Evening star., 1948-05-29
Wallace Assai|s
.Anti.Red Bill as
Blow 10 Peace
Mundt PIun and Atom
Bur Soviet Accord,
He Tells Senators
BY the Assoeioted Press

By The Assoeioted Press
Henry A. Wallace told Senators
today that I'VE can't have peace
with Russia if we approach Rus
sia with the atom bomb in one
hand and the Mundt bill in the
other"
Mr.. Wallace referred to the
anti-communism bill
already passed by the House by an
overwhelming vote.
Attacking the measure vigorously.
Mr. Wallace told the Senate Judi
ciary Committee it represents "a
declaration of war on the rights of
free speech and free assembly in the
United States
Clad in a double-breaSted gray
suit, dull red tie and white shirt, Mr..
Wallace arrived eight minutes late
to testify at the hearing Putting
on gold-rimmed spectacles. he took
half hour to read his 3,000-word
statement, in an almost nasal mono
tone.
Crowd Overflows Room.
A large crowd overflowed the room
and spilled out into corridors. Gu
rious to see and hear the former
Vice President, who is a third-party
candidate for President. Except for
applause by some when Mr.. Wal
lace entered and brief outbursts Of
laughter. the audience was quiet.
Mr.. Wallace made only minor
changes as he read his text. When
he finished the Senators put but
few questions to him.
He remarked that he is believer
in ''old-fashioned Americanism." He
emphasized his opposition to the
law dealing with communism.
Then Mr.. Wallace noted that
Associate Justice Douglas of the
Supreme Court has said there are
less than 100000 Communists in the
country.
In answer to questions by Chair
man Wiley, Mr.. Wallace said the
Government now has ample laws
to deal with any subversive acts and
he hopes it never has laws that aim
at ideas or thought control"
The third party presidential can
didate said that "as the bill is
framed, its penalties can be visited
organization which espouses
the cause of world peace and prog
reSS," and added.
THE Mundt bill would empower
the Attorney General to prescribe
our party and visit criminal penal
ties upon its members, in the event
that 1t refused-as it most certainly
would-to register with him"
Norman Thomas Testifies.
Shortly before Mr.. Wallace tes-
titled, Socialist Norman Thomas
told the committee that the third
party" supporting Mr.. Wallace for
President is controlled to a large
extent by Communists.
Mr.. Thomas, presidential candi-
date of the Socialists, also is op-
posed to the Mundt-Nixon bill.
After he criticized the measure
already approved by the House, Mr..
Thomas was asked by Senator
Democrat, of Mississippi:
do you think the third party
supporting Mr.. Wallace is con-
trolled by Communism
yes, it is to a large extent" Mr..
Thomas replied quickly, and then
said he had better explain this.
Mr.. Thomas said Mr.. Wallace is
not Communist and the majority
Of his enthusiastic supporters are
not. but the Wallace movement Is
influenced by well-trained and very
well-disciplined Communists.
Mr.. Thomas also told Senators
that the American Communist
Party and movement are under for
eign control from Russia.
Bill Called "Subversive."
In his statement, Mr.. Wallace in
sisted the Mundt bill extends far
beyond its aim to shackle the Com
munist Party.
Terming it "the most subversivs
legislation ever to be seriously spon-
sored in the United States Con-
gress," Mr.. Wallace declared:
Here is bill which purports to
guard against dictatorship. Yet it
makes the Attorney General .
a dictator over every organization
in the land. He is given virtually
unlimited power to brand and out
law the association of our people
for the peaceful advocacy Of CON-
mon objectives."
The only precedent for such au-
thority, Mr.. Wallace said, is the
power given to the Nazi Minister Of
the Interior by the first laws passed
after Hitler's accession to power
Refers to Hitler Campaign.
He referred to Hitlers campaign
against the Communists as a lesson
hat the suppression of the consti-
tutional rights of Communists Is but
the prelude to an assault upon the
liberties of all the people.
In Germany, communism was