Evening star., 1947-12-07
By Donald R. Richberq

The need for legislative action to
combat Communist efforts to under
mine and eventually to destroy our
form of Government is obvious. AS
a people we are seriously menaced
by the persistent activities of a
political organization whose pur-
poses are so sinister that its men,
bership and programs must be con-
cealed and its policies advanced by
calculated deceit and treachery.
The right of a legislative COM
mittee of Congress is unquestioned
to compel testimony to bring out
the facts which are the necessary
foundation for. legislative action.
The investigation of the motion
picture industry by the House Com
mittee on Un-American Activities
provided a good example of Com
munist tactics in evading exposure
and confusing public opinion. The
refusal of alleged Communist Party
members or Communist followers to
admit their beliefs and affiliations
was glorified as an exercise of civil
liberty and individual rights which
of course, do not exist under COM
munism, and which were In no way
violated by requiring a congress
sional witness to answer the simple
question, Are you now or have you
ever been a member of any Com
munist Party?"
No Right to Refuse
No witness had either legal
or moral right to refuse to answer
such a question. Yet, Communists
and many of their deluded follow
ers have so confused public opinion
with irrational, emotional harangues
that the simple legal and moral
issue is quite widely misunderstood.
Infiltration into labor organiza-
tions and the disorganization of
production and distribution are ma
jor features of the Communist pro-
gram. Likewise, 1t is we'll known that
all possible avenues of publicity are
being utilized for the misleading of
public opinion by Communists and
befuddled liberals" who follow the
party line. If communism were a
creed advanced only by those who
openly espoused 1t, there would be
little need for committee hearings
or legislation to protect the Amer
lean people and their Government
from this political activity. If COM
munism were not an international
creed, national legislation to protect
the United States against foreign
aggression by Communists might not
be needed.
Tolerated by Americans
But here we have political
organization, born and nurtured
outside the United States, acting as
the agency of a foreign govern
ment which is admittedly antago-
nistic to the Government and
institutions of the United States
Here we have what is essentially a
treasonable organization giving laid
and comfort" to our enemies which
however, has been tolerated be-
cause of the extent to which
Americans are willing to go in the
protection OF individual liberty, free
speech, free press and freedom
of conscience.
If the Soviet government were
waging an ordinary war, or if that
government even acknowledged
that it is waging a cold war against
the United States in which Ameri-
can Communists are providing the
fifth column of attack, it would be
evident that We need national
law to compel the public registra-
ton of every agent of such hostile
foreign government and every per-
son engaged in any way in helping
such an agent. Such a law would,
Of course, make 1t a crime to con-
ceal any such activity. Under such
law any one called to testify as
to whether he was a Communist or
Communist helper would be re-
quired to answer, unless he pied
that his testimony would incrimi-
nate himself, which would be tanta-
mount to an admission of guilt.
Clearly, the United States is fac
ing the need of Federal legislation
to limit and confine the evil effects
of Communist propaganda and
activities in this country. 1t is a