Evening star., 1939-09-08
Dies Group 10 Ask
Brophy 10 Answer
Communism Charges
G. |. O. Director Will
Be Given Opportunity
To Explain
BY the Associated Press.

The Dies Committee decided today
to invite John Brophy, q director OF
the c. I. O.. to answer testimony
concerning allegations of Communist
connections during a 1927 campaign
to unseat John l.. Lewis as presi-
dent of the United Mine Workers.
Representative Starnes, Democrat,
of Alabama suggested that in view
Of statement attributed some years
ago to Mr.. Lewis that Mr.. Brophy
was an agent of Moscow, "Brophy
should be given an opportunity to
explain" to the committee investi-
eating un-American activities.
Ben Gitlow, one-time leader Of
the Communist party in the United
States, told the committee Mr.. Bro
ply was not member of the
Communist party, but was an agent
of it."
Funds From Moscow Charged.
when Brophy was running in op-
position to Lewis for the presidency
of the United Mine Workers." Mr..
Gitlow said, "all of the funds OF
the campaign came out of the treas
ury of the Communist party"
Asked by Chairman Dies how Mr.
Lewis and Mr.. Brophy ever got to-
gether again after the campaign of
1927, the witness replied that Lewis
was successful over Brophy and
Brophy changed his position"
Earl Browder, general secretary of
the American Communist party, was
described by Mr. Gitlow as the pet
boy of Joseph Stain. He testified
that Stain once blocked attempts
to remove Mr.. Browder from the Of
flee he has held since 1880.
Mr.. Gitlow at one point said that
joining the Communist party was
like joining the marines: you do
just what your commander tells
you to do
Secrets Obtained.
He contradicted a statement by
Mr.. Browder that fraction" organi-
cations no longer exist and said that
II Communists work in industries of
vital military Importance" these
groups were instructed to report "on
| any secrets" to the party's secre-
| tariat
These things have been done in
America. and secrets have been
transmitted to Moscow he said,
adding, This also applies to those
who are in government positions of
! trust
Port bureaus have been estab-
lished in New York, New Orleans
and San Francisco" he said. Be
cause the party wants to gain con-
troll of marine workers"
The chemical industry, he said. is
subject to the same drive, because
Moscow wants all the information
available about chemical warfare" !"
/ Communists in National Guard.
Members of the Communist youth
movement, he said, were sent into
the summer camps of the National
Guard so they could gain military
information"
Mr.. Gitlow testified yesterday that
the Soviet Russian government sup
piled American Communists $1OO. 600
in 1922 and $50, 900 in 1927 Ito crush"
MP. Lewis. He added, however, that
party policy has now changed and
that Lewis, in the eyes of the Com
munist party, is the outstanding
trade union leader
/ Under questioning by members of
the committee the witness was quick
to assert that the Communists
about-face in no way implied that
Mr.. Lewis had lessened his oppo-
sition to Communism"
Mr.. Gitlow also told of making a
trip to Moscow in 1928 to transmit
funds to the United States for party
presidential campaign activities. He
said an official in Moscow gave him
a letter to Communist Party Off
cial in Berlin, who in turn gave him
$500. The amount, he said. was
one lnstallment of total of $35, 900
to be used in the campaign.
Funds Sometimes Earmarked.
The witness said the Comintern
sometimes earmarked funds dis
patched to the United States, and
sometimes left the expenditures
up to the American party leaders.
In 1924, he said, there was dona-
ton OF $4,000 to aid in organizing
the Daily Worker" in Chicago
Previously the party publication had
been a weekly. Mr.. Gitlow said
Moscow insisted on a daily.
In addition to the money from
Moscow, the witness said, the party
received funds from dues-paying
members, from the front" organiza-
lions and trade unions and from
employees of Amtorg, Soviet trade
organization in New York.
he said that if the Amtorg en-
ployes did not kick back" to the
party, they might lose their iobs ,