The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-12-30
HARRY BRIDGES IS
 FREED OF CHARGE
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party advocates, advises or teaches the overthrow of the government of the United States by force Or vio- lence or causes to be written, cir culated, distributed, printed, pulp lishcd or displayed printed matter advising. advocating or teaching the overthrow of the government of the United States by force or violence. It was unnecessary he said. because he had not found evidence to eStab. fish Bridges membership or affilia- ton with that party.
 Bridges own statement of his political beliefs and disbeliefs is iin- portant," Lands said. Tt was given not only without reserve but vigor- ously as dogma and faiths of which the man was proud and which rep- resented h his mind the aims of his existence.
 Fighting Defense
 Tt was a fishtig apologia that refused to temper itself to the winds of caution.
 "1t was an avowal of sympathy with many of the objectives that the Communist party at times has efIi- braced, an expression of disbelief that the methods they wished 10 employ were as revolutionary as they generally seem, but 1t was ufi- equiyocal h It's distrust of tactics other than those that are generally included within the concept of Democratic methods.
 That Bridges aims are energet. ically radical may be admitted. but the proof fails to establish that the methods he seeks to employ to real- i2e them are other than those that the framework of democratic and constitutional government permits"
 Bridges deportation has been sought ever since the 1884 Pacific Coast Maritime strike and the ace coinpanying San Francisco general strike in which he emerged as q aiik-ard.file leader Of the Inter- national Longslioremen's Association tAr,1). He now is California state CIO director. c member of the GIG executive board, and president of the International Longshoromer' ( and Warehousemen Union. (CIO) which holds exclusive bargaining rights for all longshoremen on the Pacific coast.
 Result of "Conspiracy'
 When the immigration service be- gan deportation proceedings, Bridges asserted that the charges against him "wero the result of C coilspir. acy. engaged in by persons on the Pacific coast who were bent upon getting rid of him because of hit admittedly militant and radical la. Dor leadership"
 He charged that this conspiracy included Harper |. Knowles. chair- man of the radical research com. inittee of the California Department of tho American Legion: Capt. John J. Keegan. Chief of Detectives oi the Portland. ore" Police Depart ment. and some of his subordinates; and Stanley M. Doyle. described aA A sometime special agent of the state of oregon"
 Some members Of Congress. iil. cluding Chairman Martin L. Dies D.. Tex. Of the special committed Investigating American activities and Rep. Glare ?. Hoffman. R, Mich, have demanded Bridges de- portalon.
 Rep. J. Parnell Thomas. R.. N. j.. c member of the Dies committee sought unnecessarily one year ago to iinpeach Miss Perkins for having failed to deport Bridges. The Amer ican Legion also criticized her.
 Landls' report was replete with criticism of the witnesses who tes. tified as to Bridges alleged mcm- berShip fin or afiiliation with the | ftot,,t,ait,,iat t4artv