Evening star., 1939-08-04
Bridges Never Heard
Communists Propose
Violent u. ). Revolt
G. @. Leader Denies He
Advocated Force, Says
Government Best in World
BY the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
SAN FRANCISCO. Aug. 4.-If the
Communist party advocates violent
overturning of the United States
Government, it's news to Harry
Bridges.
Developing his political beliefs and
PHILOSOPHERS at his deportation hear
ing here, Mr.. Bridges testified yester-
day he did not know whether the
Communist party espouses violence
to overthrow the government.
"I have never heard them Com
munists) advocate it in any single
instance" he said. "If did I would
certainly oppose them, openly, pri-
vately or any other way"
You know that is the charge
against you in the warrant of arrest,
don't you?" asked Thomas B. Shoe
maker. chief of Government counsel.
That is the charge against me in
the warrant of arrest" Mr.. Bridges
replied But there is no time that
I have been heard to advocate over
throw of the Government by force or
violence in union meetings or any
other type of meeting"
On Stand Again Today.
The Australian-born West Coast
c. I. o. leader takes the stand again
today.
II don't think the American form
of government can be bettered any,
where else in the world" he replied
when asked if he considered the gov
ernment existing in Soviet Russia an
Improvement over that in the United
States.
If his union should affiliate with
an organization urging use of force
or violence to overthrow the Gov
ernment, Mr.. Bridges testified, I'D
either leave the union or wreck it
in some way"
He volunteered the information
he would "be in the center of the
movement to overthrow the govern
ment" by any means because there
is no democracy there" He found
the Russian dictatorship" prefer
able to the Fascist form because it
aimed at benefitting a greater num-
ber of people and because Russia
was not a threat to world peace
while Germany and Japan are" In
response to a question from EXami-
ner James Lands he declared he
was opposed to relationships of any
sort"
Groups Called Anti-Labor.
Mr.. Bridges enumerated organi-
cations which, in his opinion, are
anti-labor. He named the United
States Chamber of Commerce, the
Associated Farmers, the National
AS cia tion of Manufacturers,
Southern Californians, Inc, and the
Employers Council of San Fran
CISCO He added some police depart
mentS were anti-labor, although he
believed individual police officers
generally were not.
He declared he never had classi-
fed the American Legion as anti
labor "as an organization"
But in my opinion there is no
democracy in the American Legion"
he continued. THE officers of the
American Legion are one of
the greatest threats of democracy
and civil liberties that know of, in
my opinion"
Hits National Guard.
Mr.. Bridges also classified the In
migration Service in Oregon and
washington as anti-labor
Mr.. Shoemaker asked if he
thought the National Guard an anti
labor organization.
MY experience has been that the
National Guard-that it is a COM
plete strike-breaking organization
and also one of the greatest threats
to democracy and civil liberties be-
cause of certain reasons" Bridges
answered.
"* -" The Governor of this State
called out the National Guard
against us in 1884 (the year of the
San Francisco general strike) and
got 100000 for it"
"Who got the $3o,ooO?" Mr.. Shoe
maker asked.
Gov. Merriam Crank F. Mer-
riam, former governor) in 1884.
Thirty thousand dollars was paid to
him in his campaign by the ship
owners for calling out the National
Guard"