Evening star., 1947-05-14

Wortime Police Team
Set Up by La Guordiu
ToCombut Subyersiyes
By Malcolm Lomborne, Jr.
Disclosure OF a highly secret
Sabotage squad formed by former
Mayor r. II. La Guardia to infiltrate
"subversive" groups in New York
City during the war was made to-
day in the District Court trial OF
Carl A. Marzani, charged with con-
cealing Communist Party afi1lia-
tions to get Government job.
Details of the squad, formed by
the New York Police Department,
were outlined for the first time by
Capt. George G. Gallagher, men,
Der of the New York force as the
third day of the trial got under way.
In his testimony, the witness said
he recruited the services of coll
ored detective because the Com
rnunist Party was recruiting Me-
groes."
MistriaI Move Overruled.
At this point, Defense Attorney
Charles E. Ford jumped to his feet,
moved for mistrial and asked that
the jury, which includes nine colored
persons, be withdrawn Justice
Richmond B. Keech overruled the
defense objection.
The Government contends that
Marzani, who was dismissed from
the State Department last Decem-
ber, concealed Communist activities
In New York during 1910 and 1941.
John H. Kelley, special assistant
to the Attorney General planned to
call two additional New York police
men in an effort to prove Marzani's
denials to Government loyalty ex-
aminers were false.
Strict Secrecy Maintained.
Capt. Gallagher outlined to an
attentive court room detail of the
squad which he said was formed
in 1899 on orders of Mr.. La Guardia.
Members of the squad, he said.
were given assumed names and false
identification cards, and directed to
''infiltrate into organizations that
miealt be considered subversive."
Operations Of the squad were so
secret, the witness said, that until
1943 its members were not known
by any other agency, including Army
and Naval Intelligence or the FBI.
Identity of It's members were un-
known even to the regular officers
of the New York Police Department,
the witness stated.
Company Front" Used.
Capt. Gallagher said squad head
quarters we're In separate offices.
At one time the Office bore the
name of Martin, Pearson & Co..
on It's door and at another time was
known as Merchandise Surveys
Co."
He testified that squad members
were told ito try to capture" posi-
tions In suspect organizations In
order to gain access to records and
membership rolls.
They worked without shield or
gum the witness asserted.
Under cross-examination, Capt.
Gallagher listed these organizations
as coming under investigation by his
squad: American Youth for Democ-
racy, the Teachers Union, Social
Workers Party, Transport Workers
Union, Friends of Soviet Union,
American Peace Mobilization, the
Christian Front and the American
Destiny Party.
Asked for Other Names.
Pressed for additional names, the
witness listed the National Maritime
Union and the National Negro Con-
gress. He said 1t was possible the
squad investigated other unions and
then added:
"I want to make clear we investi-
gated only subversive elements in
the unions"
j. Anthony Panuch, former State
Department official, said MarZani
came to him last November and de-
clared he was fed up with persecu-
tion" in the department and planned
to resign. He quoted the defendant
as saying the departments security
office was manned by country boys
who did not know the difference be-
tween Communists, Socialists, Lib
erals or anarchists"
Tells Of Interview. !
The witness told of an interview
he had with Marzani earlier in the
year-.around June when the
question of the defendants loyalty
first arose in the department. Mr.. |
Panuch said Marzani categorically |
denied he had ever used the name
Of Tony Whales as Communist
agent, that either he or his wife
had ever been members of the party |
or that he had used false state !
ments to obtain WPA job.
Mr.. Panuch quoted Marzani as
saying this is old stuff and that
further 1t had been established in
a hearing of the Civil Service Com
mission in April, l943, that he was
not disloyal or found to have been
afiliated with the Communist
Party.
These charges were thrown out
the window" Mr.. Panuch quoted
Marzani as saying. At the time of
the commission probe, Marzani was
employed by the Office of Strategic
Services, which was merged with
the State Department after the war