The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1939-12-11

WhSLlulkVOtl, SSSs AV-NOE AS
Dies committee charged today that
Is consumers organizations were
being used by the Communist party
as transmission belts" to spread its
aims among the middle classes and
10 "discredit the economic Struc-
ture Of free enterprise"
], B. Matthews, director of re-
search for the committee, reported
that the Communist party was
''utilizing consumers protests to
overthrow the capitalist system and
put in Its place Soviet system"
He accused the agriculture depart
ment OF giving frequent and favor
able" publicity to one Of the alleged
Communist dominated organizations
through the consumers guide, pub
lished by the departments consum-
ers' counsel.
Matthews, former fellow traveller
OF the Communist party, was wit
ness before the committee last year,
After giving testimony about many
alleged Communist front" organi-
cations he was hired as the commit
tees chief investigator, During recent
hearings on the American Youth
Congress, Mrs. Franklin ID, Roosevelt
who attended them. criticized him
for questioning witnesses as though
they were criminals, considered
guilty, being tried before the bar
Report Filed Week Ago
Matthews report on consumers
organizations was filed whit the COM
mittee at "a special meeting" Sunday
Dec. 3 The only member of the COM
mittee present was Chairman Mar
tin Dies, D., Tex,
The report blamed Communist
propaganda among consumer organi-
cations for what 1t described as THE
current popular and official attack
upon advertising" 1t cited 1.-The re-
cent action Of government official
In the department of agriculture who
undertook an investigation of ma
tional advertising In Good House.
keeping Magazine"
Matthews did not name the agri-
culture department official, adding
that while theer was no record that
the findings were used as a basis
for action against the magazine, 1t
may be assumed that such was the
intention"
There Is a federal trade commits
soin complaint pending against Good
Housekeeping charging 1t with mis-
representation In advertising.
Makeup Of Consumers
The consumers organization al
legged by Matthews to be Communist
transmission belts" were the League
OF Women Shoppers, Consumers
UHoin. Consumers National Fedora
tieu, Committee for Boycott Against
Japanese Aggression, Milk Consum-
ers Protective Committee, the Con-
sumer- Farmer Milk Cooperative.
New York Consumers Council, and
six organizations In New York, De-
troit. Chicago and Los Angeles, set
up by Communists and their SYM
pathizers and purporting to combat
the high cost Of living"
OF some OF these organiza tons,
Matthews report had the following
to say:
The League of Women Shoppers
"The first Of the Communist party's
consumer organizations set up in
1885" An active organizer, the re-
port said. was Susan jenkins, who II
added, once admitted under oath In
New Jersey chancery court that she
had been an employe of the Daily
Worker, official Communist publica-
ton.
Three Persons Held Lead
Consumers Union-"Three persons
held the leadership In the agitation
and maneuvering OF the Communist
party which resulted In the setting
up OF consumers union" Susan Jen-
kins. Arthur Kalle,t and Walter
Trumbull. Trumbull was "court-mar-
tailed and sentenced In 1925 as
Communist attempting 10 bore from
within the United States army" 1t
said Kallet has been actively en-
gagged In exploiting the consumer
movement, as expressed In the CO.
operatives. on behalf OF the Commu-
mist party"
Committee for Boycott Against
Japanese Aggression-"The hand OF
the Communist party" In this group,
the report said, Is clear from the
names OF participants, who included
Ben Gold. Robret w. Dunn, Michael
Quill, William B, spofiord, Jerome
Davis, William Hickey. Joseph p,
Lash, Kathleen McInerny.
The Mix Consumers Protective