Evening star., 1947-02-11

ris replied, explaining that the en-
ployes hope some one will re-
establish the papers, In which case
they would try to obtain a contract.
''Is the strike on or of now?''
asked Chairman Hartley.
Mr.. Harris said that is moot
question" since you can't strike
against a non-existent company
The answer to the question depends
he continued, on whether any one
else tries to resume publication. If
another owner began publication,
he explained, the guild would expect
to try to negotiate contract, and
failing in that, the guild would have
to decide whether to strike.
Turned Against Communism.
When Mr.. Riordan, former assist
ant telegraph editor of the Phila-
delphia Record, took the stand, he
began by volunteering the informa-
ton that he once Joined the Com
munist Party, but quickly turned
against Communism and Withdrew.
Recalling that earlier Representa-
tive Kerston, Republican, of Mime
sofa had said he understood an OH
cial of the Philadelphia guild was a
"card-carrying Communist" MIR.
Riordan replied:
1.-THE answer is yes I'm that per-
son. I was member of the Com
munist Party for three months in
1887. I got fed up with it and quit.
He then read from an article
printed in the Record several years
ago, which described how he had be-
come outraged by the Communist
Representative Mac
Kinnon, Republican, of Minnesota
asked him to list some of the things
that changed his mind about the
Communist Party.
Mr.. Riordan said he concluded the
Communists were more interested in
stirring up uprisings in unions than
in bettering working conditions. He
said he also regarded as bad" the
Communist attitude toward religion
and toward "our form of govern
ment."
Mr.. Riordan told the committee
he believes there are comparatively
few Communists in the guild, and
that he has been on the anti Com
munist side in guild elections.
Membership Policy Explained.
Several committee members asked
the witness if he did not think the
guild should bar Communists from
membership. Mr.. Riordan replied il
a publisher hires a Communist with
out knowing it, and the guild has q
union shop contract, the new e,n-
+ploye automatically becomes eligible
to join the guild.
Mr.. Riordan explained the Guild
has policy of not barring a per-
son because Of creed or political
beliefs. He expressed the opinion
that communism cannot be killed
by barring them, but by beating
them on their own grounds" II the
Guild made q rule against Commu-
nists, he said, they would come ir
under some other name. and the
bylaws would have to undergo
constant change.
Some committee members also
questioned Mr.. Riordan as to
whether the Guild would fight for
a member if publisher tried to fire
him because he was Communist
The witness said he did not think a
mans political views constitute a
ground for firing him., but that in
such case the Guild probably
would agree to submit the case to
arbitration. -.
Worst Mistake Of Life.
Representative Lesinski asked Mr.
Riordan why, as an American citi-
zen, he Joined the Communist Party
and suggested that the step involved
question of dual citizenship.
Mr.. Riordan said he regretted 1t
as "the worst mistake of my ife,'
and added that he got out fast.
Representative Kersten took up
the questioning again to ask Mr.
Riordan If he would admit man