Evening star., 1938-08-30
DIES TAKES RAP
AT PROBE CRITICS
Assai|s RidicuIe and Lists
Obstacles and Results
in Forum Talk.

crat, of Texas discussed last night
the work of the special House COM
mittee investigating un-American ac-
tivities on the National Radio Forum,
arranged by The Star and broadcast
over a Nation wide network of the Ma
tional Broadcasting Co. Mr.. Dies is
chairman Of the committee. The text
of his address follows:
Ladies and Gentlemen Of the
Radio Audience: On Friday, the 18th
Of this month, our Committee on Un-
American Activities and Propaganda
began its hearings in the city Of
Washington. which continued until
Tuesday afternoon. August 23 We
have been seriously handicapped by
a lack Of sufficient funds to employ an
adequate staff Of stenographers, clerks
investigators and attorneys. After
the House Of Representative had au-
thorlzed this investigation by an over
Whelming majority. we requested $780,
600 to finance the investigation. How
ever. the Committee on Accounts re-
fused to give us more than $25 900, but
assured us that the provision in the
resolution calling upon the various
departments of government to CO.
operate with our committee in the way
OF assigning to us clerks, stenog-
raphers, investigators and attorneys
would enable us to conduct thorough
investigation. Immediately after Con-
gress adjourned, as chairman Of the
committee, ! requested in writing the
Department of Justice and the De-
partment of Labor to assign to our
committee the personnel needed and
called for In the resolution. These
departments did not comply with my
request and consequently we have been
compelled to conduct this investiga-
tion without any paid secretary or
clerks, without any legal assistants
Therefore, we started out with two
strikes already called against us You
can appreciate this statement when
you remember that the Senate Elec
tions Committee was given 100000.
the monopoly probe s500,0 900 and the
La Toilette probe sl50,000.
However. in spite of these serious
obstacles we have succeeded during
the 10 days of hearing in laying be-
fore the American people the serious
ness and extent of un-American and
subversive activities throughout the
United States. That we have sue
ceeded in focusing public attention
upon the situation is demonstrated by
the large number of letters and tele-
grams that are received every day by
the committee and the abuse and
vituperation that have come from the
usual quarters.
1t is my purpose tonight to tell you
about some Of the testimony and facts
presented to the committee during its
10 days Of hearings. Let me empha-
size that upon numerous occasions be-
fore and during the hearings I made
ita&ear that the committee wanted to
hear from all sides and to accord to
every individual or organization who
was attacked a full opportunity to be
heard.
Invitation Given Lewis.
As chairman Of the committee, I ex-
tended to Mr.. John L. Lewis an invi-
tation to appear before our commit
tee and give us the benefit Of any facts
or information that he might have
with respect to any un-American ac-
tivities in the United States. At all
times made it plain that the official
representatives Of organizations who
were attacked in the course of these
hearings would receive from the COM
mittee a courteous and fair hearing
However. the committee is determined
to conduct fearless investigation and
to focus the spotlight upon subversive
activities and organizations that have
heretofore escaped any public inquiry
Immediately after was named chair
man it become very evident to me that
there were certain groups and organ
izations in the United States who
were extremely anxious to investigate
Naziism and Fascism and were willing
to cooperate with this committee TO
that end but that when it came to
Communism they were either opposed
to a real exposure or strangely in
different. This naturally excited my
curiosity and aroused my suspicion.
I have been unable to understand
why any individual. organization or
group in America could be so vocif-
erous in the denunciation of Fascism
and at the same time so Indifferent
to Communism Communism as prac-
ticed in Russia is a ruthless and tyran-
nical dictatorship and equally as dan
gerous as NaZi-ism or Fascism. I also
found that other groups and organiza-
tions were very anxious to investigate
Communism, but were Indifferent to
the dangers of Fascism and Nazi-ism.
In common with the majority of Amer
leans, I am unalterably opposed to
every alien system of government and
it is, therefore. my firm belief that
this investigation should deal with all
forms of activities and propaganda
which are clearly and Enthusiastically
un-American.
The committee received consider
able testimony and documentary evil
dence with reference to the Nazi
movement in the United States. A
former member of the German Ameri-
can Bund. former member of the
German Bund and former leader of
the German American Bund testified
under oath before the committee. There
Is no question but that all of these
witnesses were members of the bund
and thoroughly acquainted with its
activities and objectives The sub
stance of their testimony was to the
effect that the German American Bund
Is closely allied with the Nazi move
ment in Germany; that it receives
Its inspiration and announcement
from the Nazi government and is
deeply sympathetic with the Nazi
movement. There was presented to
the committee and introduced in evi-
dence correspondence which passed
between officials of the bund in the
United States and the Nazi govern
ment in Germany. These letters tend
to show close relationship between
the German American Bund in the
United States and the Nazi govern
mnnt in Germanv All of ithaca lot