Evening star., 1939-10-29
Un-Americun
Continued From First Page J

asked by Rhea Whitley, commit
tee counsel.
Gives Lie to Charges.
Mr.. Whitley wanted to know If
the witness was or ever had been
a member of the Communist party.
The reply was that this charge
was lie" and anybody who made
1t was "a liar" In similar tone, the
witness denied that the National
Maritime Union, which he claimed
to have built into an organization
OF $1,000 members in four years, was
q "Communist-front" organization.
he became more and more resent
ful as Mr.. Whitley endeavored to
establish a link between the N. MU.
and the Communists. Repeatedly.
he declared he was not a Communist
and that, like Henry Ford he did
not know what one looked like.
IN the fareup which came when
Mr.. Curran demanded that he be
allowed to read the prepared state
ment and Chairman Dies refused on
the ground the committee had long
since adopted a policy against such
things, the witness shouted:
m an American, my American
Ism is just as good as yours Am
to be treated as an American?"
Practice Was Discontinued.
He argued that some American
Federation of Labor officials had
been permitted to read prepared
statements.
That was a year ago." retorted
Mr.. Dies. Since then, the commit
tee has not permitted such state
ments to 60 into it's record"
Chairman Dies, however, said
that if the committee desired to
change its policy, he would allow
the statement to be read Here
Representative Mason, Republican,
of Illinois quickly objected while
the other members remained silent.
Mr.. Curran did not read the state
ment, copy of which was sent
to the press table. The first two
paragraphs read:
I'm the first place, I want, here
and now, to deny any and all
charges by any witnesses before
this committee that I am, or ever
have been, member of the Com
munist party. Any such charge,
or any charge of similar nature,
such as signing membership cards
for other people, and things of
that kind, are outright lies
At one point in his testimony,
Mr.. Curran told the committee he
understood 10 or Is American ships
have been interned or held by the
British and French and nothing
has been said about it," although
b great fuss" has been raised about
the City of Flint, the American
freighter seized by German prize
Orew.
"Our members aboard those boats
are American citizens he de-
elared. They are being treated
h all kinds of manners. intend
10 register my protest"
Committee Counsel Whitley wanted
70 know why the union official had
not made a protest in connection
With seizure of the City of Flint,
since he had said most of its crew
are members of the union and
American citizens. He explained he
had been too busy, but proposed to
do 20.
And in the next breath Mr.. Curran
remarked in connection with Mr.
Whitley's question: Il suppose the
inference is that the union is pro-
NaM?"
you can draw your own infer
ences," Mr.. Whitley replied.
Mr.. Whitley at another point
asked Curran whether he knew his
name had been placed on an honor
roll" IN Moscow.
II don't know" the witness re-
Piled. 1--WE never been in Mos
cow"
The committee adjourned abrupt
" shortly before O'Clock until to-
morrow at 10 am. Somewhat be-
wildered at the sudden action, MIR.
Curran asked If ne was through
"Yes, you're through" barked
Chairman Dies as he hastily walked