Evening star., 1948-02-11
Subcommittee Hears
BerIe Views Today
On Communist Curbs


ant Secretary of State, was to be
heard today by subcommittee OF
the House Committee on Un-Amer-
ican Activities, studying proposed
legislation to curb Communist &C
tivity In the United States.
Mr.. Berle was to be followed to
the witness chair by Morris Ernst,
attorney, and Raymond Moley,
writer and editor.
A statement on behalf Of the
Women's Bar Association of the
District was placed in the record
yesterday by Miss Selma M
Borchardt. She testified after
Arthur Garfield Hays, general coun-
sci OF the American Civil Liberties
Union, whose appearance was pune
tuated by spirited, although good
natured, exchanges between the
lawyer and members Of the sub
committee.
Farley With Clark Urged.
Miss Borchardt asked that the
group call on Attorney General
Clark to hold conference of rep
resentatives of the bar, political and
social scientists and members OF
the Senate and House of both ma
jor political parties to prepare pre-
liminary drafts suggesting possible
approach which would actually
protect the civil liberties Of all oi
our people and preserve from the
attacks OF foreign and domestic foes
the Constitution itself, which guar
ar1tees these rights"
She also suggested a prime need
was the establishment of criteria fol
determination of organizations "for-
eign-controlled or detrimental tc
the United States"
With these guides known, evi-
dence relating to a particular Or
ganization could be placed before
a Federal grand jury with view to
deciding whether or not it was sub
versive, Miss Borchardt said
She added this would make 1t
possible to evaluate the Communist
Party as political party or as a
subversive group, not entitled to
the rights of bona-f1de Amer
ican" political group.
In commenting on Mr.. Hays tes-
timony, which stated opposition to
all legislation under consideration,
Chairman Nixon of the subcommlt-
tee said the majority OF the sub
committee is opposed to outlaWlng
the Communist Party, but is in
clined to favor some form OF legis-
lation to curb Communist opera
tions.
Hays Discounts Danger.
"It is about time our legislators
realized that the American people
are to be trusted and need no laws
to save them from bad propaganda
or bad thinking" Mr.. Hays de-
clared, adding he is convinced Com
munists have not become a danger
In the United States, but are being
given valuable publicity by con-
eressional concern over them.
What we need are men in this
country who not only believe in
but who are not afraid OF free
DOM" he said.
Recalling the history of minority
political groups, Mr.. Hays COM
mented:
There is hardly a crack-braineo
movement in the. United States thai
cannot get a miIIoa followers Eithir
a comparatively sffort time. sfffese
movements rise and fall"
Questioned, on Wallace.
Under questioning, he said he does
not believe Communists in the
sUnited States are dangerousast al
and, therefore. no more dangerous
than the movements of the late
Huey Long, Father Charles E
Coughlin or the Townsend Plan.
Representative Mcdowell, Repub-
1ican, OF Pennsylvania asked about
Henry Wallace.
"I think he's a great deal OF an
idealist," Mr. Hays replied. Il don't
think he has his feet on the ground.
He declared he considers any Law
designed to restrict the activities o1
Communists with respect to speech
writings or political activity to be
in the nature Of an unconstitutiona.
finding of fact" by Congress.