Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1948-08-17

headed by Nathan Gregory Silver.
master.
Miss Bentley publicly named Mr.
White at the House committee hear
ing. When she did so, Representa-
tive Rankin, Democrat. of Missis-
sippi asked her If he was a Com
muniSt.
Miss Bentley replied:
Il don't know whether Mr.. White
was a card-carrying Communist or
not"
Then she was asked by Commit
tee Investigator Robert Stripping
the extent of his cooperation with
your group" Miss Bentley said:
He gave information to Mr.. Sill :
yermaSter which was relayed on
to me-" Later she said that from
what her direct informants told
her, Mr.. White knew where the
information 11e gave was going,
but preferred not to mention it,"
Denied Giving Information.
When Mr.. White took the stand
however, he denied ever giving any
confidential information to Silver
master, saying he never gave any
confidential information to any un-
authorized person.
He said he did not think a Com
munist Party member could be loyal
to the United States while in an i'm
portant position He added:
Il would not have employed any
one who was a Communist or usec
his position to get confidential in.
formation. But you're talking about
something We know now. In thost
years, the thing that was in tn,
forefront Of our mind was to viii
the war"
1t was during the testimony tina
Mr.. White said he had been awar,
that Silvermaster had been involved
in loyalty investigations.
Mr.. White told the committee tina
in 1912 or 1943 Silvermaster had tolt
him he was being asked to resign
from the Board of Economic War
fare on grounds of being a Com
munist. Silvermaster, he said, asket
him to help clear his name.
Visited Silvermaster Basement.
He never impressed me as I
Communist" Mr.. White said. Z"
was a little taken back. asked hin
if he was a Communist. He salt
mo"
| Mr.. White then explained he hat
asked Silvermaster for some proc
and received from Silvermaster ;
long statement listing the chargeI
made against him and his replies
Mr.. White said he then was con.
vinced of Silvermaster integrity
He then went to see Herbert Gas.
ton, a Treasury loyalty board mem.
Der, and asked him to look into the
charges with a view toward letting
! Silvermaster return to a previou.
post at the Agriculture Department
/ He said he assumed SilvermaStel
was cleared because he got his ole
JOB back.
During this explanation to tn.
committee last Friday, Mr.. Whit.
said he had been in the Silver.
master basement where, Miss Bent.
ley had charged, there was photo.
graphic equipment used to copy
Government documents for thu
Soviet agents use.
PLAYED Many Sports.
But Mr. White said he had beer
in the basement only to play pine
pong, not TO look at photo equip.
ment. When he mentioned pins
pong, Chairman Thomas referred
to note Mr.. White had given hin
asking for a recess after each hour!
testimony because he was then re.
covering from severe hear
/ attack.
Mr.. Thomas wanted to know hov
a man with heart condition coul,
play such strenuous game.
Mr.. White replied that he had no
meant that the note be made public
Then he added that the reason h.
had a heart attack was because
played so many sports so we'll" TIL,
audience in the crowded committe,
hearing room applauded the remark
At another point in the hearin,
Mr.. White said he did not know
Whitaker Chambers, former ayowes
Communist and now a senior editol
of Time Magazine. Mr.. Chamber.
also had involved Mr.. White in tn,
Communist investigation by a charg,
that he personally had tried t.
persuade Mr.. White to break away
from the Communist movement.
Mr.. White said he was aware O.
that testimony when he made hi.
denial
Willing, Chambers Says.
Mr.. Chambers had testified Au.
gust 8 that Mr.. White was added Il
his underground group as one O
those who, 1t was believed, woult
go places" in Government. Mr.
Chambers himself left the Com.
munist Party in 1888 and he wa!
referring to events before that date
Mr.. Chambers said he though
Mr.. White had broken with tn,
party but later, on becoming con
WINGED that that was not the case
he told his story to the Fedora
Bureau Of Investigation.
Mr.. Chambers said Mr.. White wa
one OF number of members of al