The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1930-12-10
BY HARRY CANNES

Hamilton Fish and other inquisitors on the Fish
Committee had made many public statements
about hundreds of thousands of Communists in
the United States. Fish, Nelson and Bachman,
when they had William z. Foster before them,
tried their best to put their own pet estimates
of the Communists and sympathzers into the
mouth of Foster. They talked about fantastic
figures; but Foster talked of realities
"There are between 10000 to 10000 dues paying
members in the Communist Party" he said.
"These are disciplined Communists. As to our
support among the masses, that varies. The whole
workingclass in the United States is-potentially
Communist. On March 9th, over million I'M
employed and employed workers rallied to the
demand for unemployment insurance, under the
leadership OF the Communist Party. This does
not mean they are Communists. On various is
sues there is a varying number of workers who
support the struggles of the Party. In the last
election 100000 Communist votes were counted"
Then Bachman and Fish began to quarrel about
the figure of 100000 Communist sympathizers.
After Bachnan let it be known that he had
discovered the startling fact that "Pravda" is the
official organ of the Communist Party in the
Soviet Union he stopped questioning and Nelson
took up the examination.
Nelson is d peculiar egg. He is systematic He
has little black note book before him with
believe are facts of the Communist movement
His characteristic pose is to insist that he has
little different mode of roofing out Communist
from the rest Of the Committee. From his ques-
toning of Foster it is clearly evident that he is
going to present bill providing for the deporta-
ton of all foreign-born workers who have the
CUTS to fight against capitalist, even to talk
against it.
DO you think foreigners should interfere with
our government" he asked. Every worker who
comes to America" Foster replied, brings two
hands with him and is producer. He must have
The right to fight for his interest This carries
with it the implication that he has the right not
only to fight for the improvement of his standard
of living but for the establishment of a workers
society,"
In the afternoon Fish began the quizzing of
Foster To understand Fish's system of attack
it must be borne in mind that Fish admitted later
in the day that he was 100 per cent for secret
police to deal with the reds" he approved of
wholesale deportatons of workers who fought
against wage-cuts. and for the abolition of capt.
talism; and was for the smashing of trade with
the Soviet Union.
Fish talks rapidly. He has memorized his ques-
lions. He puts heavy emphasis on the flag and
waves it whenever a discussion of unemployment
fails him. He started out ON high gear:
WHAT are the aims and principles of the Com
naunist Party?"
ITO organize the workers to defend their in
terests under the capitalist system" Foster re-
piled, "and eventually to abolish the capitalist
system and to establish workers and farmers
government"
After some more questions along this line, Fish
jumped to religion. From religion he came to
the question of force and violence. The Central
Committee statement, which Foster had read at
the opening of the hearing, deals with this fully.
When talking about 100000 unemployed facing
starvation; about the crisis of capitalist and its
bankruptcy, about the growing revolutionary
struggles throughout the world, Fish is weak.
He tries to avoid these things violence" sounds
narrowing.
So he pops out: do you believe in force and
violence?"
First let me say that the statement which
read here fully explains our position on that
question However, let me read the Program of
the Communist International, and I will further
amplfy it." said Foster. He then read on page