Evening star., 1940-04-25
General Strike
Plans Laid 10
Communists
Step to Civil War,
Organizer Tells
Dies Committee
BY the Associated Press.


party at Los Angeles, told the Dies
Committee today that the party in
tended to plunge the country into
civil war by calling a general strike
in basic industries.
The witness identified what he
SAID were minutes of the Los Angeles
county Communist Party Conven.
ton in March, 1887.
These, he said, showed the CON-
Ventlon had adopted resolutions di-
rectlng that Communists organize
a progressive caucus" in the Los
angeles Central Labor Council and
That Communist units be formed.
especially in c. I. o. organizations.
The main idea of the party, Chase
testlned, was to rally the entire
population of Los Angeles behind
the trade union movement, and par.
tlcularly behind c. I. o. organiza-
tlon efforts in basic industries like
automobiles, steel. aircraft construc.
tlon, rubber and communications.
>hsSS CVIHLHuHlSt f0llCy.
Asked the purpose of this policy,
he said
The Communist party is an organ
lzatlon having revolutionary in
tent. Its purpose is to take over
this form of government and install
one OF its own. It's interest in basic
industries is that through union
organizations it can control them
and be in a position to call a general
strike.
by a general strike the party can
paralyze industry, creating a situa-
tlon leading to civil war. From a
civil war, 1t is easy to convert that
into a revolutionary war to accom-
plish the party's purposes"
Chase testified that he was a
native of Idaho Falls, Idaho, and
that he had Joined the Communist
party about 1881. He had been, he
said, an organizer of unemployed
workers in Los Angeles, a secretary
OF the Los Angeles branch of the
American League Against War and
FaSclsm and an organizer for the
Upholsterers' International Union.
I'VE controlled that union from
the top to the bottom" he declared.
Chase, telling of what he called
Communist concentration" in air.
craft plants and other key industries,
declared the Communist workers
were under party orders to supply
the Soviet Union with any informa-
| tiOn the latter desired
Admits Espionage.
The immediate purpose of the
Communist party in the United
States" said Chairman Dies, "is to
secure valuable military and indus
trial secrets for transmission to
Moscow. Isn't that true?'
"Yes, sir" Chase replied erphat-
ically. He expressed agreement also
with another Dies statement that
through the American Communist
party the union has IAN espionage
system they don't have to pay for
The witness declared that in the
party's drive on basic" industries
groups of Red builders were sent
into the Douglas and Lockheed air.
craft plants on the Pacific Coast. He
described the builders" as trusted
party workers engaged in recruiting
and in circulating literature.
Meanwhile, in New York, Mervyn
Rathborne. president of the Amer
ican Communications Association
&C. I. o., denied that his organiza-
ton was Communist controlled. as
ol,o hn
yesterday.
Mr.. Rathborne said that Fred NJ.
Howe, who testified that high off,
cials of the A. C. A. were Commu.
nists who planned to help set up a
Soviet system in this country in the
event of war, had been expelled from
the A. c. A. year ago after having
been tried and found guilty - Of
being an agent of the employers"
Charges Denied.
"His hysterical charges against the
A. c. A. surprise no one acquainted
with the infamous role he has played
and Is playing in the trade union
movement" Mr.. Rathborne said, in
a statement.
"Howe's testimony consists of the
lies and slander so dear to the hearts
of employers intent on disrupting
and splitting trade unions which
have been outstandingly successful
in winning higher wages and inn
proved working conditions for their
members.
THE Dies Committee clearly
shows it's union-busting hand once
again, providing as it does a public
platform from which the vilest SLAM
der can be broadcast against group
of workers who believe that theirs
is the rights to organize and bar
gain collectively"
In San Francisco r. M. Hansen,
secretary Of the San Francisco Ma
rine Local of the A. G. A.,
said regarding Howes testimony that
Mr.. Hansen was a dangerous Com
munist:
Attempt to Smear"
Its an obvious attempt to smear
me. In the first place I don't think
am dangerous and in the second
place I'm not a member of the Com
munist party"
At Seattle, T. j. Van Erman, Sec
retary OF the A. G. A. local there,
branded Howe's charge lie.
I'm not Communist, never was
Communist and I never will be
one unless the time might come
when that is the only thing a per-
son could be-" Mr.. Van Erman said.
In Chicago Walter Adams, an op-
orator In the Government airways
communications station at the Mu-
nicipal Airport, also denied he was q