Evening star., 1947-08-07
j. ). Questions
Eis|er on Red
International
Cross-Exuminution
Is Concluded by
Federal Lawyers

By kewboId Noyes, Jr.

Exactly what the Communist In
ternat1onal was and how it worked
became an issue today in the Dis
trtct Court passport fraud trial of
Gerhart Eisler as the Government
concluded its cross-examination of
Eisler.
The alleged backstage boss of
American Communists, Eisler has
been denounced as principal agent
in this country in the 1930s of the
Communist International, q world
association of national Communist
Parties dissolved" shortly after
Germany attacked Russia in the
recent war.
The Government accuses Eisler.
among other things, OF fraudulently
falling to state when he applied for
an alien exit permit to Germany in
1945 that he had been affiliated
with the American Communist
Party.
Hitz Attacks Defense.
Assistant United States ATTORNEY
William Hitz sought today to break
down the defense contention that
there is no such thing, in Communist
theory, as afiliation with one ma
tional Communist Party by men,
Der of another national Communist
Party.
Eisler, under cross by
the Government prosecutor, would
admit only that he knew about the
relationship between the German
Communist Party. of which he ad-
nits he was a member. and the In
ternational. He insisted he did not
know whether the international had
a constitution during the 1930s.
What is a constitutions" Eisler
asked, his brow wrinkling in dra-
nratic perplexity. "A constitution
IS piece of paper with para
graphs"
Questioned on Constitution.
WELL" asked Justice James w.
Morris, did the Communist Inter
national have a piece of paper with
paragraphs?"
Eisler said he did not know.
Mr.. Hitz was blocked in his efforts
to read to the jury what he said was
the constitution of the Communist
International adopted at world
Communist congress in 1928
vJustice Morris, who earlier had de-
MED defense requests that deposi-
tions be taken in Europe as to the
nature and structure of the interna-
tional, said he was reluctant to ad-
NIT anything in evidence which
would reopen this question.
"It makes no difference to the is
sues in this case what the constitu-
ton of the Communist International
is-not particle of difference" the
jurist explained.
U. S. Move Denied.
Earlier, Justice Morris ruled most
emphatically" that the Government
could not go into the question of
Eislers relationship with the West
Coast maritime strike of 1884.
Eisler testified that he was an un-
paid employe of the Joint Anti
Fascist Refugee Committee in the
early years of. the war.
The Anti-FaScist Committee has
been classed by the FBI as Com
munist front"
Eisler recently was convicted of
contempt of the House Committee |
on Un-American Activities. So were
II leaders of the Anti-Fascist Com
mittee.
Describes His Work.
Eisler told the jury today that his
work for the Anti-Fascist Commit
tee consisted in advising the organ
zation as to the best way of helping
Spanish and other refugees in
French concentration camps. He
himself claims to have come to the
United States from one of these
camps in 1941.
He went to the Offices of the Anti
Fascist Committee almost every
day" in 1912, and less frequently
thereafter, Eisler said. He denied
having received pay for the work.
For such work you don't get paid,
Eisler said. You're only very glad
that some one would do something
for these people"
Testimony in the trial has indi-
Gated Eisler and Is other refugees
received financial aid from the Anti
Fascist Committee during the war
years. Eisler said today, too, that
shortly after he arrived in this
country he was operated on by DR..
Edward K. Barsky, chairman of the
Anti-Fascist Committee, and that
somebody paid the bills.
DR.. Barsky was sentenced to six
months in Jail and fined $500 on
his contempt conviction.