Evening star., 1939-12-16
Three Indicted
In Drive Against
Foreign Agents
Publishing Firm
Called U. S. Outlet for
Red Propaganda

Opening Nation Uide driue
against subDersiDe activities by
representatives of foreign prin-
cipals, the Department OF JUS
tice instituted its first case in
District Court week ago. Fur
tK,er prosecutions haze been fore
cast by Attorney General Murphy.
The Justice Departments drive
against subversive activities of for
eign agents reached the legal stage
today when a District grand jury
returned indictments against the
Bookniga Corp, New York pub
fishing firm described as the Amer
lean outlet for Communist propa-
ganda, and three of its officers
The corporation and its officers
we're accused of conspiring to evade
the Governments new registration
law. In another count, the officers,
Raphael Rush, Norman Weinberg
and Morris Liskin, are accused Of
failing to file registration statements
with the State Department as agents
of foreign principal.
With the Government obviously
anxious to bring the case to trial,
the indictments were returned
under unusual circumstances, Justice
Peyton Gordon being called from
home to sit in Criminal Branch of
District Court to receive the indict-
mentS.
In the first count of the indict-
ments it was claimed the Bookniga
Corp. was the duly authorized
agent and representative of the
Vsesojuznoje. Objedinenie of the
city of Moscow U. S. S. R., for the
sale and distribution in the United
States of books, magazines, perodi-
Gals and pamphlets of a political
and propagandist nature. and for
political and propaganda purposes"
Officers of Company.
On or about September 8, 1898,
and continuously thereafter to about
April 6, 1899, Rush, Weinberg and
Liskin were said to have been stock
holders of the Bookniga Corp. In
addition Rush was described as it's
vice president; Weinberg, secretary
treasurer, and Liskin, its president.
During this period, from Septem-
ber, 1888. to April, 1899, the Bookniga
Corp, it was charged, "willfully
failed to file registration statement
as agent of foreign principal" but
the corporation was not indicted for
this offense because of it's dissolution
on or about April 6, 1899
Rush, Weinberg and Liskin, the
indictments set out, between Sep
tember 8, 1888, and April s, 1899,
"willfully aided. abetted, counseled,
commanded, induced and procured
the Bookniga Corp. in the District
of Columbia and within the juris-
diction Of this court willfully to fail
to file the registration statement re-
quired by the Act of June 8. 1888"
In order to prevent the filing of
such registration statement, the in
dictment said. the three officers
procured the dissolution of Book
niga Corp. and the organization of
another corporation, known as Book
nlga, Inc, contrary to the statute
and against the peace and dignity
OF the United States"
Charges in Second Count.
In the second count it was charged
between September, 1888. and April.
1899, Rush, Weinberg and Liskin
did unlawfully and feloniously con-
spire, confederate and agree to-
gether and with the Bookniga Corp,
and with divers other persons un-
known to the grand jurors. so that
the corporation would willfully fail
to file a registration statement"
1t was further charged that the
three individuals and the Bookniga
Corp had committed certain overt
acts to effect the objects and pur-
poses of the said conspiracy" Two
of the alleged overt acts were set
out as follows:
"On or about November 16, 1888,
Rush caused to be delivered in
washington a letter to Charles w.
(See INDICTMENTS Page A-40