Evening star., 1948-08-27
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deal were unavailing. His attorney
here. John r. Davis, said he knew
nothing about it,
Mr.. Mundt. chairman Of a sub
committee now drawing up an in
terim report on the committees
Communist inquiry to date, said the
committee Is now receiving two or
three pieces Of evidence daily in
connection with the relationship be-
tween Mr.. Hiss and Mr.. Chambers.
Mr.. Mundt was asked for his opin-
ion OF the sworn testimony given
by Louis Budenz in closed session
Tuesday that he regarded Mr.. Hiss
as being under Communist dis
cipline." The testimony of Mr..
Budenz, another ex-Communist now
professor at Fordham University,
was shown reporters last night.
Mr. Budenz, Mr.. Mundt said, has
been before the committee many
times and has given the committee
some tremendously helpful leads"
He said Mr.. Budenz' testimony has
always been accurate"
| While some committee members
started work on their report to be
issued tomorrow, others questioned
a number Of witnesses In closed
session. The witnesses reportedly
of the Cherner Motor Co, whom
the committee subpoenaed for eW-
dence on the ultimate fate of Mr..
Hiss 1929 Ford car.
| IN closed session Tuesday, the
committee revealed late yesterday,
Mr.. Budenz cited instances in 194l
and 1914 or 1945 when he heard Mr..
Hiss referred to rs being under
Communist discipline.
At the same time, the ex-Commu-
mist referred to Edwin Smith, for
mer National Labor Relations Board
member, as a man he knew to be
member Of the Communist Party.
The transcript of testimony
showed that Mr.. Budenz did not
claim to know Mr.. Hiss personally.
He said he had heard his name
mentioned rs Communist.
Calls Error Chance Remote.
Mr.. Budenz conceded n remote
possibility" that Hiss name might
have been used incorrectly, but he
added that he had never found that
to happen among Communists.
In regard to the relationship OF
certain individual to the party,
and certainly so far as the constant
impression on me was concerned"
he testified, sit was that Mr. Hiss
was equivalent to a member OF the,
Communist Party. The phrase Com
munist Party member as far as
refer to 1t, was never used, but that
he was under Communist discipline
was used and he was associated with
Nathan Witt and Edwin Smith"
Mr.. Witt, former NLRB counsel,
was named also by Mr.. Chambers as
a one time leader in a prewar Com
munist underground Mr.. Budenz
also named Lee Pressman, former
CIO general counsel, and John Abt,
now counsel for Henry A. Wallaces s
Progressive Party, as Communists
They, too, were named by Mr..
Chambers
Mr.. Budenz testified that he heard
Mr.. Hiss name in 1941 when Eu-
gene Dennis, executive secretary of
the Communist Party, said he
needed such a man in public office
in Washington to erase" something
! from the Dennis record.
Caution Held Necessary.
At the time, Mr.. Budenz said, Mr.
Dennis told him that persons like
Mr.. Hiss, Mr.. Witt and Mr.. Smith
could not be called on as they had
been in the past to aid the party in
its defense in Washington because
they themselves were under a Ger
tain cloud; that is to say. that all
the people in governmental posi-
tions in Washington who were
friendly to the party or under Com
imunist discipline were In difficulties
at that time"
The 1914 or 1e45 reference to Mr.
Hiss. Mr.. Budenz said. was rather
remote" He said he had heard Mr..
Hiss name mentioned at a party
meeting by q man who recommend
ed the possibility OF getting Mr..
Hiss to use some influence"
Representative Nixon, Republican.
of California asked Mr. Budenz If
he had come to the conclusion Mr..
Hiss was 8 member of the party.
"Oh, yes" Mr.. Budenz replied,
so regarded him always"
Told Same Thing to FBI.
The witness said he had been
asked by the FBI If he knew Mr.
Hiss and recalled that he had told
the FBI Mr.. Hiss name was known
to him as Communist. He said
the FBI inquiry was made a year
or year and half ago.
In closed session yesterday
afternoon. the committee questioned
William Rosen, 2020 Shepherd street
NE, owner of the Bunker Hill Valet
Shop.
The name William Rosen"
cropped up in the Hiss Chambers
story as the signature on a title
transfer of Mr. Hiss 1929 car.
Mr.. Hiss told the committee in
executive session that he gave or
sold the old car to Mr.. Chambers
or threw It In when he subleased
his apartment to Mr.. Chambers.
At an opsn session "wednesday. Mr..