Evening star., 1949-07-17
Bill Of Rights Session
Hears Fbl Denounced
By Rogge and Durr
ey the Assoeiotsd Press

NEW YORK, July 16.-The
Federal Bureau of Investigation
was denounced today at bill of
rights" conference, whose spon-
sora have been a target of Presi-
dent Truman.
One of the speakers was New
York City Councilman BENJAMIN
J. Davis. jr,, a defendant in the
trial Of IL Communist Party lead
ers. He was applauded heavily.
Conference sponsors include
Henry A. Wallace, Progressive
Party presidential nominee last
year, and Paul Robson, the singer.
MFR. Truman. at his news con-
ference Thursday, referred to the
group as that gang.
o. John Rogge, former assistant
Attorney General, declared the
FBI is invading the rights of
citizens although he praised it as
the best investigative organiza-
ton in the world"
Loyalty Program Attacked.
But the FBI should not be
permitted in a field where it has
no business, in the thinking and
associations of Americans" Mr.
Rogge said. "
If a person has an enemy ir
Government service. Mr.. Rogge
said, he can write an anonymous
card to the FBI accusing the Fed.
eral worker of reading a book by
Theodore Dresser. or attending g
theater which shows Russian
films. or welcoming a Negro te
his home by the front door.
He (the Government employee
will be brought up on a hearing
. before a loyalty board" Mr.. Rogge
said. Even if he does not lose
his job. 1t will always be on his
record that his loyalty was in
vestigated."
Durr Hits Coplon Case.
Clifford j. Durr, former Federal
Communications Commissioner
attacked the FBI as "a super
shopping agency" Mr.. Durr is i'll
and his speech was read for him
He said the evidence in the
recent Judith Coplon espionage
trial shows that the organiza ton
investigates political views" al
though its director has said it
does not. that it opens and reads
private mail, and collects gossip
and encourages shopping"
The FBI commits many more
Federal crimes than it ever
detects" Mr.. Durr said.
Davis said three OF his CO.
defendants jailed for contempt in
the Communist trial are political
prisoners
I'VE must do all in our power
to smash these police-state, Nazi
tactics" he added.
Kern Presides at Session.
Paul j. Kern, former president
of the municipal civil service COM
mission. presided.
He said that among the things
to be considered were "the Ober
Law in Maryland. which provides
in effect, prison terms for political
activity falling under the pro-
scription of the State Attorney
General"
Another speaker was Harold
Christoffel, former CIO United
Auto Workers official In Mil
waukee, who was convicted of per-
jury in telling a House committee
he was not a Communist. His
conviction was set aside by the
Supreme Court recently.
Farrell Dobbs; national chair
man of the Socialist Workers
Party, sought to speak, but was
told he would have to wait fol
the panel sessions.
He shouted, If you deny me this
right, you are admitting that this
conference is concerned only with
the Communist Party and its asso-
ciates."
A delegation of about IS persons
from Maryland attended the con-
ference.
Among them were Harold Buch-
man, director of the Progressive
Party in Maryland; Mitchell A.
Dubow, secretary of the Baltimore
chapter of the National Lawyers
Guild, and Bernard Rosen, attor-
ney and member of the Citizens
Committee against the Ober Law.
All are from Baltimore.