Evening star., 1939-05-22
Un-Americun
Continued From First Page)

Campbell, who in turn circulated it
among their followers.
One of such tid-bits, he said, was
advance notice of the sudden order of
April Is sending the United States
Fleet back to the Pacific. Commit
tee counsel produced a letter from
Mr.. Gilbert dated after the Navy Or
der became public in which the New
Yorker was just then "predicting"'
the order.
TITS no fault of mine" the witness
remarked somewhat angrily, 'if the
Navy releases its orders between the
time get information and the time
I send it out"
Mr.. Gilbert told the committee
that some Of the men he worked
with" have been connected with
Army and Navy intelligence serv-
ices. Mr.. Gilbert and Representa-
tive Dies clashed several times dur
ing the mornings session, the wit
ness complaining of unfair treat
ment.
Denies whispering Campaign"
At one point Chairman Dies asked
the witness angrily if there had not
been in the material which Mr.. Gill
bert sent to Mr.. Campbell for cir
culation list of six items, including
some very scurruilous remarks"
about the President and Mrs.
Roosevelt. Mr.. Gilbert replied with
equal heat that he was not trying
to start a whispering campaign"
against the President. He declared
he had always been a Democrat,
although he is currently opposed"
to Mr. Roosevelt.
Although Mr.. Gilbert contended
that the circulation of his material
through Mr.. Campbell went to about
40 men, Representatives Dies said
the committee had one mailing list
OF about 200, pointing out that there
was no obstacle to wider distribu-
ton of the Gilbert reports.
The 40 men. Mr.. Gilbert explained,
are men OF some standing" in their
communities. adding that most of
them are retired Army officers,
legionnaires and veterans Of For
eign Wars"
Witnesses Cautioned.
Chairman Dies opened the session
by warning that witnesses must not
volunteer information" but must
confine their answers to direct re-
SponSes. Mr.. Dies said he didn't
want lot Of names brought in if
not pertinent to the questions and
that any such information would be
stricken from the record.
On being sworn, Mr.. Gilbert ex-
tended his right arm rigidly in the
fashion of a salute.
gator, opened the questioning by
examining the witness about the
American Nationalists, Inc, an or
ganization formed by Mr.. Gilbert
in 1885 for the purpose of spread
ing the truth
The organization "was not sue
cessful," Mr.. Gilbert said, and to
all practical purposes became in
active in 1887.
Mr.. Whitley then produced cor
respondence between Mr.. Gilbert
and Mr.. Campbell, dated in 1887,
in which there was discussion of
recruiting members among aircraft
workers in Indiana.
Mr.. Gilbert acknowledged that an
effort had been made in that year
to stimulate the Nationalists.
Il think the idea was a good one,"
Mr.. Gilbert said. I'VE wanted a
5000 900 membership-all in one big
movement"
A subsequent undated letter in
dicated that 4O-man neucleus of
American Nationalists still is active
in their spreading Of TRUTH" one of
their accomplishments" being listed
in the letter as getting Coughlin"
to talk on the radio against war be-
tween United States and Japan.
AS Mr.. Whitley turned to Mr..
Gilbert's political beliefs, Representa-
tive Dies interrupted to ask:
Have you always been opposed
to Nazi-ism and Fascism?'
eyes"
"You haven't had change of
hearth"
NO"
Mr.. Whitley then read another
letter signed by Mr.. Gilbert in
August, 1887, remarking how Hitler
and Mussolini had risen from
persecution to lead great nationalist
movements.
Such nationalism must some day
prevail in America, Mr.. Gilbert said.
Mr.. Gilbert. chubby and vsll-