The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-07-10

| also was documentary evidence. The nature of Bridges defense was un- known beyond the fact that he has always denied that he is commun- ist or an advicate of revolution.
 Bridges has charged that "anti- union clements" was prosecuting him. He was backed by Harry Bridges Defense Committee" whose motto is "Unionism Is Americansm.' It charg- es that the proceedings were forced by California's Associated Farmers, and by merchants and manufactur- CTS in the hope of smashing trade unionism. Motion picture stars in- cluding Gloria Stuart, Melvyn Doug las, Lionel Stander and John Gar field have aided in raising defense funds. They have bought radio time to tell Bridges side of the story. Labor's partisan league, political arm of the CIO; the womens labor congress and the Washington Com monwealth Foundation are also aid- ing the defense.
 Court Decision FailG
 The case which 50 long postponed a resolution of the charges against Bridges was that of Joseph C.. Strecker, whom the government tried to deport on the ground that he once was a member of the Commun- ist party. The supreme court held that past membership was not suf- ficient ground for deporting an alien, leaving unanswered the larg- CT question of whether present mem. bership in the party was sufficient. Miss Perkins in ordering the hear. ing said, therefore, that the govern k,nent had to prove that Bridges was {& memberin March, 1888, when the deportatoin warrant was issued and that the party or Bridges advocat- ed violent overthrow of the gov- ernment.
 Landis will be required to settle 6 question of procedure at the begin- ning-whethe Bridges should pre- sent his his case first because the de- portation order is that he show cause" or whether the government should present its first on the grounds that 1t is up to the govern ment to prove he is undesirable.
 Unknown Until 1884
 Few persons aside from the steve- dores along the local docks had ever heard of Bridges until 1884. when he suddenly emerged as the re- sourceful leader of the general strike. His fame grew as labor leader and organizer when he formed longshoremen, warehouse men and other maritime unions into a powerful federation which later he took into the c. I. o.
 In 1887 four persons filed affida- wits with the department of labor stating that they knew Bridges was a member of the Communist Party, and on the basis of these the de- portation order was issued.
 Bridges was born in Kensington, Australia, in 1900. His wife is an American citizen and they have 6 daughter, Betty, A. He filed his ir- tention of becoming an American citizen in 1920, the year he came to this country. That declaration lapsed. He filed again in 1928 and again permitted 1t to lapse. He filed third time last March 28, when the demands for his deportation were at a crescendo.
 Left Wing Leader Bridges is a left wing leader and has never concealed his distaste for the employer class. Members of the maritime unions he leads are devot- cd to him and he has been shrewd, effective negotiator for them. The basic premise of the personal philos- ophy which he has revealed is that workers are the useful elements of society and that they are exploited by employers. In an interview in 1888, he said:
 "Everything is produced by the workers. They produce everything and get nothing, and the minute they try to get something by their unions, they meet with all the op- position that can be mustered by those who now get what they pro- dudce. The workers are entitled to a greater share and dividends to less"
 But the statement which crystal ized the opinion among his enemies that he was an undesirable revolu- tionary was made in speech at the University of Washington in the spring of 1896. He said then:
 In Class Struggle
 "We take the stand that we as workers have nothing in common with employers. We are in e class struggle. and we subscribe to the belief that if the employer is not in business his products still will be necessary and we will Dc providing them when there is no employing class. We frankly believe that day s coming"
 This was part of the governments evidence. Also there was c member ship card 10 the Communist Party made out te Harry porgan. Dorgan was the maiden name of nridges' mother and A. hae heen enIifeu1ed