Evening star., 1940-03-30
Dies Committee
Indicates Secrecy on
Communist List
Maryland District Area
Secretary Of Party Risks
Contempt Citotion
BY JAMES E. CHINN.

BY JAMES E. CHINN.
Names Of 500 Washington men,
bers of the Communist party prob
ably will never be revealed to the
public. 1t was indicated today by
the Dies Committee Investigating
Un-American Activities.
The names, now in possession OF
the committee, having been plucked
from records seized by Its investi-
gators in . raid Thursday night In
Baltimore on the headquarters OF
the Maryland District branch of the
party, are being guarded zealously
from public inspection.
The committee, remembering.
perhaps, the "sordid procedure"
declaration of President Roosevelt
when it made public last year a So
called membership and mailing
list" Of the Washington branch of
the American League for Peace and
Democracy. does not intend to re-
veal the names found in the files
Of the Baltimore ONCE of the Com
munist party unless it can be shown
the persons listed are Communists.
Blumberg Silent on Members.
DR.. Albert E. Blumberg, secretary
of the Communist party for Mary
land and the District, fiatly refused
in his appearance before the COM
mittee late yesterday to answer any
question that might disclose the
identity Of members of the party.
DR.. Blumberg is to be recalled
to the witness stand early next
week and II he continues to decline
to answer questions, Chairman Dies
said he would recommend that the
committee cite him for contempt of
the House-a fate that befell James
H. Dolsen, Pittsburgh Communist
leader who refused to tell the COM
mittee who used the name Frank
lin D. Roosevelt" as a party alias.
The House yesterday approved the
contempt citation against Mr.
Dolsen.
In every case where a witness
declines to answer questions. de-
clared Chairman Dies, Il will rec
ommend contempt proceedings"
A reluctant witness from the time
he took the stand, DR.. Blumberg
did say there are approximately
200 Communists in the Maryland
District area, about 500 of whom, he
declared, are in Washington.
40 Branches in Area.
He also testified there are 40
branches of the Communist party
in the Maryland District area. but
said he did not know how many
units there are in Washington.
Born in Baltimore. and processing
to be an American citizen, DR..
Blumbery was asked several times
by Chairman Dies. If he would take
up arms against Russia In event
the United States became involved
in war with that country.
Each time he declared the ques-
ton was Hypothetical" one and
he declined to answer.
Finally. Robert e. Lynch. attorney
for the committee, leaped to his
feet and shouted:
If he doesn't answer a direct
question. cite him for contempt"
A graduate of Johns Hopkins Uni
versity in Baltimore, where he later
taught philosophy until 1887, DR..
Blumberg testified he became in
terested in communism in 1892 and
joined the Communist party the
following year. He said he also was
a member of the American League
for Peace and Democracy, an al
legged Communist front" organi-
zation.
The committees program for next
week was indicated by the service
Of subpoenas yesterday in Boston
on three Communist leaders there
Philip Frankfeld, State secretary;
Miss Ann Burlak. administrative
secretary for Massachusetts,, and
Thomas Patrick ODea. president
Of the Young Communist League of
Massachusetts,, were directed to ap-
pear in Washington. probably on
Wednesday. Party records found in
the Boston Office were being brought
here by committee investigators.