Evening star., 1948-12-05
New House Spy Inquiry Opens
uesdoy in Hunt for Red Agent
Who Gave Secrets to Chambers
Identity May Be Barred
By Handwriting on
Stolen Documents
By Robert K. Walsh

The House Committee on Un-
American Activities yesterday
ordered new hearings beginning
Tuesday on handwritten notes,
microfllm evidence and verbal
charges it believes will show who
gave secret Government infor-
nation to Whitaker Chambers,
avowed former Soviet contact
agent here before the war.
Mr.. Chambers, who declared at
committee hearings last August that
he renounced communism 10 years
ago after operating as an under
ground worker in Washington, will
be one of the first witnesses.
Along with his further expected
testimony about alleged dealings
with Communist spy rings or "in-
filtration" groups in the Govern
ment, the committee plans to dis
close microfilm copies of State and
Navy Department documents it says
were given to Mr.. Chambers in 1888
by member of the Communist
underground" here.
Committee spokesmen said they
are convinced this and other evi-
dence will disclose the identity of
the person who turned over the ma
terial to Mr.. Chambers. They
promised proof also that the Gov
eminent secrets were thus handed
along for eventual tranmisSion to
Russian Communist agents"
Films Hidden in Pumpkin.
The microfilms came to light
earlier yesterday after committee
investigators, armed with a sub
poena, visited the Westminster, Md,
farm of Mr.. Chambers last Thurs
day. Mr.. Chambers, committee
spokesman related, gave them the
films, in small cans. The films were
in a pumpkin where he had hidden
them two or three days previously
for safekeeping in his yard
Additional documentary evidence
also has been obtained by the COM
mittee, Chief Investigator Robert E.
Stripping revealed. He indicated
some of it came from sources other
than Mr.. Chambers. Included in
it, according to Mr.. Stripping, is
handwriting material bearing di-
rectly on earlier testimony in the
committees investigation of spy
rings in the Government.
Mr.. Stripping refused to say whose
handwriting he believed it was. He
announced later that handwriting
experts" will be among the six or
eight witnesses at the hearings this
week.
Hiss May Testify.
The committee, moreover, has OBJ
tanned copies of some of the more
than so documents and statements
given by. Mr.. Chambers in a pre-
trial deposition session in Baltimore
two~weeks ago, Mr.. Stripping said
This was received from Richard
Cleveland, attorney for Mr.. Cham
bers, in a $4,000 damage suit
brought against Mr.. Chambers by
Alger Hiss, former State Department
official.
Mr.. Hiss, president of the Car
negie Endowment for International
Peace, may testify at the commit
tee hearings. Mr.. Stripping refused
to comment on this, but remarked
that Mr.. Hiss has mot yet" been
subpoenaed.
Meanwhile, largely, as a result of
documents produced by Mr.. Cham
bers at the deposition session two
weeks ago, there were reports that
o special New York Federal grand
jury might reconvene to consider
new evidence in its investigation of
Communist activities.
Assistant United States Attorney
Irving Saypol said in New York last
night he did not know "the slightest
thing about the possibility of fur
ther jury sessions.
Investigator in New York.
Mr.. Saypol. the Associated Press
reported, noted, however, that
Thomas j. Donegan, a special as
sistant to the House committee, was
In New York yesterday.
The term of the grand jury ex-
pires December Is. when the jurors
will have been in session 18 months.
Earlier this year the jury returned
indictments against a dozen top
Communist leaders in the United
States.
Mr.. Hiss and Mr.. Chambers who
Is senior editor of Time Magazine,
(See CHAMBERS, Page A-6.)