Evening star., 1939-10-19
Bund Still Fighting
Communists, Kuhn
Tells Dies Group
But the Nuzi-Soviet
Pact Is Approved,
Leader Testifies

Fritz Kuhn told the Dies Commit
tee today, his German American
Bund still is fighting Communists in
this country although it wholly ap-
proves the new Russo German pact.
The perspiring leader of the Nazi
organization, wrangling first with a
spectator and then continuously
with committee members. told of
the anti-Communist program dur
ing questioning about the location
Of II Bund units and the identities
of their local leaders. Earlier, Kuhn
had submitted the list of Bund
backgrounds on order of the COM
mittee and he was being grilled on
the fact that a majority of the
units are located in the area occu-
pied by 80 per cent of the American
Munitions industry.
His assurance that the bund is
still anti-Communist despite the
brotherly love between Berlin and
Moscow came when Representative
Starnes, Democrat. of Alabama ask
&C If his organization is continuing
this program.
"Mr. StArnes. I'm surprised at
you,' Kuhn exploded, leaning for
ward in his seat. You a Congress-
man and don't know any better
than that"
Kuhn Gets Excited.
To laughter and the banging of
the gavel by Chairman Dies. Rep
resentative Starnes asked whether
the bund approved the Russo-Ger-
man pact. Kuhn replied affrma-
lively, but when Mr.. Starnes asked
on what grounds. the bund leader
began excitedly to wave his arms
and shout that it would take him
Is minutes to explain that.
The arguments between commit
tee members and the witness law
yers as to whether Kuhn would be
allowed to answer Representative
Starnes' question created great
racket and confusion.
At length, however, the bulky
blond bund leader began his ex-
planation of Germany's economic
problems.
The bund chieftain, who had ap-
peared under protest today because
he wanted all his time to prepare
for trial in New York october 80 on
embezzlement charges. was brought
to the point of Representative
Starnes' questioning when that COM
mittee member asked
Are you still fighting the Com
munists in this country?"
Yes" Kuhn said; 'yes, of course y
But the question about why ne
approved the German treaty with
Russia produced, when the con-
fusion had died down, no such
simple answer.
Explanation.
Gesturing frequently, his forehead
glistening, Kuhn declaimed that
Germany was a small country with
a large population and no raw ma
terials. The country needed food,
he said, and had begged Britain
for years. to remedy this situation
but Britain had turned the Germans
down.
Then they came to the United
States and asked why you have a
boycott" Kuhn said. Thereafter, he
said, it seemed logical to him to get
needed raw material from Russia.
That don't mean that have to
take my former enemy's ideology,' u
he blurted.
Representative Voorhis, Demo-
crat, of California protested that
wasn't his understanding of what
had happened between Russia and
Germany.
Carloads of priests and Protest
ant pastors have been sent into
Russia" Kuhn countered: "you
ought to like that"
An uproar broke out when Repre-
sentative Starnes asked Kuhn
whether he believed in the partition
of Poland. The witness and two
(See TIN-AMERTCAN Page A-3D