Evening star., 1949-02-11
Chambers Testimony
Supplied Two Hints Of
Red Spy Ring in Japan
By the Associated Press


A recheck of files in the con-
gressional spy hunt showed today
two slender threads linking Rus
sian espionage in Japan and in
the United States.
Whitaker Chambers, who says
he was a one-time courier for a
Red spy ring in America. told the
House Committee on Un-Ameri-
can Activities last year he helped
obtain recruits and money for an
apparatus" in Japan in the
mid-30s.
And one person Mr.. Chambers
says was in contact with the lead
ers of that apparatus is men,
toned in a report the Army
released yesterday. The report
told of a big Soviet espionage ring
in Tokyo that operated from 1888
to 1941 and stole secrets from the
Japanese cabinet and German
Embassy.
There is nothing in the Cham
bers' testimony to show any def
mite or close connection between
the American ring he served and
the network described by the
Army as probably the all-time
boldest and best.
The committee wasn't looking
for any such tie when it heard
Mr.. Chambers behind locked doors
last December. 1t may look now
Service Officer to Appear.
Army and Navy intelligence
officers were invited to sit in on
a meeting this afternoon. The
main purpose was to discuss ways
of improving teamwork between
the services and the committee.
But Chairman Wood told re-
porters members were sure to
ask about the Army's sensational
report.
Just where the committee might
go from there was uncertain, it
could recall Mr.. Chambers for
questioning.
At the time Mr.. Chambers told
about helping organize Soviet
espionage operations in Japan,
that was a minor, incidental mat
ter. The committee was boring
in on what Mr., Chambers knew
about Red espionage in this coun-
try. He had told of getting
secrets from high Government
officials for relay to Moscow.
New Interest Seen Now.
But his incidental references to
Japan now take on more signifi-
canoe in the light of the Army
report telling how the Russians
got some of the wars top secrets
out of Tokyo.
A committee report brushed
past the matter this way:
Mr.. Chambers said the espion-
age ring recruited its personnel
primarily in the United States for
operation in other countries, in
cluding Japan. Germany, France,
Finland and China.
Mr.. Chambers also disclosed to
the committee that. in his position
as courier for the party. he on one
occasion took money belt from
New York to San Francisco con-
tanning approximately $4,000 for
the purpose of financing West
Coast spy operations.
u. S. Commonly Used as Base.
A person connected with the
committee at the time said that
Chambers full testimony, never
put into a committee report. went
something like this:
1t was a fairly common prac-
tice" for the Communists to use
this country as base for setting
up apparatuses abroad. lining up
recruits and financial support.
Mr.. Chambers was instructed to
help establish a ring in Japan.
His job was to organize the ia
cade' or front. In this case it was
a syndicate to supply features to
papers.
In 1886. he got orders to disband
Immediately the American end of
the Tokyo organization because
some one had been arrested in
Japan. He liquidated it overnight,
But the next day he was told the
report of an arrest was false.