Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1943-04-08

utCt hASiiotI VI ,Ohbht'S oiN
chairman of the rules committee.
"There IL man I'm New
York. named Edwin T.. Banta,
residing at 2I5 T.. Seventeenth,
New York City, In the congress
sional district which repre-
scented for over Is years.
II have felt he got a very raw
deal at the hands of the Com
Inunist adherents of the adj
ministration for what he did,
while In fact serving our religion
and our country.
SERVED HIS CAUSE
"In 1888, when I was being
'purged' by the President, with
aid from many sources, the most
effective OF which Was the Com
munists, Mr.. Banta served my
cause.
AT what turned out to be
al the risk of his life, he duly
joined the Communist Party In
Manhattan and reported In full
To me the proceedings Of the
meetings of the Communists In
reference To my candidacy for
reelection to Congress.
"For instance, he reported the
agenda, calling in thousands of
young men and women Conn
munists throughout the entire
city 10 canvass the district
against me, especially those
members who looked least like
the type The order was to
conceal their Communistic adj
herence. Ii worked. Those en-
thusiastic fanatical atheists
outsmart amy other political
solicitors.
again, for instance. Mr..
Banta reported To me that mt
one meeting. at which Mr.. Earl
Browder spoke, he (Browder)
told how he had just talked to
President Roosevelt, who stated
20 him that O'Connor must be
licked at any cost
CLOSE TO WHITE HOUSE
"Brewder's entire 20 the White
House then was well known. In
the preceding June l had been
placed No. on the Communist
black list, Mt their national con-
veution at Madison Square Gar
den. because of nationwide radio
talks 1 had made against COM
munism.
What support i got during
such efforts, or I'm the cleo ton,
from certain prelates, II still
another story now being written
for another day.
"Suspicien began 20 fall on
Banta in she Communist meet
lngs. The Daily Worker chief
supporter Of my opponent, Fay
Rep. James II. Fay. now repre-
senung the Sixteenth New York
District In the House, ROose-
velt's candidate, finally caught
up with Banta and exposed him
as my man.
HE was followed. and his life
was threatened to such an ex-
tent that arranged bodyguards
for him. You may not believe 1t,
but the Commies do get tough
sometimes, in packs, in alleys,
late at night.
THROWN OFF WPA
"Banta was working on WPA.
Hopkins Harry Hopkins. then
works projects administrator
got word OF his secret activities
in my behalf and after an in
at which I was also
questioned, by Hopkins first
assistant, Banta was thrown
off the WPA and all relief rolls.
although he was in dire distress
and had a sick wife.
Zone of Hopkins handy men
I'm the purge WAS DAvey Neyhus,
alias Niles, now one OF the Presi-
dents secretaries and field mar
shall for the fourth term.
He spent a good deal Of time
travelling between Washington
and New York. directing the
purge and carrying the siBews--
So, 900 from j. l.. Lewis. $4,000
from the White House. Tommy
Corcoran and Ed Flynn helped.
too. They persuaded Ben Smith,
The hear of Wall Street. to give
up $4,000 on a promise TO be
made amba Ssador TO Russia.
He's still waiting.
LA GUARDIA APPOINTEE
But the particular $4,000
sent from the White House had
iehydrated TO $4,000 by the
Time II reached Fay's manager.
'faj. Walsh, In the Municipal
I'm New York City,
where the major. an appointee
Il Mayor LaGuardia, was con-
lucting the campaign.
The major, now director OF
he draft In New York City. was
~ provoked at the shriyeling
hat he personally went to the
White House to have n show
Town.
Gerald v. Cruise, about TO
sNpire aS member of the New
York Power Commission Ca job
which 1 obtained for him) and
Who acted as liaison man for
1orcoran in the purge. was
Questioned in respect TO the
unds transmitted from Wash
ngton TO New York. OF course,
here was no accounting In
or New York for
no ,,n,x-a IL. ~ conn nOO .o .n~.t