Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1949-03-27
St0v D0r0+hv Baiev

II
too familiar with this and cannot
give you q long philosophical dis
cussion. But my impression Of
1.-THE Communist Party is that they
use tactics which tend to divide
rather than unite, that they do
not seek q full democratic discus
sion before arriving at principle
and adopting q line OF action.
This is contrary to my own be-
lief. " - do not believe in the
kind of name calling which they
and others indulge in. I believe
very strongly in full discussions
and attempt to reach . meeting
of minds On particular subjects.
Mr.. Seasongood: Do you mean
to say you haven't had enough in
tellectual curiosity to form your
own idea Of what q Communist is?
Miss Bailey: Can you describe
to me q Communist?
Mr.. Seasongood: Please don't
ask me questions. I am supposed
to ask you. In answer to your
question, I can definitely.
Miss Bailey: I have heard
people say. and I could say. as the
chairman of this board, as I re-
call, once said. 1t is extremely hard
to identify a Communist.
Mr.. Seasongood: The object Of
this isn't dialectic: it Is Just to try
to ascertain whether q reasonable
doubt exists as to your loyalty.
am asking a simple. direct ques-
ton. Have you not in your own
mind, rightly or wrongly. what .
Communist is?
Miss Bailey: Certainly. A
Communist is a person who be-
longs to the Communist Party. I
imagine that is the way any po-
litical party member would be
described.
Mr.. Seasongood: Do they be-
lieve in the overthrow OF the Gov
eminent by force?
Miss Bailey: I don't know. A.
I say. have not read the con-
stitution. I have been informed
in some Of the books have read
that their constitution does not
provide that. I can't say 80 be-
cause I have not made q study Of
it. could look 1t UP and let you
know.
Legal Status Noted.
!; "Mr. seasongood: That IL q
rather obvious point.
Miss Bailey: As say, have
been informed in reading that
this statement does not occur in
their constitution. Maybe In their
mind 1t does, even though there IL
no printed evidence. -"
Mr.. Porter: I think, Mr.. Chair
man. that the board could take
judicial notice. As I understand
Mr.. Seasongood's question. the
precise issue is whether a member
of the American Communist Party
has the object to overthrow the
Government by force or violence,
an issue which Is now In litiga-
ton.
Mr.. Seasongood: Whatever
that may be. am trying to get
my impressions Of the witness.
Without being q Bryn Mawr grad
uate or Phi Beta Kappa, am
cognizant of what is going on in
the world. I am trying to get an
impression as to whether she
doesn't have any idea of her own
as to what Communist is.
Miss Bailey: Well. my concep.
ton is. as I said, q member Of the
Communist Party. The only ones
can be sure of are those who
state that they are. and some do.
There are some indications which
you might note, some such as
believe this board considers. I
can't say. but one Of the things
which seems to link q person to
the Communist Party is whether
he follows the Communist Party
line consistently. Again this is q
difficult problem, because many
people who are completely unsym-
pathetic to the Communist posi-
ton also happen to find them
selves on some public issues taking
the same positions that the Com
munists do. I cite the Marshall
Plan as one specific example.
Pressed for Personal View.
''Mr. Seasongood: Do you be-
lieve it possible for a person to bs
a member of the Communist Party
and still be loyal to the United
States?
Miss Bailey: So far as I know
now-although I do believe that.
as has been pointed out by coun-
sci, this question is up for deci-
sion at the moment
Mr.. Seasongood: I am not ask
ing you what is in the courts. I
am asking you for your opinion.
Miss Bailey: It has been q deci-
sion of the United States Govern
ment that Communists should not
work for the Government. I &C.
cept that"
| Probing more deeply into Miss
Bailey's views, Mr.. Seasongood
and other board members subse-
cuently ascertained that she
hoped there would be peace with
Russia. but could not say our two
nations were friendly today: that
she did not believe Russia or her
satellites have free elections, and
did not like the way Russia had
imposed her will on the smaller
countries behind the Iron Curtain:
that she did not think Govern
ment employees should have the
right to strike; that she approved
of business like" across-the.
table negotiations between man
agement and unions, and disap-
proved of picketing.
Mr.. Porter's Comment.
But as Miss Bailey's last hearing
drew to close, 1t was evident
that the board still was concerned