Evening star., 1938-11-04
Communists Claim
$4,000 in Ohio,
Dies Group Told
Witness, Who Says He
Has Been Member,
Tells Porty's Activities
1y the Associated Press.

ey the Associated Press.
The House Committee on Un-
American Activities heard testimony
today that the Communist party
claimed between 10000 and $4,000
card-bearing members in Ohio.
Edgar Herzog of Elyria, Ohio. who
said he had been a member of the
Communist party since 1892, testi-
ned this claim had been made to
him by John Williamson of ,Cleve-
land, State secretary of the party.
This, he said. ranked Ohio third in
the United States in total members
of the party. He listed California as
first and New York as second.
While retaining his Communist
party aff1liation, the witness testi-
fled he had been chairman since
1887 of the American Legions Un-
American Activities Committee for
Ohio.
He named as some of the organ
1zers of the party in the State:
John Steuben and Robert Burke.
Youngstown; James Keller, Akron;
Phil Bart, whom he characterized
as "drifter," who moved where
ever there was a disturbance; John
Meldon and Frank Rogers, Cleve-
land, and Dorothy Cannon, Toledo.
Teachers Red, He Says.
Under questioning by Representa-
tive Mosier, Democrat, of Ohio, a
committee member, Mr.. Herzog
identified Dorothy Cannon as IN
organizer in charge of the Young
Pioneer Momement and the teach
ers of the State. He said she con-
Quoted a workers school in Toledo
where teachers in the public schools
were instructed in methods of
teaching Communism to their pupils.
He added that the school was
financed by the Young Communist
League.
Asked by Representative Mosier
how many teachers in the State
were members of the party; Mr..
Herzog replied that the Communist
slate polled approximately 400 votes
in the election of officers of the
Ohio Teachers Federation held at
Columbus in May, 1887. The wit
ness said he did not know the total
vote cast.
The witness described the Young
Pioneers as a Communist youth
movement. He said the movement
published a newspaper, 100, 900 copies
of which were distributed to Boy
Scouts attending the National JAM
boree in Washington two years ago.
Joined Out of Curiosity.
Mr.. Herzog said he had attended
Communist meetings in SO per cent
of the counties of Ohio and added
that membership in the party was
concentrated in the industrial areas
of Cleveland, Akron, Youngstown,
Warren, Niles, Toledo, Columbus
and Portsmouth.
Mr.. Herzog told the committee
he joined the Communist party
because I had heard about Com
munism and wanted to find out what
it was all about"
Prior to today'S meeting the Dies
committee had slapped another sub
poena on Homer Martin, but again
consented to let the president of the
United Automobile Workers postpone
his testimony.
Mr.. Martin was called in connec-
ton with charges made before the
committee that his union was
honeycombed with Communists,
who had seized key positions and
fomented sit-down strikes and other
disturbances.
He was asked to testify two weeks
ago, but asked to be excused on
the ground that to do so would "rel
open old wounds" at the time when
he was engaged in delicate negotia-
tionS with the motor manufacturers.
To Appear Next Week.
At that time, Chairman Dies said
Mr.. Martin would be excused If he
would certify the correctness of
published statements made by him.
self, charging that there had been
a widespread Communist infiltra-
ton into the union. Mr.. Dies would
not say yesterday what had become
Of this phase Of tho investigation.