communist activities II
the United States.
Sorenson, who appeared without q
subpoena before the committee to tel
what he knew Of alleged Communistic
activities in the Ford organization, said
however, that the Ford Motor Co. never
had experienced any trouble from Com
munists in the Ford plant and said that
the company's business relations with
the Soviet government always had been
satisfactory.
I'VE are not ashamed Of the contracts
We have made with Russia" he said.
Questioned regarding an interview
with newspaper men in New York last
week upon his return from Russia, Mr..
Sorenson denied he had been correctly
quoted when he was reported to have
criticized the idea of a secret police
force of the Government to keep a
check on Communistic activities.
Fire Hose Turned on Jobless.
Under questioning by Representative
Hamilton Fish, jr, Mr.. Sorenson said
that Henry Ford probably had been
u1isrepresented'' when newspapers print
ed a statement said to have been made
by Mr.. Ford that he needed 5000 work.
erS at once.
Asked If it were true that more than
10000 workers flocked to Detroit to get
Jobs, that there were no jobs and that
the fire hose was turned IN the crowds
at the Ford plant in order to dispense
them, Mr.. Sorenson replied, 81 think so,
yes. We have had to do that before"
Sorenson denied that he had said in
the newspaper interview that for eight
months some so skilled Russian Com
munists had been employed in the Ford
plant with the knowledge of the man
agement and that the morale Of the or
ganization had proved impervious to
their efforts.
II said Russian workers, not Russian
Communists" Sorenson said.
Hadn't Thought Of That.
do you believe it likely that Com
munists would be sent to your plant to
cause trouble when your money is go
ing to aid the Soviet government In
its enterpriSes?" Representative Fish
asked. Don't you think that makes
you somewhat immune from troubles
that might come to other companies?"
II hadn't thought of IL in that way"
SorenSon replied. Its a good idea.
I'm going to learn something from this
examination after all"
Sorenson said he was familiar with
the Ford Worker" an sllegedly Com
naunist paper circulated at the Ford
plant, and with other forms of propa-
ganda. He said he thought It was
harmful and dangerous and would
stop 1t tomorrow" If he could. He de-
MED, however, that he had experienced
any trouble with Communists at the
Ford plant and said that the Ford
organization was prepared to learn
all about their activities" through its
secret police. He said no Ford en-
ploye ever had been dismissed for
Communistic activities.
Fish Declines One Line.
Representative Fish declined to ques-
ton Sorenson about the activities of
the Ford organization In Russia, saying
the committee was mot concerned
with activities outside the United
States. 'af
Sorenson expressed himself as willing
20 give the committee anything you
want about our business IN Russia"
'I don't know what the Communists
are doing In other places" Sorenson
said. "but on our own part, know we
are having no trouble"
He said all the contracts made by
the Ford Co. were executed through
Arntorg. United States Soviet repre-
sentative.
The. appearance of Sorenson today
marked the second time that the Ford
organization has been introduced into
the committee testimony. T'he first oc-
casion was yesterday, when Rev. Father
Charles T.. Coughlin accused the motor
magnate of upwillingly contributing to
the spread OF Communism, and criti-
cized his $13,0o0,000 contract with
Soviet enterprises.
Shown newspaper story reporting
criticisms of the committees actions
emanating from Moscow, the commit
tee went into executive session after the
hearing today, apparently to consider
drafting a reply to the statement.
Emerging from the session, Representa-
tive Fish, however, told the Associated
Press that 1.-THE committee has decided
that no reply or comment Of any sort
viii be made to Russia until the in
vestigations are completed and q report
made to Congress early in December"