Evening star., 1941-05-21
DiesAgentLin
u. 5. Employees
ToPeaceGroup
$50 Made April Trip
To New York Rally,
House Unit Told
BACKGROUND

tcan Activities, headed by Repre-
sentative Dies, Democrat, OF
TeIaS, has been engaged for SeU-
eral years in terreting out sub
UerSiue influences. The group has
held prolonged hearings here and
:n other cities and has directed
extensive secret Investigations.
Nazi, Communist and Fascist
wopdgondiSt alike haze come
under the committees scrutiny.
One hundred and fifty Federal
employees were among 500 persons
who went from Washington to New
York in April to attend peace rally
sponsored by the American Peace
Mobilization, special subcommittee
of the House Committee Investlgat-
ing American Activities was told
today by one of its undercover wom-
en- agents who went on the trip.
The secret agent identified her
self as Miss Mary Spargo, a former
reporter on the Washington Daily
News, who testified she was en-
ployed by the Dies committee TO
investigate the washington angle"
of A. P. M. "and the part Govern
ment workers played in it."
The subcommittee started It's in
vestigation of 4. P. NJ, whose rep
resentatives are now engaged in an
around the clock" picketing in
front of the White House, with
dramatic prelude which resulted in
the election of New York lawyer
who tried persistently to make q
statement to the members
Represented China Aid Body.
Allan Taub, the attorney, was
escorted from the House caucus
room where the hearing is being
held by two Capitol policemen as
Representative Starnes. Democrat,
of Alabama, the subcommittee
chairman, said he was not ready to
hear his statement.
Mr.. Taub told newspapermen
later he had been retained by the
Washington Committee for Aid to
China, and had not had time to
confer with his clients, and that is
what he desired to tell the sub
committee. Records of the China
aid committee have been subpoenad
by the subcommittee.
Miss Spargo testified she had
joined A P. M. "in a sort of fash
ion," had worked in the headquar-
ters of the Washington Office at 1ll6
Vermont avenue and had become
convinced the Communist party has
the organization in the bag" and
Is running 1t lust as it wants.
Man Asked to Speak.
Miss Spargo said her first connec-
ton with A. P. M came at meeting
of the Washington Newspaper Guild
in the District Building when a man
who identified himself as Louis Kolb
met her outside the boardroom and
inquired whether he could speak to
the Guild members. She said the
man had a letter of introduction
from Mrs. Sarah " Montgomery.
secretary treasurer of the Washing
ton unit of A. P. M. as well as some
"handbills.
The undercover agent testified she
told Mr.. Kolb it was mot possible"
for him to address the Guild men,
bers because the neWSpapermen in
the organization were opposed" to
A. P. M.
After joining the Washington unit
of A. P. NJ, Miss Spargo said she
attended a number of meetings of
the group and did some work for
them" in the Vermont avenue Office.
She also declared she attended the
New York peace rally of A. P. M.
last month. and related how she
worked on the train en- route typing
the words of songs that were to be
sung at the demonstration. one of
which was entitled THE Yanks Are
Not Coming"
Zone of Ablest Leaders,"
Miss Spargo told the subcommit-
tee that Sam Schmerler, an employe
of the Federal Security Agency, was
lone of the ablest leaders of the
delegation that went to the New
York rally. She identified him as
chairman of the Trades Union
Council of A. P. M, and said she
believed his wife works for the
Railroad Retirement Board.
Miss Spargo said most of the
Washington delegation to the New
York peace rally went on two special
cars attached to a regular train,
l., lx- D.
cars. On the way, she said, the time
on the train was spent chiefly in
rehearsing songs that were to be
sung at the demonstration.
Miss Hazel Hoffman. another I'M