Evening star., 1947-02-05
'kremIin Agent EisIer
10 Testify Tomorrow
|AtUn-Americanpr robe
BY the A,.eciafsd Press

The House Committee on I'm
American Activities tossed q
cloak Of mystery over all but one
|of its important. witnesses
summoned to testify tomorrow
Except to say that Gerhard Eisler
arrested yesterday at his New York
home, viii be on hand for the COM
mittee's first public session Of l947,
Chairman Thomas refused to be
specific.
Eisier has been depicted In COM
mittee testimony as the Krenlin's
top agent in this country.
There are about q dozen i'm
portant witnesses under subpoena
and, you better be on hand to see
who they are" Mr.. Thomas told
newsmen who prodded him for
some Identification.
Cites Delicate Situation"
He could not name them now, he
added, because Of 'the delicate ma
ture Of the situation"
Asked whether prospective wit
nesses include Hollywood celebrities
whom the committee has indicated
it will question during the year, Mr.
Thomas said only. They are COM
ing from considerable distances"
Despite Eisler's arrest in New
York and his transfer to Ellis Is
land for possible deportation pro-
ceedings, Mr.. Thomas said he Is
confident that Eisler will be on
hand tomorrow.
He disclosed that the COMMITTEES
on January 81 requested the JUS
tice Department to keep q "24-hour
surveillance in order to insure" Els
ler's appearance.
Eisler was identified last year by
Louis F.. Budenz, former Com
munist editor, as the leader Of the
Communist movement in the United
States. Mr.. Budenz renounced Com
munism to join the Catholic church
and accept an economics professor
ship at Notre Dame and later al
Fordham.
The Federal warrant on which
Eisler was picked up yesterday
charged violation Of the Enemy
Alien Act.
Eisler had been scheduled to leave
for his native Germany on q Rus
sian vessel last October 10 but his
exit permit was Cancelled without
explanation by the State Depart
ment.
In New York, Eisler's wife said
Chairman Thomas will be very
much surprised at what my husband
has to tell him."
Had Bought Tickets to d C.
Mrs. Eisler said her husband has
been looking forward to going to
Washington" and they had pur-
chased tickets to Washington Mon
day.
IF my husband wanted to disap-
pear he could have done SO long
ago." she told reporters.
Mrs. Eisler refused to discuss the
testimony Eisler might give the
committee.
w. r. Watkins, director Of the
New York-district of the Immigra-
tion and Naturalization Service, said
Eisler was being detained "as an
enemy alien" at the direction Of At
torney General Clark, who author
lied issuance of the warrant.
On october II, BudenZ, q former
editor Of the Daily Worker, Com
munist Party organ, said Eisler, un-
der the name Hans Berger, was d.
rector of all Communist activity in
this country. ~a% -
Eisler replied that he had been a
member Of the German Communist
Party, but never hade'been Com
munist leader here or representative
of the Communist International.
Later, after consultation with
Joseph Starobin, editor Of the Daily
Worker, Eisler, revealed that he had
contributed information about Ger
many to Starobin for articles writer
| by the editor under the pen name
Hans Berger.
Eisler said his activities here had
been entirely literary" and that he
and his wife were to have sailed Oc-
tober 18 for Germany, but theil
exit permits were Cancelled aftel
their baggage had been placet
aboard ship.
| !. He said he would be "very glad
to appear before the House commit
tee to defend myself against the
accusation of having misused thu
hospitality which the great Ameri'
can people and its Government
granted me. I am very glac
that the American democracy give
me this chance"
/ Later Carol King, New York at.
torney retained to represent Eislel
at the hearing, protested the "secret
shadowing" of Eisler by. FBI agents
and said she would guarantee thai
Mr.. Eisler will appear before any
agency of the Government seeking