Evening star., 1938-08-30


literally covered with propaganda, lit
erature, pamphlets and portraits that
came from Germany and were being
distributed throughout the camps to
members and to visitors. They show the
members of the German American
Bund marching in uniform and sa-
luting the Swastika. The letters, the
photographs and the official publica-
tions of the German American Bund
disclose the deep sympathy which ex-
lists for the Nazi movement in Ger
many. its activities. its purposes and
its objectives. These pictures also
disclose the presence of members Of
other organizations intermingling on
intimate terms with members Of the
German American Bund. Alongside
the Storm Trooper is seen the Black
Shirt OF the Fascist and the men,
bers of the Ukrainian Unit indicating
cooperation between the FasciSts in
the United States and the members
of the German American Bund. How
ever, let me make it plain that no def
mite conclusions will be reached until
all the evidence is in.
S0vietS Influence u. S. Groups.
The evidence thus far with refer
ence to communistic activity in the
United States indicates that the Com
munist party is an integral part of the
international Communist movement
directed and controlled by the Soviet
Union, and that through the Com
munist party in the United States the
Soviet Union is influencing, if not di-
recting, the policies and activities of
certain organizations in the United
States. The evidence further indicates
that the Communist party in the
United States is using these organiza-
tions as fronts" to advance the cause
and interest of the Soviet Union in
this country but that the overwhelm-
ing majority of the members of many
Of these front" organizations are en-
tirely innocent and have been duped
into joining these organizations on
account of the lofty purposes which
they profess. Considerable testimony
both verbal and documentary, was
heard with reference to the American
League for Peace and Democracy. It
is claimed that this league, with a
membership of 100000 in the United
States, IS the principal front" organi-
zation of the Communist party. This
evidence consists OF the following
testimony:
The testimony of DR.. ]. B. Mat
theWs, who was formerly the national
chairman of this league and assisted
IN its formation. He stated that the
league was formed as a result Of orders
received from Moscow and that simul-
taneous with its formation in the
United States similar leagues with the
same obJectives and programs were
set up in England, France, Canada
and other countries. He testified that
the actual management of the affairs
OF the league was turned over to q
well-known Communist and that an
other well-known Communist, Henry
Barbusse. who died in Moscow, came
to the United States to aid in the for
nation OF the league. He further tes-
titled that the constitution Of the
Communist International stated ex-
pllc1tly that leading comrades" NAV
go from country to country only with
the consent of the Executive Commit
tee OF the Communist International
and that, therefore. Barbusse must
have had the consent Of the Commu-
mist International when he came to
the United States to aid in the forma-
tion Of the league.
In addition to the testimony of DR..
Matthews, who helped to form the
league. Mr.. Chaillaux, spokesman for
the American Legion, testified that
the American League for Peace and
Democracy was a front" organiza-
ton for the Communist party. He
pointed out that Roger Baldwin is it's
secretary and he quoted from the fol-
lowing statement of Baldwin, which
appears in the Harvard Glass Book.
class of 1905, published In 1885: INV
chief aversion is the system of greed.
private profit, privilege and violence
which makes up the control Of the
world today, and which has brought
1T to the tragic crisis of unprece-
dented hunger and unemployment. 1
see social ownership of property, the
abolition of the propertied class, and
sole control by those who produce
wealth. Communism is the goal"
Letter From Reid Read.
Mr.. Chaillaux also read into the
evidence a letter from Mr.. Paul M.
Reid, who is executive secretary of
the American League against war
and Fascism, now known as the
American League for Peace and De-
mocracy, which contains the follow
ing paragraph: I'VE have no apologies
to make for the fact that Communists
are active in the American League
and for the fact that the Communist
party is affiliated with the American
League" In addition to this there was
testimony to show that some of the
directors Of the league are well-known
Communists.
There was presented to the COM
mittee the statement that in Decem-
Der, 1888, Earl Browder, general sec
retary of the American Communist
party, went to Moscow to report the
results of the decision to set up the
American League, and that in his re.
port, which was read to the commit
tee, is the following statement: I'VE
led said Browder in his report, "a
highly successful United States Con-
gress Against War. = The con-
gress from the beginning was led by
our party quite openly"
I wish that had the time to quote
from the voluminous evidence before
our committee dealing with the Ameri-
can League. I have only given you a
few high spots to indicate the nature
Of the testimony dealing with the
league and the charge that it Is q
'front.' organization OF the Communist