Evening star., 1947-09-27
Hams EisIer's Status
Up TO Justice Unit;
Deportation Is Urged
By J. A. O'Leor

~ W S~~
By J. A. o'Leoy
The future status of Hams Eisler,
German composer, is up to the
Justice Department today, following
the recommendation yesterday of a
House subcommittee that he be
prosecuted and then deported for
'fraudulently obtaining admission
into this country"
Four members of the House Un-
American Activities Committee
unanimously made these recon-
mendations, after three days of
hearings into the circumstances of
Eisler's permanent entry into the
United States in 1910 and several
temporary visits before that time.
Chairman Thomas said the record
of the hearings will be transmitted
to the department promptly, and a
spokesman for the agency said 1t
would be given immediate atten-
ton
After calling Eisler "an inter-
national Communist figure" the
subcommittee report said "the rec
ord is clear that Eisler perjured his
way in and out of the United States
at will"
Aide by Notables.
While examining former high
officials of the State Department,
the committee brought out that
Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt and q list
OF other prominent persons wrote
to the department at various times
IN Eisler's behalf, while he was hav-
ing visa difficulties before the war.
The report absolved State Depart
ment ofhcials Of any prot Communist
sympathies but expressed the opin-
ion that, through the influence on
and pressure exerted by certain
prominent people, efforts were made
to manipulate the immigration laws
to such an extent that, in the final
analysis, the principal point at issue,
That Is to say communism, was en-
t1rely overlooked and the case re-
solved itself into a mere determine
ton Of whether Eisler was a pro-
lessor within the meaning of the
law"
Hams Eisler contended before the
committee he came to this country
to pursue his career as a composer
He has written music for motion
pictures during the past five years.
During the hearings, he admitted
having applied for membership In
the Communist Party in Germany
in 1926, but insisted he was never a
member in the real sense. He told
the committee he has taken out
first papers to become an American
citizen.
Testimony on "No" Reply.
Through the testimony of Immi-
grafton Service officials, the COM
mittee sought to show that, when
he entered the country, Hams Eisler
answered mo" to question whether
he had ever been affiliated with the
Communist Party in any manner.
The four members of the I'm
American Activities Committee who,
acting as subcommittee, voted
unanimously on the Eisler report
are: Chairman Thomas, Republican,
Of New Jersey; Representatives Nc
Dowell, Republican, of Pennsylvania;
Wood, Democrat, of Georgia, and
Rankin, Democrat, of Mississippi.
The text of the report follows:
This hearing, in the opinion of
the committee, has shown beyond
doubt that Hams Eisler was not
only a mere member of the Com
munist Party as he has testified, but
that he has been an international
Communist figure of extreme i'm
portance to the Soviet Union for
many years. .-.+
Record Called Clear.
"The record Is clear that Eisler
perjured his way in and out of the
United States at will. going to Soviet
Russia and other countries when
ever he pleased. The record shows
that finally during the war, Eisler
was given haven, and very
lucrative one, in the United States,
although it was clearly indicated that
he could have found refuge in Mos
cow, London or Mexico, where he
had previously been at various in
tervals of time The committee need
not point out that Hams Eisler is
the brother of Gerhard Eisler, who
was recently convicted of passport
fraud and contempt of Congress, and
that the brothers, according to the
record, were in close communication.
with reference to the State De-
partment file and the testimony of
George Messersmith former Assist
ant Secretary of State), the COM
mittee does not in any way intend
to imply that Mr.. Messersmith,
Sumner Welles former Undersec-
retary of State) or any of the State
Department officials involved had
prot Communist sympathies. The
record is clear on this. But the
committee is definitely Of the opinion
that, through the influence and
pressure exerted by certain prom
inert people, efforts were made to
manipulate the immigration laws to
such an extent that in the final
analysis the principal point at issue,
that is to say communism, was
entirely overlooked and the case
resolved itself into a mere deter
mination of whether Eisler was q
professor within the meaning of the
law. This fact Is clearly demon
strated through the exchange of
correspondence among the Eislers,
their attorneys, the State Depart
ment and prominent persons.
Throughout the hearing, Mr..
LOST.