Evening star., 1940-04-13
Reds, Nazis Plot
Mexico Revolt,
Dies Charges
Communists in u. S.
PIon Recruiting
Drive, He Says
BY the Associated Press.


Chairman Dies of the House Com.
mittee on Un-American Activities
said today he had information that
Russia and Germany were plotting
to bring on revolution in Mexico
and set up a puppet government on
the doorstep of the United States.
Representative Dies told reporters
that Communist Russia was keeping
alive, for use in Mexican upheaval,
"the same organizations" which
functioned in the Spanish Civil War.
This information, the Texan de-
clared, constituted one Of the rea-
sons why his committee was ques-
tioning veterans of the Abraham
Lincoln Brigade, an organization of
Americans who fought for the Bar.
celona government in Spain.
Dies said 5000 to 5000 Americans
were recruited by Communists for
the brigade, and that military
force Of similar strength might
turn the decision" in Mexico. He
was informed. he added, that Com
munist organizations in the United
States were prepared to begin a
new recruiting drive for Mexican
coup.
Senators InfOrmants.
The committee head said his in
formants included elective ofiicials"
in Mexico and lone or two United
States Senators" all of whose names
he withheld. Among the things they
told him, he declared, was that TO-
600 Communists already had moved
into Mexico from Spain and France,
Pending hearings on this subject
before his committee, which was in
recess today. Mr.. Dies called on the
Justice Department to "be prepared
to deter any attempts to recruit for
this Mexican campaign"
Anthony Demaio of Hartford,
Conn. a former officer in the Lin
coin Brigade, refused at the COM
mittee's hearing yesterday to tell
anything about the passport he used.
Other witnesses told of executions
and brutality against Americans in
the brigade. William c. McCuistion
of Frederick, Md, said he saw
"Demaio kill two men" in a Barce-
Iona cafe.
Amends Statement.
Mr.. McCuistion later amended this
statement, saying one of the two
died on the spot and the other was
moved to hospital, where he pre-
sumed he died.
The man who died instantly, Mr..
McCuistion said, was an American
named Mathews and the other was
| a Canadian named Moran. Both
were "stragglers" from the army, he
added, and Demaio was engaged in
rounding up deserters.
Demaio denied before the COM
mittee he ever knew either man.
Mrs. Walter Selby of Chestertown.
Md. testified her son Vernon went
to Spain in September, 1887. but
failed to return. She said she had
not been able to find out what hap
pened to him.
She said she received letters on
stationery bearing the name of the
Friends of the Abraham Lincoln
Brigade urging her not to worry
about her son.
Says Selby Was Wounded.
John Honeycombe, who said he
was a Los Angeles Communist. tes-
titled he was with young Selby in
Spain and at one time the latter
had shrapnel wound in his shoul-
der.
! The witness said he later was ar
rested March II without charge,
along with Selby, and both were
returned to the front lines. Twenty
two of these American prisoners
were taken to the battle lines under
guard and without arms, Honey
combe added.
At the front, Honeycombe said, the
American prisoners were given little
food and were denied adequate pro-
lection. In addition, he said, "the
most terrific sadistic pressure" was
exerted on the men.
The witness said he had heard that
Selby was taken from the camp
Castle Defells-near Barcelona-and
murdered by these sadists."